World's Best The Best Resort Hotels in Greece in 2016 By Lindsey Olander Lindsey Olander Instagram Twitter Website Lindsey Olander is a New York-based writer, editor, and photographer with a passion for travel and lifestyle. Her work has appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Departures, Business Insider, Jetsetter.com, Oyster.com, and others. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on July 6, 2016 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Courtesy of Katikies Hotel It’s easy to see why travelers love the Greek isles, with their whitewashed villas, enticing beaches, and cerulean waters. That’s some serious scenery for the region’s hotels to live up to — but they do. In fact, though mainland Greece might have the Acropolis, the islands of the Mediterranean take the laurels for hospitality. The best hotels on these islands deliver privacy, great design, a sense of place, and views that can't be beat. Every year for the World’s Best Awards survey, Travel + Leisure asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe—to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise lines, spas, airlines, and more. In the hotels category, readers rated properties on their rooms/facilities, location, service, food and drink, and overall value. Properties were categorized as city or resort based on their locations. Romantic Santorini—frequently voted a World’s Best Island — has three of the top five properties, all of which were in Oia, on Santorini’s northern tip. The hotels here sit mere steps from the action but still manage to feel private and secluded. "Breakfast on the terrace overlooking the sea couldn't have been more spectacular," wrote one respondent about Oia's Katikies Hotel, which topped the list. Crete, Greece’s largest island, is also represented on the list. The fishing town of Elounda, next to Mirabello Bay on the northeastern coast, has grown into a magnet for celebrities — no doubt thanks to its roster of memorable hotels. Among them are World's Best winners Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, and Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas. "Blue Palace may be a fairly large resort, but it feels more like an exclusive village," a reader wrote. Maybe it's time to plan your own island getaway. 01 of 05 No. 5: Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas, Crete Courtesy of Leading Hotels of the World Score: 88.00 02 of 05 No. 4: Mystique, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Santorini Courtesy of Mystique Score: 92.17 03 of 05 No. 3: Canaves Oia, Santorini Courtesy of Canaves Oia Score: 92.68 04 of 05 No. 2: Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Crete Courtesy of Blue Palace Score: 92.80 05 of 05 No. 1: Katikies Hotel, Santorini Courtesy of Katikies Hotel Score: 95.95 Of Santorini’s many boutique properties, none delivers on the promise of romance and beauty like Katikies Hotel, in the village of Oia. Despite being minutes from tourist spots like the Castle of Oia and the Naval Maritime Museum, the property feels like a secluded escape. Bridges and staircases connect its 34 cottages, which overlook the island’s caldera. Readers were charmed by its white-on-white interiors, which feature arched ceilings, antique pottery, and glass doors that open to private terraces. Outside your room, find three infinity pools and an intimate rooftop restaurant. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit