This summer, the lesser-known Cycladic island of Folegandros will debut Gundari, the island’s first luxury boutique hotel, set amid a protected wildlife reserve on the island’s southeastern coast. Gundari comprises just 30 bioclimatic, Cycladic-style suites and villas. Each suite has a private solar-powered heated infinity pool overlooking the Aegean Sea. The property will complete the second phase of its opening this summer with the unveiling of three clifftop villas and a tiny wine bar, housed in an original farmhouse on the property.
Unlike the neighboring islands of Santorini and Milos, Folegandros has kept a "blissfully low profile." Much of its land is classified as protected forest, and most guests arrive via sea as the island lacks an airport. Acquired by Australian owner Ricardo Larreira in 2019, the 100-acre property is framed by limestone cliffs and offers sunset views over Milos to the west and Santorini to the east. Folegrandos’ whitewashed main village, Chora, is just two miles away.
Athens-based design studio Block722 was tapped for the project. The three- and four-bedroom cliff-front villas provide nearly 6,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor living, with views of the surrounding cliffs and the Aegean Sea.
At the helm of Orizon restaurant is Lefteris Lazarou, Greece’s first Michelin-starred chef. Guests can select produce from the on-site farm and enjoy a dinner that incorporates their gathered ingredients, such as sun-ripened tomatoes and fragrant wild herbs. The sunken swim-up bar and main bar offer creative beverages crafted by Line Athens, one of the world’s top-rated cocktail dens. At the subterranean spa, guests can enjoy a range of wellness experiences, with rituals guided by a roster of international visiting wellness practitioners. Treatments range from sound baths, energy healing, yoga, meditation, aromatherapy rituals, and a variety of facials and massages that include heated herbal compresses.
Good to know: Gundari is an EarthCheck Certified hotel. Before construction started, over 600 indigenous plant seedlings were collected and nurtured. The property is also dedicated to the protection of the threatened Eleonora’s falcon, one of the island’s rare native species.
Guests also have access to a fleet of eco-friendly vehicles, including cars, electric bikes, an e-motorbike and more, for discovering the island’s pebbly coves, traditional villages and local landmarks such as the hilltop Church of Panagia. A history and architecture tour can also be arranged. Guests can alternatively join scuba diving and snorkeling trips or hike along 35 miles worth of trails that wind around the property and island. Gundari’s private Axopar speedboat can be chartered for excursions to nearby islands such as Polyaigos and Sifnos, sunset cruises with cliffside dinners or wine-tasting adventures on Sikinos. A highlight is a private cooking class at Folegandros’ iconic Irene’s Restaurant, a local institution for more than 70 years, where owner “Yia Yia” Irene will teach guests to make rice-stuffed tomatoes and other popular dishes.
Gundari opens for the season May 16, 2025. There are daily high-speed ferries from the port of Piraeus (Athens) and Santorini to Folegandros (two and a half hours from Piraeus, 45 minutes from Santorini). Guests at Gundari can also charter their speed boat for private transfers from Santorini.
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