After Checking Into 20-Plus Four Seasons Properties Around the World, One Stood Above the Rest

A Hotel With History

Astir Palace occupies a peninsula in Vouliagmeni, on the Athens Riviera. The writer visited the Acropolis in the morning and returned to a beach chair before lunch. The hotel opened in August 1960 and hosted Greek royals and Hollywood stars over the years, including Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Brigitte Bardot. Four Seasons bought and rebuilt the property with roughly $700 million, reopening it in 2019 as the company’s first hotel in Greece.

Room To Find The Shore

The writer arrived by car, while some guests come by helicopter or boat. The grounds cover about 74 acres and include three private beaches, making it easy to find a place to settle in.

From the room’s balcony, the writer could see rocks beneath the clear Aegean Sea. The property’s scale and waterfront setting made the stay feel expansive.

Dining Beyond The Hotel

Astir Palace has nine restaurants, enough for guests to eat on the peninsula throughout a week. The writer particularly valued a market-to-table experience. A guide took the writer around market stalls, greeting vendors and sampling olives, cheeses and fruit while explaining what was in season. The ingredients went back to the hotel kitchen, where the writer joined the cooking process as chefs prepared lunch.

Local Culture Made The Difference

The writer says the meal, made almost entirely with ingredients gathered that morning, was part of a stay that brought local life into the luxury setting. The writer had enjoyed every Four Seasons visited, but says Astir Palace stood apart because it offered more time experiencing local culture than any other hotel.