3 New Hotels in Greece You'll Love
These properties in Mykonos and Corfu are preparing for their close ups...
While Greece like the rest of Europe remains stuck in what one Greek newspaper has just referred to as a prolonged period of "economic and social dehydration" a trio of new hotels in the works is already generating some buzz. Two are on popular islands that were slammed like many others by the tourism freeze and one is set to raise the profile of an obscure but interesting little island near Athens.
In Mykonos, the talk of the town is Kalesma Mykonos, an understated collection of luxurious Cycladic-inspired suites and villas located in the Agios Ioannis part of the island, which is close to but much calmer than Chora, the busy main town. They say that "the overall design effortlessly blurs the line between interior and exterior, as our enclave unravels through an open-air aesthetic, allowing guests to constantly interact with the spectacular scenery surrounding them and take in the breathtaking views of the Aegean Sea. Both the architecture and the interiors of Kalesma were inspired by the laid-back glamour of Mykonos, with its whitewashed walls, neutral, earthy colour palette and many traditional details of Cycladic aesthetic."
That aesthetic was fine-tuned by noted Greek design company K-Studio, which is also the creative force behind the new airport in Mykonos. Now, in 2019 Mykonos was all about partying, 2020 was a blur and in 2021 privacy will be paramount—& apparently Kalesma is the only hotel in Mykonos where all suites come with their own private, heated pool, plus "rooms have unobstructed sea views, private terraces with al fresco dining areas, poolside sun loungers, outdoor showers and SONOS sound systems."
Almost every new luxe bolthole in Mykonos comes with a trendy restaurant with a funny name; Kalesma's is called Pere Ubu and will be an all-day restaurant. From the Aloni Sunset Lounge you can watch the sun set over Delos island. Kalesma keywords are sea views, sophistication, spaciousness, chill.
Over in Corfu, meanwhile, Banyan Tree's Angsana Corfu is set to spin its web of Asian-inspired wellness enchantment. It's poised to be a "Mediterranean sanctuary of extraordinary beauty, a luxurious spa and beach resort offering the warmth and charms of its unique blend of Greek and Asian hospitality" with proximity to Achilleion Palace, once home to the famed Princess Sisi of Austria. The resort is "set on an idyllic hilltop spot overlooking the turquoise waters of the historical Benitses Bay" and is located a short 12 km drive south of Corfu town.
Completing the trilogy is the One & Only Kea Island, which is probably the most intriguing of all. Very close to Athens, Kea could be considered the anti-Mykonos.
According to the website, the new luxury retreat—currently under development— is situated "in a stunning 65-hectare beachfront site on the west side of the enchanting Kéa island in the Cyclades" and will be home to "resort-style rooms, suites and villas" as well as offering "an enviable collection of private homes to call your own."
Kea is the westernmost of the Cycladic islands meaning it's the closest one to Attica, the region around Athens. Instead of taking a ferry from Piraeus you set off from the little port of Lavrio, which is near Cape Sounio and the Temple of Poseidon. The ferry only takes an hour. Known as Tetrapolis in antiquity, Greeks today usually call the island Tzia and while you won't find the same scope of scenery as you will in nearby Andros or Tinos it's still rugged and quite pretty with plenty of good beaches.
Island facts: In 500 B.C. lyric poet Baccylides was born on the island. Centuries later, at the outset of the Greek Revolution in 1821, Lambros Katsonis made Kea's harbor a base from which to launch attacks on the Turks, at one point even dragging his ships across the narrows that now bear his name to surprise the enemy fleet, which expected the ships to come from the harbor. In 1916 the HMHS Britannic, sister ship of the Titanic, struck a mine off Kea's shore, sinking less than an hour later.
