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No matter what you call it or how you spell it, Zakynthos, Zakinthos, or Zante, is a beautifully lush island in the Ionian archipelago that’s well worth considering if you’re trying to choose the best Greek island to visit. It draws many from Britain with Americans mostly overlooking it, but it’s famous for its rusty shipwreck that sits on a pristine white sandy beach edged by electric blue water. There are beautiful beaches around the island, with the north and west coasts mountainous, while the towns and villages boast traditional eateries for enjoying delectable cuisine, often at budget-friendly prices. For the best place to stay, choose one of these outstanding hotels.
Porto Zante Villas & Spa
Set on a secluded private beach overlooking the Ionian Sea, Porte Zante Villas & Spa is a five-star property often named the best place to stay in Zakynthos. Enjoy the ultimate in luxuries while staying in a magnificent villa, all of which come with private pools, marble bathrooms with Jacuzzis, desks with iMac desktops, and high-end entertainment systems. There’s a waterfront spa on-site and a wide range of dining options too, from the Club House Restaurant, which serves Greek and Mediterranean meals, to in-villa dining.
Lesante Blu Resort
Lesante Blu is an adults-only beachfront resort that offers a breathtaking oasis with spectacular sea views and a waterfall-fed infinity pool. Enjoy luxuries at every turn, including blissful treatments at Essence Spa. Guests can enjoy a cruise to the Blue Caves and even take advantage of helicopter transfers. There are two restaurants, the Gaia main restaurant with its sumptuous buffet and the seaside Melia for international fine dining with Mediterranean flavors and a stunning Ionian view. All rooms boast sea views and lots of upscale perks like fluffy robes and iPod docks. Some come with a private outdoor Jacuzzi or even a private pool.
Olea All Suite Hotel
Olea All Suite Hotel was designed to provide an oasis of calm. An adults-only hotel nestled in the hillside among lush greenery and olive trees, it’s ideal for a romantic retreat, with the village of Tsilivi just a 5-minute walk away, offering karaoke bars and tavernas. There are multiple dining and drinking options on-site, with everything from Mediterranean to Peruvian dishes, along with a lagoon-like pool that has a unique sandy floor bottom, serving as the property’s centerpiece, built around the Resto and Bar. The spa is pretty much guaranteed to melt all stress away with treatments utilizing aromatic essential oils and Mediterranean herbs. It also hosts a hammam, yoga studio, a mini-gym, and beauty salon. All suites overlook the pool, gardens, or the sea. If you book an Executive Suite, Honeymoon Suite or Presidential Suite, you’ll get a private pool.
Lesante Cape
Lesante Cape is an elegant spa resort that sits at the edge of the island’s remote Akrotiri peninsula boasting incredible sunset views that look out to Kefalonia Island. Enjoy that vista while dipping your toes into the warm waters of the Ionian or while swimming in the infinity pool. There are a total of three pools on-site, four restaurants, a cafe, two bars, and a kids’ club. Of course, it also has a spa, which includes an indoor pool, a traditional sauna, a hammam, and a hot tub while offering treatments like massage and invigorating facials. Rooms include large flat-screen TVs, espresso machines, minibars, Bluetooth docking stations, robes, and slippers.
Emerald Villas
Emerald Villas is a chic villa/suite complex tucked into the hillsides providing magnificent panoramic sea views. All units have full kitchens with dishwashers and washing machines along with large terraces that are as big as the villas themselves, with sunbeds and large jetted infinity pools. These are all self-catering, and you’ll get a welcome pack on arrival that includes a bottle of local wine, bottles of mineral water, coffee/tea in sachets, and milk. The kitchens have basics such as sugar and salt.
Alexandra Beach Resort & Spa
Alexandra Beach Resort & Spa is an upscale all-inclusive resort that sits on gorgeous Tsilivi Beach. One of the highlights is its huge infinity pool that overlooks the sea. The spa is impressive too, with an indoor pool, a hammam, a Jacuzzi, a sauna, and a menu of wellness and beauty treatments. There are beach bars, and casual and fine dining eateries while accommodation ranges from standard guest rooms to swim-up options. Lavish suites and family bungalows that sleep up to four.
Poseidon Beach Hotel
Poseidon Beach Hotel is a great option for families, located right on the beach just a 5-minute walk from the main strip of Laganas. Budget-friendly, there are self-catering rooms available with kitchenettes, and all sleep up to two adults and two children. There are sunbeds on the beach along with a beach bar, a game room and a children’s playground, while the main restaurant offers Greek and continental fare.
Meandros Boutique and Spa Hotel
An adults-only hotel, Meandros offers an intimate stay in the heart of Kalamaki which offers many shops and restaurants. It’s about a 10-minute walk from the beach and includes an outdoor pool, a fitness center, a spa with an indoor pool and sauna, and an on-site eatery and snack bar. The rooms are extra-spacious, and all come with balconies or patios and marble bathrooms. Book a suite for a fully-equipped kitchen. A half-board package is available that includes a daily homemade breakfast and buffet meals too.
Strada Marina
Strada Marina is a waterfront hotel close to Zakynthos Marina and Port. Most rooms and suites come with private balconies, many with fabulous views looking out over the Ionian. There’s a seasonal rooftop pool open during the summer months along with a Greek/Mediterranean restaurant and elegant bar offering spectacular views that can be enjoyed while sipping wine or a cocktail. A buffet-style breakfast is available year-round.
Tui Blue Zante Maris
Tui Blue Zante Maris is an adults-only beachfront property that has a beach-chic design and an on-site wellness center with a steam room and sauna that are complimentary for guest use. It also boasts a pair of sleek, long pools shaded by soaring palm trees and a gym for working out with sea views. There is a wide range of room options, with the superior doubles especially impressive, featuring a balcony that overlooks Tsilivi Beach, designer sunloungers with thick mattresses, and a bubbling hot tub.
Yoma Cove Suites
Located in the northern part of the island, Yoma Cove Suites is made up of just five independent, recently built cave-style suites that are surrounded by unique Mediterranean terrain that melds into the endless blue of the sea. The high-design suites include two that sleep as many as five guests, with the others sleeping up to three. All come with private infinity pools and fully-equipped workstations catering to digital nomads and vacationing professionals. Kitchenettes with Nespresso machines, Smart TVs, and robes and slippers are just some of the other amenities.
Contessina Suites
An adults-only boutique hotel, Contessina Suites is just steps from the golden sands of Planos Beach and offers a luxe spa with a gorgeous heated pool set into a dimly lit grotto with suspended swing chairs. There’s a steam room, a sauna, and a fitness center too. The main-event outdoor pool is in the interior courtyard, big enough for uninterrupted laps while surrounded by oversized beanbags, shaded loungers, and day beds that are sunk into the deck. Another small pool with inlaid greenery sits next to it. The best rooms come with private pools. The only downside is for those who prefer to come off-season, as it’s only open between May and October.
