GREECE – CYCLADES
Greece, in Greek Ellas or Hellas, is located at the tip of the Balkan Peninsula, between the Aegean and Ionian Seas. Greece and its islands, so mysterious, so bewitching, as if the gods and goddesses were still breathing their souls into these idyllic lands.
A destination that attracts so many visitors, drawn by such beauty and spirituality.
Acumen set out to discover some of these islands and shares 3 addresses for you to (re)discover.
MYKONOS, HOTEL BELVEDERE, THE MYTHIC
This beautiful address opened its doors in 1996 after Sofia and Ilias Ioannidis fell in love with the dream location, hence the name Belvedere Hotel.
Nestled atop a hill, with a breathtaking view of the Aegean Sea and the town of Mykonos, this five-star hotel offers a veritable corner of paradise to all its visitors.
The address boasts seven whitewashed buildings, positioned around a lush, colourful garden featuring bougainvillea, cactus and palm trees that invite themselves onto the terraces and balconies of every room and suite. For guests who prefer more privacy, the Belvedere Hotel offers suites and villas with private pools and/or Jacuzzis, out of sight and with all the comforts of a palace. As for the interior architecture, once again everything has been designed around minimalist luxury, with locally carved wooden furniture and dividing walls adding strength and design to the spaces.
Mykonos, the island of the sun, paradise beaches and partying. Here, people live mainly outdoors, and like to see and be seen. The owners have therefore paid particular attention to the hotel’s outdoor spaces.
At the heart of the garden lies one of the masterpieces of this legendary address, the Art Deco-inspired swimming pool, all elegance and delicacy. This is where the social buzz begins, with a central bar offering breathtaking views and pergolas set up around the pool for absolute comfort, all in ochre and blue tones in response to the colours of nature. It’s easy to see why this address became The Place To Be on the island as soon as it opened, with some of the finest parties ever held here.
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s star restaurant, another of the hotel’s masterpieces, offers a vertiginous taste experience to be savoured without hesitation. (see dedicated article in the Gastronomy section – Acumen 36)
To round things off on a high note, in 2015 the hotel opened a Six Senses SPA, whose demanding treatments offer special attention to guests’ bodies and minds. Here, all the senses are awakened, and the results are nothing short of spectacular.
The Belvedere Hotel remains the legendary address on Mykonos, and it’s easy to see why…
Belvedere Hotel
School of Fine Arts District – Mykonos
Greece
SIFNOS, VERINA ASTRA, THE AUTHENTIC
Some places have the ability to touch you emotionally with very little.
The Hotel Verina Astra is one of them. A silent luxury that draws you in and soothes you, to better reconnect you with the forces of nature.
Set on a steep hillside on the island of Sifnos, offering breathtaking views of the Aegean Sea and the picturesque village of Kastro, with the Church of the 7 Martyrs, one of the island’s jewels, isolated on a rocky peninsula below.
Here, silence reigns supreme and the pace becomes slower… Contemplation reigns supreme and life becomes more serene. The hotel offers spacious, comfortable suites decorated with wood as the main material. Each suite has a terrace with a large table for those who wish to dine in privacy.
A sunken swimming pool sets the tone for a stay that’s all about pleasure and well-being.
After a few laps, you can enjoy sweet or savoury treats at any time of the day. Here, everything is homemade and local: the hotel has a vegetable garden on the land of its little sister, Verina Terra, located a few kilometres away, close to the sea. Here, they grow the fruits, vegetables and herbs used in their restaurants.
And for an exceptional taste experience, we recommend Bostani, one of Verina Astra’s addresses, which is a summer favourite with epicureans, for its refined, original dishes, friendly atmosphere and starlit view.
It’s no surprise that this superb complex takes its name from the Greek word for “stars” – Astra – and that each suite is named after a constellation.
To round things off in style, the hotel boasts a SPA combining thermal therapy rituals and therapeutic massage techniques. Natural treatments that pamper you in depth.
The Verina Astra is quite simply the ideal place for those who need to let go…
Verina Astra
Poulatis, Sifnos
Greece
PAROS, PAROCKS HOTEL, THE CHIC
Opened in 2022, this luxurious hotel perfectly meets the definition of the new chic.
Firstly, because of its premium location, just a few kilometres from Naussa, the trendy town of Paros, with its white alleyways and authentic little fishing port, in a natural setting where the rocky, wild landscape coexists with the place. Hence the name Parocks, a contraction of the words “Roche” and “Paros”.
The hotel is made up of five independent buildings built in the local tradition, offering rooms and suites, each with a private pool or Jacuzzi, rare enough to mention. The 40 rooms are spacious and elegant. Decorated with care using noble materials and choice decorative pieces, comfort is the order of the day. For those who prefer discretion, each terrace offers a majestic view of the Aegean Sea and the surrounding countryside. And for the more adventurous, picnics are organized in one of the wild creeks just a few metres from the hotel.
In the centre of the buildings, you’ll find the huge, round swimming pool, as if to blend in with the surrounding landscape, a large bar with bluish tones, to enjoy signature cocktails in front of the sunset, and the fully glazed dining room, so as not to lose any of the idyllic view.
The SPA, located in the basement of the common areas, features a heated swimming pool, sauna and hammam, a gym and an area for treatments and massages.
For total relaxation and absolute well-being.
The Parocks Hotel is the perfect blend of five-star comfort nestled in a wild landscape.
Parocks
Luxury Hotel and Spa
Ampelas, Naoussa – Paros
Greece