Head-to-head · The One&Only Flags In Greece
One&Only planted two flags in Greece within a year of each other, and they answer very different questions: Kea Island is the all-villa resort on the quiet island an hour from Athens; Aesthesis is the Riviera beach scene with the Acropolis still in reach. Here’s how I match clients to each.
The two One&Only flags in Greece · both on my booking list · both bookable with my perks
Sixty-three cliffside villas above Vroskopos Bay, every one with a private infinity pool, on an island the ferry crowds skip — plus real resort depth: Bond Beach Club, a three-floor spa, Club One’s courts, clubs for kids and teens. You arrive by speedboat, you stay put, and the world stays behind.
The Riviera beach coast south of Athens — home of the Mãnko Beach cabana day I write into my sample honeymoon itinerary — with the Acropolis still a drive away, not a boat away. Beach mornings, city evenings, no crossing required.
| Kea Island | Aesthesis | |
|---|---|---|
| The setting | 161 clifftop acres above Vroskopos Bay on Kea — the closest Cyclade to Athens, and the one itineraries skip | The Riviera beach coast south of the city — home of Mãnko Beach |
| The room | 63 villas, every one with a private infinity pool and open sea view — Private Homes run to six bedrooms | A beach resort room with the Riviera at the door — the cabana, not the villa, is the headline |
| Getting there | 45 minutes by resort speedboat from Lavrio, 15 by helicopter — then you’re staying put | A drive from central Athens or the airport — come and go all week |
| The scene | Bond Beach Club’s guest-DJ calendar is the one loud corner of a very quiet island | Mãnko Beach is the point — cabanas, long lunches, the Riviera crowd |
| How I book it | The island chapter itself — a one-base resort week after a night or two in Athens | The beach-day counterpoint to a Dolli city stay, or a full Riviera stretch alongside Astir |
| Who it suits | Privacy seekers, families, longer stays, one-perfect-base trips | City-plus-beach trips, honeymoon starts, shorter stays |
A useful tiebreaker: if the itinerary already has Cycladic islands in it, Aesthesis covers the Athens chapter without adding another crossing — but if you want one island done properly instead of three done quickly, Kea is the better week. Full transparency, as always: I haven’t inspected either one yet — both are on my booking list, and my clients get my vetting call with the on-property team before arrival.
Kea Island is the deeper commitment and the bigger payoff — a true all-villa resort on an island most itineraries skip, with enough program depth that you never need to leave. It replaces the island-hop for people who want one perfect base where everything is on property and the pool is yours.
Aesthesis is the easy yes — Riviera beach days with the city still in play, and the Mãnko cabana afternoon that anchors my sample honeymoon itinerary. Tell me the shape of the trip — one deep island week, or Athens with a beach — and I’ll match you to the right flag, or route you through both.
Tell me your dates and I’ll tell you which one has the room worth having — same rate you’d pay booking direct, sometimes better.
One&Only Kea Island guide →One&Only Aesthesis review →The Athens guide →Astir Palace or Aesthesis — the other Riviera question →My dream Greece honeymoon itinerary →