The Captain finally made it here during the late summer of 2014. It's a proper, international standard hotel, with plentiful, attentive staff, very comfortable bedrooms, excellent breakfast and evening buffet (and only half board appeared to be available when the Captain booked). And the very pleasant pool is naturist. The rule is that during daylight hours you can be nude anywhere outside, but you have to cover up inside (even if that's only with your beach towel on the way to the pool). The fact that it's not 24-hour naturism might not appeal to purists, but the formula seems to work. The hotel was fully booked in September, and the indications are that the demand is such that they have been turning people away. As well as the main hotel building there are rooms in "bungalows" - not actually single storey buildings, but that's what they are called - in the grounds.

There are lots of excursions and other activities designed for the naturist, including nude boat trips taking in Sweetwater Bay, among others, nude walks in the mountains, and day trips to Gavdos. Around the hotel, you can learn Greek, practise archery, learn to play boule, to mention only three such activities.

The rule about being dressed inside gave rise to a degree of ambiguity - it wasn't wholly clear whether that included the partially external pool bar (a good place for lunch, although busy), so some customers covered up and others just sat on a towel.

A minibus provides regular transport to Chora Sfakion and to nearby Filaki beach - you are given a timetable when you check in.

… Which brings me to the beach itself. You could walk, though I wouldn't recommend it - it would lead to a hot and exposed uphill return trek on a public road. There are some parking spaces so, if you have a hire car, that's the best way to get there. The beach is 100% nude, but it is rocky and shingly, and access to the water is very difficult in bare feet. At one end of the beach there's a cave, which you can sit in to enjoy the shade it offers - otherwise you will need a sun umbrella. Umbrellas and sunbeds must be hired - they are not included in your hotel booking. There is a beach bar - as usual, cover up with a towel.

The Captain found the beach a bit of a disappointment and tended to stick with the delightful pool. But this was more than compensated for by the hotel itself. It was very comfortable and the service and general ambience was commensurate to that you would find in a decent hotel in a Western European capital. It was a very positive experience and the Captain will try to make a return visit soon.

A correspondent visited with his wife in early June 1999, booked through Dune. They stayed in a bungalow room adjacent to the pool. The pool area is fully nudist, has a snack bar facility and a very laid back feel of calm and quiet (May be different in school holidays). Guests are required to dress in the main hotel building and a white towelling robe is part of the provisions in the room.

Evening meals are taken on the terrace and offer a reasonable buffet choice but all of a high standard. The waiters will serve you with your choice of drinks. Alternate nights a musical duo plays on the bar terrace but there is no disco or more lively affair. On the Saturday evening there was a Cretan song and dance evening which was top class. Breakfast is again a buffet affair, adequate but not exciting with cold meat and cheeses.

The "working day" usually started by walking to the beach. Fylaki beach is owned and run by the hotel and is nominally 900 metres away along a winding tarmac road. The beach itself is pebble and rock, around 100 metres long, backed by high cliffs. Sea bottom slope is shallow enough to provide security for the poor swimmer but soon gives onto deeper water, clean and clear. Umbrellas and sunbeds are available for hire. The beach bar provides drinks and snacks all day long and there is no requirement to dress for service. A much smaller beach is accessible to the east at sea-level if you are prepared to get your feet wet or up the road and across the cliffs. The bus makes several trips each day and is definitely the best way to go back to the hotel. You can walk but it is an uphill trudge and you are advised to dress when using the road.

A walk into Chora Sfakion took about half an hour, mostly downhill. Again, the bus is the easiest way back. It runs every hour and a half.

The clientele is primarily German and Dutch (there were 4 English couples there during our week) but most of the staff speak adequate English. The hotel has an events organiser who arranges guided walks and boat trips (boat from Hora Sfakion harbour). Staff were cheerful and helpful, cleanliness and maintenance were first class.

If you want peace and quiet, a good standard of accommodation and food and are happy with pebble beaches and pool then Vritomartis may suit. If you want long, sandy beaches and lots of nightlife then go elsewhere. Vritomartis is no busier in the school holidays. In fact according to the hotel this is a quieter time than May - June and September.

2000 September: Another contributor says the hotel was high class. The cost is now included on the hotel's web site. The cost includes a very nice breakfast but the dinner is extra. Everyone was nude at the pool and at the beach and mostly nude at the snack bar. No nudity is allowed in the common areas inside the hotel. The dinner was offered on an outdoor terrace and nudity was not allowed there either. The clientele was almost all German. The pool is large enough to swim laps in.

2006 September: The hotel was completely full during some Barefooters stay. It continues a tradition of superb cleanliness and friendliness. There was a very wide range of clientele in terms of couples (mixed and same sex), singles and age groups. It makes for a great eclectic mix. There were plenty of people around the beautiful pool and down at Filaki beach. Interestingly the hotel owners are improving the old hotel beach for opening in Spring 2007. This should give a choice of two hotel naturist beaches in the future.

2010 September: A barefooter and his wife had a very enjoyable 4 night stay at Vritomartis. The hotel seemed packed out, the swimming pool and the FKK Filaki Beach were always busy. There was a decent breakfast and excellent buffet in the evening. The evening entertainment was average but helped create a romantic setting. You are required to be clad inside the hotel and for breakfast and dinner.

2011 July: beach was very nice and 100% nude- 20 people, all couples. There is a little tavern there for refreshments and lunch - the people are nice.

Of all the naturist beaches I visited last summer in this area, this was the least attractive: although the tavern was handy, the water didn't seem too clean and there was no sand, mainly large pebbles.

Vritomartis has a new website with lots of information about where you can swim nude around the region. For more information check the "discover Vritomartis region" section.

2018 September: To the east of Hora Sfakion the beaches indicated near the Club Vritomartis are naturist (100%). Filaki beach is the less attractive. The Agios Charambos and Amoudi (beyond the creek bed) beaches are more pleasant.

2020 August: The beach beyond the creek bed on the west was empty and nice. If you don’t need a sunbed this is a better place than Fylaki

2023 August: We visited Filaki Beach on Friday mid-day, beach is almost full (mostly couples) but calm, there is no music or other disturbing noise. At our visting time almost all umbrellas were occupied, some sunbeds left. Price for set of two sunbeds and umbrella is €7.50/day, you can rent for 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks (the longer the cheaper day price). Water is very clear and nice, maybe a little colder but maybe it's common in this part of island. Recommend swimming shoes because of slippery pebbles in the bottom of the sea. As others mentioned there are only small/big pebbles on the beach so it wouldn't be comfortable to lay on towel. If you come with car you can drive all the way to the Taverna and park there, there is a plenty space for cars. We liked this beach and would come back.
Google Maps link to car parking in front of beach: https://goo.gl/maps/SyACGTHQ9RLKuHSF6