Santorini has long held a reputation across the globe as one of the most luxurious and romantic destinations for couples – often those who are soon-to-be-engaged at sunset on the island, we might add – searching for breathtaking (read Instagrammable) holiday photos taken among the blue-topped white domes of the island’s most coveted coastlines.
Located to the south of Athens and Mykonos, Santorini was once the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history, which occurred in the 4th Century, with the last eruption taking place just seven decades ago. As the most active volcanic centre in the South Aegean Volcanic Arc, the island – named by the Latin Empire in the 13th Century as a reference to Saint Irene, aka the name of the old church in the village of Perissa – boasts beaches and land that vary in colour, as a result of the solidified lava ranging from the colour black (the hue of the beach to the south of the island) to the Red and White beaches (the latter is accessible by boat or foot from the former).
In recent years, Santorini has become a celebrity destination, with everyone from Leonardo DiCaprio and Rihanna, to Kendall Jenner and more frequenting its hotels, restaurants and beach clubs, during one of their numerous pitstops across the Aegean coast, which often involves island hopping to the likes of Mykonos and Kefalonia. As a result, it’s a must-visit for those who know their spanakopitas from their stifados.
Here’s the ELLE UK guide to Santorini:
Where To Stay
While Fira – the island’s capital – boasts some of the best restaurants and shops, there’s plenty of culture to be soaked up there too, including the Museum of Prehistoric Thera and the Old Port, while Imerovigli (located to the north) is a village offering arguably the most beautiful 180-degree ocean views, with the opportunity to hike the Ekklisia Theoskepasti trail, which passes Skaros Rock and the blue-domed Theoskepasti Church at sunset.
Domes Novos Santorini, Autograph Collection
The bustling village of Oia may be only 5 minutes up the road but Domes Novos Santorini provides the most tranquil escape. The complex consists of 50 rooms, all of them low rise individual terracotta bungalows (plus two villas), surrounded by wild flowers and each comes with its own private swimming pool.
On arrival you’re greeted with delicious macarons in the hotel’s beautifully designed reception area, full of beautiful coffee table books and dark interiors, before being whisked to your room. The rooms all have their own individual design with huge bathrooms, and your bedroom either overlooks your pool, and beyond that the sea or the hotel’s gardens.
The spa, Soma, is standout too. Situated in the atmospheric underground of an outbuilding, the treatments use Elemis products, and guests have daily access to the incredible large indoor pool, as well as a sauna, jacuzzi and hammam. We can highly recommend their Elemis Pro-Glow Genius facial.
If you have children, then there is a complimentary kids club on site, which has an outside paddling pool and lovely staff. You can book it via the concierge who can be contacted on WhatsApp making everything very easy.
Rates at Domes Novos Santorini start from £278 for B&B.
Grace Hotel Auberge
If you’re on the search for true luxury, head to Imerovigli and immediately jump with arms wide open into Grace Hotel’s embrace – a luxurious five-star spot nestled among the whitewashed houses and cobalt-domes churches that offers unrivalled privacy and serenity away from the hustle and bustle of tourist destinations like Oia, located to the north of the island. The Cycladic haven provides a range of suites, rooms and villas, all complete with indoor-outdoor spaces, including balconies (where you can enjoy private lunches and dinners through the property’s newly-launched Mrs Alice dining experience), plunge pools overlooking the caldera and The Light Salon LED Masks (in the Infinity Suites and two-bedroom Villa).
The hotel is well-revered thanks to its restaurant, Varoulko, which was opened by Michelin award-winning chef Lefteris Lazarou, and blends the perfect cacophony of Greek and Mediterranean flavours to be enjoyed overlooking the sea. The hotel’s bar – 363 bar (situated 363 metres above sea level) – also offers signature cocktails in an elegant setting and is the perfect place to watch the sunset with sundowners. Experiences can also be curated to guests’ desires, from private cruises exploring ancient ruins, to sunset picnics, caviar and wine tasting and rooftop yoga.
Rates at Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection start from £620.
Sandblu Resort
Opened in summer 2024, Sandblu Resort is quickly becoming the most talked-about hotel on the island – and for good reason. Located on the foothills of Thira Mountain, the resort delivers unparalleled privacy and breathtaking views from the village of Kamari, with two restaurants, 61 bedrooms, a spa and infinity pool.
Contrary to most visitors to the island who stay in the caldera for a maximum of three nights before traveling to another island, the resort is the ideal destination for couples, friends and families wanting to enjoy Santorini’s endless tourist offerings, from boat tours and wine tasting at vineyards, to hiking, cooking workshops, helicopter tours and more.
Designed with its own wine bar, natural wine cellar cave and bakery (yes, really), the resort is a home away from home, with numerous shops, a fitness centre, Kids’ Club, as well as suites with private pools and terraces. Currently, there are two family-friendly villas, but there are plans to expand the resort its large party stays.
Rates at Sandblu Resort start from £679.
Kivotos Santorini
You’ll instantly recognise Kivotos Santorini from its unusually black-coloured exteriors amid the whitewashed domes of the Imerovigli caldera. Inspired by the island’s volcanic landscape, the property is built atop the cliffside in the village and has over 180-degree unobstructed views of the northern coastline, with just 10 bedrooms, each with a variety of private indoor swimming pools, hot tubs and hammams. Our favourites on the site include the Honeymoon and Hideaway Suite, the latter complete with a plunge pool and double sun lounger that overlooks the ocean on the private terrace.
The hotel’s signature restaurant MAVRO – launched by the award-winning chef Dimitris Katrivesis – recently debuted its all-new immersive sensory dining experience with three new tasting menus inspired by the phases of the moon (The Dark Side of the Moon experience, The Full Moon experience, and the Half Moon Experience), as well as an à la carte menu serving modern interpretations of Greek cuisine.
The hotel is perfectly located a short walk away from the base of Skaros Rock, a mound of castle ruins accessed by an arduous trail walk that’s best taken first thing in the morning or after sunset. Offering stunning caldera views, it provides a unique perspective of the island that has cobbled streets usually heaving with tourists straining their iPhones overhead to take that picture-perfect snap.
Rates at Kivotos Santorini start from £395.30.
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Mystique
For anybody who’s ever doubted whether heaven is a place on earth, Mystique is confirmation that it is. The 41-bedroom, five-star property alone, which is carved into the cliffs of the Caldera that overlook the glittering waters of the Aegean, is the sort of beautiful that snatches the breath from your mouth.
You might come for the views, but it’s the heart of the property that will keep you there. Guests are provided with a WhatsApp contact number for the concierge upon arrival to the property, making room service requests or restaurant reservations a breeze, while the hotel’s Lure restaurant, which sits atop a volcanic clifftop, offers one of the most dazzling views of Santorini’s signature rugged cliffs. The langoustine ravioli almost warrants a trip to Santorini in and of itself.
The staff promise to make your stay at Mystique, too. Another of the hotel’s restaurants, Charisma, is also a must-visit with endless panoramic views of the stretch of blue sky meeting inky waters. Order a bottle of the Gavalas Santorini dry white wine, snack on its equally as delicious beef tartare and make friends with Konstantinos, a member of the hotel’s staff who is warm, attentive and generous with his knowledge and advice for guests.
Once you’re full of Greek white wine and have spent time relaxing by the infinity pool, Mystique’s Elios Spa is deserving of a pitstop too. Celebrity facialist Teresa Tarmey has masterminded a facial for the spa that, if you didn’t already feel like you were in heaven, certainly will deposit you at the apex of relaxation by the end of the hour-long session.
You will have to pinch yourself that such a beautiful hotel really does exist, but once you’ve established that it does, you will have the time of your life.
Rates at Mystique, a Luxury Collection Hotel, start from £597.
Santo Mine Oia Suites
For those who may have lusted over the sweet configuration of Soho Farmhouse’s piglet huts, imagine that Santo Mine’s newly-opened Oia Suites are the Grecian equivalent, all of which overlook Santorini’s Ammoudi Bay. There are 37 individual suites dotted along the stretch of property, all of which come with private pools or jacuzzis that overlook the endless expanse of the Aegean Sea.
There’s a little something for everybody at the five-star haven, which officially opened its doors in 2024. Among them is an outdoor gym, an outdoor screening space, a private church and a wine cellar, in addition to an infinity pool, a library and three treatment rooms in the property’s spa. Whatever your idea of a relaxing holiday might be, there is a little something for everybody.
There’s also the hotel’s restaurant, Ālme, which promises some of the best and most awe-inspiring views of the Santorini sunset you could hope for. The restaurant’s menu prioritises farm-to-table dining with innovative riffs on fish dishes that are truly one-of-a-kind (the red snapper ceviche is a standout). Order a dirty vodka martini as an aperitivo and a bottle of crisp Vassaltis Greek white wine to wash your meal down with. Even if just to avoid the heaving queues to catch a breath-taking view of the signature Santorini sunset, a reservation at Ālme is a must; simply sit back and relax as the sun dips its waist below the horizon.
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Originally posted from “ELLE UK” by Team ELLE
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