Koryschades is a pretty village nestled on a forested slope of the mountains of Evritania. It is only four kilometers away from Karpenisi, a town which is close to the Velouhi ski resort and gets invaded on winter weekends by hordes of Athenians dressed in brightly colored ski outfits. Koryschades escapes this entire bustle – it is quiet and laid-back and has an almost sleepy feeling to it. This has not always been the case. The village is well known for its eventful history – it was in the old village school that in 1944 the resistance against the nationalist army was organized and formed a left-wing government.
Several of the old village houses have been restored and converted into the Koryschades Traditional Guesthouses. The main building is situated in the central square and features the only restaurant in the village. It opens early for breakfast – a hearty buffet that includes fresh bread, scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, homemade cake, biscuits, yoghurt and cereals. When it is not too cold, most guests sit out in the square that is shaded by a huge plane tree and sometimes during the weekends, while the last ones are still lounging over their cake and coffee, the first people already show up for lunch. The menu features typical Greek dishes, including traditional pies, salads, and grilled and cooked meats.
The guest quarters are spread out over four village houses. While all of them are traditional in style, they vary quite a bit in terms of comfort and aesthetics. The most attractive rooms are in the two Anatoli Houses (one is a converted barn), all the way at the top of the village. They are not excessively decorated. Rather, it is their stone and wood floors, thick bare stone walls, and blend of rustic furniture and antiques (and fireplaces in some of the rooms) that lend character. Room number sixteen, a double with a fireplace, balcony and stunning mountain views, is probably the best of all. Other favorites are number five (a suite with two double beds) and number nine, a big room that can sleep three to four people.
The rooms in the other two houses are generally smaller and somewhat less appealing. They enjoy the same amenities (television, mini-bar and telephone) as those in the Anatoli Houses, but are more sober in their décor and several of the bathrooms could do with a renovation. Room number two in the Arhondiko House, however, is particularly cute.
What all four guesthouses desperately lack is a space to sit and relax. Although most rooms are of ample size, they essentially function as bedrooms, and during the winter you especially miss having some other comfortable space where you can hang out. There is a small sitting room in one of the Anatoli Houses, but it is a little bare and not remarkably inviting. One place where you will be able to relax, albeit in a different way, is the small indoor swimming pool, a recent addition to the Anatoli Houses. It might be just what you need after a day on the slopes or mountain trails.
Text taken from Jacoline Vinke's book Great Small Hotels in Greece
