Amanzoe

For us, travel always revolves around one thing—either flying to a country for a specific restaurant or for a hotel. This time, we came to Greece solely for Amanzoe. Perched atop the hills of the Peloponnese Peninsula, this hotel is not easy to reach. After arriving in Athens, you’ll need to drive three hours or take a 30-minute helicopter ride to get there.

Built into the hillside, Amanzoe’s villas are scattered across the landscape, offering sweeping views of the Aegean Sea. Each room comes with its own pool, in addition to two shared outdoor pools. There’s also a private beach accessible by a 10-minute buggy ride. While the hotel boasts a few all-day dining options, it must be said that Aman’s culinary offerings remain a weak point. Compared to the Cheval Blanc properties, each paired with a Michelin three-star restaurant, Amanzoe’s dining experience falls several notches short of luxury brands like Rosewood.

Amanzoe is a meticulously crafted version of Greece—perhaps more Greek than Greece itself. If you, like me, dread the idea of crowded tourist spots like the Parthenon, Amanzoe offers a condensed, tranquil version of Greece. To be honest, the landscape here is not especially breathtaking. The mountains and sea are ordinary, and the scenery is free, yet the hotel’s magic lies in its reconstruction of a world where light and shadow dance across an Acropolis-inspired architectural ensemble. Whitewashed walls, Doric columns, and cypress, olive trees, and lavender swaying in the breeze—this is a place where peace reigns, especially at sunrise and sunset, and you’re left to experience a serene happiness, undisturbed.

The open-plan rooms are designed to bring the outdoors in, with floor-to-ceiling windows that can all be opened, allowing the Aegean breeze to flow through the room as you fall asleep to the gentle rustling of leaves. The villa spans over 100 square meters and features two bathrooms and dressing areas, as well as a fireplace to cozy up beside. My favorite part is the bathroom, which has a glass ceiling—sunlight streams in as you shower, creating a bright and refreshing space.

While Amanzoe is stunning, it doesn’t hold the same place in my heart as Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco in Tuscany. The difference lies in the commercial feel of Amanzoe, which at times detracts from the sense of unpriced, effortless beauty that places like the Tuscan Rosewood exude. Amanzoe, though magnificent, occasionally feels like a space where “every beautiful thing comes with a price tag.”

There’s also a lack of attention to certain details. For example, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the beach sandals provided in the room were exactly my size, only to later realize they stained my feet. The beach bag, also a gift, had the same issue with discoloration. Similarly, while the linen bathrobe was comfortable, I discovered a tissue left behind by a previous guest in its pocket.

However, when it came time to leave, I was reminded why Amanzoe leaves such a lasting impression. As we prepared to drive off, the staff had already adjusted the car’s air conditioning to the perfect temperature, placed chilled bottled water in the front seat, and attached personalized luggage tags to our bags in the trunk. Four or five staff members stood by, smiling and waving as we departed. As the grand gates of Amanzoe slowly opened, I couldn’t help but think—what a truly wonderful stay it had been.