The unspoiled Greek island gets its first five-star hotel

The Greeks, who opened the Calilo Resort with twenty-seven apartments, own about one-fourth of this island...

The Greek islands have become so full of tourists that they are practically cliché, but still, there is one island that, although nestled between the incredibly popular Mykonos and Santorini, seems to be at the very end of the world. Ios Island is mostly ignored by lovers of glamor and luxury, which was largely due to the lack of luxury hotels, as the island gained a reputation as a simple destination for camping lovers.

Still, Angelos Michalopoulos decided to change our minds about this destination. He and his wife, Vasiliki Petridou, began buying land on this island in the early 2000s, not to develop it, but to preserve it. Now, to our luck, they have decided to share it with a handful of visitors who are craving a completely different Greek holiday.

"We were looking for a place to build our house and we came here from a nearby island. In about twenty minutes, we saw six - seven beaches, which were quite deserted. In half an hour, we saw thirty more. I couldn't believe it - it was a pristine, true paradise in the heart of one of the most developed parts of the world, "says Michalopoulos.

With his wife, Mihalopoulos bought about a quarter of the island's surface. The couple has plans to develop this island so that it is completely different from their neighbors, so they have transferred 60,000 trees, including 550 antique olive trees. To fund their project, they have opened a resort that uses less than one percent of their property - it is the five-star Calilo resort with twenty-seven suits.

Situated in a valley between two hills, behind a perfect golden sandy beach, Calilo reminds us of Gaudi architecture in its design, with walls that twist and mimic the waters of the Aegean and mosaic pools of bright blue and green. In the interior, the rooms are decorated with bold black and white marble, while in the exterior deck chairs and an organic garden await you, where you can find all the ingredients for a delicious Mediterranean meal.

Most importantly, privacy and space, a private beach, walking trails and unspoiled nature are at your fingertips, so you can explore them to your liking. "That's exactly what we wanted - to give people an opportunity for a Greek vacation they've never experienced before," Michalopoulos says.

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