"A simple yet sumptuous island bolthole with wellness at its core Family-owned F Zeen, a smart and earthy adult-only retreat, does a stellar job at showcasing its cinematic setting. Along the steep and verdant hills of Livathos—a pocket-sized seaside town of pastel-hued houses looking onto a bay—the hotel splays out in natural-stone villas and sun-bleached terraces with rustic tables and pools, all of which command views of the Ionian Sea and the crimson streaks cast across it at sunset. The organic, health-focused outlook is evident across all aspects of the refuge: in the locavore mezze and vegetables plucked from the kitchen garden; in the natural colors and fabrics in the understated but sophisticated villa bedrooms; in the roster of fitness classes, from alfresco yoga to guided gym sessions, and, of course, in the spa where Greek herbs and seaweed-infused products are folded into sun-kissed skin. Guests recline on soft, whitewashed sunbeds while dipping warm, olive-doused pitta into bowls of creamy hummus. Active types drift back from paddleboarding sessions along the beach for cool fruit smoothies. Wafts of thyme, cypress, and salt fill the evening air at Selini, the hotel’s open-air restaurant where pretty plates of lemon-drizzled calamari, lamb kotzi, and salads honor both Hellenic traditions and modern palates. F Zeen’s power to disarm the most overloaded visitor lies in this clever blend of luxury and healt—where Pilates and meditation followed by herb-steeped cocktails and rosemary flatbreads with lashings of tzatziki is all food for the soul. —Rosalyn Wikeley" - Becky Lucas
