The thread that connects them all is water: every Andronis property features either a pool or a hot tub, a non-negotiable that began with those first 13 villas and never changed.

THE HOTELS

Globetrender visited two properties at opposite ends of the collection's timeline: Andronis Luxury Suites in Oia, the flagship that started it all and turns 20 this year, and Andronis Minois on Paros, opened in 2024 – the group's first foothold on an island that has been quietly gathering pace for years. One is the classic Santorini experience, perfected over two decades. The other is a different proposition entirely – and no less compelling. Regular ferry crossings between the two islands – just under two hours at their fastest – make a twin-island trip too tempting to resist.

LOCATION

Paros and Santorini occupy opposite ends of the Cycladic mood spectrum. Santorini – the inky caldera, the bleached cave hotels, the sunset that has launched a thousand proposals – needs no introduction (read more about Globetrender’s Santorini escapades here). That said, no image or reel quite conveys the particular electricity of being embedded above it all at Luxury Suites, the Aegean sprawling endlessly below. Paros is different. Less spectacle, more texture. The island has many faces, but three are worth singling out: Naoussa for swanky cocktails and seductive nights; Piso Livadi, a charming fishing village on the eastern coast where the swimming is excellent; Lefkes, a gorgeous hilltop village in the island's interior where bougainvillea drips over whitewashed stone and cafés such as Ayiazi serve oozy portokalopita – orange pie with wincingly strong Greek coffee.

Andronis Minois sits within easy reach of all three – a ten-minute drive from Paros airport, five from the port at Parikia, with the sands of Parasporos a five-minute stroll away – and provides a daily complimentary shuttle to nearby towns.

ETHOS

Andronis is built around philoxenia – the Greek concept of heartfelt hospitality – and both properties wear it naturally rather than as a marketing slogan. The philosophy is straightforward: each hotel is designed as an ode to its location, staff are focused on personalised experiences over choreographed ones, and the whole operation is held together by an app that makes low-intervention luxury feel effortless. I braced for another hotel app destined for the delete pile; instead, book a spa treatment, order to your suite, access local guides – all from your device, without having to flag someone down or call reception. Not a novel idea, but here it actually works: seamlessly, intuitively, without friction. In hospitality tech, that still qualifies as an achievement worth noting.

DESIGN

Andronis Minois reads like a petite Cycladic village, painted in signature icy white. Expect 44 thoughtfully composed suites flanking a central pool, everything scaled to keep the resort easy to navigate. That intimacy matters more than it sounds. When you've left your sunscreen in the room, fancy a cold beer or a dip, pottering around takes minutes (a blessing when the Med dials up the heat). A jazzy playlist runs through the bars and communal spaces, which sets the tone exactly right.

At Andronis Luxury Suites, a labyrinth of smooth limestone paths and marble terraces leads to 39 suites and villas sunk into the cliffs, cleverly positioned so that each feels private and exclusive – no easy feat in Oia's architectural hotchpotch. If it's the essential Santorini experience you're after, Luxury Suites is the address.

ROOMS

Fresh from a 2024 opening, the interiors at Minois are immaculate: rich terracotta tones, deep teal accents and natural wood details give the suites an organic, Mediterranean warmth, while softly curved shelving and sculptural wall pieces add a quiet craftsmanship. Several have private plunge pools; the larger suites open onto proper pool decks.

A note worth knowing: the two-storey layout means neighbours on upper balconies can look down into pool areas below. Topless sunbathers, consider yourselves warned. The hotel wasn't entirely finished during my visit – a few architectural shells visible in the foreground, occasional light construction noise in the mornings – but neither proved disruptive.At Andronis Luxury Suites, warm stone walls, cavernous ceilings and beds built for serious horizontal time lend a sexy, seductive quality. There’s a generous lounge and separate bedroom, plus two bathrooms (business and pleasure, presumably). Minimal design and unfussy interiors hero the view beyond – the pearly terraces of Oia on one side and the deep blue of the caldera on the other. Sun loungers, a table for alfresco dining and a heated plunge pool on the terrace mean you need never leave. Yoga mats are provided on request – there's plenty of room inside and outside to make some shapes and get a proper Pilates session in. One practical note: ask when booking which way the sun falls on your terrace. My suite, Electra, caught it from noon until well into the evening, which suited me perfectly. Morning sun people will want to specify.

RESTAURANTS: WHAT TO EAT

Greeks know how to eat – and have a bounty to play with. Andronis takes this abundance seriously, celebrating the best of what both islands produce across a restaurant portfolio that spans taverna warmth to destination fine dining.

Breakfast at Minois means a buffet served on the terrace – think freshly baked pastries, local Greek cheeses and seasonal fruit, bolstered by an à la carte menu for extra oomph. Kagianas – scrambled eggs with tomatoes and feta – is a winner, washed down with fresh orange juice and a freddo espresso.Olvo restaurant looks out over a small rocky cove – pretty, sheltered, and the perfect setting for a menu rooted in the best of what Paros produces. The Greek salad gets a local twist with xinomizithra cheese from the island, taramasalata comes with smoked olive oil, and the silky lobster pasta had us all reaching for seconds.

On Santorini, romantic Lycabettus restaurant perches on a volcanic promontory jutting out over the Aegean – a divine location with food worth dressing up for. The tasting menu at €200 per person is a worthwhile treat: a chilled datterini soup with tomato sorbet and red kosho; red shrimp tartare with green gazpacho; and then the squid – served in ribbons akin to tagliatelle, with red mullet sauce, lardo di Colonata, Espelette pepper, Rossini caviar, shellfish sabayon. Just wow. For something casual and less ceremonial, Miltos' Greek Table – where breakfast is also served – whips up local recipes, caldera view included.

WELLNESS

Both properties take wellness seriously. Aura, at Minois, is a subterranean hideaway: two treatment rooms, a Bisazza mosaic hammam and a tepidarium with heated benches built for lingering. At Luxury Suites, Mare Sanus specialises in treatments that make a long afternoon disappear. Back at Minois, a shady outdoor gym adds a holiday vibe to a workout.

GUEST PERSONAS

At Minois: couples who've graduated from party islands but still want a Negroni with their sunset. At Luxury Suites: honeymoon guests, significant-anniversary pilgrims and anyone who has decided they need to see Santorini for themselves.

ACTIVITIES

Andronis Minois runs alfresco cooking classes in traditional Greek cuisine – hands-on, and a more useful souvenir than anything the gift shops are selling. In Santorini, meanwhile, there's more to the island than the view. Earth and Water pottery studio, run by Andreas Makaris – fifth-generation potter, island fixture since 1985, teacher for over two decades – is a must-visit. His studio is beautiful: shelves groaning with forty years of work and soul. Over swigs of raki, he guides guests in the art of pottery, his hands barely grazing the spinning clay before something sensational emerges. We made an extra-large cappuccino mug together, chose a glaze, left it to be fired and mailed home. A wine tasting with lunch at Sigalas Winery – one of Santorini's most respected producers – is worth building into any stay of more than two nights.

VERDICT

The Greek islands are no secret. But Andronis, as a homegrown brand with two decades of skin in the game, understands the pulse of Greek hospitality like few others – and Miltiadis Andronis, still very much at the helm, makes sure of it. Chic without trying, welcoming without fuss and quietly intuitive, it has built something that feels less like a hotel group and more like a local host and insider's guide. As for Santorini being loved to death? It is – but Andronis loves it better.

PRICE

Rates at Andronis Minois start from £425 per night on a B&B basis for two adults. Rates at Andronis Luxury Suites start from £1,020 per night.