An Aegean Icon Continues to Shine: Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens No. 27 in the 50 Best Hotels 2026

Summer lingers longest on the Athenian Riviera. As September brings softer light and the season turns, Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens has been named No. 27 in The 50 Best Hotels 2026, its second consecutive year on the global list and another moment in the sun for the enduring Aegean landmark.

Long synonymous with the glamour of the Greek Riviera, welcoming the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Jackie Onassis and Frank Sinatra, Astir Palace reopened as a Four Seasons hotel in 2019. Since its transformation, it has charmed a new generation, without losing the character that made it an Athenian icon.

Set across 30 hectares of pine-fringed peninsula, the hotel offers the rare luxury of expansive Aegean beachside seclusion within a 30-minute drive of the Athens' historic heart. From No. 35 in 2023 to No. 17 in 2025, its 2026 ranking adds another chapter to a classic that has been part of the Greek capital's seaside story since the 1960s; and it's a story that continues to evolve.

2026 saw the opening of the hotel's reimagined Zolotas Beach by Athens-born creative Rianna Kounou, founder of RIANNA + NINA. Inspired by her childhood summers spent at Astir Palace, the colourful new design meets fire-led Greek cooking for a fresh take on one of the hotel’s most intimate waterfront settings. This summer also saw the launch of an immersive sensory-led cocktail menu at Avra, the hotel’s in-the-know destination bar – developed in the bar’s own mixology lab.

The past year has seen further evolutions too: a new off-site events service, extending the hotel’s hospitality and culinary expertise across Athens and Attica; new Omorovicza treatments and Hydrafacial at its with sea view, and a tree-planting initiative to deepen its focus on wellbeing and sustainability.

“It is an honour to be recognised by The 50 for a second consecutive year,” comments Jann Kaiser, General Manager of Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens. “Astir Palace has always had a strong sense of character, and our job is to keep that character moving forward. We are constantly asking what’s next, and recognition like this gives us the confidence to keep experimenting and evolving."

With 303 rooms and suites, three private beaches, two pools, an award-winning spa and a collection of restaurants and bars ranging from Michelin-starred Pelagos to Taverna 37, Mercato and Avra, Astir Palace remains both resort and city escape: a modern Athenian classic where days effortlessly flow from the Acropolis to the Saronic Islands, before ending with dinner beside the Aegean.

This year’s The 50 Best Hotels recognition comes as The 50 brings its global rankings, awards, content and Discovery platform together under one new master brand. The hotels ranking continues to be determined by the votes of more than 800 members of The 50 Best Hotels Academy, including hoteliers, journalists, business travellers and other well-travelled experts.

Other recognitions earned by Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens in 2026 include: a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star distinction; a place on Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List and its inaugural Triple Crown; La Liste's Top 1000 Hotels and Condé Nast Traveller's best hotels in Greece, where it was singled out for luxury. In addition, 2025 saw the hotel awarded Three Michelin Keys: the sole top tier property in the inaugural Michelin Guide for Greek hotels.

To book your Athenian Riviera experience with Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens, contact reservations.athens@fourseasons.com.