“I came here 10 summers ago from Mykonos and never really left,” says Athanasia Comninos. Wearing tinkling gold anklets and an embroidered waistcoat, she embodies the aesthetic of this boho hideout, which has been incubating under her rigorous watch for seven years. Although Comninos comes from a shipping family, she always wanted to be a hotelier. She is equally determined to preserve what drew her to Antiparos in the first place—untouched landscapes of wind-tangled cedar, sheltered coves unblemished by sunbeds, and a relaxed vibe. The island has changed in the past decade—there are more chic shops, oversized four-wheel-drives, and minimalist villas (Tom Hanks owns one)—but essentially it’s still the same go-slow speck in the Aegean. Set in a gently sloping valley of dry-stone terraces, The Rooster makes a virtue of stillness. Even the smallest suites are the size of summer houses, and interiors are spare but soft, with honey-toned walls, handmade driftwood four-posters, Turkish ikat cushions, and leather ottomans from Indonesia. Outdoor showers are enclosed by walls made of locally quarried stone and lush greenery, and swallows nest in the drought-resistant gardens. Calm staff in billowing linen hum past on electric scooters. A footpath leads to Livadia beach, a wild bay shored up by drifts of seaweed, and the spa delivers authentic Ayurvedic treatments and incredibly effective facials. Food is unpretentiously wholesome, and much of it is sourced from the fledgling organic farm: tahini granola with lavender petals for breakfast; fluffy mizithra cheese with blood orange and toasted coriander seeds for lunch; tingly margaritas at sunset in the mellow outdoor bar. You’ll leave feeling grounded yet unfathomably lighter. —Rachel Howard
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