First Look: Nous Santorini

Opening in early summer 2022, Nous Santorini will be dedicated to redefining luxury, with a focus on slowness, space and an integration of interior design with the exterior landscape. Private bungalows with pools, social outdoor spaces, organic dining options, and a vast wellness centre will define the sprawling property.

YES! Hotels Group has been making waves in Greece’s hospitality scene for years with its dedication to boundary-pushing art and design. This reputation was cemented with the group’s debut property Semiramis, a playful retro-pop-infused property envisioned by Karim Rashid, which was followed by the NEW Hotel, a gesamtkunstwerk by the Campana brothers, and Periscope, a bold foray with contemporary Greek art at its heart.

Come early summer 2022, YES! Hotels will move beyond its Athenian home to unveil its newest property, and it’s first on an island: Nous Santorini, nestled in the region of Messaria.

One of the island’s largest retreats, Nous Santorini will provide ample public and private spaces, while blending Santorini’s history with contemporary flair. Lush gardens will give way to nested bungalows that simultaneously mimic the slope of the landscape and reflect the staggered structures that abound in traditional Cycladic architecture. Raw natural materials like willow and volcanic stone—to be used in everything from window shutters to claustra to lighting fixtures—will further mirror the surrounding environment.

The hotel will also feature three food and beverage options, with a focus on local, organic cuisine and wines. At the Nous Santorini Spa and the nearby organic vitamin bar, the guiding principles of Ef Zin (the Greek principle of well-being) will establish an ethos of holistic self-care.

As with all YES! Hotels Group properties, art will also play a key role, both visibly and behind-the-scenes. A number of young Greek contemporary artists will create site-specific works for the property, while the landscaping will take inspiration from ancient wall paintings in the nearby village of Akrotiri. The prehistoric frescoes depict rivers and subtropical landscapes; at Nous Santorini, such scenes will be brought to life in an array of xeric grasses, a Nerium grove, an herb garden, and more.