Batlis House

13/09/2024

This is beautiful. Free art classes from Father Nikolais at the spiritual centre, starting next week

Ξεκινάνε τα δωρεάν μαθήματα ζωγραφικής στο Πνευματικό Κέντρο Σκιάθου

10/09/2024

*******ATTENTION******
AMAZING ART OPPOURTUNITY COMING TO SKIATHOS THIS OCTOBER!!!!!!

We are hosting a creative art and sculpture masterclass with Royal Academy UK sculpturist and fine artist, creative writer, and women empowerment spokesperson and comedian

**** Clare Ferguson Walker.*****
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Skiathos Island
October 6th till 15th 2024

Please go to our event page :
https://www.facebook.com/share/Xf8DjEZdHTEWuojh/

Clare has shown her art all over the world from LA to Japan and the top London galleries,
And we are absolutely delighted and blown away that her next stop is at Batlis House , Skiathos!

While here Clare will be sharing her skills and love for art with daily workshops; teaching drawing and clay work, creative writing and taking us on a journey with our imaginations with pastel, paint and clay, with a few very lucky few people...

So please get in touch if you are interested to find out more and to book your space.

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We have a 1 week residental option where you can stay at our traditional Greek home where we will provide food , adventures and you get to work with Clare daily....

Or we have open days where you can join for the day and as many workshops as you like, suitable for those already on Skiathos.

Whatsapp Kate on +447500833706 to chat more or message me at Batlis House or my facebook Kate Swart

01/09/2024

Last minute avaliability at our lovely studio Batlis House, in Troulos, on the beautiful Greek island of Skiathos.
All dates in September are now avaliable.

We are a traditional family home offering simple and tastefully furnished apartments, all with their own bathroom, kitchen and private seating area, as well as access to our garden.
We are a few minutes walk to shops, amazing restaurants and local shops, and the beach is 15 minutes walk.

So if you are looking for a last minute bargain, then please get in touch with me and I'll be happy to answer any questions and help find flights.

Hope to see you soon,
Kate

19/08/2024

5 Star review ☆☆☆☆☆

Absolutely amazing! Couldn’t recommend enough. Kate’s place is a beautiful garden apartment , close to the beach. The building is a beautiful traditional Greek home. Had everything you need for a lovely stay in Skiathos! Thank you Kate.

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Thank you Natalie!
Lovely reviews like this are exactly what you need to give you momentum to keep going, keep cleaning, keep sweeping, keep doing the laundry! Getting a bit tired now lol.
Hope I can keep it up!

08/08/2024

5 ☆☆☆☆☆ REVIEW


Public review
An evocative and authentic place, Kate and her husband, in addition to being impeccable hosts, are two great people who are very helpful. Thanks to Kate's advice, we were able to make the most of the island, she made our experience unforgettable.

Go me!

25/07/2024

5 ☆☆☆☆☆☆ REVIEW

Thank you so much, our stay was wonderful. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Skiathos, because the house was perfect and Kate made everything easy and was very helpful on giving us recommendations and tips for our holiday. The location is great, because it is so close to supermarkets, the bus stop, bars, restaurants, free pools and then the beach is only about a 10 minute walk. Couldn’t have asked for a better stay. Also enjoyed the company from Kate’s dog :)

11/07/2024

Definitely visit Reborn Project Gallery Art House Skiathos on your next trip to town.
Open from 5pm

It is a wonderful collection of local artists and crafts. Including some of mine! kate.hannah.art

♡♡♡♡♡

08/07/2024

5 ☆☆☆☆☆ review for Batlis House ♡♡♡♡♡

Eileen's review:

Kate is an amazing host with a truly beautiful home. This place is such a hidden gem on the island. It looks like something straight out of Mamma Mia, and is so homey with Kate and her family always making sure you have good recommendations and checking in to make sure you enjoy your stay. The photos of this place are beautiful, but don't do the interior justice, it is a truly adorable apartment and the touches are so homey! Thank you Kate for an amazing stay, we loved every minute!

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I love this review so much.

08/07/2024

My paintings of Tenby. kate.hannah.art
Painted 2 years ago.
I love the close ups the best.
Excited to get my Winter studio open in Skiathos .house
Commisions welcome.

More art retreats and weeks on Skiathos with me and international artists on their way.....
How about October anyone?

05/07/2024

We have some last minute availiability in our traditional home Batlis House , Troulos, from the 12th to the 21st of July.
The studio apartment sleeps 2 / 3 and has a private bathroom, kitchen and private terrace.

We are very close to bus stop 18, so close to lovely restaurants, shops and 10 to 15 minutes stroll to the beach.

Please let me know if you would like more information by messaging me on facebook
Kate Swart or whatsapp me
+447500833706

23/06/2024

Flowers for our guests. Or are they weeds?
Who decides what's one or the other?
Every plant is equal at Batlis House

Hope you are all having a lovely Sunday ♡

12/06/2024

Dates we have left at Batlis House

Garden apartment availiable from September 4th

Studio apartment
June 21st to 27th
July 11th to 21st
From September 15th

Cabin
Lots of availiability in July and September

Please get in touch if you would like to book our remaining dates ♡♡♡♡♡
We look forward to welcoming you to Batlis ♡♡♡♡

30/05/2024

5 Review☆☆☆☆☆

Had a lovely time with Kate and her family! The area is beautiful and perfectly fit for children. They have a few dogs who are just lovely. Kate really helped with all the questions we had and made us feel really welcome. The appartement was really spacious and was very clean. I would recommend this place highly!

29/05/2024

That's it! My last apartment is complete. Just in time. Every year i forget how much work that is. And to promise myself next year i'll be more organised and start sooner.

What i have learned;
I have painted walls, and all the metal gating and fencing and true to say i'll pay someone else to do it next time. I've also learnt the bits that stick out on the gate are where the metal has been solded together. It will break your sander trying to get them flat.
It is easier to stand on your car roof than up a ladder for certain jobs.
You should use masking tape. Don't be lazy.
The shutters and many things can wait till Winter.
My dog makes an excellent paint brush.
And
It doesn't matter how organised you are, you'll always forget the loo roll.

Right 10 mins rest before my family, friends and guests get home.
Happy and very tired. X

25/05/2024

2 weeks have become availiable in mid June.
Come and stay at Batlis House
Please let me know if you want help looking for flights.
♡
Hopefully see you soon x

21/05/2024

Στη ρεσεψιόν του ξενώνα “ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ” (Μεγάλη Άμμος – Σκιάθος) θα φιλοξενείται έκθεση ζωγραφικής του Σκιαθίτη ζωγράφου Κωνσταντίνου Νικολάου Κανταράκια (1927-2015), με 11

21/05/2024

This about sums us up.
Follow our instagram for more beautiful adventures of our family and running Batlis House

https://www.instagram.com/batlis.house?igsh=dXV6MHQxcW8ybG5z

13/05/2024

Sneak peak of our new renovations at .house for 2024
If you've booked to stay in our garden apartment, you are in for a serious serious treat!

I am obsessed with this room now. It's like stepping in to another world. First guests arrive tonight. Hope they like it. Pretty sure they will ♡

Bedroom design by kate.hannah.art
With help from Cobus .collective

13/05/2024

Hi friends. I thought i'd introduce ourselves, your hosts, a bit .
I'm Kate and this is Cobus , South African and Welsh duo, who fell in love on the island 10 years ago.

Luckily for us my dad fell in love with the island 20 years ago and this year our dream of coming to Skiathos to take over my dads beautiful house Batlis House (with our little boy and big dog) has been realised.
As is my (Kate)'s dream of becoming a professional artist kate.hannah.art ♡♡♡♡

We spent the last 7 years in the UK running our award winning, high end construction and carpentry company "The Aartvark Collective"
And pre children, I, Kate, worked as Head of International Campaigns and Media for a human rights organisation based in Oxford.

Before that we lived in rural South Africa for most of 12 years where Kate worked in NGO community projects.
Cobus was building commercial projects around the world including in Mozambique, New Zealand and DRC! You can see his incredible portfolio by going to our website or instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/aartvark.collective?igsh=MTJoc3R2ZDkycTFyaw==

www.aartvark.co.uk
The Aartvark Collective

So yes that's us in a nutshell. Lots of experience and travel between us and now we are ready to slow down a bit and focus on our family and living in paradise. Although we definitely realise running a guesthouse isn't slow work at all! We hope we can do it!

We are very grateful to the Skiathos community for welcoming us, hugely grateful to my dad for choosing Skiathos all those years ago and all of his support especially, and we just look forward to meeting everyone over the summer and years to come.

Thanks for reading.

Kate and Cobus

09/05/2024

Hi everyone. What a busy week!. Not only Pascha (Easter) in Greece, but my (Kate) birthday! We have also been renovating Batlis House and spending lots of time with friends and family just before the season truly starts for us.

Highlights were going to Evangelistra Monastary for Epitaph and walking through the hills following the most beautifully decorated tomb and just feeling very honoured to be with everyone to experience that.
And of course my boat trip on the fabulous Kalypso boat. Thanks dad!

Here's some photos.
Really wish you were here ♡♡♡♡

We do still have space in May and June with discounted rates btw ###
And maybe a very rare week in july august still. ###

03/05/2024

Days off look kinda like this....

02/05/2024

All hands on deck for the last big clean before we open .house
A few more days to go.
Still renovating bathrooms and building but we will be ready!

Happy May everyone and good luck this season.
Hope you are ready!

25/04/2024

.house is blooming beautiful.

We have discount for weeks in May and June.
We've also had a cancellation for Easter week with Easter Sunday on 5th May.
It is going to be an incredible and special experience for anyone lucky enough to visit and celebrate Orthodox Easter with the Skiathos community this year.
With direct flights avaliable from many major european locations.

So get in touch for an amazing last minute deal and help with flights ♡

Hope to see you at Batlis House soon x

Kate Swart

25/04/2024

Superviser Mac the dog is watching as we get .house ready for May.
Such a handsome boy. And very helpful as you can see.

P.S If you see him running around Troulos ever ( as some times he escapes to look for sheep to chase) he belongs to us! Kate Swart

He's incredibly friendly. He will not hurt the sheep or any dogs, he just loves running, chasing and barking. He's quite big so he can scare small dogs especially. And people who don't like big dogs.
Promise he's just a big fluffy idiot on the loose.
When he does get out i'm usually not far behind. Also looking like an idiot trying to catch him.

Dog and kid friendly dogs are welcome at Batlis. Obviously let us know first!

Thanks,

Kate