Finding the Best Hotels in Santorini: Our Top 18 Choices

When you think about Greece, one of the common images you conjure up may be the sunbleached white buildings embedded into a cliff opposite a volcano’s caldera. That image of the blue dome capped white buildings is the image of the island of Santorini and it is a favorite among world travelers.

Honeymooners, retirement vacations and family getaways are all familiar reasons to take a trip to the exotic location. Fine hotels are spread over the face of the island and with plenty of pools, spas, hot tubs, and fabulous restaurants, you may check in to any of these great locations and enjoy the offerings of your hotel as an attraction in and of itself. These are by far the best hotels in Santorini, broken down into the six main areas of the island.

Best Hotels in Santorini: Best Hotels in Fira

The capital city of Santorini, Fira (can be seen written as Thira as well) is a hub of activity and cultural relevance on the island. The famous cable car and switchback zig-zag trails up the cliff from the ports below are every bit as iconic as the whitewashed buildings with their piercing blue domes.

Known as a world wide destination for young couples on newlywed trips or older couples revisiting their youth, Fira welcomes travelers by the thousands and the countless hotels set into the collapsed caldera cliffs offer accommodations of various levels for each and every visitors’ needs and requirements.

Athina Luxury Suites

Santorini’s romantic atmosphere and reputation as a prime honeymoon destination often translates to “adults only” and The Athena Luxury Suites is one of few exceptions to this common finding. If you are traveling with family and looking for premier accommodations and unbeatable views while staying in the capital, these unique suites will suit you and your party’s needs.

You will find that many of the hotels on the caldera side of Santorini are “cave suites” meaning they are built into the cliff side and have no “back side” views. Every one of the resort’s ten suites have stunning views of the volcano.

Find out more about the Athina Luxury Suites here.

Keti Hotel

Nearby is the Keti Hotel, another fantastic set of suites built into the caldera cliffs facing the spectacular view you cam to Santorini to enjoy. Matching the neighboring hotels in quality and prestige but coming at a slightly lower cost than its matching competitors, the Hotel Keti may be the best hotel to book when you take your budget into account.

The breakfast buffet is included in the stay and also saves you some of your dining expenses. Start your day enjoying a fine breakfast with a view among the best the planet has to offer, and spend that saved money elsewhere while enjoying your time in Santorini.

Find out more about the Keti Hotel here.

Anteliz Suites

Or perhaps you are looking for a more exclusive hotel, one that caters to a more adult clientele. It’s not that infants and toddlers are caustic or noxious, it’s just that you came to Santorini for a relaxing time and you’d prefer to avoid the noise associated with very young children. Anteliz Suites meets the middle ground with an age restriction of 12 years and older. You can relax by the pool, enjoy the hot tub with a reasonable expectation of peace and tranquility.

Each of the 13 suites look out over the volcano as do the pools and hot tubs. Enjoy a drink from the poolside bar and unwind among the hotel’s perfectly curated serenity from one of the best hotels in Santorini.

Find out more about the Anteliz Suites here.

Best Hotels in Santorini: Best Hotels in Oia

Up at the northern tip of the island sits Oia, locally known as “Pano Meria” or “upper side”. Life in Oia is somewhat more relaxed than in the capital. A quieter side of the island, you will find hotel lodgings that know why you are here and what you need.

The sights to see are plentiful, such as the Four Bells, and Fort Londsa, but come late afternoon, the streets fill up with tourists from all over the island to witness the sunset from Oia. Higher elevation, unobstructed lines of sight, and a general interest in beauty, the entire population comes out to see the sunsets from this village.

Charisma Suites

With the vision of the spectacular sunset in mind, consider the Charisma Suites for your stay in Oia. Most hotels on Santorini’s eastern coast focus on the one and obvious choice of views, the caldera and volcano. However, Charisma Suites is situated in such a way that while you will still have a decent view into the caldera, you will have the devastatingly gorgeous view of the Oia sunset over the Aegean Sea right from your private suite.

This exclusive adults only property is one of the few locations where you can witness the nightly spectacle of the world famous Oia sunset from your private chambers of one of the best hotels in Santorini.

Find out more about the Charisma Suites here.

Canaves Oia Suites

Also overlooking the Aegean Sea is the Canaves Oia Suites. If you are traveling with your teenagers, this hotel accepts guests from age 14 and up only. This should provide you with some peace and quiet away from the tourists and throngs of sunset-seekers that flood the small village in the early twilight hours. Spa treatments and fitness lessons with an inspiring seaside view will invigorate you and enhance that splendor and tranquility you came here to enjoy.

Suites look out over the Aegean and give you a wonderful western sunset view while still being able to spot the volcano to the south. This is one of the best views at one of the best hotels in Santorini.

Find out more about Canaves Oia Suites here.

Kirini

Down the road a little way to the east is the Kirini Santorini, twenty private suites that are removed from the bustling pocket of tourists that descend on Oia each afternoon. Another 14 and up property, this fantastic hotel is a perfect escape from the crowds and take in some of Oia’s natural beauty in relative calm and silence. The configurations of the suites vary from the junior suite overlooking the caldera, to the master suite with a private pool.

Offering good views of the sunset and fantastic views of the volcano caldera, Kirini Santorini is far enough away from the center of the action that you will enjoy its secluded nature.

Find out more about Kirini here.

Best Hotels in Santorini: Best Hotels in Imerovigli

No less impressive, only different in nature, are the sunsets visible from the small village of Imerovigli. Boasting a higher elevation than most of the towns and villages on Santorini, Imerovigli is further south of Oia but can still offer spectacular sunset views because of it’s superior height. With just under 500 permanent residents, this tiny village is truly a hidden gem with its generous outcropping of hotels and restaurants that indulge guests that come to the beautiful island and choose to stay at the aptly names “Balcony into the Aegean”. The panoramic views are among the best you will fine anywhere on the entire island.

Grace Santorini

If you are looking for the VIP treatment, the Grace Santorini offers a top tier hotel with service that seems to be the entire focus of their business. Guests at the Grace Santorini commonly point out the staff’s eagerness to make your every desire come true while staying at their hotel. And for those looking at an extended stay, they have a private villa with dedicated butler and private chef.

Rooms are tiered into the cliff face and spread out among seven floors. This is fairly par for the course in Santorini and you can relax your tired legs from walking all those steps in your room’s private pool. Yes, private pool. There is a reason this property is on our list of the best hotels in Santorini.

Find out more about Grace Santorini here.

Andronis Concept Wellness Resort

Here at the Andronis Concept Wellness Resort, the spa life fully engulfs you and creates a fantastic space for a true wellness getaway. Coach-led hikes, in room fitness equipment, and a bevy of athletic activities makes for the perfect location to keep fit while getting away from it all. Suites have private pools, the larger villa has two! Being that unusual exception that welcomes families with children of any age, the Andronis Concept Wellness Resort will have your entire family smiling with health and energy.

If you want time away from the kids for an evening, the hotel offers child sitting services and a private dining area for a romantic evening meal. This is truly one of the best hotels in Santorini, and for good reason.

Find out more about the Andronis Concept Wellness Resort here.

Astra Suites

The 26 suites at the Hotel Astra could qualify as apartments in their own right. Large spacious accommodations that will have you feeling at home the moment you cross the threshold. The hotel is situated on the final street at the western edge of town so there is nothing between your suite and the view of Skaros Rock and then then caldera beyond.

Relax and sip cocktails by the large infinity pool or in the privacy of your suite’s pool and watch the ferry traffic, or turn west in the afternoon and catch the glowing sunset that Imerovigli catches just right.

Find out more about Astra Suites here.

Best Hotels in Santorini: Best Hotels in Kamari

On the back side of the island is the small resort town of Kamari. Offering a different Santorini experience, you won’t be staying among the iconic caldera cliffs and looking out over the volcano from your rooms, but you will have access to the longest beach with the volcanic black pebble sand.

The island of Santorini is compact in size enough that your days could be split between enjoying the tourism amid the caldera cliffs and the refreshing beaches at your resort. Day trips to the east side of the island are common enough that you won’t miss a thing other than the cost of prime location hotels.

Santorini Kastelli Resort

Just off the beach and with excellent views of the ocean is the Santorini Kastelli Resort. This larger hotel is accommodating and warm, offering the same intimate care and comforts as the smaller ten room boutiques. More family friendly than the caldera side of the island, the Kastelli resort embraces the children’s activities and offers plenty for the kids to do while staying at the hotel.

Take one of the provided beach towels and a short stroll to the water and you’ll be sun bathing on the black sands and soaking in the Sea of Crete for much of your Santorini holiday!

Find out more about the Santorini Kastelli Resort here.

Sigalas Beach Hotel

If walking down to the beach is more than you planned and you are looking for a room on the sand, the Sigalas Beach Hotel has what you are looking for. Pristine suites that open up to the black sand beach and the blue sea beyond, you will hardly want to leave your room when you book this hotel. And you’ll hardly have to; the in-hotel restaurant serves fine meals that are so good, they are recommended to visitors beyond just hotel guests.

Many of the suites have kitchenettes so you can cook for yourselves and enjoy your choice of dining while taking in the beachfront life.

Find out more about the Sigalas Beach Hotel here.

Cavo Bianco

Back in the village, the Cavo Bianco Boutique Hotel and Spa offers a pampered stay at a wonderful full service spa and fitness resort. Still only a short stroll down to the black pebble beaches or Kamari, the pools and hot tubs at Cavo Bianco may appeal to you with the full menu of massage available. Suites with private pools, Honeymoon suite with spa bath, and Standard rooms are available for the wide variety of traveler.

The breakfast buffet is a great way to begin your morning as you dine and take in the Mediterranean sun out on the terrace. Dining for lunch and dinner will be off site as the hotel’s restaurant serves only breakfast.

Find out more about Cavo Bianco here.

Best Hotels in Santorini: Best Hotels in Firostefani

Exotic locations such as the famous Greek island of Santorini are apparently not immune to modern situations such as urban sprawl. Firostefani is about halfway between the capital Fira and the neighboring town of Imerovigli. In fact, there is little to differentiate Firostefani from Fira other than the slower pace, the lack of loud and busy nightlife. Being a smaller village than the capital, this could be considered the suburban escape from the larger city except this small annex contains some of the finer hotels and restaurants on the entire island. The slower pace and quieter atmosphere mixed with the exemplary accommodations may be the perfect mix for your holiday.

Tsitouras Collection

Taking exclusivity to the extreme, the Tsitouras Collection is a five room hotel spread over a gorgeous landscape boasting some of the finer caldera views on the island. Built in the late 1700’s as a private estate and converted much later to a fashionable resort, the Tsitouras is family owned and run. The staff will cater to your needs and make your stay a memorable one. Dining on spectacular Mediterranean seafood at the poolside 5-star restaurant will certainly be a high mark of your trip.

The rooftop terrace and pool is a fantastic location to relax and watch the sun set on the far side of the caldera after a warm day investigating the island.

Find out more about the Tsitouras Collection here.

Sun Rocks

Focused on the obvious romance aspect of the island, Sun Rocks Relais & Chateaux is an adults only resort that can pour on the romance and atmosphere for its guests. Straying from the standard “blue on white” appearance of most of Santorini’s hotels, Sun Rocks is adorned with rich earth tones and warm colors that blend rather than contrast. The restaurant also embraces the romantic. Elea Aegean Cuisine is one of the best ways to take in the fading light over the caldera view with a fine wine or gastronomical delicacy.

Of course, taking in the view from your private rooms is just as easy with each suite looking over the marvelous vision of one of the best hotels in Santorini.

Find out more about Sun Rocks here.

Homeric Poems

If you peruse pictures of Santorini for any length of time, you will see a stark white roof with a weathered fishing boat perched atop it. This is the roof of the Homeric Poems. The boat in question was a family boat that has become one of the more popular photograph locations on the island. The rooms at the Homeric Poems are no less popular, each of the 20 suites are superbly decorated and the staff is up to the task of meeting your desires.

Small children will not interrupt your romantic evening at the hotel as guests must be 13 years or older to stay at the Homeric Poems.

Find out more about Homeric Poems here.

Best Hotels in Santorini: Best Hotels in Perissa

Another settlement on the back side of Santorini, Perissa sits on the east coast just south of Kamari on the other side of the Mesa Vouno Mountain. The beach sand here has been pounded by the tides and is a finer grit of black sand and not less like pebbles.

More isolated than its northern neighbor, Perissa enjoys the fruits of its anonymity by offering a respite from the bustle of Santorini tourism and commerce while maintaining a relative ease to travel into the island’s more popular cities when desired. This mix of privacy with access to the popular sites makes Perissa and its fine hotels and restaurants a growing destination.

Istoria Hotel

The adults only policy at Istoria Hotel is reflective of its secluded nature. The beach front rooms and its full wellness spa and relaxation package caters to an adult clientele and it a perfect getaway for a couple to escape the mundane life and pamper themselves at this fantastic hotel. Suites opening out onto Perivolos Beach with the rising sun warming the black sand beach will have you enjoying the day before you set foot out of bed.

A modern hotel in a growing location, the Istoria Hotel offers the best accommodations serving the beach front community at Perissa before the area is overrun with those seeking to find a place away from it all.

Find out more about the Istoria Hotel here.

Black Rose Suites

Sharing the sand slightly to the north is the Black Rose Suites. Set on the sands of Perissa Beach, Black Rose is a smaller resort with only six uniquely appointed rooms making for a far more intimate setting than in a larger hotel. The staff tends to your needs and takes care of you as if they were hosting family. The hospitality offered to the hotel’s guests is personally managed and easily handled. By maintaining such a small footprint, the hotel ensures you don’t become lost as just “another guest”.

Some suites have private balcony views, other suites have private pools. All suites have access to the common are pool and private beach. This beautiful choice is one of the best hotels in Santorini dollar-for-dollar.

Find out more about Black Rose Suites here.

Smaragdi Hotel

Back off the sand but only a short walk to the beach, the Hotel Smaragdi is a great place to stay when you visit the Perissa area. A larger property with 60 rooms available, this family friendly hotel welcomes guests looking for a more economical way to stay in this growing resort village. Beach access is less than 200 feet down the road and the hotel pool is cool and inviting on a warm Mediterranean day. Enjoy a cocktail at the poolside bar or take in a delicious made to order breakfast while sun bathing.

Smaragdi Hotel offers rooms to fit your budget from the economy room to the fancy suites with jetted tubs.

Find out more about the Smaragdi Hotel here.