The Athens Riviera’s stretch of golden sand and pine-covered hills has stayed quiet while Athens has claimed its place as a destination. That’s changing. And 91 Athens Riviera, with its 28 canvas cabanas, clay tennis courts, and late-night beach club energy, is a big part of it – a resort that refuses easy labels. Which, as it turns out, is exactly the point.
“91 Athens Riviera is in Athens. But it’s not. It’s a resort. But it’s not,” Konstantinos, the resort’s guest relations manager, says as we climb into the buggy that’s about to take us round to one of the luxurious canvas tents. “It feels like an island. But it’s not. It’s a beach club. But it’s not,” he continues as we round the first corner.
The Athens Riviera’s Moment
The Athens Riviera – a stretch of coastline about 10 miles south of the city center – has remained curiously under the radar. While Athens itself has long since evolved beyond a mere stopover en route to the islands, this golden-sand coastline dotted with pine-covered hills and views of the Aegean is less explored.
That’s changing. A clutch of openings along the shore are transforming the area into a destination that pairs city-break convenience with beach-holiday ease. On a coastline of towering big-name resorts 91 Athens Riviera is a breezy injection of low-key glamour.
Its founders, the design-focused hotel group Domes, has blossomed in recent years, opening properties across Greece and Portugal that lean into a soothingly earthy aesthetic from Crete to Mykonos to Santorini. At 91 Athens Riviera, the team has taken this bleached-out blueprint and applied it to canvas structures that feel more Soho House than summer camp.
It’s Glamping, Technically.
91 Athens Riviera is 25 minutes from downtown Athens. There are 28 cabanas arranged like safari tents throughout grassy gardens and around a gurgling pool.
But if that conjures images of pegged-down structures whipped by the wind, these are sturdy constructions with tough canvas sides that arch over the luxe eco styled rooms with space-smart bathrooms behind the beds, and behind that wardrobes, a sink and even a writing deck. Some of the cabanas have their own dip-pool, and they all have private terraces.
It’s glamping, technically. Even the reception is in one of the tents. Beside it, in another tent, there’s a boutique selling swimwear and shades.
91 Athens Riviera Is Fresh-As-It-Gets
Beyond, down a gravel path there’s a private beach, a lagoon-like pool fringed with daybeds, and Barbarossa – an outlet of the Paros restaurant – with a menu that spotlights fresh-as-it-gets seafood: tuna tataki, crab tartare, grilled squid, and lobster pasta.
Before that, there’s another long rectangular pool with volcanic black urns at either end and sandy-textured walls that blend into the landscape. The daybeds are chunky wood frames with thick cushions – rustic enough to fit the setting but comfortable enough to spend hours on.
Hedonistic. But it’s not.
At its heart, 91 Athens Riviera is hedonistic. But it’s not.
There’s a pillow menu on the bed listing six options – Memory Foam, Restoring Light Sleeper, Neck Support, Comforting Duo, Restless Sleeper, and Won’t Lie (for people who move around). A separate card explains the white noise machine – which actually has a series of white-out tracks, from rainforest to pure electric fuzz – and the earplugs in the room are there to “melt away the stress of the day.”
Between 3pm and 5pm, 91 Athens Riviera also observes “Zen Hours.” No music. And no loud conversations. The Riviera goes quiet before nights at the beach club.
Post Tie-Break Spritzes
There’s a bottle of Ploes Rosé (a Greek Protected Geographical Indication wine from the Drama region) in the ice bucket beside the bed, a quick reminder that, despite the focus on good sleep, 91 Athens Riviera isn’t only about complete rest and relaxation.
The spa’s hydropool froths like memories of a foam party. With one-way windows that look down the expanse of the swimming pool outside as club members wander beside it, tennis racket bags slung over their shoulders. “Do you play tennis?” Konstantinos had asked. He looked deflated when we said no, understandable considering 91 Athens Riviera’s eight Roland Garros-style clay courts and Tennis club serving post tie-break spritzes.
Barbarossa Is Buzzy And Unbuttoned
Then Barbarossa takes over. It’s an import from the Greek island of Paros (there are also outposts in Cairo and Bodrum).
The beachfront location brings Aegean vibes onto the terrace and into the cavernous dining room. Early dinner reservations are laid-back and convivial, while later ones – Barbarossa opens until 1am – get the full buzzy, unbuttoned atmosphere.
It Starts Over Again
The next day, it starts over again. Beatific days by the beach, laps in the pool, finally persuaded for that game of tennis, or a second visit to the spa, then another late night at Barbarossa. Another day of 91 Athens Riviera showing you that everything you think it is that’s what it’s not.
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