Greece has no shortage of luxury resorts, but One&Only Kea Island is in a league of its own. Perched on the rugged west coast of Kea – an island with a permanent population of just over 2,300 and a reputation as a lesser-known getaway for Athenians – this clifftop retreat of 71 private pool villas is more like a sprawling village with excellent room service.
A friend and I spent two nights here, arriving with high expectations and leaving with something that’s genuinely hard to manufacture: that feeling of having properly switched off.
The welcome
Reaching One&Only Kea Island is part of the experience. A 45-minute private speedboat from Lavrio Port in Athens deposits you at the resort's own pier, where a buggy then winds you up the mountainside. It's a quietly theatrical arrival that puts you in the right frame of mind before you've even checked in. The lobby, when you reach it, is a three-storey open atrium of pale local stone and whitewashed walls that play with light and shadow.
Designed by John Heah of London's Heah & Co, the resort pays deliberate homage to Cycladic tradition – lofty atriums, rounded archways, hand-cut Kean stone – while feeling unmistakably contemporary. The village-style clusters of villas cascade down the cliffside.
Our visit begins with welcome drink on the terrace, the Aegean stretched out below. This is not the kind of place that needs to try very hard, but it does – and the results are impeccable.
The room
We share a one-bedroom Cliff Villa with a sea view and private infinity pool, and it quickly becomes the hardest place to leave. The open-plan space is generously sized, with indoor and outdoor areas that flow into each other through glass doors that slide back entirely.
The pool terrace frames an unbroken view of the Mediterranean, and there’s also a lovely terrace at the front door, behind the villa, that’s perfect if it’s ever too windy by the sea.
Interiors use Greek marble, local timber and natural fabrics throughout, simple enough to feel restful, refined enough to feel genuinely luxurious. The bathroom is spectacular, with its standalone bathtub, walk-in shower and two sinks sitting on either side of a mirror.
The food
There are six restaurants and bars, which is an ambitious number for a resort of this size, and the quality holds up across them.
We start with lunch at Bond Beach Club, the resort's shoreline day-to-night destination. We order a special, which is sea bass four ways – ceviche, sashimi, tacos and grilled – and it is exceptional. Each of the four distinct preparations of the same fish would make a standout dish on their own, but the grilled version lingers in my memory. Moist flesh, crispy skin, perfectly seasoned – despite my fullness, I devour the whole thing. Meanwhile, the setting, toes practically in the sand with a backdrop of ambient music, makes the whole thing feel like a scene rather than just a meal.
Another memorable meal takes place at Atria, the resort's main restaurant, where a visiting guest chef from Delta restaurant in Athens – the city’s only holder of two Michelin stars – collaborates on a five-course dinner. It’s a masterclass in modern Greek cuisine: precise, ingredient-led, creative without the kind of cleverness that gets in the way. The plates are beautiful, flavours working harmoniously together, but the part I can’t stop thinking about is dessert. The kitchen prepares a dessert free of dairy and egg just for me; coconut cream encased in hard chocolate with sorbet and chocolate dust – it’s rich, complex and technically immaculate. Again, I'm full, but I devour it all.
The breakfast scene
Breakfast at Atria's sea-view terrace is worth blocking the morning for. The format is buffet-led but generous in the best way: separate cabana stations set up around the terrace, each dedicated to a different spread and meant to resemble a village square.
Cold cuts, cheeses, fruit, cereal, fresh pastries and made-to-order eggs are served, alongside a short a la carte menu with daily specials. We don’t get to that, though, because there’s simply too much to work through on the buffet and all of it is great.
The freddo cappuccinos, creamy and cold and properly made, are the best way to start a Kean morning.
Hotel facilities
The resort's main infinity pool overlooks the Aegean and feeds into two smaller pools, one adults-only and one for families. Down at the water's edge, Vroskopos Bay offers crystal-clear swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking and snorkelling. Club One brings together tennis and padel courts, a state-of-the-art fitness centre with a sea-view yoga pavilion, and the KidsOnly club for ages four to 12, alongside One Tribe, a dedicated hub for teenagers.
A dive centre, run by conservationist Yannis Tzavelakos, offers everything from Padi beginner courses to technical dives through legendary shipwrecks, including the Britannic. Beyond the resort, the team can arrange art tours, archaeological digs, private yacht charters, stargazing on the beach and helicopter trips for island-hopping.
One evening we are taken in a hotel car to explore Ioulida, the main town on the island – a mountainside maze of narrow whitewashed lanes, charming boutiques and small restaurants serving honest, good Kean food. It’s a lovely counterpoint to the resort's polished world, and very much worth the trip.
Spa and wellness
At 1,700 square metres across three floors, One&Only Spa is the largest in the brand's portfolio, and it's the kind of space that makes you want to cancel your afternoon plans the moment you walk in (which we actually do).
The spa's wellness philosophy is grounded in sophrosyne – the ancient Greek concept of balancing mind and body – and in partnership with Australian brand Subtle Energies, the treatment menu draws on Ayurvedic practice, local botanicals and modern technique.
Separate men's and women's facilities sit around communal pools; the indoor-outdoor pool has unobstructed sea views. I spend time in the sauna and steam room, and use the full facilities, leaving fully refreshed.
I also enjoy a 30-minute back and shoulder massage, then on impulse add an hour-long energy healing session with a visiting Greek practitioner, Nikos Ntoupis, which incorporates acupuncture and elements of holistic therapy. It’s the most unexpectedly moving part of the stay.
Family-friendly factor
KidsOnly (ages four to 12) and One Tribe (teens) offer structured daily programmes alongside the resort's broader activity and water sports offering. The tiered pool design includes a dedicated family pool, and the bay is safe and calm for younger swimmers.
Accessibility and sustainability
The resort is closely connected to Kea's farming and artisan communities, sourcing local produce and celebrating the island's agricultural heritage throughout its dining. The architecture uses hand-cut local stone and Greek marble throughout, minimising imported materials. Accessibility information is best confirmed directly with the resort.
Value for money
Rates for a one-bedroom cliff villa start from €2,600 (Dh11,000) for a Cliff Villa during summer, excluding taxes and fees. Check-in is at 3pm and check-out at 11am.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the hotel and reflects hotel standards during this time. Services may change in the future
