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Every year, Greece sees a flock of visitors heading to its beaches, drawn by that perfect recipe of shimmering Aegean waters, whitewashed walls, and a euphoric vacation vibe. And while there’s certainly an allure to that, it’s equally delightful to venture inland to lesser-known historical sites, friendly mountain villages, and arty urban neighborhoods. Thankfully, a number of intriguing hotels offer bases for getting to know the many different sides of Greece, showcasing everything from ancient history to culinary heritage—set against, of course, those reliably scenic backdrops.
As part of Afar’s Hotels We Love series of the world’s best properties, here are 12 hotels in Greece that gives travelers deeper, richer experiences, and outstanding design and service.
Amanzoe
- Location: Porto Heli
- Why we love it: Contemporary-meets-classic Greek architecture and boundless space
- From $1,945
- Book now
Since Aman Resorts opened Amanzoe on the east coast of the Peloponnese Peninsula in 2012, it has become a much-loved retreat for its monumental architecture, soaring col-umns, and vast expanses of marble that call to mind Greece’s ancient historical sites. Water sports and island-hopping cruises can be arranged from the resort’s beach club, which has four pools, cabanas, a Japanese restaurant, and a seaside spa. Guests have a choice of lavish accommodations: 41 pavil-ions or a collection of larger villas with one to nine rooms.
Aristide Hotel
The rooftop of Hotel Aristide
Courtesy of Hotel Aristide
- Location: Syros
- Why we love it: A handsome blend of classic and contemporary interiors in a neoclassical mansion
- Loyalty program: Invited (Small Luxury Hotels of the World)
- From $330
- Book now
Though Syros is often overlooked in favor of its Cycladic neighbors, the neoclassical archi-tecture of the island’s main town, Ermoupoli, is a draw in itself. Set in a restored mansion near the sea, the nine-suite Aristide Hotel is a sight to behold with Doric columns, sculpted plaster ceilings, and oak floors. Some suites come with plunge pools or stone baths. Food centers on island produce, served in the shaded garden for breakfast and on the sea-view rooftop in the evening.
Canaves Ena
Room 19 at Canaves Ena in Greece
Courtesy of Canaves Ena
- Location: Santorini
- Why we love it: A rebirth of one of Santorini’s original icons
- From $700
- Book now
Canaves Ena reimagines a long-time favorite hotel, which originally opened in 1985 in the family owners’ 17th-century wine caves. Today, the property is made up of 18 neutral-hued suites that let the landscape take center stage, plus private pools, veran-das, and alfresco dining areas—all with views of the Aegean Sea and Santorini’s famous caldera. Adami restaurant offers Greek classics such as sfakiani pita (cheese pie) and kleftiko (a roasted lamb dish). For an education in Santorini grapes, join a wine tasting.
Dexamenes
A guest room at Dexamenes
Courtesy of Dexamenes
- Location: Kourouta, Peloponnese
- Why we love it: Industrial design meets endless sea on the west coast of the Peloponnese
- From $165
- Book now
Set on a quiet beach on the west coast of the Peloponnese, the 36-room Dexamenes is a century-old former wine factory that played a key role in the region’s industrial history. Restored by father-and-son team Nikos and Dimitris Karaflos, the old wine tanks now house sleek rooms, and a cozy gastro-tavern set in the onetime engine room extends into a courtyard, where grapes were once off-loaded from horse carts. Two huge metal silos at the center of it all function as spaces for spa treatments and yoga.
The Dolli
The Athenian Room at the Dolli in Athens
Courtesy of the Dolli
- Location: Central Athens
- Why we love it: The bijou pool’s views of the Acropolis are some of the best in the city
- Loyalty programme: Grecotel Privilege Club
- From $590
- Book now
Athens is full of boutique hotels, but you don’t have to worry about experiencing an Instagram-vs-reality moment at the Dolli. The hotel’s much-photographed rooftop pool is even better in real life than it is in the photos. Go in the early morning when its mirrorlike surface reflects the Parthenon, mid-afternoon to cool off from the Athens heat, or for sundowners when the illuminated Acropolis radiates over the city. The 46 guest rooms are equally delightful, with high ceilings and minimalist decor, despite the Dolli’s location on one of the Greek capital’s busiest streets. Look for original artwork by Jean Cocteau and Pablo Picasso in the lobby.
Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens
A guest room at Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens
Courtesy of Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens
- Location: Vouliagmeni, Athens Riviera
- Why we love it: A proper resort on a pine-covered peninsula within easy reach of the city
- From $730
- Book now
When the Four Seasons opened on the Athens Riviera in 2019, it breathed new life into an area that had been synonymous with the bold and beautiful since the 1960s. Keeping to its mid-century roots, the 303-room property spreads along a pine-covered peninsula and leans into a retro-chic design that delivers seaside glamour. Spa treatments are inspired by ancient Greek techniques, such as the Giosi Foot Ritual with peppermint exfoliation and massage.
Grecotel Corfu Imperial
This two-bedroom waterfront villa at the Grecotel Corfu Imperial has its own private pool and beach.
Courtesy of Grecotel Corfu Imperial
- Location: Kommeno Peninsula, Corfu
- Why we love it: Practically an entire village, with something for everyone
- Loyalty program: Grecotel Privilege Club
- From $344
- Book now
Set on a peninsula marked with sea coves and formal gardens, the accommodations at Corfu Imperial include everything from 350-square-foot deluxe rooms and swim-up bungalows to private estates. A new collection of waterfront villas and palazzi opened in summer of 2024, along with penthouse suites and family rooms. Yali Seafood Restaurant serves the catch of the day alfresco on its floating deck.
Hotel Grand Bretagne, a Luxury Collection Hotel
A lounge area at Hotel Grand Bretagne, a Luxury Collection Hotel
Courtesy of Hotel Grand Bretagne, a Luxury Collection Hotel
- Location: Syntagma Square, Athens
- Why we love it: An Athenian grande dame synonymous with the history of modern Greece
- Loyalty program: Marriott Bonvoy
- From 635
- Book now
The Hotel Grande Bretagne, or GB as everyone in Athens calls it, sits on the city’s central Syntagma Square, surveying the comings and goings of the Greek capital as it has for the past 150 years. This is a hotel that still plays a major role in the psyche of the city’s residents, as much a favorite spot for grand events and parties as it is for a coffee or a classic cocktail on the way home. Well-heeled Athenians gather in the Winter Garden for coffee and brunch beneath palms and a stained glass ceiling; the sound of cocktail shakers provides the backdrop at the elegant Alexander Bar, with its 18th-century tapestry depicting Alexander the Great.
The 320 guest rooms are of the classic variety—think flounced curtains and rich fabrics—and those with balconies facing the square have views of the evzone Greek presidential guards on patrol in front of the Hellenic Parliament. In summer, the rooftop becomes the GB’s focal point, and its rooftop garden restaurant and swimming pool are some of the most in-demand spots in town, with panoramic views of the Acropolis and Mount Lycabettus.
Imaret
A guest room at Imaret
Courtesy of Imaret
- Location: Kavala
- Why we love it: A lovingly restored Ottoman-era complex in a lovely harbor town
- From $740
- Book now
Set along Kavala’s old city walls, Imaret has reimagined an Ottoman-era institution for religion and education into a 20-room hotel. It’s a big piece of history for a small town, and one that Imaret embraces fully. Dormitories have been transformed into guest suites, while the building’s original water cistern has been reborn as an indoor pool and its ham-mam is once again filled with steam. The hotel is as lovely in summer, when you can enjoy the courtyard pool, as it is on winter afternoons, sipping wine by the fireplace with a cat curled up at your feet.
Manna
Accommodations at Manna in Greece
Courtest of Manna
- Location: Arcadia, Peloponnese
- Why we love it: A hideaway deep in the remote fir forests of Mount Mainalo
- Loyalty program: Marriott Bonvoy
- From $260
- Book now
Opened in 2023, Manna has become a hit with Athenians looking to escape the city. Located deep in the mountains of the Peloponnese, the retreat couldn’t feel farther away from urban life. A converted former sanatorium dating back to 1929, the 32-room hotel fully reflects its setting. The on-site restaurant serves hyperlocal ingredients—foraged truffles, golden fir honey—and spa treatments are inspired by Greek mythology, like the Lousios Hair and Scalp Ritual, named after the river where baby Zeus is said to have bathed.
Monument Hotel
The interiors of the Monument Hotel in Athens were designed by architecture studio MPlusM.
Courtesy of Monument Hotel
- Location: Athens
- Why we love it: An architectural gem you can stay in
- From $326
- Book now
Down a quiet street in hip Athens neighborhood Psiri, past the stores selling olives and buckets and baskets, sits an ornate—if unassuming—neoclassical building. Originally designed by famed architect Ernst Ziller in 1881, the mansion today is the Monument Hotel, a five-suite, four-room retreat. Inside the space, redone by Athenian architecture studio MPlusM, marble balconies and murals have been restored, as have the original gypsum decorations on the walls and ceilings. Rooms are sleek, with pastel walls, Scandinavian furniture, brass fixtures, and soft beds, and despite the bustle of Athens, it’s easy here to feel tucked away; the hotel also has a spa and sauna that further the boy-this-place-is-hard-to-leave feeling. Should you be able to muster up the gumption, Linou Soumpasis k sia, one of the city’s many excellent new-age tavernas, is right next door. From $326—Katherine LaGrave
One&Only Aesthesis
Floor-to-ceiling windows offer views out toward the waterfront of the Athens Riviera.
Photo by Rupert Peace
- Location: Glyfada
- Why we love it: Seaside glamour not far from the center of Athens
- From $807
- Book now
Just opened on the outskirts of Athens in the Glyfada neighborhood, One&Only Aesthesis embraces seaside nostalgia in 127 1960s-inspired rooms and villas. The resort is open year round but really comes into its own in summer. While there is a stretch of beach here, the waters are far from the best in Greece. Better to stick to the central swimming pool and private plunge pools that provide the perfect antidotes to Athens’s scorching summer heat. The hotel has enlisted chefs Ettore Botrini and Paco Morales to develop menus for the pair of restaurants, and things are set to heat up further when Peruvian-inspired beach club Manko arrives this spring. Read Afar’s full review of One&Only Aesthesis.
One&Only Kea Island
Courtesy of One&Only
- Location: Kea Island
- Why we love it: A less-visited Greek island gets a sumptuous new retreat
- From $1,910
- Book now
A new resort is shining a spotlight on under-the-radar Kéa, the closest of the Cyclades islands to Athens. Opened in June of 2024, One&Only Kéa Island’s 63 hillside villas look over a channel that hosts some of the Mediterranean’s best wreck diving. The spacious villas have curved ceilings that echo the domes of the white churches found throughout the islands. Guests can join experiences such as underwater explorations with a local divemaster and hikes led by archaeologists.
Santorini Sky
A villa at Santorini Sky
Courtesy of Santorini Sky
- Location: Santorini
- Why we love it: Open year-round for blissfully crowd-free winter getaways
- From $152
- Book now
In the hills of Santorini at the highest point of the island, Santorini Sky is a rare gem that doesn’t close down during the winter months, which is when locals will tell you the island is at its crowd-free best. You’re far above the mêlée up here, surrounded by blue Aegean skies and even bluer waters below. Santorini Sky’s 14 villas makes the most of the setting, with clean lines and uncluttered spaces so the views are the real star of the stay. All villas have their own pools, and the island’s main town of Oia is a 30-minute drive away, should you feel like heading out, but chances are you won’t want to stray far from this idyllic setting.
Santa Irini Retreat
A guest room at Santa Irini Retreat
Courtesy of Santa Irini Retreat
- Location: Therassia
- Why we love it: A short hop from Santorini with none of the crowds
- From $645
- Book now
The tranquil island of Therasia is the antithesis of its tourist-thronged neighbor Santorini, just 10 minutes away by boat. The mood is captured perfectly at Santa Irini Retreat, a six-room escape with a refreshing pool that offers spectacular views of the caldera and the other surrounding islands of Folegandros, Sikinos, and Ios. Recharge with the help of yoga sessions, wine tastings, and meals with vegetables from the estate’s garden. The villa also provides the perfect jumping-off point for getting to know the island’s many archaeological sites, churches, swimming coves, and vine-yards.
The Wild Hotel by Interni
Photo by Joe Onyuma (left); Courtesy of The Wild Hotel by Interni
- Location: Mykonos
- Why we love it: A quieter, less blingy Mykonos experience
- From $400
- Book now
Located on the more laid-back side of party-hard Mykonos, the Wild Hotel by Interni conveys a different character of the island, in a spot where hardy fishing crews used to keep their boats. Today, the 40 rooms, suites, and villas display a rustic-chic Cycladic flair, with rough stone, bare wood, and whitewashed plaster. Yet, this being Mykonos, it retains a sense of style in its carefully curated interiors, clifftop infinity pool, and secluded beach sheltered from the island’s notoriously strong summer winds. Dining ranges from classic taverna dishes to Greek Japanese cuisine. A new trata, a traditional fishing boat, offers guests sailing adventures at dusk and dawn.
