The recent opening of the 40-room Cosme hotel in Paros, at the edge of the ever-more-fashionable port town of Naoussa, is emblematic of this Aegean island’s new personality. The first time we visited Naoussa many years ago, its port was filled with fishing boats. Slowly but surely, most of them have been replaced by yachts.

Cosme looks set to accelerate this change, as it is the first internationally branded luxury hotel on an island that previously specialized in small, independent properties. Part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection, the white sugar-cube complex has a superb seaside location on the edge of Agioi Anargyroi beach. The hotel is owned by Kanava Hotels & Resorts, which has properties in Santorini and elsewhere on Paros, including the recommended Parīlio Hotel (see the review from the July 2020 Hideaway Report), also in Naoussa.

The Cosme had been open only a couple of weeks when we checked in, but despite its newness and the staffing shortages afflicting the hospitality industry, the service was already polished and professional. Along with its magnificent setting, we immediately liked the small seaside village feel of the hotel, with paths winding through gardens planted with thyme, rosemary, lavender and bougainvillea.