Onar Andros

Style

Wildest dreams resort

Setting

In-safe-hands wetlands

Chasing dragonflies by a trickling river amid clusters of plane trees; listening to the gentle ‘shush, shush’ of waves on a near-deserted crescent beach; drinking wine by the fire till late: these are just some of the tranquil trappings found at Onar Andros, whose lives-up-to-it name means ‘dream’ in Greek. Set on acres of protected wetlands and barely tamed wilderness, this family-friendly eco-retreat started as a private holiday spot for ship-broker owner Mateo, but was too lovely not to share – so now it has cottages scattered over the slopes, an organic farm and a gather-round restaurant in that reverie of a setting.

Facilities

Rooms

18 traditional cottages.

Checkout

11am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm.

More Details

Rates include a typically Grecian and largely home-grown buffet breakfast.

Also

From the road to Onar Andros, to the terrain onsite, there are uneven patches aplenty, so this isn’t best suited for guests with mobility issues.

Hotel Closed

The hotel opens annually from mid May to mid October.

Free Internet Access

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

At the Hotel

Farm, orchards, wetlands, beach, small library, charged WiFi (router on request). In rooms: kitchenette with fridge, kettle and Nespresso coffee machine; TV; air-conditioning; ceiling fan; beach towels; and Olive Era bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

Onar Andros was originally intended to be a private campsite for owner Mateo Pantzopoulos and his friends and family, but it’s hard to keep places as precious as this a secret for long – so the handful of hideaways now numbers 14 – all in secluded spots. Each has a private terrace with a hammock and pinch-me view, and they’re dressed in all-natural materials (local stone, wood, river reeds). Couples should go for the Hillside Dream House, whose elevation gives it a wider scope over the surrounds, or the Sunrise Villa with its own pool; and for generational getaways, the Family Villa comfortably sleeps five.

Poolside

You’ll ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at the views of Ahla Beach at the slope-set pool. There’s a casual bar beside it and a leafy buffer too. Open from 10am to 5pm.

Spa

There’s no spa, but the resident massage therapist plays a role in the hotel’s wellness-in-the-wild promise.

Packing Tips

Bring the sort of clothes you could climb a tree in, swimming gear and yoga wear. And recalculate your expectations – this is more carefree, go-with-the-flow cosseting than polished luxury.

Also

The hotel is very much off the grid, but you can request a WiFi router from reception (€20 a stay).

Children

Little ones will love Onar Andros, seeking out animals in the wetlands, splashing in the waves, boating and snorkelling. And every cottage here has a built-in sofa-bed (or can fit a crib or extra bed).

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Unless you’re using your kitchenette and dining on your terrace, sit on the tables set up under a plane tree, some of which are communal for good-old-fashioned story-swapping – owner Mateo might even join your yarn-spinning sessions.

Dress Code

You could even bimble about barefoot here, so there’s no real need to dress for dinner.

Hotel Restaurant

Meals here are the Grecian kind of humble – using good, honest ingredients pulled straight from the earth, plucked from the tree or hauled in a net, in dishes that are simple (herb-sprinkled chips, flame-grilled lamb chops, stuffed peppers, couscous salad, ratatouille) yet so fresh and flavoursome, they’ll pop up in sense memories years down the line. Guests gather at one tree-shaded table for feasting, making it a convivial affair. The breakfast buffet is laid out here too. Each hideaway has a simple kitchenette, but you’ll need to pick up essentials before arrival. And, if you get peckish, you can just pick some berries off the trees.

Hotel Bar

There are two bars. One is part of the restaurant and the other is set beside the pool high up on a hillside. Both serve Greek wines and beers, and classic cocktails (the mojitos with just-picked mint are especially good), or shots of tsipouro.

Last Orders

Breakfast is from 8am to 10.30am, brunch till noon, lunch from 1pm to 4pm, and dinner from 8pm (sometimes 7.30pm in summer) to 11pm.

Room Service

There’s no official room service (food doesn’t travel well in golf buggies) – but the kitchen can prepare you a takeaway box and you’re welcome to take drinks back to your terrace.

Planes

Fly into Athens, ride down to Rafina Port (about an hour by car), then hop on a ferry, which will take you to Andros via Tinos in around two hours. Or take the slightly more direct route, touching down in Mykonos and taking the ferry (a two-hour journey from the airport).

Automobiles

The journey to Andros isn’t easy, but just keep in mind the prize of gold-sand beach that awaits as you’re jostled along the bumpy dirt road leading to and through the wetlands. You don’t have to navigate them yourself – staff will pick you up in a four-wheel drive (the only vehicle sturdy enough to make the journey) from Gavrio Port (€70 one-way for up to four, payable directly to the driver); it’s advisable to book in advance. But, if you do decide to give it a go, there’s free parking onsite.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Andros, the northernmost of the Cycladic isles, has managed to keep tourism at arm’s length for a long time, and now that it’s embracing it, it’s doing it on its own terms. Onar Andros is emblematic of a lower-impact, slower getaway that suits the island’s spectacular scenery and nearly non-existent infrastructure well. It’s set in a sprawl of protected wetlands on the north-east coast (part of the EU’s Natura 2000 network of safeguarded spaces), in a leafy cradle culminating in Ahla Beach – a wonderfully deserted sandy crescent, goal-posted by a chapel and lighthouse, set down a short rugged path from the main resort. The surroundings are rife with ferns and flowering shrubs, giant plane trees and Mediterranean plants; and you’ll spy pheasants, hares and frogs skittering about inland, and – if you’re lucky – turtles in the river or rare monk seals at sea. The point – with the retreat’s lack of phone signal and shaky, opt-in WiFi – is to switch off entirely and wallow in nature’s majesty, preferably in your terrace’s hammock. But, there are hiking routes; seasonal yoga and meditation sessions; snorkelling through sea caves (kit is provided); Coco-Mat bikes, boats and SUPs to hire; or treks up to the island’s highest village of Vourkoti (pausing to cool off in a crystal-clear lake along the way), should you feel roused. There’s a small farm you can walk to for tastings of fresh cheese, and to help pick vegetables and fruit. And on request, massages of all sorts (on your terrace or in your cottage) and horse-riding can be arranged.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .