Three villages on the cliff, two beaches on the east coast, and a season that decides which hotels are open
Santorini is the remnant of an ancient volcanic caldera, and Santorini island hotels sit either on its rim or on the coast below. Villages sit along the rim, looking down on the sea, while on the east side beaches of black volcanic sand line the shore. The luxury hotels Santorini is known for share a standard of service, yet a suite in Oia and a room near Perissa give very different weeks.
This guide walks the rim from Oia to Fira, turns to the coast and the vineyard villages, and ends with season, steps, and transfers. Each hotel named below has an active official website, and we confirm opening dates before anything is proposed.
The best hotels in Santorini for views stand along the rim, and the three villages there feel quite different from one another.
Oia is the village of sunsets. The Municipality of Thira points to the sunsets from its castle and to the old ports of Ammoudi and Armeni below. Mystique, a Luxury Collection hotel, is carved into the caldera cliffs, and most of its stone-crafted suites and villas have a private jacuzzi or pool. Canaves Oia Suites has caldera views, private plunge pools, and a 17th-century cave spa. Andronis Luxury Suites also stands on the Oia cliffs and welcomes guests aged 13 and above, while Andronis Arcadia, in Oia, is a family-friendly property.
Imerovigli sits at the highest part of the caldera, with wide views of the sea and the sunset. Astra Suites is an all-suites hotel here, with terraces facing the caldera and a cliff-side infinity pool, and it also offers villas.
Fira is the island’s capital and its largest town, perched on the cliffs with views of the volcano. It suits a stay built around the town rather than one hotel.
Kamari and Perissa face the other way. Kamari is a waterfront village on black volcanic sand, and Perissa has a fully organised beach with facilities for families and water activities. A stay here puts the sea at the door in place of the caldera view, and the caldera is a drive away. We confirm each hotel in these two villages before we propose it.
Inland, Megalochori is rural and traditional, with a central square, vineyards, and some of the island’s most exceptional wineries. Vedema, a Luxury Collection resort, grew out of a 400-year-old winery inside the medieval village and now consists of several villa complexes and cottage houses.
For guests who want a house rather than a room, Santorini villas are offered by several of these hotels, including Canaves Oia Suites, Astra Suites, and Vedema.
Tell us your dates and whether you prefer the rim or the coast, and we will suggest hotels
The Municipality of Thira describes hot weather from June to October, with July and August as the peak, and a milder spring from April. Hotels follow the same rhythm, and Mystique’s news page, for example, refers to the hotel’s season. Many properties close in winter and reopen in spring, and each hotel sets its own dates, so for April, May, or late autumn we confirm which hotels are open before we suggest any.
Hotels built into the cliff are often arranged on several levels. Astra Suites, for example, offers suites on various levels of the property, so the walk to the room can include steps. We ask each hotel about the route and about luggage, and Andronis asks guests who need special assistance to tell the hotel in advance.
The flight from Athens to Santorini takes less than an hour, and ferries arrive at Athinios Port. The Municipality of Thira notes that taxis are limited in number, and Astra Suites arranges its own airport and ferry transfers for this reason. Andronis puts the transfer to its hotels at 25 to 40 minutes, depending on location and traffic.
At Perfect.Live, we choose the village with you, then a hotel or villa from the luxury hotels Santorini offers there, and we request the rooms that suit the stay where availability allows. We ask each hotel about opening dates and the route to the room, arrange the transfer and a driver, and plan the days and evenings, with one point of contact for the whole trip. For a trip that continues to another island, see our guide to luxury hotels in Mykonos. For a house instead of a hotel, our guide to choosing the right villa includes a mansion in Oia.
Oia and Imerovigli on the caldera rim suit a first visit, with caldera views and sunsets, and Fira suits a stay built around the town
The rim gives the views and the sunsets, and the east coast gives black-sand beaches at the door. We ask how you plan to spend the days, and then suggest one side
A villa gives more space and privacy, and several hotels here offer villas, including Canaves Oia Suites, Astra Suites, and Vedema. We compare the options with the size of the group and the route to the door
Many close for the winter and reopen in spring, and each hotel sets its own dates. We confirm which hotels are open on your dates before we suggest any
Yes. We arrange the airport or port transfer and a driver, ask the hotel about the route to the room, and plan the days around the stay
