The Best Eco-Friendly Hotels and Places to Stay in Greece

Roughly a 30-minute drive from Heraklion, Crete, lies the hamlet of Achlada, where the family-run Mourtzanakis Eco-Hotel is located. Perched between the mountains and sea (the closest beach is a 10-minute drive), this estate is a complex of studio apartments and villas, with a wide range of activities on offer such as organised hikes, olive picking, workshops on local herbs and plants and cooking seminars. If after all that you long for a refreshing dip, head for the pool and jacuzzi.

To Armiro Boutique Houses is a complex of beach houses in Plaka on the picturesque island of Naxos. All properties are built with traditional Cycladic architecture and an ecofriendly philosophy in mind. Equipped with rainwater harvesting systems and relying on ceiling fans for cooling, the accommodation offers all modern amenities. Breakfast includes locally sourced ingredients such as organic olive oil, honey and traditional Naxian cheese.

If you’re more of an urban traveller, opt for Olive Green, an ecofriendly hotel in the centre of the city of Heraklion in Crete. The hotel boasts cutting-edge digital technology with its own OG App. Guests can control everything in their room, like the heating, from a tablet. Recycling is also a big part of the hotel’s green ethos along with the use of solar panels and efficient water management systems. This is the place for the ultimate in hi-tech luxury with an environmentally conscious edge.

In the lush, tranquil peninsula of Sithonia in Halkidiki, the Ekies All Senses Resort is a family-friendly haven where guests can relax and take the time to just be. With a desire to blend seamlessly into the environment, it’s more like a cosy beach house than a luxury resort, perfect for those into a more casual vibe. Constructed with sustainable and eco-friendly materials like wood and unrefined marble, the resort has a minimal waste policy and an eat-local ethos.

Serifos may be an underrated destination, but this could all change when the word gets out about the Coco-Mat Eco Residences. Set into the cliff with views over Vagia Beach, the hotel feels part of the landscape. Formerly the residences of miners on the island, these stone houses have been renovated to remain faithful to the local architecture and designed to provide natural light and natural air-conditioning. Wooden accents, the bedlinen and utilitarian items add to the minimal and refined aesthetic. You will leave this gem feeling refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated.

You don’t have to sail to an island or be near a beach to enjoy an eco-friendly holiday in Greece. Eumelia is a splendid agrotourism farm in Laconia, in the heart of Peloponnese, comprising a cluster of eco-cottages amid ancient olive groves with views of the surrounding mountains. Natural pillows and mattresses, organic shampoo and soaps are all provided. Water is heated and cooled using geothermal power. The menu is sourced locally – you can even participate in the olive or grape harvest, or take a cooking class using your pickings from the farm’s abundant organic veg crop.