Gundari Resort

Character and identity

Gundari is the first five-star resort on Folegandros, a quiet Cycladic island reached only by ferry or helicopter. Set across 80 acres of cliff-top terrain on the southeast coast, the 27 suites and villas were designed by Athens studio Block722 in local brown limestone rather than the usual whitewash, with over half built subterranean into the rock. Rooms run from 60 square metres up to 280-square-metre villas, all with solar-heated infinity pools and Pioneer turntables. Greece's first Michelin-starred chef, Lefteris Lazarou, oversees the food at Orizon, and the cliff-edge spa leans holistic, with sound baths, native herbs and yoga.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The real pull here is the island itself: Folegandros sees a fraction of Santorini's traffic, and Gundari is the only luxury foothold on it, which makes the resort feel less like a hotel and more like a private outpost. Book a cliff-front deluxe suite for the infinity pool that merges with the Aegean, and consider shoulder season when the meltemi softens and the new on-farm dining (from September) is running.