Fira

El Greco Resort and Spa Fira

★★★★★

Most Fira hotels are small, squeezed onto the cliff or into narrow lanes. El Greco is the opposite: a sprawling resort on the edge of the capital, a few minutes from the town centre, which describes itself as the largest hotel on Santorini. It belongs to KD Hotels, the island group that also runs several other properties, and it is built in a low, whitewashed Cycladic style across extensive grounds. For families in particular, that space is the point. There are five outdoor freshwater pools and a dedicated children's pool, two outdoor hot tubs, and plenty of sunbeds, so even in high summer there is room to swim and relax without fighting for a lounger. Rooms range from standard and superior doubles to junior suites, loft suites over two levels and two-bedroom villas, which make a good choice for families or friends travelling together. Two restaurants mean you can eat in when the children are tired: La Pergola serves Santorinian, Greek and international dishes, and Ampelos focuses on Cycladic flavours, while the Aeolos pool bar handles drinks and snacks. The Lotus Spa is an adults-only spa with an indoor pool open to guests booking treatments, and there is a fitness centre, parking (a real asset in Fira), room service, wireless internet and airport or port transfers. A conference hall means the hotel also hosts events and groups. The trade-off is atmosphere. This is a resort, not a boutique hotel, and it can feel busy when groups are staying; there is no caldera view from most of the property, and it lacks the intimacy of the small cliff hotels. But for families who want pools, food and space within walking distance of Fira's museums, buses and caldera walkway, it is hard to beat at the price.

Choosing a room: couples will be comfortable in a superior double. Families should look at the loft suites, which spread over two levels, or the two-bedroom villas, which give parents and children separate bedrooms. Ask for a room near the children's pool if you are travelling with small children, or away from the main pool area if you want quiet.

Location and getting around: the hotel is a few minutes from the centre of Fira, so you can walk to the caldera walkway, the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, the Archaeological Museum, the cable car and the main bus station, from which buses run to Oia, Kamari, Perissa and Akrotiri. Having on-site parking makes a hire car much easier than in the middle of town. The airport is around fifteen minutes away and Athinios port about twenty to thirty minutes.

Season and practicalities: the official site does not publish opening dates; Fira hotels of this size usually run a long season but may close in mid-winter, so check availability for November to March. The climate resilience fee is charged per room per night according to category, and is lower in the winter months.