Avaton Luxury Hotel & Villas

This secluded corner of Halkidiki, on the Greek mainland, is home to Avaton Luxury Hotel & Villas, a surprisingly contemporary high-end boutique hotel on a hill above a stunning north-facing beach. The vibe is postmodern ultra-luxe, mixing clean lines and modern colors with ornate, classic French-style furniture, the ultimate upscale signifier. The rooms and suites are spacious and extremely well-equipped; some even come with private pools.

A hotel doesn’t get to wear the Relais & Châteaux fleur de lis without a pretty impressive kitchen; here Avaton benefits from the work of chef Panos Papadopoulos, whose two restaurants put an artful spin on the bountiful classics of traditional Greek cooking. Meanwhile, the Champagne Bar awaits; there’s no better venue for an al fresco drink as the sun sets behind the peninsula.

Just a bit farther down the peninsula and you reach Mount Athos, a UNESCO World Heritage site, an Orthodox holy place, and a quasi-sovereign territory that, surprising as it may sound, admits only male visitors — all the more reason for a hotel like Avaton to offer a lavishly equipped wellness center for anyone left behind, as well as the option of a yacht cruise offering a less restrictive look at the monasteries.