The ELLE Edit Of Paros Hotels For An Unsung Island Escape
Greece has many islands, but while the hordes flock to Santorini and Mykonos, locate one of the best hotels in Paros instead and feel smug about it all summer long.
The Cycladic isle has been garnering popularity for a while now – Salma Hayek was spotted holidaying here a few summers ago and Tom Hanks owned a house on Antiparos. It’s also popular with always-chic French people.
Ferries dock in the port town of Parikia, which gives visitors the perfect introduction to the island. The most chi-chi spot however is Naoussa, which is unsurprisingly where many of the flurry of recent hotel openings are based.
Inland, don’t miss hill-top village Lefkes – and there are some lovely tavernas lined up along the water’s edge in Piso Livadi. Drios is another village that was made for evening meals and after-dinner strolls.
New to the island a couple of summers ago, Cosme is within walking distance of Naoussa for shopping and sunset strolls, or you can simply stay put beside its half-moon pool or in its spaceship-like spa. Check in to Parilio, which has a shuttle to take guests back and forth; from the hotel to Kolymbithres Beach, it’s 20-minute walk. Or stick with elegant old favourite Saint Andrea.
Here are the best Paros hotels, ready and waiting for summer 2024…
Andronis Minois
New to Paros’s shores this summer, Andronis, which has an impressive portfolio of boutique hotels over on Santorini, has taken over a village-style retreat just outside of the main port town of Parikia.
There’s a central pool as the main focal point, along with a small spa, but the highlight of any stay is likely to be dinner at the restaurant. A meal here is especially essential for fans of the humble Greek salad, since it’s served elevated in ways you’d never have thought imaginable, with whipped feta, carob-rusk crumbs and cucumber ice. The taverna version, while beloved, will never taste the same again. It also excels at Greek staple fava-bean purée (presented here with delicious small chunks of chorizo), flame-grilled steaks and lemony pasta, and the taramasalata is refined beyond recognition, too.
Avant Mar, Paros
For a while now, Paros has been growing in popularity as the Cycladic isle of choice and its fate was further sealed with the arrival of its very own Matsuhisa outpost at Avant Mar, ready to give travellers some nikkei food just when they need it. Though, helpfully, if you are craving all the feta instead, the village of Naoussa is within walking distance. Here, you can take your pick of the tavernas lining the water’s edge, with an ice-cream-enhanced stroll awaiting after dinner.
The hotel excels in the art of the Cycladic aesthetic, with a decor that is a masterclass in neutrals. The hotel is formed from assorted whitewashed buildings, with a curving pool at the centre.
Cove Paros
Most of the luxury hotels in Paros have chosen Naoussa as their backdrop and it’s not hard to see why – this fishing village has all the whitewashed buildings, chi-chi boutiques, sea-edge tavernas and grey flagstones you could wish for. You’ll find the aptly named Cove Paros on a bijou bay, with the centre of Naoussa just a 10-minute stroll away.
The seafront stay has 40 rooms and suites, as well as five suites with private pools that are perfect for families and groups. It sits on 20 acres of land, with an all-day beach bar and its Rada restaurant the natural hub.
Cosme
Cosme has a perfect setting, right on the beach but within walking distance of Naoussa, so you wander over in time for sunset drinks by the harbour, shopping in the boutiques that line the flagstone-paved streets and dinners in a smart seafood-serving taverna.
The hotel’s name means order, harmony and beauty, all of which are in abundance throughout its whitewashed buildings. There’s a half-moon-shaped pool ready for lazy days that stretch into sundowner o’clock, along with a spa that looks like a spaceship if you squint.
Acron Villas
If you’re coming to Paros en masse, select your nearest and dearest and book one of the Acron Villas, which have various sleeping configurations, from two- all the way up to five-bedroom options.
Facilities at each residence include fully equipped kitchens, living rooms with fireplaces and dining areas that lead out to a terrace – plus, of course, plenty of sea views, in some cases, served straight to your balcony. Come evening, you won't have to venture very far – you can put your kitchen to good use and dine in the comfort of your villa’s garden. Or, equally minimal in effort, you can stroll over to a local restaurant.
Saint Andrea
There may have been lots of new arrivals to the Paros hotel scene in recent years, but its original boutique hotel, Saint Andrea, located close to Kolymbithres Beach and Naoussa, is just as special as ever.
There’s a pool at the centre of the seaside resort, with a traditional, low-slung stone wall encircling it. Food and drinks are served all day by the pool, which was made for lounging next to – but for something a little more formal, book a table at Anastasia and enjoy the chandelier-and-tablecloth vibes.
Parilio
Parilio is a member of Design Hotels and with just one look at the pool, complete with casual boulders, you’ll soon see why. The hotel’s signature sugarcubes (or whitewashed buildings) are a Philhellene’s dream.
There’s a shuttle taking guests back and forth to Naoussa, where buzzy restaurants await along the waterfront – or you can stay within the stylish confines of the resort and enjoy the wares of Mr E, one of Parilio's two restaurants. We’re not sure who Mr E is but he sure knows how to master Greek and Mediterranean food.
Kouros Blanc
Situated on a cliff above the Aegean, Kouros Blanc overlooks the neighbouring island of Antiparos. The decor is typically Cycladic, with lots of wood and stone accents. The resort is formed from various dazzlingly white buildings, with a line-up of lofty palm trees and a freshwater communal pool, plus private pools in some of the suites.
The hill-top hotel is in the Sotires part of the island, a 20-minute drive south of Naoussa and just 10 minutes from Parikia.
Yria
Yria is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels collection, set a couple of hundred metres back from the shores of Parasporos Bay. The lush acreage spans palm trees, frangipani and, of course, a generous draping of bougainvillea.
Along with a small spa and outdoor hot tub, the hotel has a tennis court and a freshwater pool. Design details in the rooms include marble from the island and almost exclusively cream colour palettes. Be sure to book one with a veranda.
Poseidon of Paros
Poseidon is one of the most luxurious hotels in Paros and the service is suitably polished. The five-star retreat is right by the windsurfing haven of Golden Beach, so it's a great hotel choice for any budding windsurfers out there. There’s tennis court and a spa underground for treatments using organic brand Ariadne Athens, plus a bar-enhanced pool with panoramic views of the Aegean.
There’s no direct access to the beach, but there is a jetty you can dive off when Poseidon himself is calling.
Kanale’s Rooms & Suites
Just a five-minute stroll from Naoussa’s fishing port and even closer to Piperi Beach, Kanale’s Rooms & Suites are set across different levels on a hillside. Pleasingly, views of the Aegean Sea are offered from most angles.
The rooftop restaurant is an ideal place for sunset, which can be enjoyed alongside some classic Greek dishes. The bar has similarly spectacular views out across the island and you’ll be able to try some locally made wine here, too.
Summer Senses
Summer Senses has everything you could possibly need from a Paros hotel, including a fine-dining restaurant, another eatery offering Greek and, more specifically, Cycladic flavours, and a bar ready to mix up cocktails in time for sunset – plus, whitewashed buildings and stone walls, obviously.
There’s also a curving pool, a gym for burning off excess gyros and impeccable views of the Aegean, along with a spa that puts the island’s bounty to good use in treatments such as scrubs made with argan oil, olive and grape seeds, and oranges.
You Might Also Like
