Five-star hotel project in Manganari, Ios, receives green light from Greek authorities subject to six conditions

A 24-bed five-star hotel will be able to go ahead on Manganari beach, in the south of the island of Ios in the Cyclades: on 24 September 2026, the Greek Ministry of Culture granted archaeological approval to the project, which had been rejected six months earlier. The plot lies inside a listed archaeological site, and the agreement is subject to six strict conditions. The final building permit has yet to be obtained.

Rejected in April, approved in September

On 1 April 2026, the archaeological authorities turned down the proposal, deeming it overly large given its location at the junction of Chalara Hill·an Early Cycladic settlement·and its necropolis. They also noted that the land lacked proven legal access to a public road. The developer lodged an appeal on 16 June. On 9 September, the Central Archaeological Council issued a unanimous favourable opinion, followed on 24 September by the decision of the Directorate General of Antiquities. The latter does not detail how the access issue was resolved.

The ministry justifies its approval by citing the approximately 500 m distance between the plot and the ancient remains, as well as a layout that avoids visual impact on the site. This decision applies solely under archaeological law: it replaces neither the building permit nor other required authorisations.

Six conditions for construction

• more open, unpaved ground areas across the plot;
• no roof-top installations, including solar water heaters and aerials;
• no air-conditioning units mounted on external walls;
• exterior walls made of exposed local stone;
• a revised architectural proposal submitted to the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades;
• earthworks carried out under archaeological supervision, with rescue excavations required in the event of any discovery.

Any breach of these conditions will result in the immediate revocation of the approval.

A boutique property, a Cypriot developer

The project is spearheaded by Stamania Enterprises, a company registered in Cyprus, whose directors include Nikolaos P. Tsakos. The architectural design is led by Dimitrios Tsoukalas. Preliminary planning approval was granted on 22 June 2026 by the Santorini planning department, valid until June 2028: two storeys, maximum height of 7 m, a basement, swimming pools, and an underground water reservoir. Read all our latest news on Greek hotels.

Our take

With just 24 beds, the development remains modest by Cycladic standards, where large resorts continue to multiply. The strict conditions imposed·local stone, bare rooftops, unit-free facades·point to a hotel designed to blend seamlessly into one of Ios’s most unspoilt beaches. It remains to be seen what name it will bear, who will operate it, and when it will open, as none of these details have been disclosed.