5/5 Excellent
Martin F.
25 Sept 2018
Magical luxury in a charming little corner of Greece.
First - this is not the Zakynthos most people will come across. The north and south of the island are different worlds - the south fully developed mass market tourism, more tropical, more classical, more Italian in nature. The north wilder, more rugged, much less developed, more distinctly Greek, and to our minds much more desirable.
To be fair, there are still fine hotels, great restaurants, wonderful landscapes and lovely beaches in the south; we spent 4 days there first exploring before heading north. You just need to be much more careful about avoiding the crowds and the over-development and seeking out the special bits. But once you head north, the air and mood changes, and it feels properly like a Greek island in that wonderful way nothing else can.
The 3 Asteri Collection villas are new and designed so they're completely private and separate. We were in Antilia - a 3 bed villa next to Maia, the almost identical other 3 bed.
The villas are in a Greek cycladic style - not the architecture of Zakynthos island it's true - but we love that style regardless; it says you're on a Greek holiday, which we were. They're beautifully built, with wonderful attention to detail. The house is built around a light-filled courtyard with an olive tree in a sea of black and white pebbles, which creates a stylish entrance.
The three bedrooms are a good size, each with an en-suite. The decor and furnishings have a lovely rustic chic that suits the clean white walls and smooth grey floors perfectly. The open plan kitchen/living area is great for lounging indoors or prepping meals, but it's when you go outside that the space is epic - your day outside can take in a different space for every mood or meal or time of day.
A fabulous row of loungers above the pool level gives an infinity view out to sea, a big pool for proper swimming is surrounded by loungers, 2 full dining areas, a lounging area, a jacuzzi spot, and then each bedroom has their own loungers too. A properly wild Greek garden surrounds it all, and at night it's all beautifully lit up so you just want to stay out there. There's a great portable sound system, and outdoor kitchen area too.
There are numerous restaurants in the area, from simple tavernas to more adventurous cooking, the Agios Nikolaos port is truly charming, there are sea excursions to be had to shipwreck beach etc - worth it if you avoid the crowds. We would love to go back and spend more time - it has everything you need.
Martin F.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2018