view over terrace bisected by shallow pools on hilltop overlooking greek island view at sunset
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Amanzoe

Located atop a large hill the eastern coast of Greece’s Peloponnese, Amanzoe is a luxury resort complex so striking it would impress Alexander the Great.

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Lounge at Ammos, Crete, Greece

Ammos

On a lovely sandy bay, this small but lovely resort was originally built in the ‘70s. Owner/manager Nikos Tsepetis is a perfectionist and design fanatic: every year, he obsessively upgrades the hotel, adding to his collection of designer chairs, replacing the pillows, or laying beautiful tiled floors. Only the genuinely helpful team remains the same, welcoming the regulars year after year. The whole set-up is ideal for families, with a shallow beach, huge playroom, accommodating staff (they’ll even provide baby monitors so parents can dine in peace). There's also excellent, affordable home cooking. (The kaltsounakia—bite-size turnovers filled with local myzithra cheese or spinach—are especially addictive).

The boxy, white exterior conceals daring colors and striking details: clashing Marimekko fabrics, canary yellow Bissazza tiles, a rainbow of Moroso stools. Bedrooms are unfussy, but supremely comfortable—the perfect balance of casual and stylish. Garden view suites, the only rooms that can accommodate a family of four, are so in demand you’ll need to book a year in advance. Couples who want to avoid babies should stay away in May and steer clear of ground floor rooms overlooking the pool, which can be noisy. But for families, this is an easy-going escape that checks all the boxes: a great beach, yummy food, and good value.

It’s a 10-minute drive or scenic coastal stroll to the bustling Old Town of Chania, where you’ll find lively bars and excellent tavernas (away from the touristy waterfront). Just ask Nikos for his insider tips on where to go—he has the lowdown on everything from deserted beaches to dramatic hikes.

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Anax Mykonos

Anax provides some great accommodation options, balanced with some less than ideal ones.
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Andronis Boutique Hotel

While it doesn’t quite live up to the facilities and room quality of other nearby hotels, Andronis offers luxury stays at a good value.

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Aristide Hotel

A passion project for sister-duo Oana and Jasmin, Aristide was created out of an abandoned Neoclassical palazzo.
View from Restaurant at Blue Palace, Crete, Greece

Blue Palace

Elounda is synonymous with luxury and this sprawling resort is no exception. On a hillside three kilometers from Elounda, it’s set apart from the surrounding hotels but also from the sea: a road separates the resort from the pebble beach, which is accessible via cable car. If the location is a little awkward, the views across the bay to the island of Spinalonga are glorious. 142 of the rooms and villas have private pools (be sure to ask for a heated pool, especially in low season).

Modern architecture, featuring local stone, marble and traditional pebble mosaics, makes subtle references to the island’s Arab, Turkish and Venetian influences. The striking lobby with its soaring arches is a faithful replica of the Venetian Arsenali (shipyard) in the harbor of Heraklion. Clusters of rooms in neutral, terracotta tones are scattered around the slopes to maximize sea views. Owner Costanza Sbokou, an interior designer, oversaw every detail of the design. (Her husband owns Costa Navarino, another Luxury Collection Resort & Spa in the Peloponnese.)

The five Asian and Mediterranean restaurants are a tad generic. The exception is Blue Door, an adorable fish taverna perched at the water’s edge. (It’s a short walk from Plaka, a pretty fishing village with more authentic tavernas.) The Elounda Spa & Thalassotherapy, with 23 treatment rooms, two couple’s suites, and a heated indoor pool is also by the beach. Family spa packages are a treat for teenagers, but kids of all ages are well catered for with a huge range of activities, from Cretan dancing to swimming lessons. All kids get their own welcome pack, bathrobes, and toiletries—a nice touch. It’s a popular venue for weddings too; look out for the olive trees with hand-carved signs commemorating the newlyweds who planted them.

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Canaves Oia Epitome Pool

Canaves Oia Epitome

Canaves Oia Epitome is a spacious Cycladic oasis in Santorini that balances caldera access with palpable privacy and unparalleled service.

Aerial view - Canaves Oia Hotel & Suites, Santorini, Greece

Canaves Oia Hotel & Suites

This elegant boutique property is ideally situated by the entrance of Oia town, steps from the tourist-filled pedestrian streets.The Santorini location of the Canaves Oia Hotel & Suites makes for stunning views: on one side, Imerovigli town and the surrounding volcanic islands, and on the other, sparkling white Oia.

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View from Terrace at Casa Delfino, Crete, Greece

Casa Delfino

This 17th-century palazzo in the heart of Chania’s Old Town has remained in the same family for six generations. Run with grace and charm by the Markandonakis family, it’s a successful blend of intimate and opulent. The 24 exceptionally spacious rooms and suites are individually decorated with a mix of bespoke furniture and antiques. Enormous marble bathrooms (many with Jacuzzis) are pure indulgence. A few years ago, the Markandonakis family bought the crumbling mansion next door. Now immaculately restored, it houses some swanky suites and a small hammam spa with a distinctly Ottoman feel. You have the whole spa to yourself when you book a treatment, using organic Apivita skincare made in Greece. It’s the perfect pick-me-up after hiking the famous Samaria Gorge.

Passers-by inevitably stop to gaze longingly at the walled courtyard with its stunning pebble mosaics and marble fountain—a blissful backdrop for breakfasts of organic Cretan delicacies, including pasteli (sesame and honey bars), orange pie, and home-made bread with dried fruits. Guests also have exclusive access to the secret roof garden, with sensational views over the harbor. Ask the staff to mix you a Bloody Mary and take it up to the roof terrace at sunset. It’s a blissful hideaway from the buzzing bars, restaurants and shops of the Old Town, all just moments away.

Exterior View - Cavo Tagoo, Mykonos, Greece

Cavo Tagoo

Directly north of Mykonos’ main town, this 85-room minimalist hotel is a sanctuary of contemporary chic. Though technically walking distance, the hotel offers a 24-hour shuttle service into town as its located on a busy road across from the sea. Sparse interiors are painted in one of three hues, blue, rose and white, and let ocean views do most of the talking.

Of the 85 rooms, over half are Superior and worth the extra money as they come with private Jacuzzis. The hotel offers 13 one- and two-bedroom villas, and their five-bedroom Royal Villa works best for families or a large group. The holistic spa offers treatments featuring oils made from Virgin Greek olive oil and healing minerals from the Aegean Sea.

Tagoo restaurant is set around the infinity pool serving Greek Mediterranean with a hint of Italian cuisine by day and transforming into a Japanese restaurant called Kiku at night.

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Pool Lounge at Corfu Imperial, Corfu, Greece

Corfu Imperial

It says something that the best hotel on one of the biggest and most developed Greek Islands is lackluster and merely adequately luxurious. Corfu Imperial hits all the marks for a “luxury resort” in that it has comfortable rooms, a spa and large pool, landscaped gardens and six restaurants. Yet nothing about it makes it memorable, and some might say it verges on feeling soulless. Service is perfunctory, not warm, and the large lobby with four sitting areas is constantly empty, even in peak season.

The hotel’s most appealing feature is its location. Corfu Imperial is set at the edge of the Kommeno Peninsula, on a large bay with undulating, verdant hills as backdrop and the hazy landscape of Albania a few miles in the distance. There are three small sandy beaches lined up next to each other, with lounge chairs crowding the short shoreline. The water here is clear and refreshing, and a brisk swim to the floating decks offers great bay views.

Accommodations are spread out between a main building, garden-level bungalows and villas. The interiors are spacious and decked in pleasant floral patterns and pastel shades. While the bungalows offer more privacy, the rooms in the main building feature sea views. Also, the bungalows do not get wifi.

The most luxurious accommodations are the villas, designed like townhouses with private pools and sundecks overhanging the sea. For families looking for a private villa experience with hotel services and amenities at a nightly rate (rather than a weekly commitment), this is the best choice.

Note that the hotel is a 20-minute drive from Corfu Town, and there is a free shuttle bus service that goes to town twice daily. Alternatively, taxis are available for about 25 Euros each way.

Entrance to Cosme Paros

Cosme Paros

Moments away from the island’s lively harbor town of Naoussa, Cosme Paros is luxury escape for families, friends, honeymooners and more.
Aerial View - Elounda Beach Hotel and Villas, Crete, Greece

Elounda Beach Hotel and Villas

The first fully-fledged five-star resort in Greece, Elounda Beach put this sleepy fishing village in northeast Crete on the map back in 1971. Since then, half a dozen pretenders have squeezed into Mirabello bay, jostling for a sea-view slot, but Elounda Beach still has prime position. It’s owned and run by the local Mantonanakis family, who have been in the hospitality industry for over half a century (their luxury portfolio includes several properties on Crete, as well as others on Nafplion and Lagonissi on the Greek mainland). Over half the guests are repeaters—mostly affluent older couples, families (there’s a well-run Kids Club and watersports galore), and the occasional celeb toning up and trimming down at the Espace Vitalité Chenot spa (upgraded in 2014).

Set in 40 acres of gardens overlooking a private beach, the resort is spread out so that couples and kids are segregated. With 245 rooms, suites, bungalows, and villas across seven different categories, choosing the right lodgings can be mind-boggling. Sleekest of all are the Yachting Villas, curvaceous waterfront suites designed to feel like superyachts, with counter-current plunge pools, retractable video projectors, and glass doors leading to teak decks.

The drawback to being the oldest kid on the block is that parts of the resort could use an update. There are eight restaurants serving everything from Polynesian to ‘bio-light’ cuisine, but the award-winning Dionysus is the only one that consistently gets rave reviews. Concierge services for the high-maintenance guests range from private jets to synchronized swimmers (yes, really).

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Erosantorini

One of the island’s only year-round options, Erosantorini provides a large buyout option for larger groups in need of luxury and privacy.
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Euphoria Retreat

A breath of fresh air within the forested hills of Mystras, Greece, Euphoria Retreat is a private destination to recharge and feel anew.

Bedroom at Eva Palace, Corfu, Greece

Eva Palace

While it sits next door to its sister property, Corfu Imperial, Eva Palace feels like another world entirely. The hotel has a distinctly adult vibe with features such as the Elixir Rooftop Love Spa and daily activities including wine tasting, dance classes and cocktail courses. The guest rooms are romantic, with four-poster beds wreathed in chiffon drapes, long flower vases filled with tulips and orchids and white candles surrounding marble tubs in glass-walled bathrooms.

In the summertime, families with young children could consider staying here, when the hotel operates a kids’ club. Like Corfu Imperial, the resort has villas on the waterfront with their own private pools. Other than that, it’s really a playground for adults who want to enjoy a mostly child-free beach, a large saltwater pool with a swim-up bar and a bevy of activities including fitness classes and watersports.

The hotel is a 20-minute drive from Corfu Town and the hotel's complimentary shuttle bus only goes into town twice each day. Taxis cost about 25 Euros each way.

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Four Seasons Astir Palace

With an incredible seaside setting, plush accommodations and excellent resort facilities, the Four Seasons Astir Palace reigns as the top hotel in Athens.

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Grace Mykonos

Upon arrival, guests are greeted with a glass of Champagne and ushered to a comfy white couch in an open-air lounge facing the sea. The first floor of the hotel consists of a small reception desk, which sits between the massage room and a chic boutique selling local Greek designers. An elevator whisks guests up to the pool level, where day beds are strewn haphazardly overlooking the sea. Various accommodations encircle the small pool; though, the most coveted ones are those on the highest floors with the most direct ocean views.

The décor is simple and crisp – blond wood, white duvets and down pillows and dark marble bathrooms with rainfall showers. Touches like pillow menus and prepared baskets of such goodies as sunblock, local honey, hats and shirts are some of the ways in which the Grace emphasizes its focus on service, distinguishing itself from the buzzier hotels on the island. The hotel restaurant serves all day, but with town so close, most guests choose to dine off property.

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Grace Santorini

The hike from Imerovigli town to the Santorini Grace is not for the faint of heart.  A steep set of outdoor stairs leads guests to a pathway that winds down the cliff face, past various apartments and private villas, until they happen upon a contemporary gray and white façade with minimal signage. This was the same 149-step trail used by the donkeys and workmen that created the Santorni Grace, which was built entirely by hand and took roughly five years to complete once opened.

Located in the northwest of Santorini, about fifteen-minutes south of Oia, the Grace offers dramatic views over Santorini’s caldera and a contemporary design scheme that set it apart from the competition. Polished gray floors and monochromatic photographs of the surrounding landscape break up stark white interiors; windows opening up to the azure sea and sky offer pops of color. All of the hotel’s rooms and suites have terraces and nearly all come with a heated outdoor plunge pool with panoramic vistas. Certain suites boast steam showers, indoor baths and the property’s two-bedroom Villa includes its own spa, kitchen, wine cellar and swimming pool.

Though the Santorini Grace accepts children over the age of fourteen, the vibe is hip and sophisticated, catering to mostly couples. The core of the property is the long and uniquely shaped pool, which sits in front of a small cocktail bar and open-air chef’s kitchen. Here guests congregate around 8pm to watch spectacular sunsets over Oia town.

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Hotel Grande Bretagne, a Luxury Collection Hotel

The most legendary of Athens's hotels, the old world Grande Bretagne looks out over the Greek Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

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Istoria

The newest from the Luxury collection, Istoria is an intimate 12-room boutique hotel that brings fantastic dining and a much-needed beach club to Perivolos.

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Kalesma Mykonos Pool with dining area and cacti

Kalesma Mykonos

Removed from the bustling energy of Mykonos, Kalesma is a secluded sanctuary that embraces Cycladic traditions with elevated design elements.
Suites at Kirini Suites & Spa, Santorini, Greece - Courtesy Relais & Chateau

Katikies Kirini Santorini

Cascading down the caldera in a blur of white—accented only by the aqua of its pool and the occasional burst of pink bougainvillea—Katikies Kirini Santorini features the traditional Santorinian architecture style (bright white buildings, cave-like structures). Opened in 2009, the elegant hotel is so well kept and stylishly designed that it feels much newer, but the skilled staff and ever-present concierge, who can be found checking in with poolside guests throughout the day, are a testament to Katikies Kirini’s status as one of the top properties in Santorini.

Set 10 minutes from Oia—far enough removed to be blissfully secluded but close enough for guests to easily walk into town for meals—Katikies Kirini has a prime location for views of the caldera and town, which is beautifully backlit each evening by the setting run. The all-suite property’s 21 accommodations range in amenities (some have plunge pools and private terraces), but all offer beautiful panoramas of the Aegean. The rooms are done in the island’s signature white, with orchids, bleached coral and cream-colored French medallion chairs adding romantic accents to the minimalist design. The bathrooms feature rainfall showers, pebbled floors and Bulgari bath products.

Days at Katikies Kirini begin with taking in the stunning morning views (Indagare Tip: plan to never take off your sunglasses, as the white landscape is very bright) and breakfast either from the comfort of one’s private terrace or at the Pool Lounge & Cocktail Bar. As a Relais & Châteaux hotel, Katikies Kirini has a spectacular culinary program, and the morning spread includes granola, Greek pastries (think sweets doused in hazelnut spread), fresh fruit, cheese and charcuterie, as well as an à la carte selection with eggs and pancakes. The lunch menu highlights traditional cuisine like Greek salads and fresh fish, whereas dinner is an upscale gourmet affair. The primary restaurant, Anthós, occupies a stunning white stucco cave that feels open and light thanks to the silver chrome orbs that hang from the ceiling, blond wood chairs and cream-and-blue cushions. The menu is Mediterranean fusion and might include such dishes as tuna tataki, watermelon and feta salad and chicken with Greek truffles. For in-between bites, guests can grab nibbles at the snack table, which is constantly replenished with baked goods, fresh fruit and dark chocolate.

The pool at Katikies Kirini is the heart of the hotel, affording sweeping views and surrounded by yellow-and-white cabanas and white daybeds. The serene area is where guests spend the majority of time on property. Additional onsite amenities include A.SPA, the pampering spa that features a large relaxation pool and uses Ligne St. Barth products. The lobby-side boutique stocks beach-appropriate products like Melissa Odabash cover-ups and tunics, sandals and Ligne St. Barth products.

Note: Katikies Kirini  guests have access to other Katikies facilities at a handful of hotels around the island. Katikies Santorini hotel is also a part of the group, and is home to three spectacular restaurants – guests should book at least one meal here.

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Katikies Mykonos

Just a few miles from the top beach clubs in Mykonos, Greece, the white-washed Hotel Katikies feels like a tranquil oasis. Indagare Review.
Lounge at Katikies, Santorini, Greece

Katikies Santorini

Katikies enjoys a prime position overlooking Santorini’s spectacular caldera. A cluster of whitewashed buildings connected by stairways, arches, and bridges cascades down the cliff (the steps are steep, so ask for a room near the top if necessary.) Each room is unique in style and size, but all abide by a typically Cycladic aesthetic with a contemporary twist: white-on-white interiors kitted out with Jacuzzi bathtubs, iPod docks and mini wine cellars.

Apart from lounging around the three infinity pools, there’s little to do but allow the attentive staff to indulge you by delivering champagne breakfast to your room or plying you with basil mojitos from the pool bar. Kirini restaurant—with an outstanding wine list curated by local vintner Paris Sigalas—gets rave reviews, but the most exclusive dinner spot is the property’s secret veranda with just four tables. The elegant restaurant features sophisticated dishes like an olive oil parfait with cherry tomatoes and sea salt, and is best reserved for a big night out. Guests can also use the hammam, heated pool, and spa at the nearby Kirini Suites, the Katikies’ more affordable sister hotel.

Besides the expansive sea views, the standout feature is the service. Unflappable staff will arrange everything from a catamaran cruise to an aerial tour in the blink of an eye. Uber-swanky and ever so slightly snobbish, Katikies is all about feeling pampered.

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King George, a Luxury Collection Hotel

Not only is the King George located next door to the legendary Grande Bretagne on Syntagma Square, it is now owned by the same hotel group. The truth is you can't really go wrong at either property but what gives the King George a bit of an edge is that it went through major renovations in 2013; its 102 rooms have just the right touch of Old World elegance (parquet wooden floors, sweeping curtains and chandeliers) but are soundproofed and updated. Its Royal Penthouse Suite is often on the lists of the most luxurious suites in the world; it takes up the entire 9th floor and boasts its own terrace and pool with stunning views the Parthenon. And while it might not have a spa on par to that of the Grande Bretagne, guests of the King George are allowed to use it. Many also appreciate the more intimate size of the property compared to its much larger sister which can be thronged with cruise ship crowds.

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Myconian Ambassador

The Myconian Ambassador is a great option for those looking to avoid the families on the island/

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