This is a guest post by Amabel Buck, a luxury travel writer.
I’d been dreaming of visiting Santorini for about 10 years so when I finally found reasonably priced plane tickets for September, I jumped at the chance. I wanted the full Santorini experience you see on social media – a luxury hotel room with a private pool or hot tub, overlooking the breathtaking caldera.
The caldera is the name for the ancient volcanic crater where the famous Santorini villages are perched. On this crescent-shaped clifftop, there are whitewashed homes and hotels as far as the eye can see, interspersed only by blue domes and swimming pools.
A lot of the places you see on Instagram are located in Oia, which is the most famous town in Santorini. Most of the luxury hotels here are reserved for the mega-wealthy, with rooms that can easily cost thousands of dollars a night.
Aperto Suites is a little bit different. This is very much a ‘boutique’ hotel, with just 7 luxury suites located in the heart of Fira, the island’s capital. While Fira does not have the high-end exclusivity of Oia, it has all the same stunning views, beautiful boutiques and arguably better location and nightlife.
While it’s not quite as expensive as Oia, rooms with an outdoor hot tub at Aperto Suites still go for several hundred dollars a night, especially if you’re travelling in the high season.
So was it worth the money? (Just FYI, I paid full price for our 3-night stay, this is not a sponsored review) The short answer is yes, it was absolutely worth it, but here are some things to know before you go:
The Location – Caldera Sunset Heaven
Location is everything in Santorini. If you want that quintessential Santorini view from your hotel room, you have to choose carefully.
Many of the hotels in Fira or Oia face East, which means you won’t get to see the sunset from your balcony and you’ll be looking over the rural side of the island as opposed to the caldera side where all the traditional white cave homes are located.
While these hotels are usually cheaper, it means you’ll be fighting to find a spot to watch the sunset each evening or paying over the odds in a restaurant or bar.
Aperto Suites is perfectly positioned a few steps down from the top of the caldera, with every balcony offering show-stopping sunset views.
Sitting on the balcony drinking a crisp white wine with a front-row seat to the iconic Santorini sunset is a memory I have bottled up for safekeeping. It’s the place I return to when I’m sitting at my desk on a cold, rainy Monday morning.
Aside from perfect positioning, Aperto Suites is also located right next door to one of Santorini’s famous domed churches.
The Church of Saint John the Theologian is a weathered white building with a rustic red trim – quite unique for an island known for its blue and white churches. This makes it a great spot for photography.
Beyond this church is a maze of beautiful white buildings, luxury hotels and pathways, one of which runs right in front of the hotel. While I don’t think it’s very ethical to ride donkeys on the island, watching them trot past first thing in the morning on their way down to the port was particularly charming.
Despite being right in the heart of central Fira, the path that runs below the hotel never seems to get that busy, offering guests plenty of privacy on their balconies.
Views to the right of the hotel include the picture-perfect scenes of Fira and Skaros Rock.
Things to Do Nearby
Leave the hotel from the top gate and follow the staircase up to the top, and you’ll find yourself right in the hubbub on one of the main pedestrianised streets of Santorini.
It can get crazy crowded up there but due to the way Aperto Suites is positioned, you never seem to hear the noise once you’re down on your balcony soaking up the sunset.
In fact, it was hard to believe how close we were to some of the main attractions, including Fira’s main square, the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, and the buzzing PKs Cocktail Bar (the oldest bar on the island). All of these were less than a 5-minute walk away.
One of the best things to do in Santorini is just get lost in the picturesque streets, and that was all too easy from Aperto Suites. Staying right in the heart of the action made it easy to pop out before breakfast and take those iconic photos before all cruise ship passengers descended.
There was a particularly perfect white-domed church just 5 minutes away (Saint Minas Holy Orthodox Church) which never had queues for photographs – unlike the famous 3 blue domes in Oia which had hours-long queues at peak times. We accidentally stumbled on it on our way to the supermarket (less than a 10-minute walk) to stock up on snacks and drinks for sunset.
Of course, if you want to explore the island further, you’re just a few minutes’ walk from the main road, where you can catch a taxi or bus to other famous places on the island.
There’s a bus that goes to Immeriovigli and Oia regularly, and another that goes to the rustic village of Pyrgos and then on to the black sand beaches of Kamari and Perissa.
Scenic Immerovigli is just a 30-minute walk away, where you can see the striking Skaros Rock up close. From here you can also take on the famous Fira to Oia walk, which we did one day (you’ll need sturdy walking shoes – don’t attempt it in sandals!).
We only spent 4 days in Santorini but I wish we could’ve stayed longer to experience everything else on offer. I’d pick the perfect location of Aperto Suites over and over again.
Room Types and Amenities
There are just 7 unique rooms at Aperto Suites Santorini, each with its own unique layout and quirky aesthetics. They’re built in the traditional Santorini cave style, which means some of the rooms are pretty small inside, although they are all very tastefully furnished and decorated.
Every room comes with all the essentials for a comfortable and luxurious stay, including A/C, a mini fridge, tea and coffee-making facilities (replenished daily), a small safe, luxury toiletries, and beautiful bathrobes.
The 7 rooms are broken down into 6 room categories (for some reason). The only two suites to share a room category are the 2 ‘superior’ suites, although one is arguably far more ‘superior’ as it’s higher up and has space on the balcony for sun loungers.
If you want the better superior room, you need to book in advance because it’s allocated on a first-come first-served basis. We booked a little bit last minute and they only had 1 room available which was the lower superior suite (Room 4). I would definitely book further in advance and pay a little bit more for the executive or honeymoon room next time!
The room categories are as follows:
Junior Cave Hot Tub Suite: Usually offering the cheapest nightly rate, this room features an indoor jacuzzi and shares a (spacious) balcony with another suite.
Cave Hot Tub Suite: With more interior space including a sofa area and indoor private hot tub, this room offers better access to the shared balcony and would be a great choice for colder, shoulder season months.
Senior Hot Tub Suite: The most affordable option with an outdoor hot tub, this room is located on the same level as the walking path which means the balcony is not the most private. However, the room still offers sensational sunset views and a cosy interior space.
Superior Hot Tub Suite: This category encompasses two different rooms, both with their own private balconies, outdoor hot tubs and private balconies. Both feature a small-ish cave-style interior with a double bed but limited storage facilities. Superior suite 5 has a better view and position than 4 as it’s higher up, with a slightly larger balcony to accommodate 2 sunbeds.
Executive Hot Tub Suite: This room offers sensational sunset views from a higher level, a larger balcony with an outdoor hot tub. It also has a more spacious interior, including a separate bathroom with his and hers sinks.
Honeymoon Hot Tub Suite: As the name suggests, this is the best room at Aperto Suites, offering a significantly larger balcony on the highest level of the property, and a sumptuous interior complete with a cosy lounge and dressing area.
The Food at Aperto Suites Santorini
Aperto Suites is a true boutique in every sense of the word. There are no bar or restaurant facilities here, just a handful of cosy suites connected by a zig-zag staircase on the cliffside.
However, breakfast is included in the room rate, brought to your balcony at a time to suit you. You choose what you’d like to eat from a selection of items and simply let the staff know what time you’d like it delivered.
There was something particularly special about coming out each morning to our table laden with fresh fruit, scrambled eggs and creamy Greek yoghurt and honey.
We felt the breakfast choices included everything you could want from a typical European-style breakfast, whether you’re a sweet tooth who loves pastries in the morning or prefer to start the day with savoury cooked meats and protein.
The breakfast was rounded off perfectly with a glass of fresh orange juice and a creamy cappuccino.
I’m pretty sure there is only one member of staff in charge of cooking and serving the breakfast, so just be mindful that it might not come exactly on time. One morning it seemed several rooms had ordered their breakfast at the same time and there was a short delay in its arrival.
I recommend ordering breakfast earlier than you think you might need it if you’re heading on a tour or need to leave at a specific time.
There are so many beautiful restaurants within walking distance, we didn’t miss having a restaurant on site. I can recommend Aris Restaurant which is less than a five-minute walk away, Volkan on the Rocks for pizza with a view, and Argo for upscale caldera dining.
Try to book restaurants in advance and always ask for a ‘front-line’ table with a view!
The Service at Aperto Suites Santorini
The service at Aperto Suites Santorini is authentically Greek – warm, friendly and bend-over-backwards accommodating.
Nothing is too much trouble for the handful of staff members, whether you need to check in late at night, want a bucket of ice for your room or need advice about restaurants and activities.
The rooms at Aperto Suites are serviced daily to the high standard you would expect from a luxury hotel. We loved the thoughtful personal touches that made this stay feel really unique, like the bottle of local white wine they left chilling in our mini fridge on arrival.
Because the hotel is located on a pedestrianised street down a staircase, they offer an extended bellboy service, where someone will come and meet you up on the main road to help you with your luggage. This is great because it also means you don’t get lost looking for the hotel when you first arrive (Santorini can be somewhat of a maze!).
Although we didn’t need to make use of them, the hotel also offers a laundry service and a valet if you have chosen to hire a vehicle.
Transfers, excursions, and restaurants can all be booked via the friendly concierge both before and during your stay.
Things to Know
- Aperto Suites Santorini is an adults-only boutique hotel which makes for a very peaceful, chilled-out atmosphere.
- The ‘senior suite’ is located on the lowest level next to the walking path so isn’t the most private.
- The best suites are the ‘honeymoon suite’ or the ‘executive suite’, which are both located higher up, with the most spacious balconies.
- There are two ‘superior suites’ but one (Room #5) has a significantly better location and sun loungers while the other (Room #4) does not. The better one is allocated to the first person to book, so it’s best to book in advance.
- Just like everywhere in Santorini, there are a lot of steps up and down from the hotel into central Fira but also within the property itself between suites. I would not recommend this hotel for those with mobility issues.
- Peak season can get crazy crowded in Santorini. For the best experience, I recommend travelling in Spring or Autumn. We went at the end of September and the weather was gorgeous!
Would I Recommend Aperto Suites Santorini?
I spent a long time searching for the perfect hotel room in Santorini that had everything I wanted. Aperto Suites was the only one I found that ticked all my boxes.
Incredible volcano view from the balcony? Tick. Private hot tub for those romantic, Insta-worthy sunsets? Tick. Central location to make it easy to explore everything the island has to offer? Tick, tick and tick.
The cherry on top of this luxurious cake was that the rooms weren’t extravagantly expensive by Santorini’s standards. It cost us around £900 for a three-night stay in late September, I really felt the standard of the suites, ever-smiling service, and sensational views made it worth every penny.
Wook I book again? Absolutely. I’d book as far in advance as possible to secure the best suite in the house.
About the author: Amabel is the writer behind Classy Travel Guides, where she shares detailed guides for travelling in style – from the best boutique hotel reviews to the latest trending destinations. With a focus on bucket list travel and drop-dead gorgeous photo backdrops, she’ll help you tick off those once-in-a-lifetime experiences with insider tips and itineraries.
Leave a Reply