Santorini Heights

Style

All white for the night

Setting

Santorini summit

Santorini Heights, at the highest point of the namesake Greek honeymoon haven, is formed from four whitewashed suites and a huge helping of (largely human-free) caldera views. The laidback owners like to keep things simple, offering room service rather than a restaurant, organising cooking classes to champion the local produce, and growing organic herbs and vegetables on site for use in everything from the cocktails delivered straight to your terrace to the cakes laid out in the communal kitchen. You’ll need a car to explore the rest of the island, but Pyrgos – and all its excellent tavernas, bars and boutiques – is the next village along.

Facilities

Rooms

Four suites and one private villa.

Checkout

11am, but flexible until 6pm, subject to availability and a 50 per cent charge. Check-in, 3pm, also flexible.

More Details

Rates usually include breakfast – smoked salmon, eggs, cooked-to-order dishes and cereals.

Also

Learn how to cook with island produce grown on site by booking onto a cooking class.

Hotel Closed

The hotel closes in early November until the end of March.

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Room Service

At the Hotel

Free WiFi throughout, car park. In rooms: Nespresso coffee machine; flatscreen TV; Bluetooth speaker; kitchen; natural bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

There are only four suites and a private villa to choose from, and each has its own charms. If water temperature’s important to you (and you enjoy nit-picking), the plunge pools in the Garden and Herb suites are four degrees warmer than the (bigger) pools in Cactus and Vine. Cactus is closest to the roadside, but we were wooed by its outdoor space, which includes a communal table and sunken sitting area, as well as the private pool. Right at the top of the hotel, the Summit Villa has the loftiest views and the most secluded location.

Poolside

There’s no communal pool, just the one in your suite.

Packing Tips

There won’t be many other guests to compete with, so anything goes – you’ll even be able to wear heels, unlike at most other precipitous Santorini properties.

Also

Spa therapists, personal trainers and yoga or Pilates teachers can drop by your suite.

Children

Ages 14 and up are welcome. There are sofa beds in three of the suites and in the private villa; the cost for an extra person is 25 per cent of the stay.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

It’s your terrace – anywhere you fancy.

Dress Code

As shoeless and shirtless as your heart desires.

Hotel Restaurant

There’s no formal restaurant at the hotel, but communal barbecues are regularly laid on for guests in the herb garden, where a table is set up. These friendly affairs often move on to the dining room next to the lobby, where guests continue their local-produce odyssey with wine and cheese tastings. At other times, guests are encouraged to dine on their own private terrace. Make use of your in-suite kitchen, or ring through for room service; snacks are supplied by the hotel or, with a couple of hours’ notice, dishes from acclaimed nearby restaurant Selene will appear at your door. Breakfast is served daily and ordered the evening before.

Hotel Bar

There’s no bar, but drinks can be requested via room service, and there’s a minibar and wine cooler in your suite. The hotel owners have an impress collection of wine to sample, or order one of the garden-herb cocktails.

Last Orders

This is a laidback operation with no fixed hours, but staff are on-call via WhatsApp if you’re desperate for a drink/almost anything else.

Room Service

Meals and snacks can be ordered between 12.30pm and 9pm.

Planes

The island’s main airport is eight kilometres away; expect the drive to take around 20 minutes. Hotel transfers cost €30 each way for up to three passengers (after that, it’s an additional €10 a person); €100 will get you a fancier vehicle. The same rates apply for transfers to and from the port.

Automobiles

The hotel is a short drive uphill from Pyrgos. It’s recommended that you have your own car for getting around the island; the staff can arrange hire for you, and you can leave the car at the hotel when you depart. There’s free parking during your stay, too.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

The crowds will be flocking to Oia for sunset and they have a point, but there’s more to this Aegean island. The hotel can arm you with directions for some view-chasing hikes, including from Fira to Oia, around the volcano, and to Ancient Thira, a city on the ridge of a mountain. The neighbouring village of Pyrgos is filled with 12th-century alleys, pretty churches, galleries and some of the best restaurants on the island. Wine has been made on Santorini for thousands of years – see how with a trip to Venetsanos or Gavalas. Cinema buffs will love a trip to the outdoor cinema in Kamari. The hotel can also organise a sailing tour of the local coast on a yacht or catamaran.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .