Telegraph: 3 Greek hotels among Europe’s top-25 for wedding venues

Three Greek hotels are included in Telegraph’s list of Europe’s top-25 best for wedding venues for Brits. They are Mykonos Grace, Katikies Hotel in Santorini and Blue Palace in Elounda.

According to the British newspaper, a truly great wedding hotel has a combination of privacy, style, location (for that all important breathtaking backdrop for the album shots) and a team working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure everything goes to plan. With the average UK wedding now ringing in at £24,000 (according to Brides magazine), having a party in a sun-drenched finca, palace or castle for a third of that price is a no-brainer for many couples.

The three Greek hotels are described as follows:

Mykonos Grace, Mykonos, Greece

Late afternoon, when the sun starts to set, is a popular time to become Mr & Mrs, either in the lush gardens, on the sand, or in the small chapel next to Agios Stefanos beach. Chic, sleek and unmistakably Greek, it all feels effortlessly romantic, from a sundown picnic for newlyweds in a secret location, to candle-lit dining with guests at Grace Restaurant overlooking the sea. Family and friends can stay in the 31 swish rooms and suites (you can host a reception party here if you book a minimum of five rooms for a three-night stay), while newlyweds get to enjoy a Champagne breakfast in the gorgeous Honeymoon Suite which has French windows opening onto a private terrace with pool. Extras include a hotel courtesy bus to take guests to and from the airport. Double rooms from (€320) £247; honeymoon suite from (€840) £649.

Katikies Hotel, Santorini, Greece

Katikies is what you expect when you close your eyes and think Greek island wedding; pretty white-washed buildings set against a cloudless blue sky. Dominating the dramatic cliff top village of Oia, the hotel’s open-air private terrace overlooking the volcanic Caldera is where vows are exchanged in front of a maximum of 50 guests. An infinity pool makes a fabulous backdrop for wedding photos and the terrace surrounding it a cool space for a Champagne reception. All 34 luxe cave-like rooms are sculpted into the rock face and The Katikies Suite, with its open-air hot tub, loft bedroom and veranda with those views, is the one for newlyweds to bag. Double rooms from (€332) £256pn; Katikies suite from (€900) £695.

Blue Palace, Elounda, Crete, Greece

A Romance Department takes care of all the wedding and honeymoon prep at this impressive hotel set on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Aegean Sea. For ceremonies there’s a private chapel plus less-traditional venues, such as a terrace at sunset, beneath a floral arch in the Palm Tree Gardens, or barefoot on the beach. Guests can chill with cocktails in the open-air Arsenali Lounge, then there’s a choice of five restaurants for the wedding breakfast, including Blue Door, a traditional Greek-style taverna with lanterns and a spectacular beachfront location. Dance the night away to a live band and end the big day with fireworks before retiring to a deluxe sea-view suite with private pool. Double rooms from (€215) £166pn, Deluxe sea view suite with pool from (€428) £330pn. There are three wedding packages, prices on application.

The full list of Europe’s best hotels for wedding venues:

1. Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, Taormina, Sicily