Grand Forest Metsovo
Why it made our list: At 1,350 metres, in a black pine forest at the edge of a national park, with a chef who forages and a team that knows every trail, truffle spot and stone village within an hour. This is not the Greece most people picture. That’s the point.
At a Glance
Eight low-rise stone buildings on a private hillside at the edge of the Pindus National Park. The footprint is modest, 10,000 square metres across two square kilometres of land, designed to sit within the forest rather than over it. Beamed ceilings, exposed stone, handmade furniture by local craftsmen, and handwoven Greek rugs throughout. Every corridor has a mountain view. The lobby fireplace is the kind you gravitate towards without deciding to.
The hotel’s own trails lead into the forest, but the real range opens up beyond the property. The Ursa Trail is certified as one of Europe’s leading hiking routes. Katerina, the local truffle hunter, takes you and her dogs into the woods and cooks what you find over lunch by the river. Lefteris Fafalis, a four-time Winter Olympian, leads e-bike and SUP trips to Aoos Springs Lake, Greece’s highest-altitude lake, where the water is so clear it barely looks real. There are off-road jeep routes through Valia Calda National Park, horseback rides through the hotel’s own pine forest, mountain biking to a hidden alpine pond the Vlachs call Tsouka Rosa, and canyoning in the gorges below. You could fill a week without repeating a day.
Then come back for the indoor pool, a Valmont treatment at the Aspen spa, and dinner at Metsovo 1350m. The Ionian coastline is an hour away if you want a beach day. Meteora and Zagorochoria are within the same reach. This is a base camp with a very good kitchen.
Our Take: Often referred to as the Patagonia of Greece, and it’s not hard to see why. The mountain hotel Greece has been missing, year-round, with an adventures list to match.
Rooms We Love
180-degree views of the Pindus mountaintops. Private bioethanol fireplace, marble bathroom with bathtub and separate shower. After a day on the trails, this is the room you want to come back to. 35 sqm
The hotel’s flagship, and the only category that comfortably accommodates families. Private outdoor space looking across the mountains, the pine forest and the old town of Metsovo. Separate living room, fireplace, king bed. 70 sqm.
Dining
Metosovo 1350: Named for the altitude, and a destination in its own right. The menu is designed by consultant chef Gikas Xenakis (Gault & Millau Cuisinier 2020) with executive chef Vasilis Giannoulis, drawing on Epirote tradition with a modern, restrained hand. Foraged mushrooms, local truffles, slow-cooked pork with Metsovo carrots. The wine list leans on Katogi Averoff, which is right, given the winery is down the road.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Pines: A private lounge available on request, centred around two fireplaces. Malts, cigars, mountain views. The kind of room that suits a nightcap after a long day outdoors
The Lobby: Light meals, cocktails and coffee throughout the day. Beamed ceilings, central fireplace, and the default gathering point in cooler months.
Essentials
Check-in:
3:00 PM
Check-out:
11:00 AM
Rooms:
62 Suites
Open:
All Year
Children:
All ages welcome
Parking:
Outdoor and indoor; EV chargers available
Accessibility:
Wheelchair-accessible rooms and elevator; accessible airport shuttle
- Indoor heated pool (glass-enclosed, mountain views)
- Seasonal outdoor infinity pool
- Aspen Wellness spa (Valmont treatments, sauna, hammam, jacuzzi)
- Gym (Cybex equipment)
- Kids’ club
- Horse riding on the hotel’s private forest trails
- Hiking (Ursa Trail, private hotel trail, Dragon Stroll)
- E-mountain biking
- Wild truffle hunting
- Off-road jeep tours (Valia Calda National Park)
- E-bike and SUP at Aoos Springs Lake
- Conference and event spaces
- Fitness centre
- Restaurant and bar
- Coffee shop
- 24-hour front desk
- Concierge
- Room service
- Bike rentals
- Event space
- Free WiFi
Small dogs up to 7kg welcome in designated rooms at €35/night
On a private hillside above the town of Metsovo,15-minute drive from the main square.
Metsovo town is worth a half-day on its own. The Averoff Art Gallery houses over 200 works by major Greek painters, the Tositsa Mansion gives a window into 19th-century Epirote life, and the central square is one of the most celebrated in mountain Greece.
Katogi Averoff Winery, where Cabernet Sauvignon was first planted in Greece, is a short drive away.
Within an hour drive:
Meteora, Zagorochoria and Vikos Gorge, Ioannina, and the Ionian coastline (Parga, Sivota). The hotel arranges tailored excursions with four days’ notice.
Getting here:
Fly to Ioannina Airport (IOA), domestic flights from Athens. Private transfer to the hotel: approximately 50 minutes.
Helicopter transfers direct to the property available upon request.
Connects well with:
- Thessaloniki (2.5 hrs by car)
- Meteora (1 hr by car)
- Parga and the Ionian coast (2 hrs by car)
- Corfu (3 hrs by car, or ferry from Igoumenitsa)
- Sivota and Paxoi (via Igoumenitsa)
The final stretch of road to the hotel is steep and winding, particularly after dark.
First-timers should plan to arrive in daylight if possible.
The spa is adults only; the indoor pool opens to under-18s between 10:00 and 12:00 with adult supervision.
Ready to see the Greece most people miss?
