Forbes Awards to 15 Greek hotels – The three trends changing luxury travel

Fifteen Greek hotels have won distinctions in the 2025 Star Awards of the independent global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, and cruises, Forbes Travel Guide.

The 15 Greek hotels were distinguished in the 67th annual Forbes list in the four-star, five-star, recommended, and new categories for 2025, while the overall picture of the awardees revealed that luxury hotels are setting new standards for authentic experiences, unique facilities and upgraded wellness services and offering unforgettable moments.

A new destination this year, among others from around the world, is Costa Navarino, with the Mandarin Oriental appearing alongside the most glamorous five-star hotels in Europe, such as the Four Seasons Hotel Baku, the Carlton Cannes, the Castelfalfi, the Rosewood Villa Magna and The Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel, London and Raffles London at The OWO.

Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini dominate the list of hotels awarded by Greece. From Athens, the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens won the award in the five-star category, and the Hotel Grande Bretagne, a Luxury Collection Hotel, and King George, a Luxury Collection Hotel in the recommended category.

In Santorini, in the five-star category, the Andronis Luxury Suites (photo), Grace Hotel Santorini, and Katikies Santorini were awarded, in the four-star category the Santorini Secret Suites & Spa and the Andronis Arcadia Hotel as recommended.

From Mykonos, the Myconian Korali Relais & Chateaux Hotel, Myconian O, Design Hotels, Myconian Utopia, Relais & Chateaux, Myconian Villa Collection, Preferred Hotels & Resorts, and Kouros Hotel & Suites received awards as recommended.

Finally, the five-star Summer Senses Luxury Resort, a member of SLH, in Paros, was awarded four stars by Forbes.

The 3 trends in luxury travel

Behind each Forbes Travel Guide award are thousands of details: the receptionist who identifies a variety of coffee loved by the locals, the chef who sources products from a local farm, and the customized aromatherapy blends from native flowers in the spa.

This year's awards also revealed some trends for the year, which are the following...

The boundaries of luxury are expanding. Hotels are reaching out to an increasingly adventurous clientele by exploring new destinations, as evidenced by the new destinations on the 2025 list.
New destinations on the list this year include Costa Navarino, Brunei, Finland, Haikou, Xiamen, and Xi'an in China, Kazakhstan, Malaga, Montenegro, Oualidia and Tamuda Bay in Morocco, Phu Quoc in Vietnam, Romania and Salzburg.

Authenticity is also key. The reviewers noted the creation of a sense of place not only through decor and cuisine but also through the thoughtful integration of local customs and history.

Hotels are leading the way in wellness. Health-focused experiences and the demand for travelers to feel good after their trip are priorities. The data shows that this trend remains strong in the Five Star category and is particularly expanding into the Four Star and Featured categories.
Luxury partnerships. Hotels are working with ultra-luxury brands in creative ways to enhance the guest experience. Atlantis The Royal in Dubai, for example, collaborated with Louis Vuitton on a hotel-wide art installation to celebrate the property’s first anniversary.
From established luxury capitals to emerging destinations, the 2,187 recipients of the 2025 awards prove that true luxury is not measured in square footage, but in moments of genuine connection.

The list includes hotels, restaurants, spas, and cruise ships from 90 countries, including:

336 five-star, 647 four-star and 567 recommended hotels,

79 five-star, 128 four-star, and 64 recommended restaurants,

124 five-star and 224 four-star spas,

7 four-star and 7 recommended cruise ships, and

3 four-star and 3 recommended cruise ship restaurants (a new category this year).

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report