Danai Beach – the end-of-season destination

Sometimes it’s better to visit a popular resort only at the end of the season, even if the hustle and bustle is already over, the pure beauty really comes out now.
Danai Beach Resort& Villas  is named after the Greek co-owner and mother of the current director Kimon Riefenstahl, who married the German engineer Otto von Riefenstahl when she was studying philosophy in Thessaloniki. It began with the creation of a guesthouse for her friends and has since developed into an exclusive luxury hotel.
This constant change and expansion is noticeable in the design and layout of the resort, which has almost as many different room categories as rooms, as each is completely individually decorated with art and furniture from around the world.

All in all, this family-owned Hotel is rich in ideas, be it the fine-dining restaurant of French chef Herve Pronzato, who is about to get a Michelin star, or the many ideas of director Kimon Riefenstahl, who doesn’t just talk about ideas, but implements them in the next moment.
A range of entertaining ideas and programmes guarantee the entertainment of the guests. But clear strategic directions also come to his mind when we talk about how luxury is developing in the hotel industry after the CORONA pandemic. Fewer rooms, more service, the opposite of expansion, he likes to focus on the guest, because the Danai has a very personal relationship with many and 60% are long-time regulars.
This is not surprising, because for some reason most guests (myself included) feel they don’t need to leave the resort at all. The staff are just incredibly friendly, the food too good and the beachfront cabanas could hardly be bettered for a beautiful beach experience in the north of Sithonia, the second finger of Halkidiki in northern Greece.

Jasmin Khezri wears the yellow Veste Tailleur and matching trousers from her eponymous collection.

You won’t come for the latest standard rooms, although you will simply feel at home in the atmosphere of the 90s design, the marble floors and the dreamlike view.
Guests come back because they simply feel comfortable and special in the hotel, whether they are film stars or not.
Even for a short stay, as soon as you step onto the garden terrace of the restaurant overlooking the coast, you will realise that this place is close to heaven. A luxury hotel that promises luxury in all its facets, with an in-house bakery that bakes truly artisanal cakes and bread by hand. The richness of the flavours and the simplicity of the dishes make every meal and every wine a unique experience, and you can (and will) buy Kimon’s Greek Table cookbook to cook the Danai way back home.

Jasmin Khezri of Irmasworld at Squirrel, the Danai Beach Resort’s fine-dining restaurant.

Perhaps it’s also the proximity of this resort, although it has 40 hectares of land with its own farmland, private villas, a licensed chapel, soon to be a vineyard and more restaurants.
You feel more at home than in a typical beach resort, perhaps that’s why you embrace the interior design with its individual playfulness and look out over the shimmering sea and coast.

Lunch at the beach

We recommend coming for a long weekend in late summer, when the sea is still warm, the nights cool, but the midday sun is still as hot as it is in August.
But even if you come in August, expect an effortless stay where you can do whatever you feel like, a change of restaurant reservation on the same day is no problem. A room change can be arranged, any wish can be fulfilled, rest assured that the hotel staff and the special butler service will do their best and more.

Qigong at sunset

A 45 minute drive from Thessaloniki
Open until the end of October
Suitable also for children

We would like to thank the DANAI BEACH RESORT & VILLAS for its support