56 Best places to stay in Greek Islands

A total revamp of a jaded old property, this Design Hotel opened with a bang in 2019. Even the smallest rooms are spacious and sunny, though the pale, stripped-back interiors feel slightly soulless. It’s the common areas where this hotel really shines: a huge, sexy pool with a proper bar, a modern Mediterranean restaurant, a small gym and spa, and a brilliantly curated Anthologist gift shop.

Operated by the Empiria Group, who also own Cosme on Paros and several leading hotels on Santorini, the service is on point and the concierge is knowledgeable.

At first, the location might seem a little scrappy, but it’s handily placed between the coves of Kolymbithres and the bars and restaurants of Naoussa (both a 10-minute drive away). The swampy beach across the road is unappealing, but most guests barely stray from the cross-shaped pool during the day.

Obsessively clean, with an unending breakfast buffet featuring home-baked pies that will carry you easily past lunch, this two-star family hotel at the northern edge of town has spectacular sunset views over Portara.

The owners, Dimitris and Nikoletta, who run the place, are the perfect ambassadors for Greek filoxenia (hospitality) and will easily cross the boundaries of a concierge and become your friends for life.

To top it all, there’s parking – rare for a town hotel – and easy access to the rocky beach at Grotta, where you may discern a Mycenaean submerged village when the sand bed moves the right way.

Domes Corfu lies west of Corfu Town on the Blue Flag Glyfada beach, whose scythe of golden sand enclosed by pine-fuzzed cliffs gets extremely busy in peak season.

The resort itself, though, feels unhurried and uncrowded with airy, gracefully furnished rooms, three bars, two excellent restaurants, and offers activities that range from mountain biking to horse riding.

The spa and treatment range is extensive, the kids’ club a parents’ delight, while there’s a range of live music entertainment in the evenings.

If you are mobile and in need of a lavish base for your adventures, then the Naxian Utopia is a great choice. It lies on the main road, a short drive to the village and beach of Agios Prokopios.

What you get however is Cycladic blinding-white chic, special coco-mat mattresses (the best in Greece), a private pool, a well-stocked kitchenette, parking, and, most importantly, peace and privacy, as the suites are so well appointed that you may spend a day there before you see another guest.

Once a Jewish market, this 19th-century monument overlooking Symi’s dreamy harbour reopened as a boutique bolthole in 2011. The adjacent Captain’s Mansion, with an indoor pool, was added in 2016.

With just 10 rooms, featuring original flagstone floors, stone arches, and decorative ceilings, this charming hotel is designed with romance in mind. The staff strike just the right note between laid-back and deferential.

Pampering is a given, with cocktails served on your terrace and massage therapists on call. Even the Champagne breakfast has a gourmet touch – eggs benedict, homemade granola and peach smoothies.

If heritage charm in the heart of Chania’s old town is what you’re after, look no further. Casa Delfino is a 17th-century Venetian mansion that has been in the same family for six generations.

Suites are individually furnished, with a modern sensibility rather than period décor. Lavish marble bathrooms are almost as sensuous as the spa.

Open year-round, Casa Delfino is easily the most romantic option in Chania. The view across the harbour from the roof terrace is sensational. A superb Cretan breakfast in the mosaic-lined, arched courtyard is equally enchanting.

Pastel-toned suites with faux antiques, charming staff, and a relaxed vibe characterise this romantic retreat.

Though a popular destination for honeymoons and weddings, it’s also a great choice for families. Most suites sleep 4 and pebbly Plakes beach is literally on the doorstep.

As well as beach refreshments, Tassia’s taverna serves summery Greek comfort food, so you could easily lay low here for days.

But do be aware that the port town is a 10-minute water taxi ride away, or a 45-minute coastal hike if you’re feeling energetic. The hotel has its own wooden caique, Apiliotis, for boat trips to nearby coves and islets.

Set back from the charming old harbour of Spetses, this discreet and intimate hotel offers great value and a convenient, quiet location. Formerly the owners’ family home, the atmosphere is one of relaxed elegance.

Bright, contemporary interiors have pops of colour offset by hand-crafted wooden furniture. Rooms, suites, studios, and maisonettes in various sizes are spread across several buildings. Some cater for couples, but larger suites are perfect for families.

Teenagers can wander to the waterfront action unaccompanied, while toddlers can frolic in the pretty swimming pool surrounded by olive trees. Service is warm and genuine.

A great have-it-all resort for those who want a ‘stay and relax’ rather than a ‘drive and explore’ holiday.

Sited on a Blue Flag beach above the village of Kolymbia, this adults-only, all-inclusive, award-winning resort offers a variety of rooms to suit all budgets; some on two levels, others with private hot tubs or gardens, but all with a balcony or terrace.

Whatever the price, the hotel never scrimps on service or facilities that include tennis courts, a lagoon-like pool, a gym, and a spa.

There are two easily accessible beaches – busy Afandou and undeveloped Tsambika – bookending Kolymbia, 6km to the north and south.

Rustic yet refined, Kapsaliana is agrotourism for the modern epicurean. Decades in the making, the hotel was once a stone farming settlement built around an old olive mill (now a museum).

It’s a brilliant revival project that feels as though it has always been there (although the swimming pool and excellent organic restaurant are welcome new additions).

The buildings once belonged to the Arkadi monastery, a magical place to visit, just 5km away. A half-hour drive from Rethymno, this mountain hamlet is surrounded by glorious orchards, olive groves, and great hiking trails. You’ll definitely need a car.

This recently refreshed Design Hotel has been around the 1960s — a modernist, minimalist landmark on Mirabello Bay. It’s owned by the art collecting Mamidakis family, who have created a stunning site-specific sculpture garden, with monumental installations by predominantly Greek artists.

Low-rise bungalows and villas with private pools hug the shoreline, so most have sea views. The coast is rocky, but you can dive (or climb) into the Aegean from little jetties studded with sunbeds jutting out to sea.

A few kilometres from the busy resort town of Agios Nikolaos, and about half an hour from Knossos, Minos Beach offers a slice of seaside serenity.

New in 2022, this Luxury Collection resort is only a 10-minute walk from all the waterfront action of Naoussa, yet it feels surprisingly serene. The 40 soothing suites, adorned with Greek art and ceramics, are connected by meandering walkways, designed to mimic a miniature Cycladic village.

There are plentiful communal spaces to come together or unwind. A half-moon infinity pool hovers above a stretch of sand with its own private beach club. Two excellent restaurants are overseen by a chef who sharpened his skills in Michelin-starred restaurants in Cannes and St Barth.

A full-service spa, gym, yoga pavilion, and funky gift shop complete the well-thought-out package. Expensive, but worth the splurge.

This adults-only amphitheatrically sited hotel on a hill above Vlycha bay (about 5km north of Lindos) is a perennial Top 20 TripAdvisor winner, competing in the most romantic hotel category. It’s easy to see why.

If pelagic views are your thing, then Lindos Blu has them in abundance, the two infinity pools making up for a lack of seafront.

Wellness fanatics will be drawn to the hammam, the sauna, and the free yoga courses; gourmets will dine at the fashionable Smeraldo restaurant; and tea connoisseurs will be dazzled by the choice of Greek mountain herbals.

Standing on the best location of the most picturesque resort of the island, the Zefiros has been welcoming guests since the 1930s.

Simple and stylish yet fully renovated, it’s on the village high street right by the main beach and within walking distance of Palaiokastritsa’s two other beaches and close to the cross-island bus stop (25Km to Corfu town), providing a warm, relaxed, economical alternative for the independent traveller.

You can buy snacks and light meals in the ground floor café, open throughout the day, and relax while watching the world pass by.

At the edge of Naxos Town and dead on the beach of Agios Georgios this is a deluxe hotel run by the island-born Spanos family that offers a lot more than many a five-star in the Cyclades.

Not only is it convenient for the beach and town nightlife, not only are the ivory-white surfaces a designer gem (in the last renovation rooms were merged to offer more space), but it also offers some eye-catching details.

Breakfast is cooked fresh daily with a free glass of sparkling wine; the bathrooms all have tubs as well as power showers; and the restaurant is always full of townspeople and the pool-cum-beach bar has some great kitron cocktails.

Limani means ‘harbour’ in Greek, and harbourside living is exactly what this small, stylish hotel is all about. All six sun-kissed rooms look onto Symi’s picture-perfect port, an incomparable backdrop for boat- and people-watching, day and night.

While the views are expansive, the well-appointed bedrooms are relatively compact. The neoclassical building has been restored with sensitivity, but interiors have a more contemporary feel, with wooden floors, rain showers, and coffee machines.

For a first-time visitor to Symi, this is an ideal base, right in the handsome heart of the action. But if you’re after privacy and peace, look elsewhere.

For sheer luxury and romance, this design hotel is a cut above the many ‘honeymoon resorts’ on Santorini.  

Brilliant white rooms with modern designer fittings spill down the sheer cliff, with private verandas and plunge pools perfectly placed for watching the sun set over the flooded volcanic caldera. All rooms have unobstructed views of the caldera and sunset – Santorini’s biggest draws. 

With two pools, a ridiculously romantic restaurant and champagne on tap, this is the ultimate stress-buster in the heart of a pristine, traditional village.

A fabulous 1896 neoclassical gem, Bella Venezia demands the title of the town’s Grande Dame, for even the recent upgrade, all carved ceilings and marble inlaid flooring, reminds one of a London Gentlemen’s Club.

Rooms have their own character each, but all use the fluffy COCO-mat mattresses, the best bedding brand in Greece.

Convenient for all Old Town sights, yet quiet, it offers car and bike rentals for those who are too heavy to amble after sampling its lavish, award-winning breakfast buffet.

Those who want their holidays far from the madding crowds of Oia, Kamari and Fira, can look upon the Avant Garde Suites as the choice alternative.  

It offers spacious rooms with bright pop-art furniture, and resin-moulded chaise longues around an infinity pool stretching towards precipitous cliffs that makes you feel like you’ve booked into a Bond villain’s lair. There’s a spa and a pool bar that also sells snacks, but no restaurant.  

Unlike the conventional sunsets on Santorini, the hotel’s northwards view takes in the two volcanic islets and is considered – by Santorini cognoscenti – to offer a more complete view than Oia. 

The hotel is a short drive from Vlychada village and the nearby archaeological site.

Bang on Hydra’s only sandy bay, Mandraki, this five-star, adults-only resort wears its historic setting lightly.

Originally, the 200-year-old property was the home of Admiral Miaoulis, who led Hydra’s fleet into battle during the Greek War of Independence. Fortified Mandraki bay was the base for Hydra’s navy, and battle ships were built on the beach. Now plush sunbeds line the shallow bay, and you can eat sushi while you sunbathe.

The 17 minimalist suites and waterfront cabanas have beamed ceilings, arched windows, stone walls and soft lighting.

It’s a 3-minute boat ride or a 20-minute stroll from the animated café life of Hydra’s harbour, but it feels a world away.

This cheerful, family-friendly resort got a makeover in 2019 and still feels very of the moment — from the striped loungers and rattan armchairs to the botanical murals.

Low-rise rooms are set in lush and lovely gardens. Sustainability is a key driver, with an organic kitchen garden supplying the surprisingly good handful of restaurants.

Catering to the low-cost party crowd, Malia is certainly not the prettiest part of Crete. And the rocky seabed is not ideal for swimming (there are three pools to make up for that). But it’s only 25km to Knossos and the lesser Minoan palace of Malia is just 2km away.

One of the more ‘affordable’ (a relative term on Santorini) caldera-facing hotels, the Avaton Resort and Spa offers caldera views and an excellent spa, housed in an atmospheric grotto.

The hotel is for adults only, and its semi-secluded location will appeal to couples seeking a romantic stay for all budgets. There is no restaurant, but plenty of good dining options within a ten-minute walk.

There’s good choice of rooms, ranging from a privacy-conscious lavish honeymoon suite to some affordable entry-level standard rooms by the infinity pool, all without sacrificing an iota of luxury.

The spa here is the big draw: grotto-like atmospheric, it comes complete with sauna, hammam, jacuzzi and a cold plunge pool that feels positively primeval.

Should you want to extend your stay in the Lesser Cyclades, it is tiny, but trendy Ano Koufonissi, with its slew of unspoilt beaches that provides those ‘early Mykonos vibes’ and family-run Myrto where you should book at.

Rising at a small hillock 50m from the main beach and with great views towards mysterious Keros – out of bounds, as the whole island is an active archaeological site – the hotel subscribes to the sparkling white Cycladic style with marble bathrooms, airy rooms with large windows and high ceilings.

A lush walled garden with a pool, a freshly-cooked breakfast and warm, friendly service will complete your idyllic hideaway.

Dead in the middle in the Turkish quarter of Rhodes Old Town, this quiet, charming 500-year-old  Ottoman mansion is a designer jewel that’s been featured in the World Of Interiors magazine.

Superbly restored by Effie Dedes and her partner Spiros Chrysovergis, every room is furnished differently with gusto, so look at a few choices before you decide.

Its popular restaurant, humbly called The Marco Polo Cafe and set in the citrus-shaded courtyard, is always full, so book way ahead, along with your reservation.

The Michelin-quality food is prepared by head chef Lefteris Sotirakis, one of the most promising new stars in Greece.

As its name suggests, this intimate seaside retreat has just seven rooms — well actually, seven suites and one 4-bedroom villa.  Gleaming white, with sharp minimalist lines, bedrooms are cool and uncluttered (though entry-level rooms are very compact). Each has a furnished terrace or sea-view balcony, where breakfast is served.

Families will love the direct access to a sheltered sandy Little Santa Maria beach, and the laidback, unpretentious atmosphere. But it’s equally a place for couples looking for a swish but low-key hideaway.

The beach in front is rarely crowded; nearby Santa Maria beach is a busy hub for water skiing and scuba diving.

A modern spin on traditional Cycladic architecture, this hilltop resort overlooks the Aegean. Built with local stone and marble, the boxy, 100-key resort spread across eleven buildings opened in 2019. Fragrant Mediterranean gardens surround two large, freeform swimming pools plus a children’s pool.

There’s a small spa, sauna and gym for grown-ups, as well as two restaurants with a focus on fine dining, particularly at the inventive (and expensive) Galazia Hytra. But at heart this is a family resort, with a down-to-earth atmosphere.

It’s a short walk to Pounta bay, with its kite surfing facilities and rowdy beach bars.

If you want to unwind and recharge, look no further. This family-run hideaway is a labour of love – the owners built it themselves, with great respect for local traditions.

It’s blissful tranquillity – an aura of absolute calm surrounds this secluded hideaway. There are sweeping views of the caldera and Oia whichever way you look.

Carved out of the terraced cliff face, each of the 20 studios and suites is unique in layout and location. Splashes of fuchsia and lilac brighten up the dramatically sparse, whitewashed interiors.

The infinity pool has spawned countless imitators, but none can rival it.

Phenomenal views of the flooded volcanic caldera make it hard to leave your private patio. But there’s a superb spa, gym, yoga shala and lap pool should you feel the urge to move.

An extraordinary-looking hotel, Andronis offers something very different to the usual white-washed Aegean buildings that characterise Santorini.

The main hotel building is a taupe, smooth-sided ‘hillock’ that blends perfectly with its surroundings. Luxury suites step down the hillside; most are designed as maisonettes, with sunset-facing balconies and infinity pools.

Its location – on the edge of Imerovigli – gives it a double perspective; public spaces, such as the pools, reception and the gardens face towards the gently sloping eastern countryside, while the suites face west towards the caldera.

This is one of the island’s ultimate fly-and-flops; the spa has a reputation as one of Santorini’s best, and the multi-awarded Throubi restaurant offers Michelin-quality food, with a super-indulgent tasting menu.

Lavish yet genteel, this Rhodes luxury boutique hotel below the Lindos Acropolis, is made of locally-quarried sandstone and furnishes sweeping panoramas of the beach and coastline below.

Rooms are laden with time-warp detail: carved façades, hand-painted ceilings, cedar woodwork and pebble mosaic floors, all adapted from 17th-century Lindos mansion motifs.

Even the common terraces have a village feel, as mulberry trees, lavender and vines intermingle with bougainvilleas and jasmine creepers.

With a prime location overlooking the caldera, this understated hideaway combines traditional features with high-tech amenities. 

The complex of typical 300-year-old cave dwellings retains the original architectural features, (including low ceilings and doorways). 

The 14 individually designed rooms and suites are decorated in soothing, earthy tones, with top-notch beds and spa-worthy bathrooms. The infinity pool is on the small side, but the jaw-dropping views of the caldera more than compensate. 

Run by a young couple with deep roots connected to Santorini, it’s welcoming, authentic and good value compared to rival establishments. 

Looking like a miniature village spilling down the terraced hillside, this family-run and family-friendly hotel stands over the pretty bay of Grikos.

Traditional whitewashed exteriors conceal discreetly luxurious rooms and suites with flatscreen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and plenty of contemporary Greek art. Large and airy, most rooms have sea-view balconies; all have access to the pool. There’s a gourmet restaurant with gorgeous sea views – dinner is served on the veranda.

The charming owners pay attention to every detail, from the home-made pastries at breakfast to treats at turndown.

Seaside digs on the Greek islands don’t come cheap, but this 3-star hotel offers real value for money.

Bang on Golden Beach, an expanse of powdery sand that’s very popular with windsurfers and families, the hotel has its own surf centre.

Spread across several floors and whitewashed buildings, rooms are pretty basic, but you’ll spend most of your time on the beach or in the water.

Like the homey welcome, the food at the restaurant is honest but tasty Greek fare at decent prices.

This 1960s modernist creation, sumptuously upgraded in 2018, stands out for its lush fronded gardens and from the range of services provided.

An all-inclusive four-star oasis on a five-star beachfront, it has nothing to envy from its higher-rated neighbours: every room has a balcony or veranda; it offers gluten-free menus, a safe children’s playground, four pools, a tennis court, and bike rental.

It also lies on the northern, more laid-back stretch of Moraitika beach.

Built in 1971 in the prevailing modernist style but thoroughly modernised in 2015, this was one of the first large resorts in Corfu and thus had first dibs on location.

Set on its own secluded peninsula and straddling two beaches, only 6km from Corfu Town, the resort serves as a twin-destination holiday base – for both beach relaxation and exploring the capital as well.

There’s a wellness spa with two saunas, a hammam, a jacuzzi, an indoor heated pool and no fewer than eleven rooms offering treatments using local produce such as herbs, olive oil, raki and orange essence.

For families, there’s fun to be had in a wide spectrum of watersports like water-skiing and paddle boarding alongside fun banana rides and pedaloes (third party supplier/extra charge).

Luxury on the Beach would be a far better name for this adults-only beachfront boutique hotel that feels undervalued by at least one star.

It claims its own patch at the southern end of Naxos’s Plaka beach with umbrellas, sun loungers plus waiting service, and it includes a restaurant, Tortuga, that was supervised in its infancy by the late, great Anthony Bourdain.

The room decor is all wicker and bamboo southeast Asian chic, the bathrooms are fashioned by polished concrete that feel cavern-like; and the balconies boast sea views over dunes colonised by marram grass. (The rooms on the top floor are the best…)

The bus stop to Naxos Town is just outside and taxis are on call 24/7.

Blissfully quiet, adults-only San Antonio snuggles among the hoary olive groves above Kalami with magnificent views of the sea and the fishing village-cum-resort below.

The striking swimming pool terrace overlooking the bay is difficult to part from and not just because of the buzzy Bella Vista pool bar; the main a la carte restaurant Dyo Elies (Two Olives) cooks reassuringly traditional Greek dishes; and the concierge service can fix anything: from massage in your own room to scuba diving lessons.

A darling of package tours because of its exceptional standards of service, it also offers a slew of discounts to individuals if booked directly.

A perennial tourist pleaser, the 5-star Katikies Santorini is located on a cliff edge close to the beginning of the snakelike Oia village at the end of the Fira-Oia trail.  

Facing slightly west, this is an ideal place to hang out by one of the three infinity pools, cocktail in hand to watch the sunset again and again, undisturbed by the throngs. 

There is an option of two illustrious restaurants: the Mikrasia, offering Greek Anatolian cuisine, as well as the Seltz Champagne Bar & Restaurant by Fleur de Miraval, a house co-founded by Brad Pit and Angelina Jolie dedicated to rosé champagne.

Hidden behind whitewashed walls, this small hotel is a peaceful oasis set back from Hydra’s bustling port.

A converted sponge factory built in 1860, Bratsera brims with character. Colonial-style furniture and nautical antiques decorate the lobby. Shabby-chic rooms in pastel shades are simply but strikingly furnished, with wooden floors, antique prints, and linen drapes. Most overlook the lovely pool and restaurant, set in a courtyard draped in wisteria. For old-fashioned charm, Bratsera is unrivalled on Hydra.

It’s set on a quiet alley surrounded by traditional stone houses with tiled roofs and flower-filled courtyards. It’s only two minutes’ stroll to the port with its lively cafés, shops, bars and restaurants.

It is near impossible to find an affordable hotel on Santorini, so Chez Sophie is exceptional.

It’s a budget-conscious, family-run boutique hotel that reminds you how hospitable Greeks can be. Just the sumptuous homemade breakfast will make you book your return visit before you’ve left. 

Set around a beautiful kidney-shaped pool that’s illuminated at night, it’s located at Kamari, one block away from its black beach.

It lies at the edge of the settlement, so close to the Kamari nightlife but far enough to feel like a peaceful retreat.

Dressed in white, with four poster beds and fine antique furniture, the suites at Porto Scoutari are among the most stylish and spacious on Patmos. The 34-key hotel is spread across four low-rise wings built amphitheatrically above Meloi bay, so it never feels crowded.

A tranquil, heart-shaped pool, small spa and gym are set in well-maintained gardens studded with palm trees. The chapel in the grounds and romantic ambience make this a popular wedding venue.

One kilometre north of Skala, the lively port of Patmos, the hotel is secluded but easy to access. It’s a 10-minute walk to the beach. Reasonable low-season rates include complimentary transfers to and from the port.

Service is exceptional, overseen by the owner Elina Scoutari.

Under the watchful magpie eye of owner/manager, Nikos Tsepetis, Ammos has evolved from a mid-range, mid-size 90’s hotel into a landmark property on Crete (and indeed Europe). Diehard fans return year after year for the hip design (with new additions and fresh looks each season), excellent Cretan comfort food, and warm, genuine service.

The location on sandy (if unspectacular) Agioi Apostoloi beach, a 10-minute drive from Chania town, is another major draw, especially for families. A seaside pool, playroom, and a few hours of free childcare  on weekdays make this an extra attractive proposition for parents of young children.

Built on vibey Moraïtika Beach, close to the quiet resort of Mesonghi at the estuary of the eponymous river, this five-star adults-only showstopper is a place for a blissful break.

It offers rooms that range from lavishly luxurious to deliciously decadent, a pool to die for and three restaurants, one of which Makris Degustation, run by chef Petros Dimas won the 2022 ‘Contemporary Greek Cuisine’ Award by Greek lifestyle guide Food & Leisure.

For wellness, its Soma Spa uniquely offers a CBD massage – barely legal in Greece – and a handheld, battery-operated Theragun for Percussive Therapy.

A stunning family five-star on its own thin, long sandy stretch at Dassia; here blue waters and clean beaches are demarcated by olive groves coming down right to the water’s edge.

The interior palette is Hellenic white-and-cyan and extends from the standard rooms to the large villas with their own private garden and beachfront.

There’s extensive and focused childcare (a Kid’s Club, a Teenager’s Club and beachside service), a day’s complimentary car rental (reserve early!), movies, animations, live music and theatre productions for entertainment, beach volley courts, tennis courts, basketball courts – and anything that can fit in the 25 acres the hotel is set on.

Boutique and bijou, Naxos Island is the best of the five-stars bunched up around Agios Prokopios.

Unlike others though, it’s dead on the beach and features a rooftop infinity pool plus a bar/restaurant with panoramic vistas.

It’s also a stone’s throw away from the bus stop to Naxos Town and to the lively strip of restaurants and bars of Agios Prokopios.

The spa centre certainly punches above its size with a wide range of offerings including chocolate treatment and a – wait for it – gold therapy massage.

Just inside of St. Athanasius Gate and close to every sight in the Old Town, is this 2018 winner of Europe’s Historic Hotel awards.

It’s indistinguishable from the cluster of medieval townhouses surrounding it; sensitive restoration has even left the original wooden beams standing.

Each room sports an original painting; breakfast is both freshly cooked and tailored to your appetites; every bathroom has a rain shower, and the family suite sports a private full-blown hammam.

Plus, it comes with its own lovers’ legend of the ‘Blue Jewel’ which you can read about there: a Greek best-seller was based on it.

High in the mountains of Western Crete, Milia was a trailblazer for sustainable tourism long before it became a buzzword. A 16th-century settlement of stone cottages, once used by chestnut farmers, has been carefully transformed into cosy, distinctively Cretan accommodation.

Local authenticity runs through every detail: from the woven bedspreads to the artisan jams at breakfasts, and especially in the superb, sophisticated Cretan cuisine at the restaurant (a destination in its own right).

They offer hikes in the surrounding area, cooking classes and a jam-making, where you go pick the seasonal fruits yourself on a short hike.

Surrounded by thick forests threaded with hiking trails, this is a place to commune with nature in the company of like-minded travellers and big-hearted locals.

A mountain inn, strategically located in the island’s crossroads at Monolithos, To Limeri (‘The Lair’) was built from scratch by the Papastamatiou family in 1992.

It operated as taverna, until the addition of ten rural-luxe rooms in 2018, two of them with open Jacuzzis.

If you have a car, it’s a perfect, inexpensive base to explore Rhodes, for there’s nothing better than driving back from your day’s sightseeing and tucking into what feels like a family dinner.

Those in the know prefer the tranquillity and spaciousness of southern Rhodes rather than the buzz of the crowded north.

Atrium Prestige is where they book: the extensive tropical gardens with palm trees and waterfalls and inner courtyards hiding villas with their own pergolas and private pools convey the atmosphere of a dreamy village.

Contemporary op-art styling is both chic and comfortable, while the floor-to-ceiling windows reveal the majesty of Kalathos beach in front and the Lachania coast further out.

A nice little extra – the spa offers some fun parent-kid treatments.

Right opposite the ferry dock, you can’t miss this listed landmark built in 1914.

Modelled on the grand hotels of the Cote d’Azur, the Poseidonion is one of the few authentic heritage hotels in the Greek islands. Original features (stucco ceilings, antique tiles) blend seamlessly with contemporary, understated luxury (pillow menus, creative cocktails, spa and beauty salon).

Most rooms in the main building have sea views across the straits to the Peloponnese. Others overlook the peaceful pool.

Breakfast is served on the seaside terrace – the hottest spot on the island for dinner. The kitchen works wonders with produce from the hotel’s organic vegetable garden.

A well-preserved sea captain’s mansion built in 1810, Miranda epitomises the old-fashioned charm and quiet glamour of Hydra.

Understated and discreet, the family-run guesthouse opened in 1961 and retains the dignified aura of a bygone era. The 14 rooms and apartments are decorated with original antiques, painted ceilings, and vintage prints. Some have verandas facing the sea, others overlook the secret, jasmine-scented garden where breakfast is served (for an extra charge).

The location, on a quiet piazza in the heart of Hydra’s stunning, car-free town, is both quiet and convenient. It’s a 3-minute walk to the waterfront cafes and shops.

Built in 1895, this three-storey neoclassical landmark enjoys an unbeatable waterfront location.

Decorated with family heirlooms and vintage photos, the 15 rooms have parquet floors, painted ceilings, and lashings of period charm – even if the amenities are relatively basic.

Run by an Italian family with roots on Symi, the Aliki is refined yet relaxed. Soak up the scene over breakfast by the sea or sunbathe in secret on the roof garden where there are lovely views.

The owners also run La Vaporetta restaurant next door, which offers fancy Italian cuisine in a magical harbourside setting.

A great location for this stunner of a two-star: 50m from the Agios Prokopios beach and a few steps from the bus stop to town at the entrance of Agios Prokopios. It’s close enough to walk to the waterfront restaurants and bars (and traipse back safely), but far enough to escape any noise.

There is a pretty large pool for the star rating – complete with a safe children’s pool – laptop rental, and excellent service, but it’s the stylish individuality in every room blending tradition with modern comforts that tips the scales. Get as large a room as you can afford.

The most feted five-star hotel on Crete, Blue Palace is a consistent crowd-pleaser (albeit a crowd with very high standards).

The setting on a wide pebble beach is secluded and serene. Just beyond the opulent resorts of Elounda, several tiers of boxy buildings rise above the gulf of Mirabello. The views of the little island of Spinalonga are magical, especially from the veranda of the Arsenali bar at dusk.

Rooms, suites, and bungalows vary considerably in style, size and outlook. Facilities are plentiful, if occasionally a little dated, with all the thoughtful touches you would expect from a Luxury Collection resort.

Located on the main caldera ring road, the Majestic is spread across the eastern slopes, meaning that the views are towards the black beaches, rather than the caldera itself. If you’re looking for somewhere to laze on your balcony watching the sunset, this isn’t the place. 

If, however, you want to explore the island it’s an ideal choice, with Fira – famed for its busy nightlife – and the central bus station both a short walk away. There’s also a number of limited parking spaces in the hotel car park, a rarity near Fira. 

The hotel itself is sleekly luxurious, with lots of grey marble and leather, and has the bonus of two heated pools (most rely on the sun to warm them). 

Add in a cosy, romantic restaurant for dinner, and breakfast as late as you like, and this is an ideal base for those who want to discover Santorini beyond its sunsets. 

There are few places on Earth that leave you speechless. The whitewashed village of Oia, perched high above Santorini’s spectacular caldera is one, and there is no better place to experience it than this pioneering cave-style hotel. Built on a slope under draperies of bougainvillea and a labyrinth of steps (bellboys carry your luggage), this is the standard-bearer of luxury cave hotels on Santorini.

The caves (or ‘canavas’ in local terminology) were originally dome-shaped wine cellars dug into the volcanic rock.

Andronis pioneered their conversion to suites that acknowledge local tradition, while providing sumptuous comfort: individual caldera-facing balconies with jacuzzis, Nespresso machines and bluetooth speakers – plus, amazingly, fast wifi with a router in every cave suite.

The Lycabettus restaurant, set on a balcony-like protuberance, is among the top three on the island, earning Greek Toques d’Or aplenty, under chefs Pavlos Kyriakos and Nikos Livadias. Their menu degustation is best enjoyed with their premium wine pairing.

There’s always a hotel which is far from the madding August crowds if you look hard enough, and, in super-saturated Corfu, Labranda Sandy Beach Resort in the southwest of the island fulfils these conditions.

Close both to Issos beach and the Korission lagoon, this is a resort whose USP lies within its gourmet network of six restaurants – the gelateria is as good as any in Italy – and four bars.

The kids’ programs are particularly extensive and appealing, but there are music and culture shows for adults in the evenings with higher standards than the entertainment offered elsewhere.