Dreaming of Greece? These new points resorts are waiting for you
If your social media feed is like mine, everyone you know has been posting about their fabulous European vacations this summer. While I'm doing my best to contain my jealousy, I'll admit that I also find these posts inspiring and helpful in deciding where I should (and shouldn't) head with my own PTO.
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I've personally been dreaming of getting back to Greece ever since I studied abroad there 10 years ago this summer. And thankfully, there are more points hotels in the country than ever before that might help make that dream a reality.
We've seen a flurry of new hotels and resorts you can book with points — located in Corfu, Crete and many destinations in between — that have opened since the onset of the pandemic, which put most of our European vacations on pause.
Whether you're looking to bask in the sun or just excited to hear that Hyatt has opened a lava-themed resort in Mykonos, it's time to grab your passport and get to Greece on points and miles.
Related: TPG editor’s choice award: Why Greece is the top travel destination of the year
The first true Hyatt on a Greek island
Santorini attracts travelers from around the world with its white-washed buildings and bright blue roofs. Now, World of Hyatt members have another reason to visit: Magma Resort Santorini, which is part of The Unbound Collection.
This brand-new resort 15 minutes from the airport is a tranquil oasis in the town of Vourvoulos with panoramic views of the Aegean — and just opened this August.
With 59 rooms and 24 suites, including 46 accommodations with private pools or hot tubs, there's plenty of space to spread out at this resort inspired by the region's black volcanic stones.
Perhaps the real highlight of this resort is the subterranean spa (the island's largest), which offers an assortment of treatments and an infinity pool with Instagram-worthy views.
Head to the outdoor terrace for a meal at Magma by Spondi, where chef Arnaud Bignon embraces seasonal ingredients and the wine menu focuses on local bottles.
The resort can also organize special boat tours, horseback riding sessions and more for a little extra magic — as if you'll need it.
How to book: Magma Resort Santorini is a Category 7 World of Hyatt property. That means award nights here range from 25,000 to 35,000 points per night, depending on peak- and off-peak pricing. Cash rates through the busy summer months start at around $690 but can be upwards of $900 on select dates.
Marriott's 'boho luxury' resort on Corfu
A family-friendly resort that provides adult-only areas and a special "zone" for kids and teens, Domes of Corfu might be the perfect home base for your Greek island-hopping adventure.
Domes of Corfu joined Marriott's Autograph Collection in September 2021, and the resort has 233 rooms and suites, each with a private patio or veranda. It's all steps away from a picturesque beach and the historic Old Town Corfu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Guests here can spend sunny days on the beach, park it in a lounge chair by the massive main pool or hit up the spa for a rejuvenating treatment to look and feel as beautiful as the island itself.
If you travel as a family, drop the little ones off for some Montessori-inspired fun in the kids' zone while you spend a few hours imbibing on cocktails where the kids aren't allowed. (Be warned: If you're looking for a romantic, kid-free vacation as a couple, this might not be the spot for you.)
Nobody goes hungry at this Marriott Bonvoy-associated resort. There are three restaurants from which to choose including the Mediterranean, Italian and seafood establishments.
How to book: The resort is open through the end of October. Rates as low as $154 per night are available in the fall as things cool down, though summer rates are closer to $257 to $309. Marriott Bonvoy members can book award nights between 44,000 and 60,000 points per night.
Crete's first Hilton
Great news for Hilton Honors fanatics: Last summer, Hilton opened a 179-room property as part of the Curio Collection on the island of Crete, which in some ways feels like its very own country.
At The Royal Senses Resort & Spa Crete, Curio Collection by Hilton, guests will find a modern hotel set against the rugged vista of Crete not far from the medieval streets of Rethymno City.
They'll also find a private beach, as well as indoor and outdoor pools with lounge chairs and day beds to relax in while enjoying the views and the pool bar, which serves specialty drinks using local herbs.
For food, feel at home with comfort foods inspired by Cretan grandmas at Cretamos; nosh on local veggies at Gea; try Cretan-style grilled meats at Mitato; or order a glass of Raki, a popular local liquor, at the lobby bar.
How to book: The season runs through the end of October, and rates here vary from one month to the next. In September, rates for Hilton Honors members sit mostly between $331 to $372. Most award nights in September are 90,000 points per night but dip down to 77,000 toward the end of the month and as low as 51,000 the last few days of October.
A big 'W' for Marriott
On the mainland of Greece, Marriott just opened the W Costa Navarino on a scenic 32-acre stretch of land overlooking the water and 1,500 feet of shoreline.
Open to guests 12 and older, this new W hotel, which welcomed its first guests on Aug. 9, is part of the modern, more grown-up series of W hotels opening around the world, such as the W Nashville and the W Brisbane.
This resort is designed to reflect the area's natural beauty (think: stones and natural hues) alongside signature elements of the W brand — "genre-defying" music programming, custom art from the Athens School of Fine Arts LAB12 and the Wet Bar, a W classic.
At the resort, guests can party by the pool or turn it all off at the spa. Restaurants include Platía, a modern take on a traditional Greek food market; W lounge, which serves international fare and cocktails; Between, a raw bar with oysters, clams and caviar (you're by the sea after all!); and a handful of other venues, including grab-and-go spots.
The resort's beach club, Parelía’s, is set to be the place to see and be seen around Costa Navarino.
How to book: This property also closes for the season at the end of October. Find rates as low as $350 and as high as $764 a night in September. Award nights range from 80,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to 100,000 points per night.
Curio Collection on a black-sand beach
At the Sea Breeze Santorini Beach Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton, guests can earn and redeem points at the brand's first property on one of Greece's most popular islands.
Each of the resort's stunning rooms comes with either a private pool or hot tub. In addition, Sea Breeze boasts a private beach and not one but two swimming pools.
At Aura, guests can enjoy fine Mediterranean food for all three meals while overlooking a wide swath of the sea. Indoors, guests can cool off with a cocktail and afternoon snacks at the Ostria Lounge Bar & Restaurant.
There's no better way to end a busy day than with a late afternoon spa treatment, and if you need a late-night fix 24-hour room service is available for all your midnight cravings.
How to book: If you've made it this far, you won't be shocked to hear that this resort also shutters in November for the season. Until then, cash rates range from $464 to $980 per night. Hilton Honors members can redeem 120,000 points for a standard room reward.
A Design Hotel you can book with points ... soon
There's both good news and bad news with the modernist Mykonos Theoxenia: The good news is that the resort, which was designed by post-modern architect Aris Konstandinidis, is now part of the Marriott-affiliated Design Hotels collection.
The bad news is it's not available to book using Marriott Bonvoy points — at least not yet. Soon, though, all Design Hotels will be incorporated into the program so you can earn and burn points at this Greek paradise.
At the resort, guests will find bespoke furniture, organic lines and wooden accents in the hotel's 37 rooms, eight deluxe suites and four signature suites that feature private pools and terraces.
Indulge at Kou Kou Bar and Lanai Restaurant, which serves dishes like the traditional Greek Myconian salad. For a specialty cocktail, try the Skinos masthia made with passion fruit, lime simple syrup and mint.
There are also over 10,000 square feet of gardens with 90 different plant species; a pool; yoga sessions; and the opportunity to join organized trips to nearby beaches and historic towns.
How to book: Until the hotel joins the Marriott Bonvoy program, book this hotel starting at $732 a night through Design Hotels.
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