If the most important part of your holiday is sun, glittering sea and buttery-soft sand – these Greek seaside escapes don’t disappoint
Heidi Fuller-love Destination Expert
Heidi Fuller-love is a travel writer and has lived in a dozen countries, including Argentina, Cambodia and France – where she owned a boutique hotel – before settling in Greece. She has lived there for the past 15 years and speaks Greek, French and Spanish. Heidi has covered travel, food, history and lifestyle for the past 27 years. She has been shortlisted for countless travel writing awards and won double gold at the AITO Awards. Heidi is the Telegraph's Greece destination and hotels expert and travels widely. She also has a podcast, Meet The Locals. She can be contacted via her website.
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Greece, which has the Mediterranean’s longest coastline – stretched between the white sands and Caribbean-blue seas of Thassos Island high in the north to the golden dunes and glass-clear waters of Gavdos deep down south – is surely Europe’s epicentre when it comes to standout beach holidays. You’ll find satin strands shaded by exotic palm forests, river-fed coves surrounded by lush vegetation, silky sands the colour of candyfloss, or breeze-bathed coastlines perfect for watersports activities.
From laid-back boutique beauties with farm-to-table dining and glitzy resorts where facilities include multiple pools, to sumptuous seaside hotels just a hop away from the Acropolis, beach lovers are spoilt for choice when it comes to great places to stay. These are the very best beach hotels in Greece.
How we review
All our reviewers are either resident destination experts or travel writers that specialise in hotels. Often they will have stayed at a hotel many times and so can see how it has changed for better or worse over the years. They know what makes a great hotel in that particular destination and will compare it contextually against local competition. When our reviewers first visit a hotel, they stay for at least one night, eat one meal in addition to breakfast and will experience all of the facilities on offer. Whichever category of room they stay in, they will see the entry-level rooms in order to assess them.
After their stay, our reviewers then give the hotel six scores out of 10, rating its location, style and character, service and facilities, rooms, food and drink, and value for money. The average of these scores then determines the overall score. Our experts then select reviews for curated lists like this – the best hotels in a particular destination for families, for instance – together with the Telegraph Hotels team.
At a glance, the best beach hotels in Greece
- Best value beach hotel in Greece – Domes Zeen Chania, Crete
- Best luxury beach hotel in Greece – One&Only Kéa Island
- Best all-inclusive beach hotel in Greece – Ikos Odisia, Corfu
- Best boutique beach hotel in Greece – The Rooster, Antiparos
This family-friendly resort has been open since 2010 and is still absolutely at the top of its game. It's a veritable paradise for children, with a water park, a bowling alley and a karaoke room. Parents, meanwhile, can relax in the soothing spa or enjoy exploring the beautifully landscaped grounds. All 445 sea-facing rooms and suites were reimagined in 2024 by Greek design firm MKV Studio, and have a light, fresh feel, with tweed-style fabrics and tufted cushions in shades of dusky pink, grapefruit and marigold. The resort is set by a sweep of beach in Messinia – part of southern Greece's Peloponnese.
From £ 524
per night
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The best hotels in Greece
On the west coast of Kéa, in a wild landscape of sandy coves and pomegranate trees, One&Only has opened its second Greek property with 63 villas designed by acclaimed architect John Heah. They are all light-filled and elegant, with doors that open out onto decks with their own private infinity pool, sun loungers and a table at which you can enjoy morning coffee. The spa here is a waterfront sanctuary specialising in holistic wellbeing – treatments feature products from Subtle Energies, though there are also Bastien Gonzalez manicures and rituals that incorporate Kéan botanicals. If you want to eat with your feet in the sand, head down to the Bond Beach Club for a superb selection of Asian and Mediterranean dishes, from tuna tartare tacos to sea bass with ginger jalapeño sauce.
From £ 2,914
per night
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The best greek island hotels
Great service is a key element at this five-star seaside hotel surrounded by grass-spiked sand dunes near one of Paros’ best beaches. It’s a discreet little seaside haven with cubic white buildings finished with sea-blue shutters, and impeccable service. Rooms have been thoughtfully designed and are dressed in a cool and briny colour palette: soft petrol blue and driftwood yellow, with turquoise, berry-red and lava-black cushions. You can expect Nuxe toiletries, plenty of plug sockets and good-sized balconies, too. There’s a large main pool near the bar, with panoramic sea views, and down by the sea a long jetty (just right for sunbathing and diving) makes up for the lack of direct beach access.
From £ 301
per night
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The best family hotels in greece
You don’t get much more private than that this rambling resort, which has an entire peninsula to itself a mere 40-minute drive from the Acropolis. Entry, via a private barrier, sets the exclusive tone: winding paths lead past low clusters of white rendered buildings (some with living roofs) surrounded by mature gardens and winding tracks down to (often private) beaches. The main charm of this resort in fact are the beaches: a cluster of (mostly sandy) coves on the west side are more popular. Meanwhile, the pebble beaches on the east side are much quieter and the water is crystal clear.
From £ 561
per night
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The best family holidays in greece
This wellness retreat on the tiny, star-studded island of Antiparos blends into the Cycladic landscape. Despite its low-key vibe, everything is perfectly calibrated to help you rest and refresh – from the soulful spa to the rough-luxe interiors. The 17 villas and suites are stone-built, single-storey and camouflaged by beautifully landscaped gardens. Balinese fans, Ottoman ikat cushions, weathered wooden four-poster beds and reclaimed marble sinks are combined in eclectic, uncluttered harmony, while outdoor kitchens, private pools and open-air showers lend a tropical vibe. A path framed by oleander and bamboo leads down to the empty sweep of Livadia bay – a north-facing beach popular with windsurfers and escapists.
The entrance to Odisia is located in the tourist spot of Dassia, which is a fairly unremarkable main road with a strip of shops, but it’s what’s on the other side of the building that is remarkable: a stretch of stunning coastline with glittering views of the Ionian sea. Ipsos beach, which is popular for families by day and groups of parties at night, is a five-minute drive in the other direction. The resort itself has been extremely well thought out and was built to work alongside the beaches, coves and peninsula it occupies. As opposed to other properties that look plonked along the shore with several storeys jutting into the skyline, Odisia and its low-slung buildings seem to dissolve into the landscape, giving a genuine feel of space.
From £ 1,310
per night
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This lovely low-key stay fronts a wild stretch of sand-strewn coastline – within easy reach of Chania’s Venetian harbour. It attracts couples and young families with its pretty lap pool, pavilion spa and gourmet restaurant. The concrete exteriors are softened by low, stone-clad walls and an abundance of exotic plants – agapanthus and pampas grass, but also papaya and banana palms – planted along winding paths leading down to the decked infinity pool and a dune-studded beach.
From £ 617
per night
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The best hotels in Skiathos
Amanzoe is an ultra-exclusive stay set on a hilltop, amid olive groves, vineyards and cypress trees. It was designed by renowned American architect Ed Tuttle and embraces a 21st-century Acropolis feel, with imposing porte-cochère and soaring colonnades. The region is steeped in mythology, with several important archaeological sites, including the Sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus, within easy reach, and there are just 38 freestanding pavilions, each with its own fragrant garden, tiled terrace and private pool. Inside you can expect lashings of pale marble, local stone and wood, with contemporary décor and minimal clutter. There’s a super-chic Beach Club on the coast just below, and the supremely peaceful spa offers a number of excellent wellness retreats led by experts in their field.
The best hotels in Mykonos
The Ikos brand has managed to elevate the European all-inclusive concept to new levels. Gone are the days of the coloured wrist band and the dreary buffet – Ikos Dassia offers an endless supply of premium-brand champagnes, wines and spirits, waiter service (including at the beach or pool), à la carte menus and 24-hour room service, along with a whole host of other extras. The location at Dassia is also very special; snuggled into a crescent of buttery-soft golden sand, it makes it one of the best beach hotels in Greece (perfect for little toes). As part of your stay you'll also have access to a high-end, sustainable Tesla car to take out for a spin – why not use it to explore as many beaches on the island as you can?
From £ 1,175
per night
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Imagine a French Atlantic-style coastline with a silk-sand beach, lapped by limpid turquoise waves and overlooked by a cluster of comfortable marble-clad suites – that’s Ammothines. The property overlooks Plaka, one of the island’s best beaches, which is reached by a narrow dusty track with little traffic. Mikri Vigla’s windsurfer-loved coast is on one side, and the buzzing resort of Agios Prokopios is three miles away on the other. There are 15 medium-sized suites in four categories, located across three buildings on two storeys (the top floors are reached via a steep flight of steps). All have full or partial sea views, with a minimalist décor of cream, beige and ecru.
From £ 366
per night
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Lesante Blu is ideal for a honeymoon or a romantic break: it's adults-only, has intelligent design and has a plethora of greenery and a waterfall-fed infinity pool that lends an intense sense of privacy and peace. Throw in spectacular sea views and several good restaurants and you're onto a winner. It's the sort of place where hanging egg chairs are scattered here and there (perfect for enjoying those panoramic vistas) and clipped lawns add to the pristine vibe. The shingle beach may be small, but it's got a charming wooden sundeck on stilts and a jetty stretching far out to sea.
From £ 575
per night
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The best hotels in Santorini
Gaudí meets celebrity glam at this all-suite hotel overlooking a remote sandy cove 30-minutes’ drive from Ios' main town. The façade, seen from afar, is hewn from local stone dug out of the nearby hillsides, melding with the surrounding landscapes. Once you’re in, the resort has more of a hippy/boho vibe, and the suites feature spectacular sunken tubs hewn from marble and in shades veering from pearl white to creamy caramel. The resort looks out onto a sheltered cove fringed by a coarse-yellow sand beach with plenty of comfortable cabanas, and there's also a cavernous spa, a gym and two pools: one mosaic-tiled freshwater pool with views over the hillsides and a shallow plunge pool surrounded by swinging sunbeds.
From £ 436
per night
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The best hotels in athens
This funky, retro beach-side hotel, ideal for young families, has lots of fun elements and a laid-back vibe. There’s a restaurant serving well-prepared local delicacies, as well as the hotel’s home-baked pastries. It’s a short drive from Chania’s harbour-front cafés and labyrinth of shopping lanes. The hotel sits along a quiet lane off the Old National road from Chania to Kissamos, where it fronts one of the region’s best sandy beaches.
The best hotels in Santorini
Between the Dodecanese sunshine and coastline, Ikos Aria is a modern take on the all-inclusive experience. Complimentary car hire means the chance to explore Kos, though if you want to stay put the seven brilliant restaurants span global cuisine, and the spa offers divine treatments. The resort trickles down to Agios Stefanos Beach, where pale (and slightly coarse) sand is lapped by clear, gentle waves. Charming ruins of a basilica sit on the shore and within swimming distance (or wading, depending on tides) is Kastri islet, a heft of rock home only to a blue and white chapel.
From £ 910
per night
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Contributions by Fiona Duncan, Laura Millar, Juliet Rix, Maggie O'Sullivan, Mary Lussiana, Rachel Howard, Sally Peck, Benjamin Parker