Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens has been placed at No.27 in The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026, returning to the global list for a second consecutive year. The recognition keeps attention on a property that has long been closely associated with the Athenian Riviera and its waterfront social scene.
For yacht owners moving through Athens and the Saronic Gulf, Astir Palace occupies a useful position between the city and the coast. It offers a resort environment on a 30-hectare peninsula while remaining within roughly half an hour of central Athens under favourable road conditions.
The property combines city access with a peninsula setting
Astir Palace has been part of the Riviera’s identity since the 1960s and reopened as a Four Seasons hotel in 2019. Its pine-fringed site provides beaches and open water views without requiring guests to travel to an island for a resort-style stay.
That combination makes the hotel particularly practical before or after a yacht trip. Guests can move between airport, city and marina infrastructure while still feeling that they are already within a coastal holiday environment.
Zolotas Beach was reimagined for the 2026 season
During 2026, the hotel introduced a redesigned Zolotas Beach by Athens-born creative Rianna Kounou of RIANNA + NINA. The renewed waterfront setting combines a colourful design approach with Greek cooking centred on fire and ingredients suited to an informal beach environment.
The hotel also launched a new sensory-led cocktail menu at Avra, developed through its own mixology lab. These additions matter because the strongest resort properties continue to evolve their food and social spaces rather than relying on location alone.
Wellness and events have also expanded
Recent changes include new Omorovicza treatments and Hydrafacial services alongside an off-site events operation covering Athens and Attica. The hotel has also introduced a tree-planting initiative as part of its broader wellbeing and sustainability activity.
For visiting yacht owners, these services increase the reasons to use the property even without booking a long hotel stay. Spa appointments, meals and events can fit around a berth or anchorage and provide a change of pace from several consecutive days aboard.
The Athenian Riviera continues to strengthen its luxury offer
Recognition for Astir Palace reflects wider investment along the coast south of Athens, where marinas, restaurants and hotels have increasingly become part of a connected luxury destination. That development makes the Riviera more useful as both a cruising base and a destination in its own right.
LYG readers planning an Athens yacht itinerary should therefore think beyond the historic centre. The coastline now offers enough high-quality accommodation and dining to support an arrival or departure day without losing the connection to the sea.
