The Best Hotels to Book in Naxos, Greece

Set just back from the creamy-white sands and glimmering shallows of Plaka Beach – partway down the island’s west coast – Medusa has the serene interiors the Cyclades are famous for. Swinging basket chairs, powder blue shutters and stone alcoves all make for a rustic vibe at this boutique hotel in Naxos, set around a large mango-shaped pool, a hippie-chic restaurant and beach bar. Join a glam young set for sunset yoga sessions on the beach.

Most famous locally as a chilled-out beachfront restaurant, Santana Beach serves up avant-garde brunch dishes when not hosting guests in its upmarket rooms. This is no basic guesthouse – generous balconies and sunken marble bathtubs, waffle robes and globally-loved Korres products all layer on the luxury. Book a base at this Naxos hotel’s blingy beach club, where shisha smoke and late-night parties dominate the sands of crystalline Agia Anna beach.

This 10-room hideaway has an intimate scale that couples and older groups love. A few steps from sandy Agios Georgios beach – on the edge of Naxos Town – an exclusive handful of guests get access to two fizzing hot tubs, beach towels and wooden e-bikes by Greek brand CocoMat. A generous breakfast buffet of fresh fruit, yoghurt, granola and pastries is served every morning. Rooms are bold and striking, with curvaceous mid-century furniture.

Smooth-edged white rooms are set dramatically against glossy jet-black bathrooms at this cluster of white Cycladic villas, set around private plunge pools and wild-feeling gardens shaded by cedar trees. The focus at this hotel in Naxos is on slow food and eco-friendliness – at the restaurant, fruit and veg from the team’s organic garden are sizzled in local olive oil and flecked with local cheeses. Low-waste heating and lighting are used here, too, recycling is highly organised and the grounds are pesticide-free.

Clean, smart and traditional, with dove-grey floor tiles and sheer curtains, these classic Greek apartments have lovely shaded balconies and a shared plunge pool. Located just south of Naxos Town – in Agios Georgios – it’s close to a slim, straw-coloured strip of sandy beach. All rooms have kitchenettes and most have indoor and outdoor dining tables for great-value self catering, while a low-key buffet breakfast makes it even easier to travel on a shoestring.

This slick, angular boutique hotel in Naxos sits just beside Agios Georgios beach, all plush circular daybeds and thick-trunked palms. Spacious rooms are super-modern but homier than many no-frills Greek hotels – warmed up by linen-curtained beds, geometric-print armchairs and splashes of mango orange. Book a long lunch in the traditional taverna on the beach to step out of the sun on roasting early afternoons.

In the island’s picturesque warren of an old town, Chora, this serene 54-room hotel in Naxos has traditional Cycladic architecture and super-modern rooms with monochromatic art and cushions. There’s a great little pool bar serving chilled beers and fruity cocktails to a trickle of laid-back, reclining youngsters – and plenty of space means you’ll always be able to find a secluded spot to rest or read. Just down the path is Agios Georgios beach and dozens of tavernas are also within walking distance.

This cheerful stone-clad building has more traditional rooms than many on the island, with wrought iron bed frames and printed bedspreads in place of the usual whitewashed simplicity. The huge outdoor pool is a major draw for families and keen swimmers, with a thatched bar and parasols to add shade and flavour. The location – just south of ferry port Naxos Town – is spot on for both cultural wanders and beach jaunts.

A diverse mix of maisonettes, studios and villas, this pretty complex has dream interiors featuring suede-soft grey sofas, distressed chairs perched at breakfast bars and modern kitchens with microwaves and filter-coffee machines. The biggest wow factor at this boutique hotel in Naxos is the sea-view terraces and dining tables overlooking the powdery bay and palest-blue waters of Orkos Beach – though those views are the trade-off for the slight uphill hike to the hotel.

Entering through a confetti shower of hot pink bougainvillaea, you’ll find this cool white guesthouse off Agios Georgios beach styled to perfection. Sturdy iron bed frames, bohemian chests and trinkets, sleek balconies and kitchenettes all provide the creature comforts – while mini-markets and bakeries within walking distance help you self-cater where needed. Skip down the path to the bucket-and-spade fun of the local beach, or ask your hosts for help with car hire to head out exploring.