Verina Astra

Why book?

Sifnos is quite possibly the perfect Greek island: not too big and not too small, quietly authentic but effortlessly chic, with a delicious food scene that celebrates the local terroir and traditions. All of this is also true of Verina Astra, the first and still by far the finest boutique hotel on the island.

Set the scene

Camouflaged on a cliffside, at the end of a dusty dirt road, Verina Astra makes a virtue of its isolated location. Footpaths fringed with swaying rushes, fragrant lavender bushes and Mediterranean shrubs connect the rooms, restaurants and spa, which are scattered on different levels, enhancing the profound sense of peace and privacy. The understated design is an ode to open-air living: shady decks for afternoon siestas, plump daybeds around a saltwater infinity pool, and front-row stools of those sea views at Bostani, the hotel’s dreamy destination restaurant. Even the glass-fronted spa opens up to the elements.

A 15-minute walk downhill (and a sweatier hike back up again) leads to the dramatic, blue-domed Panagia Poulati. Beyond the church, an overgrown path opens onto a rocky outcrop with a swimming hole of fluorescent blue.

The backstory

Miltos Salemis and Isidora Chandeli both came of age on the island of Sifnos: running free on the sandy coves, playing tag in the tangled lanes of Artemonas, eating souvlaki in the village square. Although their family’s summer houses were close by, the couple didn’t meet until their twenties and married in their thirties. Together they have gradually and thoughtfully set the tone for the hotel scene on Sifnos: intimate, personal and with a true sense of place. As well as Verina Astra, the pair manage a family-friendly sister hotel, Verina Terra, on Platis Gialos beach and a swanky villa at Vathi. Trekking paths, boat trips, the best saganaki and nights out are sorted by Salemis, while Chandeli is in charge of the hotel’s serene aesthetic. Urns filled with wildflowers, artisanal ceramics made by local potters and a canopy of rustling leaves on the restaurant ceiling are down to her meticulous eye.

The rooms

Named after constellations, all 16 rooms and suites open up to wide-open skies and a horizon of infinite blue, with deckchairs and daybeds for sea and star gazing. Simple, soothing interiors in every shade of pale are made for padding about barefoot — smooth stone floors, layered linen drapes, a smattering of rattan and wicker. Aside from lazy mornings lingering over breakfast in bed, you’re unlikely to spend much time indoors. Enormous terraces with outdoor showers and dining areas are screened by stone walls and shaded by bamboo pergolas (two of the suites also have small private pools). The emphasis on natural materials roots each standalone structure in the landscape.

Food and drink

Breakfast – served in the wind-kissed restaurant or on your private terrace — spotlights Cycladic ingredients, garnished with seasonal produce from the hotel’s kitchen garden, or bostani. This field-to-fork philosophy is the inspiration for the eponymous restaurant, which attracts a glamorous set for sunset cocktails, creative tapas or date night degustation dinners. Executive chef Nikos Thomas’ elaborate dishes are occasionally overwrought but always pleasing to the eye and surprising to the palate. Fisherman’s soup comes with crunchy chicken skin and fish roe, slow-cooked chickpeas (a local staple) have an umami hit of beef marrow and crayfish, and a bitter chocolate mousse is topped with thyme crumble and olive oil gel.

The spa

Treatments take place in a cluster of bamboo and stone cabanas that open up to the sea breeze and the healing scents of the surrounding herb gardens. Local botanicals are used in herbal compresses and sea salt scrubs, performed with gentle authority by well-versed therapists. The superlative Elemis facials are visibly transformative.

The area

Adrift on the eastern coast of Sifnos, Verina Astra is less isolated than it first appears. Less than a mile uphill is Artemonas, a whitewashed maze of handsome mansions, cute mezze joints (like Mosaico) and old-fashioned bakeries (stop at Theodorou for traditional ground almond confections). In the opposite direction, Kastro, a medieval village cascading down a hillside, is a 30-minute walk along a coastal footpath. Ask the hotel to book you a clifftop aperitivo spot at Loggia, the most romantic wine bar in the Cyclades, followed by a dinner reservation at Cantina, a zero-waste restaurant where the ever-changing menu is as sensational as the setting — a shack carved out of the rock-face on a tiny cove just below Kastro.

The service

Easy-going, knowledgeable and understated. From the handsome bartenders to the gracious spa therapists, every staff member has the same magical way of making you feel both supremely chilled and very, very spoiled.

Eco effort

Rainwater tanks offset water scarcity, which is always an issue in the Cyclades. Bath products are in refillable bottles, and reusable glass is used for the water bottles. Heirloom vegetable varieties, herbs and olive oil for the restaurant are harvested from the hotel’s own organic gardens, with most other ingredients sourced from local fishermen and farmers. Social sustainability is taken seriously, with tableware designed by local potters and cooking and craft sessions that connect guests with the local culture and community.

Accessibility

The uneven cliffside location is not suitable for anyone with mobility issues.

Family

Children over 12 are welcome. Most rooms have a sofa bed, and family-friendly suites comfortably sleep four. But this isn’t really a place to bring the kids: the hushed atmosphere, secluded setting and elevated dining options all whisper wild romance.