The Coolest (Literally) Hotels With Private Pools In Greece
For the sleekest dips this summer, look no further than our favourite Greek hotels with private pools.
The Mediterranean country is the unofficial patent owner of the private plunge pool – and these are some of the best hotels with private pools in Greece for easy-access temperature-regulating this summer.
The forecast in Greece tops 40 degrees in high summer, so a sea breeze and poolside proximity are a must, and at these hotels you can book a suite with its own swimming pool – how's that for a luxury holiday?
Whether you've set your sights on checking into one of the best hotels in Mykonos or a romantic break at the best hotels in Santorini, our pick of Greek hotels where you can enjoy a dip in your own pool is a must-browse right now.
For a Crete hotel with a private pool, spa stay Acro Suites has literal Cave Suites, where there’s a pool in a grotto – the wellbeing destination is on hand to make you feel good in other ways, too, from smoothies and spa treatments, to wholesome food on the terrace of a restaurant billed as 'the Nurture House'.
On the mainland, Meraviglia Slow Living in Epirus encourages guests to dial down the pace – and with your own pool to while away the days in, it would be rude not to.
If you’re hoping for a Santorini sunset with your private pool, try Canaves Epitome or Andronis Arcadia. Or follow in Jackie O’s stylish footsteps and head to Elivi on Skiathos in the Sporades.
These are the best hotels with private pools in Greece…
Bill & Coo Coast Suites, Mykonos
Bill & Coo has long been one of Mykonos’s most sought-after stays (and for an island this glitzy, that’s saying something). The brand’s Coast Suites edition recently got bigger and better, with the arrival of 10 slick new suites on the hillside behind the hotel. Each romantic room has a private pool and terrace, with a mesmerising view of the Aegean and the magical island of Delos, which all of the other Cyclades form a circle around. The decor is seriously sexy, with mood lighting at the switch of a helpfully descriptive button (no impossible-to-turn-off illumination in sight).
You’ll want to linger in your pool-enhanced pad, but awaiting you down by the shore is a Beefbar outpost, where you can dine on delicious dishes such as zingy salads, Wagyu sliders or, if that all sounds a little light, huge rib-eye steaks, served with fries made with neighbouring isle Naxos’s famous potatoes and grilled vegetables with a lemon sauce.
Acro Suites, Crete
‘Acro’ means ‘edge’ in Greek and, this close to the cliffs of Crete, it won’t take you long to see why. The hotelier family behind this set of luxury suites has had plenty of practice in their country’s cherished art of hospitality.
Acro Suites has cave-like suites with pools inside them. Some of the pools are set beneath a grotto-worthy arch, with a guaranteed-to-be-sunny deck where you'll find a handy set of sun loungers. Rooms with plain old plunge pools are also available, but have far less novelty value. Wellbeing experiences at the hotel include hammams, yoga and healthy but delicious food at the sea-facing restaurant, where even the cocktails are made with herbs.
F Zeen, Kefalonia
Days at this sleek retreat on the shores of Kefalonia are likely to feature yoga on a foliage-fringed deck, film nights with new friends at the outdoor cinema, meditation sessions and guided hikes; even working out isn’t a burden, thanks to the view provided by the outdoor gym.
If that sounds a little too wholesome for your usual holiday liking, don’t worry: F Zeen also offers free-flowing cocktails on the beach, sun loungers to sequester right beside an Ionian-facing infinity pool and two restaurants that make the most of that coastal setting.
Elivi, Skiathos
The sunny Sporades may be most famous for being the backdrop of the first Mamma Mia! film, but those in the know were fans long before then – Jackie O just loved Skiathos and it’s as alluring as ever today. The island's 213-acre hilltop estate Elivi includes a spa, six restaurants and four bars (covering everything from a classic fish taverna to a steakhouse).
There’s a neighbouring national park for virtuous hikes and direct access to four of the island’s most beautiful beaches. The rooms with private pools include options on the beach and some that are hidden among the pine forests and olive groves.
Meraviglia Slow Living, Epirus
The islands may get much of the attention, but the Greek mainland is also worth a visit, especially the rugged undiscovered region of Epirus in the north-west, close to the border with Albania. Near the charming old town of Preveza, Meraviglia Slow Living wants you to relax and enjoy its good life – breakfasts are delivered direct to your pool-enhanced paradise at whatever time you wake up and the rest of the day unfolds in a similarly unhurried way.
Head to town to eat at one of its many seafood restaurants or stay put and enjoy the architecture around you. Each of the seven suites has its own pool and garden, as well as views out to sea.
Canaves Epitome, Santorini
Away from the sunset crush of Oia, but within walking distance for when you do want to go in search of a church with a blue dome, Canaves Epitome up in Ammoudi Bay is the perfect Greek hotel with private pools for those in search of a little more space.
The rooms are basically mini villas (some are even two storeys), with cool, contemporary interiors – though chances are you’ll be spending most of your time out on your terrace, which includes a pool with a sunbed suspended over it, along with walls formed from volcanic rocks and, handily for this island in particular, a prime position for sunset viewing.
Eagles Villas, Halkidiki
At this resort close to Mount Athos on the mainland in Halkidiki, guests have a series of restaurants to work their way through, including a classic taverna on the beach to get your Greek-salad fix.
For families and groups, Eagles Villas has villas with up to three bedrooms, along with their own pool and gardens. When you’re ready to venture out (it may be a while), staff can arrange for yacht charters so you can tour the coast and discover its islands and more golden-sand beaches, wine tastings and trips to the hotel's organic farm.
Andronis Arcadia, Santorini
Part of a series of hotels on the island of Santorini – including one cascading down the cliffs in Oia and another with one of the best sunset views on the road to Imerovigli – Andronis Arcadia is built basically right by where the coaches gather at the end of every day (exclusive doesn’t cover it).
Instead of jostling for a spot outside, you’ll have your own secluded outdoor space (with a private pool, obviously) from where to watch the sun go down. When you're in need of sustenance, order a platter of superb sushi to enjoy by the main pool or dress up for dinner at the Pacman Sunset Restaurant, which has incredible views of Oia's famous nightly show.
The Olivar Suites, Corfu
This hotel on Messonghi Beach to the south-east of Corfu was once an olive mill and the grounds are still covered with ancient olive trees, with some bougainvillea brightening things up. The standalone suites are spread out like a village and blend in seamlessly with their surroundings, thanks to their earthy tones.
They’re also an art form of indoor-outdoor living, especially if you book one with a private pool and garden. Down at the beach, guests at The Olivar Suites can hide out under a gazebo; and at the spa, treatments make the most of this land’s particular bounty (olive oil).
Olea All Suite Hotel, Zakynthos
An all-suite hotel on a hillside in Zakynthos, Olea is on the Ionian island’s north-eastern edge, 10 minutes out of town but with enough olive groves and a vast cascading pool to make you feel miles away. The split-level pool has rooms lining it with swim-up sunbeds, so you can get to know your neighbours – or book a room with a sea-facing private pool all to yourself instead. The four restaurants offer everything from Greek classics such as saganaki and souvlaki, all the way to the fusion flavours served at Pacifico by Nikkei.
The aptly named Royal Spa is indeed fit for royalty, with treatments by German brand Babor and an outdoor pool for yet more sunny serenity (even the gym equipment has a view around here).
Casa Cook, Samos
Many incoming visitors to Greece head straight to the Cyclades, but for a different Greek island experience, try Samos in the North Aegean archipelago instead. On this lesser-visited Greek isle (which lies close to the Turkish mainland), Casa Cook gives guests a water world of pools, including some suites with private ones. It’s conveniently close to the airport (a five-minute drive away). There’s a spa with a nail salon and a hammam, a yoga shala and regular DJ-soundtracked sunsets.
The island is where Pythagoras was born, a fun fact even if you haven’t thought about hypotenuses and theorems in several years.
Verina Astra, Sifnos
Sifnos made headlines last summer when Barbie herself (AKA Margot Robbie) arrived on the island by ferry (and, gasp, carried her own suitcase). This quieter island is within the Cyclades, but its lack of airport means it's a little off the tourist trail. Here, Verina Astra has sea views from every room, siesta-ready shady terraces and traditional stone walls. The main pool is pretty gorgeous (that view), but if a private pool’s a dealbreaker, book the Norma or Indus suites.
The neutral hues let the dazzling blue do the talking, but there are pastel pops of colour courtesy of the shutters too. The island features all the whitewashed villages, blue-domed churches and ancient alleyways you need, and it has a particular reputation as a gastronomy hub thanks to the famous Greek chef who was born here, Nikolaos Tselementes.
Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection, Santorini
Santorini has lots of heavenly, honeymoon-ready hotels and among the most spectacular is Grace, part of the Auberge Resorts Collection. Clinging to the edge of a cliff in front of Skaros Rock in Imerovigli, the hotel’s whitewashed buildings are dazzling, especially in contrast to the blues of the sky and the Aegean. New for this season, the hotel will unveil two Infinity Suites, each styled with classic Cycladic accents, with a private pool overlooking the caldera. The 55 square metre sanctuaries are formed from lava stone, with marble bathrooms, dining spaces and a terrace in both.
You won’t want to leave, but coaxing you out of your private haven is fine-dining at the restaurant and multi-course breakfasts where glasses of fizz are actively encouraged.
Elix, Mar-Bella Collection, Epirus
Don't overlook the mainland in favour of Greece's many hundreds of islands (although those are great too). Up in the mountainous north-west region of Epirus, you’ll find Elix, part of the Mar-Bella Collection, which also has outposts over in Corfu. The hotel, located on Karavostasi Beach near Parga at the edge of the Ionian Sea, is surrounded by clear shores and pine forests. There are swim-up rooms with shared pools, along with private options, all with a view of the sea.
From this vantage point on the mainland, you’ll be able to spy Paxos, Antipaxos and Corfu. Facilities at the resort include a gym, spa and tennis court, and you’ll be able to spend your days hiking, cycling and trying out some watersports.
Patmos Atkis, Patmos
Making its debut in the Dodecanese this summer is Patmos Atkis. The picturesque island of Patmos is home to fishing villages, a volcanic landscape and the obligatory Greek-island hidden coves. At the hotel, guests can dine at a traditional Greek taverna on the beach and enjoy sundowners overlooking the Aegean on the main deck. For the ultimate pool-enhanced sanctuary, book one of the Pool Suites with a seven-metre pool on the terrace and prepare to never leave your room.
If you do decide to venture out, the spa has partnered with the holistic British brand Ila, for treatments such as chakra healing, rose and aloe after-sun wraps, and singing bowl massages.
Santo Mine, Santorini
Over in Santorini, there are lots of hotels with private pools to choose from (plunge pools are almost mandatory around here), and new to the island this summer was Santo Mine, which adjoins sister hotel Santo Pure just north of Oia. Guests will be able to go between both properties, either on foot or by golf buggy, to enjoy the two spas and various restaurants and bars.
Santo Mine’s location means you’ll be within a swift stroll of Santorini’s most iconic village (and its famous blue and white churches) and also close to Ammoudi Bay, where sailing trips around the croissant-shaped coast depart. Ammoudi is also where you’ll find the namesake tavern, which is a must for dinner one evening.
The suites are, as the name suggests, set in an old mine and they blend seamlessly with their former quarry surroundings (but Bedrock this is not), eschewing the classic Cycladic whitewash in favour of a stone and cream palette. Each has its own pool out on the terrace – you’ll be hard pressed to find a better spot to watch Santorini’s spectacular nightly sunsets.
Caroline Lewis has been a travel journalist for more than a decade, reviewing luxury hotels and covering destinations all over the world, but with a soft spot for Greek islands and absolutely anywhere in Italy.
Among her most memorable trips are a month spent subsisting almost solely on guacamole in Mexico, sleeping in a room made of ice in Swedish Lapland and a rather lengthy but thankfully bear-free drive across America's wild west.
She was previously deputy chief sub-editor on the print team at Harper’s Bazaar and is a long-time contributor and editor at Mr & Mrs Smith. She writes about travel for Hearst Digital titles such as Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE, Red, Esquire and more. She read English and Philosophy at Durham, before doing a master's degree in magazine journalism in her hometown of Bournemouth.
When she's not testing out the buzziest new hotels, she's at home in London, probably baking.
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