Three Greek islands and four hotels were rated among the best in the world, after 300,000 readers of leading travel magazine “Conde Nast Traveller” had their say in the annual “2016 Readers’ Choice Award”, the results of which became public Tuesday. Santorini, Mykonos and Crete were included in the top 20 list, while the hotels of Canaves Oia in Santorini, Chromata Hotel, Kos Aktis Art Hotel and Kirini Suites & Spa were ranked in the top 50 hotels in the world. On the European ranking list, Blue Palace Resort and Spa (Luxury Collection) in Crete took 14th spot, while The Romanos (Luxury Collection)- Costa Navarino was placed 17th. This year’s vote had record participation and over 75,000 comments. The magazine readers showed their preferences based on their passion for original, personalised and unexpected accommodation experiences, both in newly listed hotels, as well as past entries.
Best Greek hotels:
12th Canaves Oia Santorini, Greece
There’s so much more to Santorini than clear blue skies and craggy hillsides awash in pristine white homes—though we’re certainly not complaining about either of those. At Canaves Oia Santorini, the draw extends to a cliffside infinity pool that overlooks the Aegean, and dinners whipped up from freshly-caught fish, plus a sampling of some of Greece’s finest wines.
17th Chromata Hotel, Santorini, Greece
Overlooking the island’s caldera, this boutique hotel and its 22 (nearly) all-white rooms epitomize all that Greek island life is about: Breezy, bright, and simple, they manage to flush out any memory of city grit from back home. After a hard day of watching the clouds pass over pristine blue waters, tuck into a flaky slice of spinach pie at the hotel’s CHROMA restaurant, and wait for one of Santorini’s legendary sunsets. The views from the hotel’s clifftop infinity pool alone are worth the trip.
20th Kos Aktis Art Hotel, Kos, Greece
The Greek island of Kos is famous for its abundance of Greek and Roman landmarks—Hippocrates’s shady tree has its home here—and you could make a strong case for Kos Aktis being added to the list. Its minimalist décor is a far cry from the fanciful flourishes of temples or forums, but what it lacks in flair, it makes up for in features like floor-to-ceiling bedside windows, and tasty, traditional Greek breakfasts comprising local favorites (try the loukoumades, sticky, honey-covered bits of fried dough, for a true taste of the island).
32nd Kirini Suites & Spa, Santorini, Greece
Sometimes, a little simplicity goes a long way—and that’s our favorite feature of this sweet Santorini hotel. Awash in a sea of fresh white linens and furniture, from the end tables, to the bed frames (and even the wall sconces), it’d be easy to clear your tired mind here. Take a table at Anthós Restaurant, hewn right from the rocky cliffside, where views of the cerulean waters below are best appreciated with a glass of Grecian red.
Best Greek islands
17th Santorini, Greece
No island group is so shrouded in myth as the Cyclades
11th Mykonos, Greece
Said to have been where Hercules killed the invincible
9th Crete, Greece
The largest Greek Isle, Crete is also one of the most