The Best Boutique Hotel In Naxos: 18 Grapes Hotel Review
If you’re traveling to the Greek island of Naxos, you’re looking for an authentic Greek experience – and it all starts with where you stay. Finding locally owned, luxury accommodation feels like looking for love: it’s not always easy. But we found the best boutique hotel on the island of Naxos, and it’s one that will check all of your boxes. 18 Grapes is the total package, and one of our favorite boutique hotel stays to date. Below, we share a full hotel review to help you get to know this one of a kind hotel in Greece.
Where to stay in Naxos
Naxos, Greece is one of those places we could keep coming back to. Naxos is the largest Cycladic island – a group of about 220 islands in the Aegean sea. This island is your perfect match if you’re looking for an authentic experience in Greece. It’s the total package, offering both luxury vacations and adventure travel for all types of travelers.
During our time in Naxos, we hiked up the mountains and visited crystal clear beaches. What’s more, we explored historical villages and enjoyed delicious meals in the main town of Chora. This was the most diverse Greek island we visited, and 18 Grapes Hotel was the perfect home base for us to relax after a long day of exploring.
Outdoor deck and hot tub in our room
Daily breakfast included at 18 Grapes
A Local Business
18 Grapes is owned by a Naxian family of winemakers who also own a vineyard on the island. The name comes from the 18 rows of grapes on the family’s vineyard, and this small hotel has just 18 rooms. When you travel, choosing to stay at locally owned accommodations is one of the most sustainable choices you can make to support the places you visit. That’s precisely why we looked for a boutique hotel in Naxos, and we’re so happy to have found this one.
Feels Like Family
There were so many things that impressed us about this boutique hotel, but one touch that made 18 Grapes unique is the emphasis on making guests feel like family. From the time that we arrived, the staff took care to remember everything from our names to our dietary preferences. With just 18 rooms, this hotel offers peace and relaxation that large resort chains cannot match.
What’s more, the hotel staff were local to the island and incredibly helpful in sharing information with us. They informed us about which villages, beaches, and restaurants to visit during our stay. We love getting a local’s perspective on their home. The team at 18 Grapes can provide you with recommendations to make the most of your time in Naxos.
Welcome Drink at 18 Grapes
Poolside Lunch at 18 Grapes
Spacious Rooms
We have to talk about these rooms. This hotel blends simple elegance with modern amenity. The rooms feel like a work of modern art. Furthermore, each room at 18 Grapes includes a private air jet tub or pool.
What does a perfect night at 18 Grapes look like? Enjoying an evening dip in the privacy of your room, with a bottle of wine from the owner’s vineyard. You can watch the sunset over the ocean and the mountains in the distance. Our evenings here felt magical.
Honestly, these rooms are perfect for a romantic getaways or girls trip. Our room included 2 desks, double sinks, 2 beds, a double rain shower, and a large closet space to store our baggage. Plus, we had an entire private garden oasis. This outdoor area was complete with lounge chairs, a table, and an umbrella. It’s rare that boutique hotels offer such ample space.
Rooms at 18 Grapes
Rooms at 18 Grapes
Ample Amenities
When we say total package, we mean it. 18 Grapes offers such a wide array of amenities that we didn’t even get to them all during our stay! After traveling 22 hours to reach the Greek islands, we spent our entire first day lounging by the hotel’s pools. This boutique hotel in Naxos offers two multi-level swimming pools and delicious food at the on-site restaurant. Below, we list the amenities that make this place such a catch:
- 2 gorgeous pools, one on the rooftop with a stunning ocean & mountain view
- The Grape Sunset bar restaurant (rooftop!)
- Gym
- Spa services
- Steam room & sauna
- Daily breakfast included
If you’re looking for a unique experience, 18 Grapes also offers a guided visit to the 18 Grapes estate. On this tour, guests walk the vineyard, taste local wines, learn about traditions, meet the winemaker, and enjoy delicious local food paired with wine. Inquire with the front desk at the hotel if you’re interested in arranging this tour during your stay.
Delicious Daily Breakfast
During your stay, daily breakfast is included. But this is not your average hotel breakfast. In fact, the breakfast experience really sets 18 Grapes apart.
We enjoyed Greek herbal teas and breakfast dishes with a local flare. What’s more, once the staff learned that one of us was gluten free, they brought a daily spread of breads and treats for us to enjoy each morning.
Rooftop Pool at 18 Grapes
Rooftop Pool at 18 Grapes
Unique Location
If you want to be near the beach, 18 Grapes is the best place to stay on the island of Naxos. The hotel is located in Agios Prokopios, just a 5 minute walk from Agios Prokopios Beach. According to locals, this beach was voted the 6th best in Europe. Beach clubs dot the waterfront and you can lounge on chairs and have your food and drinks delivered right to you.
The hotel is located on the western side of the island, about a 10 minute drive from Chora, Naxos’ main town. If you plan to visit Greece during the summer months, it can be nice to stay a bit outside of the main town to avoid the crowds.
Plus, you’ll want a car to explore the island of Naxos, so you can easily drive into town for dinners when you want to. There are restaurants and stores within walking distance of the hotel as well, right on the way to the beach.
Finally, 18 Grapes isn’t far from some of the most gorgeous natural beaches on the island.
If you want a quieter beach experience without the beach clubs, the hotel staff can recommend some great spots just a short drive away.
- 10 minutes to Chora
- 10 minutes to ferry port
- 5 minutes to Naxos Airport
Sunset at 18 Grapes Rooftop Bar
Sunset at 18 Grapes Rooftop Bar
Sustainable Practices
While 18 Grapes does not have eco certifications that we are aware of, this hotel has taken steps to be more sustainable. Solar panels on the roof draw energy from the sun, which is used to heat the water in the hotel. We also admire that the onsite restaurant uses locally sourced ingredients.
As we mentioned above, choosing to support a locally owned hotel is also a great way to ensure that the money from your stay goes back into the local economy of Naxos. If you do stay here, we’d also encourage you to ask the hotel staff questions to get to know the island from a local’s perspective.
A Note About Over Tourism
The Greek islands are the perfect example of a tourism hotspot that needs to be protected from over tourism. Islands are unique communities with finite resources and they cannot sustain hundreds of thousands of visitors at once. Choosing to visit the island of Naxos, rather than some of the most popular and overcrowded islands in Greece, is a way to spread the positive impacts of tourism and mitigate the negative ones.
Private Hot Tub and Patio
Private Hot Tub and Patio
For More on Naxos
If you’re going to be visiting the best boutique hotel in Naxos, you’ll want to get to know the island during your stay.
Of course, we maintain that asking the locals and 18 Grapes staff for recommendations is the best way to learn more about this unique island. But we’re also compiling some of our favorite restaurants, villages, and sites into a full Naxos Travel Guide. We’ll update this post as soon as it’s ready to go!
Nearby Agios Prokopios Beach
Nearby Agios Prokopios Beach
Wrap It Up
If you’re planning a trip to Greece, this boutique hotel in Naxos is worth adding to your itinerary. The island of Naxos itself is unique, offering a blend of history, natural beauty, and adventure. It’s one of our favorite Greek islands.
Ultimately, 18 Grapes Hotel feels like a secret oasis where you get a more authentic experience as a tourist in Greece. If you’re traveling during the summer months, we’d recommend this hotel as a way to escape the crowds. 18 Grapes proves that boutique hotels can be both quaint and luxury at the same time, and it’s a hotel that we’d come back to again and again.
xoxo,
Baggage girls
