Cape Sounio, Greece

In short… A modernist hotel with individual dwellings overlooking the sea and the Temple of Poseidon, with an incredible spa and lots of family-friendly offerings

The surroundings… An hour from Athens, 30 minutes from the airport, and 15 minutes from Lavrio (the port from which many ferries depart), Cape Sounio is incredibly well situated if you’re looking for a place to relax at the beginning or end of your trip. Set on a very quiet cove, with Cape Sounio (a rocky headland) on one side and the 5th-century BC temple on the other, the hotel is also surrounded by a pine forest—all of which feels far from any bustle, even though it’s so easy to get to.

The vibe… The hotel was built in 1968 and has retained a lot of its mid-century feeling, even after undergoing a big renovation last year—the good kind, where you can’t tell what changed. There’s no main building with rooms—all of the accommodations (139 keys) are standalone bungalows, suites, or villas, and half of them have their own pool. Interiors are minimalistic—mostly white and grey tones—and the furniture is quite sculptural: Saridis Klismos chairs, and a variety of pieces from design masters who were inspired by the Ancient Greek world, like Roger Capron, Gabriella Crespi and Andrea Branzi. 

The rooms… We stayed in Pine Villa, with two bedrooms—their second largest offering, sleeping four. (The largest villa sleeps 10.) It was such a generous space, both indoor and out—we felt more like we were staying in a rental house, not in a hotel. Totally private, the outdoor area is filled with pine trees and surrounded by a stone wall—along with a table for outdoor dining and several seating areas. The very large pool is surrounded by rosemary, and it was dreamy to swim with the scent of it in the air, with the view of Poseidon’s temple as the backdrop. An outdoor stone shower completes the “it’s your house” feeling. 

The wellness… This year Vicky Vlachonis, the renowned osteopath, wellness expert and author of The Body Doesn’t Lie, created a whole wellness program with the spa, and it is incredible. Born in Athens, she grew up coming to Cape Sounio—but now lives in LA, where she is Gwyneth’s go-to, as well as a whole host of other celebs. She trained the teams with her approach to massage (starts with dry-brushing, followed by an olive oil scrub, and includes “moving cupping”), brought in the best acupuncturist from Athens, and curated a holistic spiritual approach that includes a guided meditation from her, to a crystal for you to take home. I’d go there just for their healers! The gym is also great—it has all-new Technogym equipment, faces the sea, and has outdoor equipment as well. And, of course, there’s fantastic swimming in the sea just in front of the hotel!

The food & drink… Cape Sounio is a part of Grecotel, which is a 3rd-generation family-owned hospitality company (the founder still works there every day alongside his daughter and granddaughter), which started in Crete 50 years ago and today runs 40 hotels throughout Greece. Quality food is so important to them—they have a large farm in Crete that supplies many of their properties, and each one has its own smaller farm as well. We ate lunch with the general manager of their Attica properties, Yorgo—also from Crete—who ordered for the table, and we had quite possibly the best, most homemade-tasting food I’ve ever had in a hotel: stuffed peppers and tomatoes, rooster with red wine… simple, straight-from-the-garden ingredients. Dinner at the seaside was also delicious and unfussy (delicate meatballs, and well-prepared octopus and grouper), and the desserts were to die for: galakobureko (a phyllo pastry filled with milk custard) and their homemade pistachio ice cream, and we usually never order dessert. They take so much pride in their farm, the food that comes from it, their traditions, and the chefs they work with. 

The family-friendly factor… Apparently the second half of August is when it’s most visited by families—and it was so family oriented I would steer honeymooners away from it, unless you get a room with your own pool. For parents with young kids, it’s paradise at the pool—there’s a lifeguard who stands over the kiddie pool and is so on it that you would feel you could leave your kid in there and read a book. All kids are free under 13—actually, that’s true at all Grecotel properties. They have a kids’ club called Grecoland, which has a giant climbing wall, its own pool, and shows movies at night. 

Be sure to… Wake up early and walk to the Temple of Poseidon. If you’re a fast walker, it will take you about 20 minutes—it opens at 9:30 and you’ll want to be there right when the gates open so you beat the tour-bus crowds around 10:30, and later all the sunset-watchers. If you can time it so you come during a full moon, do—our friends who have experienced it say there’s nothing like seeing the full moon rise over the temple.

Parting words… A truly divine place. You can feel the energy of it—these ancient temple sites were chosen for a reason! So to stay in such close proximity to one is really a gift.

Date of stay… August 21, 2025