Located in Imerovigli village, close to Fira, Grace hotel is scattered over seven levels on the edge of the caldera. Minimalist and modern, the staff are camouflaged in white; from the tiny reception area with a panoramic terrace, endless flights of steps lead down to rooms on different levels and to a lagoon-like infinity pool.
There are 20 rooms and suites and one exclusive VIP villa. All, except Deluxe rooms, have plunge pools or whirlpool baths. Walls are powder white with beige and caramel sofas, and there are lots of elegant details; marble lamps, Cycladic statues, king-sized Coco-Mat beds, summer and winter bathrobes (summer ones are more like kimonos), docking stations, iPads, plenty of plug sockets (including UK), chocolates and local liqueur on arrival.
The hotel is keen on souvenirs and include adorable touches to make your stay memorable; on arrival, guests have their photo taken with a Polaroid camera while a small wooden ‘memory box’ can be found in your room. The latter is full of trinkets, including a glass jar to collect the white, black or red sands of Santorini beaches, should you wish to visit (and you should). Daily free pilates and yoga classes are held in the resort’s second-floor studio, by the boutique fitness room. Souvenir-seekers should steer themselves towards the resort’s concept store, which sells artwork, floaty garments by super-cool Greek designers Zeus + Dione, and crafty trinkets from the Cycladic Art Museum. Local artwork is displayed in the champagne lounge too. Make your stay even more luxurious with the hotel’s Bespoke by Grace service, which allows guests to customise their stay with a pillow menu, choice of fragrances and bath products, bespoke in-room cocktail kit and a personal fitness kit.
On request, hotel staff can arrange tailored experiences including a private vineyard tour, excursion with a professional photographer, catamaran hire for two, or a 90-minute tour of Akrotiri (the ‘Minoan Pompeii’) archaeological site, followed by a seafood lunch. Pop across to Skaros Rock, the island’s former capital, to see the church and fortress remains. It’s particularly spectacular at sunset.
