Greece is the destination of the moment for one of the world’s ultra-luxe hotel brands. One&Only Aesthesis is the first of two new One&Only properties opening in the country this year.
Following the 2021 opening of their first European property in Montenegro, One&Only Resorts have selected two locations in Greece for their second and third.
Citizen Femme was one of the first to check into One&Only Aesthesis, the first of the two Greek resorts, having recently opened on the Athens Riviera.
The Vibe
In the swinging sixties, the Athens Riviera was a place to see and be seen; everyone from Bridgitte Bardot to The Beatles and countless global presidents have stayed in this glitzy area, close to the centre of the Greek capital. Many wealthy Greeks – Aristotle Onassis included – chose a more specific location within the area to build second homes: Glyfada.
It’s here, in Glyfada, that you’ll find One&Only Aesthesis: set within what was once the Asteria beach club – a playground to the 1950s and 60s rich, famous and well-heeled crowd. Now, behind its stretching, white-gated perimeter, the newly-opened One&Only sits beachside, pulling back from the sea into an expansive, 21-hectare, resort. Lush, winding pathways scented with fresh herbs and bougainvillaea spread from its main, curved, mid-century inspired building. They lead to a series of bungalows and villas, a spa, a (soon-to-open) kids’ club and a restaurant, all encased by a beach and a protected forest.
The Rooms
The resort places as much importance on outdoor areas as it does interiors; a common theme for One&Only properties, but what you see today reflects the original beach club layout, as developers were instructed to follow its initial design.
With so much space to play with, One&Only Aesthesis features villas, private residences and bungalows, each flowing seamlessly from the indoors, out. Villas are impressive; Villa One offers a whopping 1,400 square metres of split-level space, as well as a private swimming pool that rivals the main pool of most hotels – in size, design and ambience.
There are some rooms in the main building but it’s the bungalows, dotted throughout the resort, that make up most of the accommodation; some come with sea views, others are set back from the beach, but the crowning jewel of all are the two large gardens comprising a private pool, plentiful seating and lounging areas, and an outdoor fireplace. A nature-inspired design leads the way inside, too: stone tiles and wooden panels are dotted with rattan lampshades and chunky wooden furniture, while a large, more-comfortable-than-usual, memory-foam topped bed all but guarantees a good night’s sleep. It would be easy for the bed’s considerable size to overwhelm the room, but there’s also a small indoor lounge area with sofa, low-table and mini bar; a walk-in-wardrobe; and a (sixties-inspired) bathroom with double-sinks, a free-standing bathtub, and views across the outdoor pool.
Rooms come well equipped, with more than the basics provided. In the bathroom – as well as the usual fluffy bathrobe and slippers – you’ll find Montroi products alongside a body brush and lavender-scented bath crystals for bathing, and a Dyson hairdryer, full-sized brush and manicure kit for pampering. In the bedroom, in addition to the mini bar, there’s a well-stocked bar with cocktail shaker and premium liquor such as Tito’s vodka, Clase Azul tequila, and mastika from Greek-born brand, Mastic Tears. Pre-sliced lemon and lime for your cocktail creations are left in the fridge, and a copy of The Drunken Botanist mixology book, to help you mix them, is left nearby.
The Food + Drink
Lunch and dinner at Ora, in the hotel’s main building, start with freshly-baked bread – a hybrid between focaccia and the traditional Greek flatbread, lagana – made with olive oil. It’s served with olive oil too; a Dr. Kavvadia, organic, extra virgin olive oil from the island of Corfu, where chef Ettore Botrini is from. Botrini is also the chef patron at his eponymous restaurant, Botrini, a one Michelin-star restaurant in the centre of Athens, and it shows. The restaurant’s dishes are designed to be shared and include Greek spreads, grilled meats and fish, wood-fired and raw fare. Standouts include the chicken cacciatore with porcini mushrooms and rosemary; a raw beef battuta with pecorino cream and truffle; the celeriac steak made from roasted hazelnut with pesto herbs, grue de cacao and truffle; and the zucchini linguine with spearmint and chilli.
Breakfast is also served at Ora; a selection of traditional and not-so-traditional à la carte and buffet style plates including the usual – eggs cooked to order, muesli, porridge, pancakes, and waffles – as well as Greek favourites such as Strapatsada (scrambled eggs, feta, and tomato) and Tsoureki (caramelised brioche with mastic cream, usually eaten by Greeks at Easter). From the open-kitchen counter, look out for fresh honeycomb, pistachio croissants, and all manner of jams – many dreamt up to honour the flavours of One&Only’s overseas resorts. Not to be outdone by its food, Ora is a stylish space fitted with funky furniture around yellow-booth seating – another nod to a sixties’ heritage – and a stand-out, large-tiled terrazzo floor, a modern play on the traditional tiles found across many buildings in Athens.
Style and taste are central to the hotel’s other restaurant, El Bar de Paco Morales, too. Set slightly away from the main hotel, dishes from three Michelin-star awarded chef, Morales, showcase the Mediterranean meets Moorish flavours of his hometown, Córdoba. The Andalusian tapas-style dishes include: tomato salmorejo with a cheese foam; Iberico flamenquin with kasseri cheese from the Greek island of Lesvos, green pepper, jamon and a parsley mayo; chicken croquettes with tuna, caviar and ras el hanout; and a smoked eggplant taco with chicken and nori. Cocktails are equally inventive and the soundtrack, a charming and lively combination of Arab-Andalusian music, is loud. This space is intended to be an Athens-by-night destination in its own right.
In-room dining – for breakfast, lunch or dinner – is not only offered but encouraged, and it makes sense: it would be a shame not to use all the lovely outdoor space that comes with the rooms. Order through your assigned hosts who are just a few seconds away via WhatsApp, day or night. Come summer 2024, Manko, a new beachside bar and restaurant is also set to open.
The Spa
The spa at One&Only Aesthesis is the first Guerlain spa to open in Greece, and with it comes all the luxury you’d expect from the Parisian beauty brand. Treatments here are indulgent; some, such as the 120-minute Nymph of the Athenian Riviera – a footbath followed by a scalp and body massage – are designed exclusively for the hotel. Alongside massage, the Guerlain-trained team deliver face and body sculpting treatments, beauty transformations and anti-ageing therapies using the brand’s rare, signature ingredient, Orchidée Impériale Black.
The wellness space is also home to a cryotherapy room, a high-end and well-equipped gym, reformer Pilates classes, yoga, tennis and padel courts, a large, 25-metre heated outdoor pool surrounded by the peace of nature, and the medically-focussed hand, foot and nail studio: Pedi:Mani:Cure Studio by Bastien Gonzalez.
At the spa’s Guerlain L’Art & La Matière, you’ll find a trove of deliciously-decadent Guerlain products to purchase and take home, many with personalisation options including custom lids and engraving for perfume bottles.
The Little Extras
Nothing is really a ‘little extra’ here: no matter what your whim, want or wish, the team are well-poised and ready to deliver.
While rooms are already well-thought out and come equipped with pretty much everything you might need, if you discover something – anything – is missing then a team of dedicated hosts are on hand via a 24-hour WhatsApp service. And, unlike at many other hotels who offer this service – this team of hosts make things easy. There’s no need to scan your room for the number to message, or to carefully consider whether you should really be messaging them at all; your hosts will message you first, welcoming you to the resort, and will continue to personally check in with you. They’ll remind you about spa appointments and dinner reservations, perhaps suggesting they send a buggy to ferry you to them. Their packing service is something to mention too, relieving guests of the need to hang or re-pack clothes as they check in or out.
Likewise, the turn down service goes above and beyond, with plush mats placed beside your bed each evening and thoughtful gifts, such as a sleep-inducing herbal tea or a sumptuous eye mask, left bedside.
The To-Do List
The centre of Athens is just a 30-minute drive away (send your hosts a message and they’ll arrange a car to take you) and, as well as all the historical sites, it has a shopping and dining scene to envy. While there, take advantage of the hotel’s private museum tours, or traditional jewellery and sandal-making workshops.
Closer to the resort, the Athens Riviera stretches along the city’s coastline with all manner of beaches and beach clubs to enjoy – from high-end offerings to tiny, hidden, seaside coves. But you don’t need to leave the resort to enjoy nature; as well as encompassing the enviable Asteras Beach, it’s home to a protected forest ideal for hikes, and offers private yacht tours of the Aegean – soon to include to nearby Kea island, where the second One&Only in Greece will open next year.
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