5 Best Hotels in Spetses, The Saronic Gulf Islands

Set with fin-de-siècle cupolas, an imposing mansard roof, and elegant Neoclassical facade, this iconic mansion was acclaimed as the Saronic Gulf's own Hotel Le Negresco in 1914—like that Nice landmark, this hotel was built to attract the cosmopolitan ocean-liner set and Athenian aristocracy. Today, the Poseidonion has been hailed as the most elegant grand hotel in all the Greek islands. While restoration has preserved its aristocratic aura, it also brought everything into the 21st century, replete with minimal mod furniture and an abundance of elegant five-star hotel luxuries. There is a renovated historic wing and a new wing (built close to the original style) next to the main pool, but unfortunately the new wing doesn't live up to the seafacing side in any way. The hotel's restaurant offers a high-style menu of Mediterranean delicacies, while the Library Brasserie offers delicious Athenian cuisine lit up with flashes of local Spetses flavors. In collaboration with Baba Au Rum, one of Athens's finest cocktail bars, Palms bar shakes and stirs cool and colorful potions on the hotel's large terrace overlooking the gulf. Relax by the palm tree-decorated pool or treat yourself at the excellent Idolo Spa with one of the many indulgent therapies complementing the better-known massages and treatments. In the evening, experience the ultimate summer pleasure of watching old or new movies on the silver screen under the stars at the hotel's next-door Titania open-air cinema.

With cheerful and elegantly renovated exteriors surrounded by myriad flowers, this charming family-run, boutique-style B&B is only a few minutes' walk from the main harbor and offers great value, especially in the off-season. The clean, air conditioned and self-servicing interiors, too, will charm guests with their old-fashioned wooden shutters and beds with wrought-iron frames—just the right accents to set off the cool white, minimalist island-style rooms. Some rooms are more luxurious than others, depending on your budget and their availability. The skilled and friendly hosts make you feel at home with friendly service and an ample breakfast, as well as plenty of tips on what to see and do. And it's open year-round!

Nissia, located halfway between Dapia and Kounoupitsa, is constantly morphing and was once a textile factory, a power plant, an ice factory, and now it's a luxurious resort. What has remained the same is the sea-facing facade, which houses two-story residences scatted about lovely gardens, around a large central swimming pool. These are divided into various categories, from tower residencies and maisonettes to superior and garden studios. Each are uniquely decorated, some with more traditional Greek textiles and colors and others with typical Aegean Island hues and furnishings. Breakfast is good and served on a breezy terrace overlooking the sea.

A complex of renovated early-20th-century-listed building buildings set around a garden courtyard with a 72-foot swimming pool, comprise these lodgings. Set atop the hill above the old harbor, many of the rooms have views of red tiled roofs and colorful bougainvillea-filled gardens of the Old Town below and the sea beyond. The rooms are a tasteful juxtaposition of antique and modern with minimalist hues of whites and grays, complemented with splashes of bright color. Massage therapies and yoga lessons are now part of the resort's offerings. The Orloff Resort now also includes the Old Mansion, a beautifully renovated 1865 residences that houses up to 10 guests.

Enjoy privacy, surrounded by greenery and the beach, at this spot, which dates back to the 1970s. Waiters can bring drinks to your lounge chair on the small private beach, and breakfast can be taken in bed, on your balcony, or in the terrace Maris restaurant. Blue-carpeted rooms have wood-veneer beds covered in plaid spreads, and balconies with either a stunning sea or a town view. The helpful staff can help you arrange excursions to mainland sights, and the hotel provides transportation on arrival and departure.The hotel also offers private villas.