by The Greek islands are more popular than ever this year, so if you’re looking to catch one last ray of sunshine before autumn sets in, here are the latest—and coolest—additions to the hip Greek hotel scene.
One&Only Kea Island
When the warm Meltemi wind isn’t blowing, it’s an easy 50-minute door-to-door speedboat ride from One&Only’s Athens branch, One&Only Aesthesis, but when it is, you can get there by ferry in an hour.
Regardless, this is a hotel not to be missed. It is also an island not to be missed. The island was first inhabited in 3000 BC and later settled by Phoenicians and Cretans. It is popular with wealthy Athenians due to its proximity to the capital, but its mountainous terrain mixed with fertile valleys has remained largely untouched. Known for its wine, honey and almonds, it is distinguished from the other islands by its peculiar dry stone walls with regularly arranged vertical standing stones covering the landscape. Its capital is charming, red terracotta tiled roofs and colourful facades contrast the whitewashed Greek norm.
About twenty minutes away is the new One&Only, a design triumph by celebrated architect John Heah. Sixty-three villas built from local stone feature private infinity pools that are not only truly private (private should mean private, and not just, as seems to be increasingly the case, seen by neighbours on either side), but also large enough to swim laps in, even if the temptation is to simply float while admiring the view of the sea below.
The interiors are honestly some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen; a sun-drenched space that winds from the bathroom, where a bathtub with a view sits under the window, through the bedroom, where a skylight lets in even more light, to the living room, which ends with a sofa that curves around the wall and opens onto a large wooden deck, in which the pool, lounge chairs and a table for dining are set.
The food is another highlight here. In the main restaurant you can enjoy Greek food at its finest. Try the orzo ‘giouvetsi’ with langoustine, or opt for something simpler like zucchini fritters or red snapper ceviche by the pool. If you fancy something from further afield, try the Asian-inspired sea bass with ginger and jalapeno sauce down at Bond Beach. They also have a particularly delicious rosé from Tinos, another Cycladic island. Speaking of which…
Double rooms from €1,750 in low season. oneandonlyresorts.com
Odra, Tinos
A ten-minute helicopter ride from the party island of Mykonos lies soulful Tinos. Long a favourite of the “know it, know it” crowd, this island is justifiably famous for its beautiful dovecotes dotted around the countryside – a relic from Venetian times – and also for its 19th-century church of Panagia Evangelistria, which houses a holy icon that draws pilgrims (many on their knees) to pray before it.
Until now, however, there hasn’t been a luxury hotel from which to explore this beautiful island. Then look no further than Odera, a boutique hotel with interiors by Studio Bonarchi, who have taken inspiration from Tinos traditions and local artists and craftsmen to create a 77-room hotel that oozes local character (note the nod to the island’s dovecotes incorporated into the architecture). It’s set in a pretty cove above a secluded beach, but if you’re more of a swimming pool type, you couldn’t be better off here.
On the top floor of the hotel, rooms open onto a 75-metre swimming pool that runs the length of the terrace. On the next level are rooms with small private pools and below that are the signature suites that open onto a huge terrace with a huge private pool that stretches to the sea below. And then there’s the even bigger main pool with terraces jutting out with sunbeds and the ancient olive tree that stands above it, reflected in the still water.
The dimly lit spa’s pool reflects Richard Wilson’s ethereal ceiling installation 20:50 on its surface. “Water, water everywhere,” as Samuel Taylor Coleridge would have said, immersing guests in an aquatic wonderland that sets new standards on this beautiful island.
Book it: Double rooms from £295. oratinos.com
The Phāea Blue Palace Boutique Hotel, Crete
The Blue Palace has been a reference for decades due to its location in Crete between the small fishing village of Plaka and the port of Elounda. Just opposite is the picturesque island of Spinalonga, one of Europe’s last leper colonies, recently made famous by Victoria Hislop’s book The Island. But this year the Blue Palace has reinvented itself, splitting into two separate entities. One is the 47-room Phāea, run by sisters Agapi and Costantza Sbokou, second-generation hoteliers who have made a name for themselves with their respect for the traditions and philosophies of Greece, interwoven with deep family values and pride in their Cretan heritage. Evidence of the latter is immediately apparent when you enter the lobby and are greeted by the sisters’ grandmother’s handwoven embroidery.
Art celebrating Greek identity is everywhere, with works by Greek ceramicist Melina Xenaki and artwork by Philippos Theodorides. At the table, it continues with handmade ceramics by luxury lifestyle brand Themis Z and Nisaki Mu, a ceramicist from Crete.
But the food here is more than enough reason to sit down at the table. From the Blue Door Taverna with its authentically delicious Greek dishes – unforgettable taramosalata with warm pita bread and freshly grilled fish – to the innovative Phāea Farmers Feast, which celebrates the farm-to-table ethos and lets guests select their ingredients together with a farmer and the hotel chef.
Next year, Rosewood will make its debut in Greece, managing the other part of the Blue Palace, with 154 rooms and suites, which is currently undergoing renovations. Stay tuned.
Book it: Double rooms from £282. bluepalace.gr
Andronis Minois, Paros
Recently renovated and rebranded as the first outpost of the Andronis group on Paros (the group dominates the hotel scene on Santorini), the Andronis Minois is just minutes from the attractive town of Parikias, to which a regular shuttle bus runs, and where you must visit the Temple of Panaya of Ekatontapiliani, a historic Byzantine church complex, this small hotel offers whitewashed cottages grouped around a swimming pool and a restaurant that uses local ingredients to offer dishes such as Froutalia from Tinos with local sausage, potatoes and Gruyère from Paros.
Book it: Double rooms from £315. andronis.com
Gundari, Folegandros
Finally, there is Gundari, another new arrival on this Cycladic island, which has previously been devoid of luxury boutique resorts. Famous for the much-photographed Orthodox Church of Panagia, which stands on a hill and to which a charming white zigzag path leads, it is a beautiful, unspoilt island with a wild and rugged landscape and a population of around 700 in summer and 350 the rest of the year.
On the southeast coast is Gundari, whose name means “rocky place”. Athens-based design studio Block 722 has used the island’s natural materials to create 25 suites and two villas in rust-colored limestone, which are bioclimatically designed and oriented to the south to protect them from the summer Cycladic winds.
All have heated pools (but if you want more privacy and more space, opt for the underground deluxe cave suites) and simple interiors with rough-hewn stone pools and floors made of local marble. Orizon restaurant is next to the main pool, which stretches out to the sea, and serves dishes such as sea bass carpaccio with citrus fruits and cucumber sorbet from a menu created by acclaimed Greek chef Lefteris Lazarou.
About ten minutes’ drive away is the Chora of Folegandros, where three squares in a row are lined with churches, lime trees and cafes that spill out onto the cobblestones. Right next door is the Kastro, an impressive 13th-century fortress built by the Venetians that transports you to another time and world. And isn’t that the point of travelling?
Book it: Double rooms from £464. gundari.com
You can find our full review of Gundari here.
