Canaves Epitome
Fifty shades darker
Edge of the Aegean
There’s something enigmatic about Canaves Epitome. Striking out on its own, you’ll find it not within the white-washed maze of Oia, but sequestered on a rugged cliffside overlooking the tiny bay of Ammoudi. An antidote to Santorini’s traditional sugar-cube towns, it nods to the island’s characteristic cave-like interiors but hints at an alter-ego with smoke-hued accents and bathrooms edged in ebony. Outside is darker still, where volcanic rock in sultry shades shroud serene lamp-lit courtyards and enchanting plunge pools where you can lounge like Persephone, presiding over your own scandalously luxurious underworld.
Facilities
Rooms
53 suites and villas.
Checkout
11am. Earliest check-in, 3pm.
More Details
Rates include a superb à la carte champagne breakfast of fresh pastries, pies, Greek yoghurt with granola and made-to-order eggs on crusty sourdough with tomato and creamy feta. You’ll get a welcome bottle of wine and fresh fruits in your room.
Also
Rooms aren’t wheelchair accessible. An alternative is the hotel’s sister property, Canaves Oia Suites, which is well-appointed for wheelchair users and one of the only hotels in town with a lift.
Hotel Closed
From 20 October to 1 May, each year.
Fitness Center
Free Internet Access
Laundry
Pool
On-Site Restaurant
Spa
At the Hotel
Gym and yoga studio, free Wi-Fi throughout. In rooms: iPod dock; Sonos speakers; WiFi; flatscreen TV; minibar; Nespresso machine; tea-making kit; bespoke toiletries; free bottled water.
Our Favourite Rooms
The private terraces in the Deluxe Suites are smaller but still have heated plunge pools, plus a picturesque outdoor dining area for feasting on room service spreads. For uninterrupted ocean views the Two-Bedroom Pool Villas are your best bet, but we particularly love the Epitome Pool Villas for their crackling poolside fire-pits.
Poolside
Every room has its own heated pool or plunge pool. There’s also a large infinity pool by the bar – edged in dark, volcanic rock its aquamarine waters look extra irresistible.
Spa
There’s one treatment room for massages and facials, including signature treatments by Valmont and couples’ spa rituals.
Packing Tips
A pair of Ancient Greek Sandals and, for Mrs Smith, a rich red lipstick to match Santorini’s fiery sunsets.
Children
All ages are welcome. Extra beds and sofa beds are available in some rooms (free for under-sevens; charged for over-sixes). Babysitting is available with three days’ notice.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Top Table
Ask for a table at the edge of the restaurant, closest to the pool, for front-row seats to the show-stopping sunset – minus Oia’s crowds.
Dress Code
Canaves Epitome breaks out of Santorini’s pure-white mould and so should you. Don smart casuals in dusky shades and some sunset-catching accessories in bright copper tones.
Hotel Restaurant
The chef at Elements Restaurant, Tasos Stefatos, is no stranger to Michelin-starred cooking (his credentials include kitchen time at Vendôme in Germany and New York City’s Atera) and he approaches Mediterranean food with an éclat that befits the hotel’s naturally knockout setting. The menu doesn’t shy away from international options but the Greek fare – try the grouper en papillote with spinach and leeks or the expertly grilled seafood – is where Stefatos’ expertise, in both flavour and bold presentation, really shines. Dining-room decor is all about pale woods and a palette of silvery grey and rustic taupe, but outside is where you want to be: dramatic Aegean views dominate by day, and every evening the mythical sunsets are reflected in the decadent, gold leaf-adorned dishes.
Hotel Bar
A refreshing shelter from Santorini’s sizzling rays, Sunset Bar is awash in cool greys and soothing taupe with smoky, minimalist marble tables and sofas you can’t help but sink into. The hotel’s open-plan style means that interior spaces flow seamlessly from lobby to lounge and out onto the poolside terrace, where you can gaze at the ocean, cocktail in hand.
Last Orders
Breakfast is served from 8am to 11am in Elements Restaurant (or in your room). Lunch is from noon to 7pm and dinner is from 7pm to 11pm. Sunset Bar is open from 8am to midnight with a menu of bar snacks available from noon until 7pm.
Room Service
In-room dining is available around the clock.
Planes
There are direct flights to Santorini from London Gatwick or Heathrow, or you could also fly to Athens and hop on a 45-minute flight to the island with Aegean Airlines or Olympic Air. The hotel is a 30-minute drive from Santorini International Airport and it’s best to book transfers in advance to avoid the laborious taxi queues that are particularly lengthy during summer. The hotel can arrange transfers for up to four from €110; additional passengers cost €20 each.
Automobiles
You won’t need a car to head into Oia – the hotel offers a free shuttle – but to seek out secluded coves and undiscovered sunset spots one might come in handy. There’s free parking at the hotel if you rent wheels at the airport.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
In the prettiest parts of Oia you’re likely to find yourself vying for selfie space among the crowds – this is one of Greece’s most popular islands, after all – but this Jewel of the Aegean’s lesser-visited edges hide tiny villages and other-worldly beaches that are worth exploring.
The small port town of Ammoudi is home to one of the best places to swim on the island. Follow the rocky path leading away from the bay to find it: there’s no beach, but the water is almost impossibly clear and daring locals plunge into it from the craggy cliffs (swim over to the small island opposite for slightly tamer jumping-off points). Take a 45-minute road trip south to Red Beach – a striking coastal point that’s more Mars-meets-the-sea than it is Mediterranean sunbathing spot – and stop off at the nearby village of Akrotiri for lunch while you’re at it. Quiet and quaint, it’s one of the few places on Santorini that’s well and truly off the tourist trail, the sort of place where simple, family-run seafood joints take precedence over Instagramming your brunch.
At the village’s nearby archaeological site you’ll also find some of the country’s most spectacular and fascinating ancient ruins. Spend a day sipping Greek wines and nibbling meze on a tour of Santorini’s wineries, or get up close and personal with an active volcano on a boat tour that whisks you over to nearby Erinia Bay followed by a pit-stop at Palea Kameni island for a calming mud bath. Wander up to Oia Castle where you’ll find panoramic views of the town clinging to the cliffs below. The Byzantine ruins won’t blow you away but the sunset certainly will.
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. .
