Laguna Coast Resort

Laguna Coast Resort

On the west coast of Naxos, where a 1.5-kilometre stretch of coastline holds a lagoon protected by a natural reef, Laguna Coast Resort occupies what its owners call the largest regeneration project in the Cyclades: 480 acres of wetland, a cedar forest, and a private 27-acre islet named Manto. Flamingos and wild ducks stop at the lake during spring migration, visible from the Flamingo Valley suites built to face it. The property holds only 24 rooms, so villas like the 194-square-metre Golden Reef, with its two private pools, and the 112-square-metre Flamingo Valley suites, each with two jacuzzis, never feel crowded by neighbours. The hill of Stelida, three kilometres southwest of Chora, holds traces of Neanderthal and early Homo sapiens activity marking one of the oldest known settlements in the Central Aegean, a history the resort leans into rather than glosses over. Days can run toward the active side: sailing out to hidden coves, snorkelling or diving around an ancient harbour, horseback riding to Manto, or cooking classes held beneath the old stone quarry. Evenings centre on TÂMA, where chef Elpida Morfouli cooks farm-to-table against a view of the Aegean and the Temple of Apollo. There is a spa, a gym, and complimentary electric bicycles for covering the grounds. What this is not is a compact town base: it operates seasonally, from May to October, has no elevators, and rewards guests happy to spend a week inside its own landscape rather than darting into Chora each night. Pets are welcome, and wheelchair access is listed despite the absence of elevators. Laguna Coast Resort occupies Naxos's largest regeneration project, 480 acres of lagoon, cedar forest and a private islet, with just 24 rooms spread across pool villas and jacuzzi suites. Chef Elpida Morfouli's farm-to-table dinners run under Aegean skies. It operates May to October only, with no elevators on site.