Best Beach Hotels in Greece

Our favourite six beachfront hotels in Greece, including Porto Zante, Santa Marina Mykonos, Amanzoe and Grecotel Corfu Imperial.

This is why we recommend these very special places, from Athens to Mykonos and Crete.

Porto Zante Villas & Spa, Zakynthos

Stay in a super-luxe private villa and enjoy all the facilities expected of a holiday resort. That’s the unique combination at Porto Zante on Zakynthos, one of our all time favourite beach properties.

All the nine villas have private heated pools, gardens and private beach access. But the real standout is the level of privacy.

This is where royals, presidents and celebrities go for their holidays but you’ll never see them. Just like other guests won’t see you. It’s so exceptionally private it feels like you have an island and a sea to yourself.

We love the villa design, how it makes you feel that yours is the only villa for kilometres around. And we love the spa. Hanging over the beach, it’s even more zen than the villas.

Mostly though, we love the service at Porto Zante. It’s on a highly personalised level that’s only really achievable at owner-operated properties. Like 24-hour in-villa dining from a private chef who will cook anything you desire.

Four Seasons Astir, Athens Riviera

The best hotel on the Athens Riviera, a dreamy place to balance city exploration, a beach holiday and a destination spa.

Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel has an enviable location for all kinds of holidays rolled into one. It’s on the beach in Vouliagmeni, the most exclusive Athenian suburb, 45 minutes drive to the Acropolis, surrounded by the beaches and islands of Athens Riviera.

After a USD 650 million makeover by Meyer Davis, the hotel feels authentically Athenian, with a little of the Four Seasons’ signature style.

Exploration is easy from here but equally so, you can spend a holiday just in the resort. It’s home to three private cove beaches, two superb pools, The Fountain House wellness space and eight restaurants with a view.

This is a big resort with over 300 accommodations, spread across two buildings plus some standalone bungalows. Nafsika is the livelier side whereas Arion has a more adult atmosphere.

Amanzoe, Peloponnese

A wellbeing hideaway on the Peloponnese peninsula, Amanzoe is a stylish resort that’s less about the beach and more about retreating into your own cocoon of luxury.

Just 38 freestanding pavilions, contemporarily constructed from pale marble, each with a private pool, terrace and garden.

Amanzoe is a truly isolated resort. It’s traditionally been a benchmark of luxury that other Greek resorts are judged against. Anything you want, whenever you want it: that’s the philosophy and it is expertly delivered.

It’s a very particular property though as it’s not actually on the beach, even if there’s a super chic beach club not far away. Olive groves and vineyards surround the hilltop resort, with several iconic archaeological sites nearby.

You don’t stay at Amanzoe for exploring. You stay here for the quality of the accommodation, the privacy and the service. If you want to completely escape the world, try Amanzoe.

Santa Marina Resort & Villas Mykonos

Mykonos has created an image of exclusivity, yet most of the island’s hotels fail to deliver on this expectation. Santa Marina is the exception and that’s the main reason we love it.

Despite being on the large size, with 101 rooms and suites, it has amenities and facilities of a resort five times its size. Like a helipad, private pier and Ginkgo Spa. Mykonos town and its parties are only a 15-minute ride away.

This resort of whitewashed stone sprawls like a private village and includes the only private beach on Mykonos, plus the island’s most sought-after beach club, The Buddha Bar.

The 13 private villas have up to four bedrooms and are ideal for families with diverse interests. Couples should go for a Deluxe Suite for an in-room hot tub.

We like how easy it is to find your own space here, whether in the separate children’s areas or enjoying a very adult party atmosphere, before a night out in the town nearby.

Andronis Luxury Suites, Santorini

Santorini has quite the collection of small and gorgeous cliffside hotels, like Katikies, family run Canaves Oia, and the many pools and hot tubs of Cavo Tagoo.

Best of them all is Andronis Luxury Suites, an adults-only hotel that pioneered the Santorini cave hotel style. They were the first to convert old cellars and peasant dwellings into lavish suites, then they added hot tubs and pools overlooking the sunset.

It’s almost baffling how they can deliver such attentive service and opulence across over 100 vertical metres of steep cliffside.

Andronis Luxury Suites continue to do this photogenic cave hotel style better than their competition. Every year there’s something new here, some extra layer of opulence to enjoy.

The challenge is availability. The peak season months tend to be booked out before the year has started.

Grecotel Corfu Imperial

The best resort in Corfu and up there with the best beachfront resorts in all of Greece. Contemporary with a glorious hint of old-world glamour.

Grecotel Corfu Imperial always had a brilliant location on a private peninsula. We were impressed by the service and design. Both are individualised and highly refined, beyond what you’d expect from a sizeable resort like this.

Now Grecotel Corfu Imperial is fresh from a superb EUR 150 million renovation, with new accommodation offerings that can be a good reason to visit Corfu.

There’s extensive choice and we particularly love the palazzos, which are directly on the sea with private pools. Different palazzos and villas can accommodate from four to 12 guests and they’re ideal for families.

Grecotel Corfu Imperial looks like a glamorous seaside hideaway, a mix of baroque and marble and fine dining. Dig deeper and you’ll find this grownup facade hides a very family friendly stay.