On the pine-shaded Lemos peninsula, 30 minutes by car from central Athens and 25 km from Elefthérios-Venizélos Airport, the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens offers a modern revival of a 1960s icon. Once frequented by the likes of Aristotle Onassis and Frank Sinatra, the property reopened in 2019 following an extensive transformation, blending its heritage as Greece’s most storied seaside resort with the global polish of the Four Seasons brand. Now spanning 30 hectares along the Aegean coastline, the resort is made up of three distinct accommodation settings: Arion, Nafsika, and The Bungalows, and holds the distinction of being the only Three Key Michelin-rated hotel in Greece, correctly distinguished as an “an extraordinary stay”.
The property includes chic rooms, suites, and villas with either sea or pine forest views. Floor-to-ceiling windows and soft-toned interiors of white, sand, and pale blue invite light and calm in equal measure. Some suites include private pools and large terraces; the most sought-after are the seasonal bungalows, originally delivered in 1961, which retain the intimacy and understated glamour of the Riviera’s golden age. The bungalows now feature retro-modern styling, private gardens, and proximity to the spa and adults-only pool.
The Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens offers a modern revival of a 1960s icon… blending its heritage as Greece’s most storied seaside resort with the global polish of the Four Seasons brand.
Each of the three main sections of the resort serves a specific rhythm. Arion offers quiet sophistication, housing the award-winning spa, several fine-dining options, and a private beach. Nafsika is the resort’s energetic core, home to the lively infinity pool, the Mercato trattoria, Helios grill, and the cocktail lounge Avra. It also houses several suites with private pools and panoramic sea views. The Bungalows, closest in spirit to the original Astir Palace estate, remain secluded and their appeal unchanged since the 1960s when Athens’ elite or Hollywood stars would book them for the entire summer season.
The culinary vision at Four Seasons is guided by Executive Chef Apostolos Dimou, who oversees all eight restaurants and bars on the property. Chef Dimou’s leadership ensures a cohesive dining experience across the resort, blending global influences with a deep appreciation for local flavors. During my visit, I had the privilege of joining Chef Dimou for a morning at a local market just outside Athens. With an eye for the finest ingredients, he carefully selected fresh feta cheese, red mullet, octopus, and barrel-aged olives.
While Chef Dimou is the mastermind behind the resort’s diverse dining offerings, the cuisine finds a most eloquent expression at Pelagos, the resort’s Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant. Under the direction of Chef Luca Piscazzi, Pelagos focuses on precision seafood dishes that highlight the essence of the Aegean. Chef Piscazzi’s Italian training is evident in his elegant, restrained dishes that highlight Mediterranean balance and Greek terroir. His expert knowledge of local produce was evident as he recounted his travels through Greece’s lesser-known food villages. It was through these journeys that he honed his understanding of Greek culinary traditions, including regional cheeses, island seafood, and age-old preservation methods.
The menu at Pelagos offers an artistic blend of flavors—think sun-dried tomato cream paired with the briny depth of Oscietra caviar, or a delicate yellowtail ceviche with mint, pistachio, and elderflower. It’s a perfect marriage of Greek ingredients and Italian clarity.
Elsewhere on the property, dining experiences span a wide range of styles: Mercato offers Italian trattoria favorites in a lively, design-forward setting, while Helios serves vibrant Latin American fare by the pool. Taverna 37, under Chef Dimou’s leadership, offers a more laid-back experience, capturing the essence of Greek dining with mezze platters, grilled seafood, and traditional flavors in a relaxed, shaded pergola setting.
The Astir Palace Spa is not an afterthought, it’s a standalone experience, open year-round and designed to reflect the legacy of Greek therapeutic culture. The spa features ten treatment rooms, an indoor lap pool, a hydrotherapy zone, and a dedicated Fountain House with aroma steam grotto, vitality pool, chill showers, hammam, and sauna. Treatments incorporate native botanicals and regional traditions, drawing from Hippocratic principles in both theory and technique.
The Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens is more than a resort. It is a cultural and architectural restoration project that reclaims the Athens Riviera’s glamour without overstatement.
Fitness offerings extend beyond the gym. There are five tennis courts, a basketball court, yoga sessions, and jogging trails that wind through the 74-acre estate. For aquatic activity, guests can choose from three private beaches or enjoy non-motorised water sports such as windsurfing, kayaking, and snorkelling. The resort also provides yacht chartering from its private jetty and is located near Glyfada Marina for those arriving by sea.
The staff, over 700 in total, are young, attentive, and unfailingly courteous, if sometimes lacking the polish of long-established European palace hotels. There’s an air of relaxed professionalism: approachable but informed, and never invasive. Uniforms designed by the late Greek designer Sofia Kokosalaki add a touch of local character to the team’s presentation.
For those arriving in style, the resort offers both a helipad and a private jetty. The clientele reflects the setting: an international mix of Athenian socialites, American families, Middle Eastern business travellers, and discreet Europeans avoiding the flash of island hotspots.
The Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens is more than a resort. It is a cultural and architectural restoration project that reclaims the Athens Riviera’s glamour without overstatement. Every detail, from the preserved bungalows to Chef Piscazzi’s locally anchored cuisine, from the child-friendly ethos to one of the highest-end spa experiences on the globe, reflects a property with both ambition and restraint.
A quiet and thoughtful luxury that reveals itself slowly, but surely.
