150 Tatler October 2019 tatler.com[The seafood restaurant, Pelagos,
designed by Martin Brudnizki,
could rival Scott’s, while the textured
authenticity of polished marble,
driftwood sculptures and exposed
stone interiors employed by one of
the project’s starchitects, K-studio,
perfectly conjures up the simplicity
and sophistication that is the essence
of Greek style.
The hotel itself is an ode to chic
minimalism, with swimming pools,
cabanas and giant daybeds with
billowing muslin drapes. The huge,
loft-style suites are designed with
just the right amount of austere
elegance to avoid detraction from
the sea views from the windows.
There are 303 rooms across the two
main buildings, Arion and Nafsika,
and a charming collection of bun-
galows which are dotted among
the pines.
The high jinks and excess start at
daybreak, with all manner of fun
and games on tap: a Greek break-
fast of iced coffee and cigarettes is
most welcome – including cigars,
should you prefer. Then, of course,
there is the bikini-friendly, gluten-
free spread of dreams – cue endless
varieties of yoghurt and artisan
honey, and the freshest eggs cookedevery which way – served at the
various terraced restaurants.
There’s also the famous water-
sports school to explore, with boat-
men on hand and outboard motors
at the ready. Messing about on the
water is certainly one of the most
evocative pleasures of staying here,
but this is also a place where you
can escape the exuberant beach-
club vibe to enjoy a more sedate
spell at the hotel’s spa, a temple to
monastic calm, with its wellness
rituals inspired by the teachings
of Hippocrates, alongside moreesoteric treatments such as reiki
and pelma reflexology.
But the honeypot allure of the
nearby coastline calls – especially
now that it has a swathe of new
openings. Nice n Easy is an outpost
of Athens’ much-loved organic in-
stitution, now also at Astir Beach.
For pilates fanatics there is the new
Holmes Place gym, and you can also
take home elegant athleisure from
the pop-up store by iconic Greek
brand Parthenis. And for more
hedonistic pursuits, there is the
beachside lair Krabo Beach, whichhas a slightly more Scorpios-of-
Mykonos vibe. Matsuhisa, the sleek
Japanese stalwart, reopened last year- always fun for lychee martinis and
lobster tempura.
And for those keener to drink in
the area’s antiquity, there could be
no dreamier spot than the Temple of
Poseidon in nearby Cape Sounion.
It’s famed for the best sunsets in
the city, and the light will seduce
you, especially during a boat trip on
an elegant wooden schooner
arranged by Four Seasons. They
also offer party-time and seafaring
adventure; a crew is on hand to
serve platters of just-caught dorade
ceviche followed, by night, with
starlit seafood barbecues.
As the sun descends over the
southern tip of the Attica Peninsula
with its stunning coves and deserted
beaches, it bathes the temple and
Top right, inside the
Museum of Cycladic
Art. Above, Four
Seasons Astir Beach.
Left, Krabo BeachAristotle and Jackie Onassis
in Greece, 1968. Left, Jackie
Kennedy at the Parthenon, 1961PHOTOGRAPHS: ALAMY; GETTY IMAGES; YONDER.FR10-19TRAVEL-Main.indd 150 20/08/2019 15:40