7 Best Hotels in Hydra Town, The Saronic Gulf Islands

A three-minute walk from Hydra's bustling port, this alluring place is composed of two villas in Hydra stone, with red barrel-tile roofs and garden areas; both have been restored and renovated to a high standard. Streamlined wood furniture and soft neutral colors predominate in the spacious guest rooms, with names like Sappho and Amazon, each with unique decor. Perks include hot tubs, plasma TVs, a wonderful terrace overlooking the street, perfect for relaxation, and Korres beauty products.

An 1860 sponge factory was transformed into this charming character hotel (doors made out of old packing crates still bearing the "Piraeus sponge" stamp, etc.), which has a bevy of alluring delights, including guest-room decor accented with framed portraits, old engravings, four-poster ironwork beds, and cozy natural wood lofts, and the hotel restaurant—considered one of the island's best—which is set in the oleander-and-bougainvillea-graced courtyard. Recently spruced-up in 2019, hints of the building's rustic past are visible in the Hydriot gray stonework, exposed-timber ceilings, and wide-plank floors. The bar-restaurant tables spill out poolside, dishing out mouth-watering gourmet Mediterranean fare. Not surprisingly, regulars return year after year.

This old mansion has been refurbished into a lovely boutique hotel by a descendant of the original owners, a wealthy and well-known Hydriot shipping family, without losing its original charm. You can choose from one of seven stylish rooms or suites with names like Sponges, Pigeon House, or Icons. The Pigeon House suite has a private Jacuzzi, but all have soft and welcoming beds, warm-brown wooden antiques and sections of exposed stone walls showing off the well-crafted original masonry work. The breakfast includes freshly squeezed orange juice, warm cheese pies, and homemade jams—served in the shady Mediterranean garden.

In an idyllic setting, this boutique hotel with eight relaxing, modern, and beautifully decorated guest suites offers panoramic views of the port and separate living and bedroom areas (as well as a small kitchenette). Serene whitewashed interiors predominate, and the pale hues are enhanced by colorful pillows and striped rugs designed by such well-known contemporary Greek artists as Diamantis Aidinis. The location provides great views from some rooms, but you may need to hire a mule to carry your luggage up the steep slope. The Maisonette provides the most spacious living quarters, accommodating up to four people. Clean beach towels are provided daily; bathroom toiletries are by Apivita, the trendy green Greek line.

Right in the middle of Hydra Town, this small upscale hotel has sparkling interiors with an elegant "old Greece" touch provided by an array of antique Hydriot rugs, mirrors, and lanterns—and some modern artworks by well-known Greek painters (Papanikolaou and Akrithakis to name two) thrown in to liven things up. Guest rooms are spacious and cool, with hardwood floors, classic wood furniture, and wonderful marble bathrooms; downstairs, look for a tiny patio and a comfortable breakfast room (where a buffet breakfast is served until 11 am daily). A spa faciltiy is available.

Antiques lovers might feel right at home among the 18th- and 19th-century furniture and decor (Oriental rugs, wooden chests, nautical engravings, ceilings painted in detailed Venetian motifs) decorating this traditional Hydriot home, now a gracious small hotel. Built around 1810 for a Captain Danavasis—and now classified by the Ministry of Culture as a national monument—the hotel celebrated its 50th anniversary as a hotel in 2011 with a special book about its rich history. For a change of pace guests can head to the main salon, whose walls are hung with giant black-and-white photographs, or go outside to a garden lush with pink and red blossoms. The two suites on the top floor—numbers 2 and 3—have balconies, sea views, and graceful ceiling frescoes done by Venetian painters. The Continental breakfast is served in the interior courtyard.

Commissioned in 1796 by Catherine the Great for her lover Count Orloff—who came to Greece with a Russian fleet to try to dislodge the Turks—this archontiko mansion regained its former splendor when it was turned into a small boutique hotel. Antiques in the public (and some private) rooms have been carefully chosen—curvaceous walnut sofas, chairs, dining sets, and highboys; old paintings and lithographs; and gilt mirrors—and are beautifully offset by thick white walls and cornflower-blue window wells. Both the classic double and superior rooms have views of the town or the courtyard shaded by a mulberry tree, where the buffet breakfast is served every morning.