Best Luxury Hotels in Greece

Surrounded by olive groves, Parga Beach Resort features buildings made from reclaimed stone outside and chic French styling inside. All bedrooms have a balcony or terrace and a minibar and pillow menu. There are four pools (somewhere between plunge and lap in size) including one for kids and one by the beach; watersports; a playground; and three places to eat and drink onsite. From the grounds, you can take the 20-minute stroll into town, or hop in a water taxi for a faster transfer. And Valtos Beach (dubbed ‘the diamond of Parga’) is right on your doorstep.

At the Emelisse Nature Resort guests are accommodated across a number of two-storey villas, with 63 rooms and suites in total. Some of the villas have private pools shared by the inhabitants, but everyone has access to the gorgeous infinity pool, surrounded by plush, deep red daybeds. Kids have their own pool – and playground – plus there’s an open-air cinema and parents can take advantage of babysitting services. It’s ideal for those who like to stay active, with tennis courts, free bicycle hire and proximity to Fiskardo harbour for watersports and dives.  There are two eateries, one all-day casual venue and another for candlelit a la carte dining.

Take an adults-only holiday at the F Zeen Retreat, beside Lourdas Beach in Lourdata Village. Outdoor yoga spaces, a seaside saltwater pool (plus two further pools), an alfresco cinema and the Ido spa await guests coming here. The hotel is close to Mount Aenos, set on a pretty hillside that leads to the coast. Built-in an authentic style, it’s surrounded by olive, lemons and cypress trees and bougainvillaea, adding to the laid-back, Grecian vibe. 53 rooms are split into ten categories, half in a new deluxe wing, all with native Apivita bath products. Two restaurants serve dishes crafted from the onsite F Zeen fruit and vegetable patch.

Beside Argostoli harbour, this 42 bedroom boutique residence takes the form of a whitewashed townhouse. The decor is airy and coastal with lots of white and some blues, oversized floor standing mirrors, rope lights, wicker and lots of natural wood incorporated into the furnishings. Request a front-facing room with a balcony to take full advantage of the setting and dine out on the terrace to watch the world go by. The Grand Hotel has four stars, spa treatments, the KG restaurant and bar and Grand Café, with waterfront terrace seating.

An enormous, sleek pool meanders through the terraces of Summer Senses, but, impressive as it is, it’s just one of 12 pools on the premises. Guests staying here can book treatments at its Anassa Spa by Idolo, go kitesurfing on the adjacent beach and fine dining at two restaurants, Galazia Hytra and Gaia. And the concierge will be happy to arrange yacht charters, car hire, island tours and more. Families are well catered for, with their own shallow lounging pool, kids’ menus, baby supplies and private nannies on hand. All rooms come with a balcony, a Marshall Bluetooth speaker and a Nespresso coffee machine.

Another of Konstantinidou and Eliopoulos’ hotels, Parīlio’s style takes its cue from traditional Cycladic architecture. However, an international array of design pieces have been included in the interiors, with Italian lighting, Danish furniture and North African motifs. A cool simplicity comes from materials such as coloured concrete, terracotta floors and local marble. Found on the unspoilt northeastern coast, it has 33 suites, a cross-shaped swimming pool with a bar, a spa using organic products and a taverna-style restaurant. Although it’s incredibly sophisticated and calming, Parīlio is also very family-friendly with space to play and a babysitting service.

A celebration of the authentic Mediterranean villages, this Luxury Collection Resort has been conceived to provide guests with a complete sense of serenity. It’s the fourth property from boutique hoteliers Kalia Konstantinidou and Antonis Eliopoulos. Authentic and timeless, the village-style resort has 40 suites (the largest of which has its own pool and dining terrace), a private beach and beach club, a half-moon pool (mirroring the shape of the adjacent bay), a spa, a rooftop area for yoga/meditation and an Aroma Garden. The furnishings in the building are custom-made with handmade embroideries, sculptures, local ceramics and bespoke modern artwork.

For the ultimate privacy and luxury this private estate perched 1000 feet above the sea is ideal. The two-acre plot boasts total privacy away from the other crowded Santorini resorts. The capital of Fira is just over a mile away whilst Oia is a nine-mile drive, but when you have this complex to yourself, who needs to leave? The unrivalled views take centre stage here and again, with no other properties nearby, the vistas are pure un-spoilt drama. Accommodation is made up of four standalone bungalows, housing up to 14 guests. The outside and inside blend seamlessly through large day beds, outdoor showers and plunge pools. Luxe design elements run throughout including heated floors, floating fireplaces and marbles and concrete bathrooms. Design lovers will appreciate the cubist architecture of the building and this striking simplicity continues inside through the black, white and grey colour palette. Whilst guests will have the resort to themselves, the property is fully staffed including a chef who has honed his skills at Michelin-starred restaurants.

Situated on Santorini’s northern tip and slightly out of town, this hotel enjoys a little more tranquillity and privacy than others in the area. The ultimate in honeymoon destinations, Perivolas is a cluster of 300-year-old cave dwellings carved out of the hillside. Now forming 20 striking studios and suites, the caves are calming and minimalist in the obligatory Santorini white but with bright splashes of pink and lilac, alcove bed areas, arched windows and warm wood furniture. Some suites boast their own plunge pools, steam rooms and private terraces but there are definitely no TVs here – it’s all about relaxation! Talking of, the hotel benefits from a private yoga and Pilates studio overlooking the caldera plus an intimate spa with natural Apivita products. The hotel’s restaurant is quirkily housed in a converted wine cellar and a split-level pool terrace and serves simple Mediterranean dishes plus a wine list curated by top Greek wine-maker Panos Zoumboulis.

This compact cliffside hotel appeals thanks to its quirky individual rooms and boutique size and quality of service. Named after the year the owner’s great- bought the land and then dug two kánaves (medieval wine cellars), this lovely hotel is located at the west end of Oia. Made up of nine suites or studios, five ‘houses’ and one villa, each space is unique. Three have private whirlpools and the Irene ‘senior’ suite boasts an incredible walk-in closet and stunning vaulted ceiling. Bathrooms have a grotto-like feeling about them and feature rain showers for the perfect drench and front terraces face out onto the sparkling turquoise water. The communal pool fades into the horizon and is strikingly surrounded by exposed volcanic rock walls, contrasting with the abundance of clean white. No on-site restaurant doesn’t matter as such as you are so close to town but breakfasts (either American, English or Greek) are cooked to order.

Directly near the stunning Skaros rock formation, clinging to the cliffs of Imerovigili is the renowned Astra Suites. The hotel is decked out with a decent sized caldera-edge pool with day beds and wooden loungers, an ideal spot for soaking up the rays plus a small spa with hammam sauna for total relaxation. Although the predominant theme is still typically Greek white throughout, bathrooms are opulent in vibrant blue, green and red whilst some of the living space floors are tiled in jazzy rainbow patterns. Each room has unique art on the walls and splashes of vivacity are added through bright soft furnishings. We recommend the Pool Grade suites for ultimate privacy and your own private freshwater plunge pool with obligatory Aegean Sea views. Breakfast is brought to your terrace for a totally dreamy morning whilst the dusky blue restaurant offers traditional Greek dishes such as mylokópi En papillote with sunset vistas.

Located in the picturesque village of Oia, this five-star resort is made up of individual dug-out cave houses all oozing minimalist elegance. Room décor really speaks for itself here where Scandinavian cool combines with classic Aegean white and blue. Calming tones of steel grey, brown and white are in abundance and beds are decked in natural fibre soft furnishings. The 11 suites date from pre-1956 and have outdoor spaces boasting lovely views of the bay. Some even benefit from private spa tubs for soaking up the sweeping panoramas. Breakfast is served on your terrace in an hour of your choosing before guests can make use of the fair sized communal plunge-pool on the lowest terrace. Whilst the hotel doesn’t have its own restaurant, it’s just a 15-minute walk to the centre of Oia where there are plenty of options and staff are happy to make recommendations.