What it is

A 57-suite boutique hotel fronting a frothy white sand beach.

What it isn't

All about that beach. Because Sani Asterias is a luxe part of a five hotel resort empire, available excursions include a foodie tour of nearby Thessaloniki and a trip to the clifftop 600-year-old monasteries at Meteora, a UNESCO heritage site.

What we think

Even in Greece, where food is as important as the sun itself, the four eateries on-site at Sani Asterias rank. That’s because the resort hired Chef Mauro Colagreco, who won three Michelin stars for his restaurant Mirazur, to develop the menus for their on-site Water Restaurant. Another Michelin-starred chef, Ettore Botrini, created the dishes for Fresco, where guests can dine on swordfish carpaccio and ionian shrimp passatina while watching the sun set over the Aegean. It makes sense that they would have put so much energy into their dining options; the resort’s activities—such as the new Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre, paddleboard yoga and guided jogging in the storybook pine forest on the property—will have you working up quite an appetite.

You're here because

Even the most basic room category is a suite so eye-popping you can picture James Bond and a glamazon holed up there, with a clean-lined four poster bed, rain shower and calming water view of either the marina or shimmering Aegean.

The Moment

When you walk into the Spa Retreat by Anne Semonin, private for guests of the Sani Asterias hotel, you can feel your blood pressure take a nosedive. But it’s not until you’re ten minutes into your Grape Seed Poultices Massage Ritual—being rubbed with warmed grape oil and seeds—that you actually fall asleep. Which is too bad, because life in this moment is better than a dream.

Restaurants & Bars

Water Restaurant - Mediterranean & French-focused a la carte dishes created by the Three Michelin-starred Grand chef, Mauro Collagreco

Water Bar - Elegant lounge bar with panoramic Sani Marina views and live jazz performances

Over Water - Minimalistic modern bar that is exclusive to guests over the age of 12 with live piano music

Location

On a private beach and marina on a particularly lovely patch of the Kassandra peninsula, just 45 minutes from Thessaloniki. Storied, 9,600-foot-tall Mount Olympus is your neighbor.