This Resort on the Athens Riviera Feels Like a Private Island Escape

Stay Here For

The creature comforts of a luxury hotel with the privacy of a secluded island villa.

You might miss One&Only Aesthesis were it not for, ironically, the gates that shield it from street view.

Set in Glyfada, a particularly chic area along the Athens Riviera beloved by locals for its upscale shopping and flourishing clubstaurant scene, the otherwise inconspicuous hotel rises along the bustling main drag of Poseidonos Avenue. Once through the gates, you’ll discover the hotel’s unique landscape, with 15 acres of protected forest to one side and, to the other, the Aegean Sea. Thanks to rooms that feature private pools and terraces, you could easily forget you’re vacationing on the mainland and not on an island in the Cyclades.

The property is shaped by its location in other ways, with Greek marble countertops, wood furnishings carved from olive trees and locally made linens, and service is an extension of this vibe: relaxed but attentive, with a fixed attention to detail. Your arrival is celebrated with the ringing of a bell (each O&O outpost has its own welcome ritual), and soon, you’re spirited to your room via chauffeured buggy. By this point, you’re already well acquainted with the hotel team, whom you’ve been in contact with since you booked the room—and now, you’re assigned a cadre of butlers, whom you can communicate with 24/7 on WhatsApp for requests that range from in-bungalow room service to squeeze-in treatments at the spa. You’ll find yourself constantly surprised at how quickly they arrive and respond.

This hotel attracts a diverse clientele: small families, couples and friend groups. But the scene is so buzzy, even locals are pulled into the mix, and they can often be found lounging at the beach club by day and dancing to after-hours DJ sets at Manko Athens, the waterside Peruvian restaurant, come night.

The Essentials

The Room

When you can’t get outdoors, you can slide your curtains and glass doors back to enjoy sea or garden views from all corners of your room.

The hotel’s rooms are just as grand as the rest of the property. Though they’re outfitted in neutrals (think: pale, softly rounded wooden furniture and cream-colored linen curtains), the decor is hardly simple. Floor-to-ceiling glass brings in natural light and Riviera or garden views, and stone walls run up against mirrored panels that line the top of the room, making the space feel infinite. You’ll also find earthy textures like marble accents, curved rattan light fixtures and timber furniture. Bathrooms follow suit, many with rainfall showerheads, freestanding tubs, heated floors and heavy bronze finishings.

If what you’re after is true privacy, the spacious bungalows are the room to book, and offer a level of seclusion that’s hard to come by elsewhere on the mainland. Each has a private entrance, two terraces and a plunge pool. Views range from garden to seafront, where you can jump into the sea directly from your back patio. If you’re not springing for a bungalow, though, there are also base-category Aesthesis Rooms in the main building and a collection of private residences and villas with multiple bedrooms for larger groups.

The Bars and Restaurants

You can enjoy breakfast through dinner at Ora by Ettore Botrini, in the hotel’s main Aesthesis building. Come dinnertime, the restaurant embraces its Mediterranean roots with dishes like tabbouleh and tzatziki, lamb fricassee and the catch of the day smothered in a smoky tomato sauce and eggplant purée.

On the edge of the property, Manko Athens, a Peruvian-inspired restaurant, has curated a scene so appealing, even locals come to dip into it. Sunday nights might call for R&R everywhere else, but at Manko Athens, the weekend means seasonal live music performances. The DJs are known to inspire dance parties—and after a pisco sour or two, you might feel brave enough to join them. When you’re not dancing, dine on ceviche with leche de tigre sauce, juicy bites of tenderloin in the lomo saltado and pillowy-soft shrimp baos.

For cocktails, Sumosan Athens, a seasonal outdoor bar, offers a menu stacked with Negronis, including one mixed with mezcal. Indoors, you’ll head to Alelia for a peach, ginger and rum foam–topped Ambrosia cocktail or a glass of champagne, sipped under a cloud of jewel-toned lights.

The Standout Feature

The outdoor pool at the Guerlain Spa is surrounded by crowds of lavender, olive trees and wildflowers.

The hotel’s Guerlain Spa, the first—and so far, only—one in Greece. The space is a marvel, with a dramatic wood beam–lined entrance and an impressive display of Guerlain products that you can buy only at designated outposts. You’ll also have your pick from the extensive treatment menu, which includes tailor-made facials and a two-hour “Nymph of the Athenian Riviera” experience, which comes complete with a flower petal footbath and a full body massage with rose quartz crystals.

The Location

The hotel is in Glyfada, which serves as the unofficial heart of the Athens Riviera, just 30 minutes outside the Athens city center. The area is known for its beaches and beach clubs, boutique shops and seaside restaurants. It’s also a 15-minute drive from the future Ellinikon development. You’ll find great off-property dining like Mediterranean-Asian fusion at Bungalow 7 (located next door to the hotel) and classic Greek cuisine at Ark. Guests can also arrange transportation to Aesthesis’s sister property, One&Only Kéa Island, with a 45-minute speedboat ride.

The Time to Go 

The hotel makes a compelling case for a year-round vacation. In the summer, you’ll enjoy lounging by the pool and the beach. During the colder months, outdoor dining moves indoors, private plunge pools can be heated and you’ll actually enjoy walks around the property’s olive trees and rows of fragrant lavender and wildflower plants.

The Vibe

Dive straight into the Aegean Sea from your room’s seafront patio.

The souvenir you’re bringing home: One&Only has developed unique fragrances inspired by the locations of each property through a partnership with Montroi. The Aesthesis custom blend is called Riviera Nostos, a heady mix of leather, amber and birch—check it out in your bath amenities, and if you love the aroma, purchase your own.

What might surprise you: How kid-friendly the property is, with a separate kids-only pool and smartly designed KidsOnly club that has an eye-catching stone water fountain. The Guerlain Spa menu even has treatments specially designed for children, such as a scalp, hand and foot massage.

What you’re drinking at the bar: The L’Esprit de la Riviera, a sparkling brut created exclusively for One&Only. The private label can be enjoyed only at their properties, so you can justify a whole bottle.

Where you’ll find the best views: On the buggy ride back from Mystiko Beach, where the hill’s high vantage point allows you to really take in the Glyfada coastline.

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