Little Bird

Having discovered Lesvos a few years ago, I’ve had my eye on Little Bird and decided to take the plunge in 2024. I have to give a word of warning, you should think carefully about booking, once you have been, there is no turning back and you will find it hard not to compare everywhere else, to this “Retreat”. Situated in “Bird Bay” and located between Petra and Anaxos this is a special place. The owner has lived in Australia and you can see Australian influences, infused with Greek simplicity and style. The building materials are good quality, like the flooring and tiles. We stayed in a 2 bed apartment, at the top of the resort and we loved the two outside patio areas. One with outdoor furniture and with views of the sea and one with a table and chairs, with views across the water towards Molyvos, which looked spectacular at night, when the castle was all lit up. For the first time ever on a holiday in Greece, we used the kitchen a few times and ate at home. A full oven, 4 rings, large fridge freezer, dishwasher and extractor fan (switch for light is on the left which we didn’t notice for a while) helped make this an option. A coffee pod machine is provided. The filtered water tap is such a brilliant bonus, as no need to carry water bottles back to base. A glass bottle in provided to store the water in the fridge. A washing machine is provided outside the bathroom and it got plenty of use. A very good clothes dryer is provided outside. Unlike many places these days the safe and air conditioning are included and there is no charge locally. Though we never used the air con in September, if you do use it, you have to shut all the windows or it doesn’t work. The Wi-Fi is mainly pretty good. There are plenty of sockets but it’s a shame there are not more either side of the bed. Talking of beds, they are very comfortable with good mattresses. The bathroom is nice and the shower is a handheld over the bath, but it would be nice if there was a fitting on the wall (near the window) to place the shower head, instead of having to hold it. The windows have insect blinds, which allow air in but not the insects and are a great addition. I’ve included photos of a 2 bed apartment. The infinity pool is amazing and filled with salt water. It’s not heated and is refreshing. There are plenty of solid wooden sun loungers, with thick mattresses, it’s easy to spend time around the pool, which is a good size. The weather in September was lovely. (Though a few days were windy). The Bird Cafe delivers quality food between 9 and 6. We had a few lunches and breakfasts whilst overlooking the sea. Personally the draft craft beer from Athens was not to my taste. The bar closes at sunset and you can see amazing sunsets from the bar area. The retreat is quiet, no loud music, the bar closes at sunset it’s a place for peace and tranquility and it’s clear it has many repeat guests who like it, because of that. I can see why many reviews say, you need a car or to take taxis. It’s a 25 minute walk to Petra, using the beach (most of it covered in seaweed) it’s an uneven walk and depending on the tide you have to watch the sea coming in to avoid wet feet in one or two places. After the beach and track it’s 10 minutes on the road, where some drivers do drive too fast (mainly taxis). We did the walk back in the dark and you definitely need a torch but there are plenty of taxis around if you don’t fancy the walk. The walk to Anaxos is by a busy road for 10 minutes and you do need to watch people driving fast and then 10 minutes on a quiet road. Of the two places, we preferred Petra but Anaxos does have its own charm. We got provisions from Petra and walked back with them. Maybe the resort could consider the feasibility of coordinating an online shopping facility, (however this may too problematic to organise) however doing the shopping yourself keeps you fit if you don’t have a car and don’t want to pay for taxis. The bakery in Petra (opposite one of the little Supermarkets)is very good and good value. They do some great cakes. There were a few niggles but these quickly addressed by Lisa and Pannos. All the staff are lovely. We also had a very friendly cat that visited us at our apartment. There are several restaurants near Little Bird, the Caravan by the Sea( best Lamb chops) which was good (and with friendly staff, you need to book) and Alvaki (best grilled prawns) which was our favourite and was a short walk along the beach. In Petra, Olivia was good and was always busy. The Reef (amazing T Bone steak) in Petra was excellent with great service. The Angel Wings Rose wine is so good if you want to push the boat out. We caught the land train to Molyvos, we walked into Anaxos to catch it and the train was rammed. We went on a Tuesday and we told on the train the castle was closed on Tuesdays. We had an enjoyable day on the beach at Petra, recommend reef shoes for the sea as it’s stony underfoot. Would we return, I would have to say yes, on the basis we have already rebooked for next year and plan to bring our son. Anything to make it even better, well yes, some minor things, eggcups and an air fryer would be great additions, an extra couple of ice trays in the freezer and a hook for the shower next to the little window. We look forward to our return. If you found this review helpful, please click LIKE