5 new places to stay in Greece away from the Mykonos madness: some of the best accommodation in 2024 is on lesser-known islands

Greece’s most popular islands saw streets and beaches overcrowded with tourists last summer. To get away from the hustle and bustle, head further afield

This year, some of the most exciting new places to stay in Greece are in spots less well known to international travellers. We take a look at five

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A rendering of the pool area at Odera in Tinos. It is one of five new hotel openings in Greece to check out this year if you want to get away from the tourist hordes on Mykonos and Santorini. Photo: Odera

Published: 5:15pm, 3 Feb 2024

Following a stellar 2023, Greece appears to be heading for another record-breaking summer. Government forecasts and forward bookings with airline and tour operators point towards 2024 being Greek tourism’s best year.

For travellers interested in visiting the most popular islands – namely Mykonos and Santorini – that is not necessarily a good thing. Last summer brought overcrowded streets as tourists spilled out of cruise ships, along with sky-high prices at resorts and restaurants, bumper-to-bumper traffic and little elbow room on beaches.

Those issues are concentrated in a few spots and hardly represent a country that includes 227 inhabited islands and plenty of unsung gems on the mainland. Still, if you are looking to avoid the most bustling spots, it can be hard to find luxury infrastructure and inspiration.

That is changing. This year, the most exciting hotel openings in Greece are all popping up in spots less known to an international crowd. Take the rocky island of Folegandros, with a population of less than 1,000. It is just an hour by ferry from Santorini – more than three hours from Athens – but it is much less travelled.

Santorini in 2019. Projections all point towards 2024 being Greek tourism’s best year. Photo: Shutterstock

This summer, Folegandros is getting Gundari, its first luxury hotel of note. The property will feature a restaurant from Lefteris Lazarou, the first Greek chef to have a Michelin-star restaurant, and all rooms will have private infinity pools heated with solar panels.

Here are five such openings. Each raises the bar in an unexpected spot, from the centrally located Cyclades islands to the Athens Riviera, along with summertime rates and details on how to get there.