Scorpios Begins Welcoming Select Guests
The former Onassis-owned Greek island is now hosting a luxury hospitality project backed by Dmitry Rybolovlev's family, with construction still ongoing.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Hospitality
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Scorpios, a Greek island formerly owned by shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, has begun welcoming select guests under a luxury hospitality project led by Dmitry Rybolovlev's family. Commercial operations began in summer 2025, and guests' identities and financial terms remain confidential.
Why it matters
The project shows how private-island luxury hospitality is being developed on a large scale, with significant investment and logistical challenges. Its progress offers a view into the costs and difficulties of building remote, high-end resort infrastructure.
The project was initially budgeted at €165 million and has five operational areas, including two beaches, the Pink House, a farm and staff accommodation. The current total cost has not been disclosed, and guest identities and financial terms remain confidential.
The players
Dmitry Rybolovlev
A Russian-born businessman and investor whose family leads the luxury hospitality project on Scorpios.
Aristotle Onassis
A Greek shipping magnate who formerly owned Scorpios before the island was sold.
The details
Guests receive exclusive use of facilities under individually tailored arrangements. The project has faced delays attributed to rising material costs, labor shortages, pandemic disruptions and the difficulty of building on a private island, and the island still relies on generators.
Timeline
Summer 2025: Commercial operations began on the island.
September 2027: A second construction phase is expected to begin.
Market Landscape
The project reflects a shift in which former private estates of twentieth-century shipping magnates are being converted into exclusive hospitality destinations. Scorpios's transition from Onassis ownership to a luxury resort places it within a niche of private-island tourism competing for ultra-high-net-worth clientele.
For travelers hoping to visit, access is limited to select guests under individually tailored arrangements, and pricing and terms are not publicly available. Prospective visitors should expect that the island's infrastructure, including its reliance on generators, is still being developed.
The takeaway
Large-scale private-island hospitality projects can face significant cost overruns and logistical obstacles, which can extend timelines well beyond original plans. Readers following such developments should watch for confirmed budgets and construction milestones rather than initial estimates.
What happens next
A second construction phase is expected to begin in September 2027, and an undersea electricity connection is planned to replace the island's reliance on generators.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in Hospitality.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ekathimerini.
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