"Of all the reviews on this trip, this one is the hardest to write. I really really wanted to be blown away by Gundari, like so many others have been and there are many things about it that are indeed exceptional. But there were also some significant drawbacks that you just wouldn’t expect in a hotel of this ambition and price.
On the positive side the remoteness of the location and the views across the Agean from on top of the cliff are just to die for. Then there is the architecture of the hotel which blends in seamlessly with the cliff and scrubland. The food for breakfast, lunch and dinner is pretty good without ever being truly outstanding. And best of all, many of the staff are just lovely, kind, interesting people. I would call out in particular the drivers, the cleaning team and some of the front of house team. The tours that the hotel arranged around the island on a boat and to Sikinos were both incredibly special and the company they use is absolutely excellent in terms of quality of boat and service. The shuttle service into Chora every evening is very convenient and very helpful. The Spa and Gym are also very good. So many positives to take away not least of course the stunning and unspoiled island of Folegandros.
With all that said there are some things that just have to be pointed out that are the difference between a good and a great experience.
First let’s start with the wind. Sure it’s August and the Meltemi wind is blowing in the Cyclades. You know this when you book and you expect it and maybe even look forward to its cooling effect. Throughout the rest of the islands that we visited (Sifnos, Milos, Sikinos and Santorini) and indeed everywhere else on Folegandros, the wind was exactly what you expected, cooling, occasionally gusty but pleasant rather than a problem. Not so Gundari. The hotel is situated in what is in effect a wind tunnel down between two peaks. As one of the locals said to us, there is a reason no-one built here for 6000 years before Gundari. What this means in practice is it’s like living in a permanent force 8/9 gale. There is a reason why that beautiful swimming pool looks so good on the website and on instagram with no-one around it and it’s because it’s unusable most of the time - at least in August with the water blowing over the edge of the infinity lip like a waterfall and the breeze far too strong to sit out there comfortably. We were there for 8 days and there was only one half day when more than one person tried to use it. The pool bar was never stocked as a result. The other effect of the wind was on the dining area / restaurant. What could be nicer you would think to sit outside next to the pool with the above mentioned incredible view. Unfortunately there were only 4 or 5 tables that were sheltered enough from the wind to sit outside. If none of these were free then you had better take your breakfast inside or risk it being blown off your plate. For dinner they have clearly given up on the idea and there is a separate walled enclosure on the side of the hotel that is at least sheltered but has no view. The loser from all of this is atmosphere. There is none. There are no real public spaces inside the hotel other than the dining room which means that breakfast is the only time with any kind of atmosphere. The rest of the time people just head to their rooms , which are at least better sheltered from the wind. So great if you are on honeymoon or a monk but not quite what I expected. We had dinner in the restaurant once and whilst the food was fine, it was like dining in a morgue.
Second, a word about the room design. The shelter from the wind is good but the overall dimensions are very pokey for what you are paying. Bedside tables the size of small stools, a sitting area smaller than a cupboard and an outside pool not much bigger than a bath are all under whelming. If you were going to all the trouble of creating the hotel out here you could at least have make the rooms generously proportioned. As other reviews have noted all the outside pools are connected and if you stretch out on the edge you have a full view into your neighbour’s area which can be a little embarrassing. This is just bad design. Also despite the heroic efforts of the pool cleaner the wind and general dustiness means that the water is nearly always dirty. Lastly the design of the bathroom area is a bit of a joke. Instead of one or two sinks and a cupboard or console you have what can only really be described as an animal trough placed on top of a low bench. It probably looks good in a design magazine but it’s borderline unusable because you have to stoop over for everything. None of this is terrible, it’s just not what you expect for €1000 a night.
Lastly I do want say something about the service. Like I said earlier, many of the team are the most wonderful people - kind, generous and interesting. You just wouldn’t know that when you first engage. The best way I can describe it is that as a whole the management of the hotel are just not “on it”. No-one says good morning to you when you walk into reception, the breakfast and lunch waiting staff are happy to let you sit at your table for 5 minutes before coming over to welcome you or give you menus. Front of house was often short staffed and harassed. Despite being great individuals, no-one gave you the impression that they just loved working there.
Overall we had a good stay and I really do appreciate the efforts of the team. It just wasn’t a great stay which is what I am sure the hotel aspires to. It was perhaps unfortunate that we stayed immediately before at the Nos Hotel on Sifnos and I’m afraid Gundari just doesn’t compare in terms of rooms, service, food and atmosphere. The wind they probably can’t do anything about short of building a high wall but the rest is fixable and I hope they do because Folegandros is such a special place."
A Tripadvisor traveler review
Aug 18, 2026
