Imerovigli

Grace Hotel, Auberge Collection

★★★★★

Grace Hotel is the quiet sophisticate of the caldera. It sits on the hillside of Imerovigli, three hundred metres above the sea, with the whole sweep of the caldera spread out in front of it, from Skaros Rock just along the cliff to Oia on the northern horn and the volcano in the middle of the bay. Now part of the Auberge Collection, it is known for its calm, all-white design, attentive service and, above all, its heated infinity pool, the largest in Imerovigli, which seems to merge into the caldera and becomes the social heart of the hotel at sunset. Rooms range from deluxe rooms to junior suites and several categories of luxury suite, the larger ones with more terrace space, and at the top of the range is a two-bedroom villa of around four hundred square metres with its own spa, including a steam bath, an indoor plunge pool and a treatment room. The restaurant is a big draw: Varoulko Santorini is the island outpost of the celebrated Athens seafood restaurant of chef Lefteris Lazarou, serving refined Greek seafood cooking with the caldera as a backdrop, and it also runs the pool bar. 363 Bar pours champagne and cocktails, and the champagne breakfast is a house tradition. There is a fitness centre and a yoga and Pilates studio, in-room spa treatments, and a range of curated experiences on and off the property. For safety reasons, the hotel accepts only children over fourteen, except in the villa, which suits families with younger children. Fira is about two kilometres away, a pleasant walk along the caldera path, and the airport is about eight kilometres away.

Why Imerovigli: staying here gives you the best of both worlds. The village is calmer than Fira and Oia, with fewer crowds along the lane and sunsets that are just as spectacular, yet Fira, with its restaurants, bars and bus station, is a thirty-minute walk or a short taxi ride away. The caldera hike to Oia passes right by, and Skaros Rock is a short walk along the rim.

Choosing a room: the deluxe rooms are the most affordable way into the hotel and still have caldera views; junior and luxury suites add more space and better terraces, which matters on Santorini, where you spend so much time outdoors. The villa is in a category of its own for groups and families. Book Varoulko for dinner when you reserve your room, especially for a sunset table.

Practical notes: Athinios port is about ten kilometres away and the airport about eight, and the hotel arranges transfers. Like most cliffside properties, it involves steps, and staff handle luggage. The hotel operates a seasonal calendar, typically from spring to autumn, so check dates if you are travelling in winter. The climate resilience fee is added per room per night.