Inside the Athenian Riviera hotel we (and our members) love

The original Astir Palace put this coastline on the map in the 1960s, attracting Jackie Onassis, Brigitte Bardot and a whole host of well-known names. Now the first Four Seasons property in Greece and number 17 on The World’s 50 Best Hotels list, its allure is very much alive and well.

We came for our annual Insider retreat and were more than a little excited to call the resort home for a few days. We stayed in Nafsika, the social heart of the resort. Every room faces the Aegean and opens onto a furnished terrace. Inside, the spaces feel calm and sunlit, with deep-soaking tubs, Diptyque toiletries and enough room to properly settle in. Some started the day outside with coffee while others took a wander before breakfast on the view-blessed terrace at Mercato.

This 75-acre resort has facilities and a half. Three private beaches wrap the coastline and pure escapism is on offer by the adults-only infinity pool. The padel court picked up a few new converts, the kind who only realised quite how long they’d been playing when breakfast had quietly come and gone. And the tennis courts served up plenty of friendly competition, with world-class coaching on offer through the resort’s partnership with former world number eight pro Janko Tipsarević and his team.

The Hippocrates-inspired spa quickly became a favourite. Time in the hydrotherapy zone and the light-filled indoor pool reset the pace completely and it proved to be the perfect antidote to city wanderings. The beauty salon deserves a mention too, leaving us feeling brand new and more than ready for the next round of retreat plans.

Though there’s little reason to leave, we managed to pull ourselves away for a few hours. A hotel buggy carried us past superyachts to the Louis Vuitton boutique at Astir Marina. Guests staying in the Specialty Suites can enjoy private after-hours shopping with personal shoppers, a touch that feels entirely in keeping with this corner of the Riviera. Athens is close enough for a quick cultural fix and Lake Vouliagmeni sits nearby with its thermal waters.

This is a resort that celebrates the art of eating well. Lunch at Taverna 37 drifted into the afternoon with generous Greek dishes, cold drinks arriving just when you wanted them and the sea only a few steps away. The wider dining scene adds even more to the mix with the Michelin-starred Pelagos, Matsuhisa Athens for Japanese-Peruvian favourites, BeefBar for those craving something heartier and Aristotle’s for cigars.

The closing night brought everyone together for an ABBA-themed dinner with dancing, plate smashing and a spectacular drone show over the peninsula. A finale that had us all saying thank you for the music (and the incredible service, of course).

It’s clear why this is Little Emperors’ most booked property in Athens. The setting is a giveaway — yes, the water really is that blue — but it’s the service, the ancient spa remedies and the kind of glamour you wish you could bottle and take home.