Greece › Santorini › Hotels › Above Blue Suites Review
By Santorini Dave
Essentials
• Location: At the highest elevation on the caldera, in the heart of Imerovigli
• Map
• Hotel website: abovebluesuites.com
• Hotel phone: +30 22860 24644
• Check prices for Above Blue Suites
Above Blue Suites in Imerovigli, Santorini.
Hotel Review
Above Blue Suites – Charming boutique hotel on the Imerovigli caldera with jacuzzi suites, a villa with a private pool, and a shared infinity pool.
This tiny hotel offers ten suites (eight of which have private jacuzzis) and one villa with a private plunge pool. Those suites without private water features have direct access to the main infinity pool and terrace, with sweeping caldera views from high up in Imerovigli village. Each cave-style suite is completely unique in size and layout, having been designed to accommodate the caldera’s unique geography. Dining is fantastic here, with a champagne breakfast served daily to each suite, an intimate dining terrace with only three tables, and a wonderful all-day bar. Expect friendly, personal service and true hospitality in the Greek spirit.
See Also
Above Blue Suites – Location
Absolutely gorgeous location in the heart of Imerovigli village, with amazing dining and attractions within a couple of minutes from the hotel. Imerovigli sits at the highest elevation on the caldera, and the views are stellar throughout the hotel and at most of the restaurants here.
• How to Get There: The hotel sits above the caldera in the center of Imerovigli village, not far off the main road connecting Fira and Oia, making it easy to reach by bus, taxi, or driving yourself. It is approximately 8km from the Santorini Airport to Above Blue Suites, and 12km from the ferry port.
There are always buses waiting at the ferry port for every ferry arrival, as well as buses departing hourly from Santorini Airport. There are no direct buses from the port or airport to Imerovigli, however; buses from both locations go to Fira, where you must then board a different bus to Imerovigli – the entire trip from the port or airport to Imerovigli will take around an hour and cost about €5 in total. Tickets are purchased on the bus, in cash only. The bus stop is just 5 minutes away on foot, and the walk from there to the hotel is mostly flat, easy to navigate with luggage.
Taxis are also available from the port or airport, though there are only about 25 taxis in total serving the whole island, so there can be a long wait; schedule a ride through a private car service in advance to avoid this (I use and recommend Welcome Pickups). Taxis on Santorini are not metered, so be sure to agree on a price with the driver before setting out. A taxi from the airport to Above Blue should be about €25 to €30, and a taxi from the ferry port around €30. Booking through a private car service will cost only a bit more – about $45 (or €37), but is worth it to avoid the wait and for the convenience of paying ahead.
For those who prefer to drive themselves, we recommend renting a car either at the airport on arrival, or in Fira. The road from the ferry port is steep and narrow, with many tricky switchbacks, large trucks, and buses. Leave that for the locals to navigate. We strongly recommend reserving a vehicle in advance, especially if you require automatic transmission. On arrival in Imerovigli, there are is free parking in front of the hotel (often full), near the Imerovigli Basketball Court, and near Sunbird Rent-A-Car. Imerovigli has the hardest-to-find parking in Santorini, so you may have to circle around a couple times to find a spot.
• Handy To: The Oia-Fira Hiking Trail, Anastasi Church, Skaros Rock.
Map of Above Blue Suites
Above Blue Suites – The Basics
- Ages: The hotel presents itself as an adults-only property, though that is not a hard and fast rule, especially in the height of summer, when more families tend to travel. In Santorini, “adults-only” usually means 12 and over. Guests tend to be couples celebrating their honeymoon or anniversary.
- Beach: The nearest beach is Exo Gialos, a quiet, black sand beach with intriguing wind-sculpted cliffs at its southern end. The best beach bar and restaurant there is East Breeze, just a few meters from the cliffs. The north end has a small harbor and another great beach bar and restaurant called Yalos. From the hotel, it’s a short 5 km drive to the north end or 7 km to the south end, where the cliffs are.
- View: Overlooking the caldera with excellent sunset views from the rooms and throughout the hotel.
- Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Most suites have private jacuzzis. The Lagoon Suite has an indoor jacuzzi. The Moonlit, Charm, Siren, Harmony, Rose, and Heaven Suites offer outdoor jacuzzis. The Golden Echo has both an indoor and an outdoor jacuzzi, while the Above Blue Villa has a private, outdoor plunge pool and a sauna. The suites without private water features, Pearl and Felicity, both have direct access to the shared infinity pool.
- Parking: Free street parking in front of the hotel (often full) or in the nearby lots at the basketball court or near Sunbird car rentals. Parking can be difficult in Imerovigli; be patient and you will eventually find a spot.
- Extras: Several options of honeymoon packages (can include private dining, couples massage, sunset caldera cruise, and more), welcome drink on arrival, bespoke picnic basket, twice daily maid service.
- When to Book: The hotel is open from mid-March to late November. Reserve at least 4 months in advance (6 months is better) for stays during the high season from June through September, and about 2 months in advance for the low and shoulder seasons.
- How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
- Phone: +30 22860 24644
- Email: info@abovebluesuites.com
- Website: abovebluesuites.com
Above Blue Suites – Amenities
- Pool: Fresh, unheated infinity pool on the main terrace overlooking the caldera.
- Spa: No spa onsite, but they can arrange in-room treatments on request.
- Fitness Center: No gym.
- For Disabled Guests: This is a caldera hotel with lots of steps and no elevator. Not suitable for guests with mobility issues.
- For Families: The hotel is generally geared for adults only, though that is not a hard and fast rule, especially at the height of summer, when more families tend to travel. In Santorini, “adults-only” usually means 12 and over. Most suites are designed for 2 guests, while the Golden Echo Suite and the Above Blue Villa sleep up to 4.
- Activities: The hotel is happy to arrange activities, including sailing, kayaking, climbing, wine tasting, horseback riding, diving, and more.
Above Blue Suites – Food and Drink
- Restaurant: The hotel doesn’t have a true restaurant, but they do have a full kitchen serving lunch (12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.), dinner (6:00 p.m. – 9:45 p.m.), and snacks (all day) to the suites, dining terrace, or the pool area. Food is simple, affordable, and well-executed, and the views from the dining terrace at sunset are amazing.
- Lounge/Bar: The poolside lounge is available all day with a fantastic selection of Santorinian wine, sparkling wine, and champagne, plus great cocktails.
- Breakfast: Complimentary, a la carte, American champagne breakfast is served daily to each suite at the time of your choosing. The breakfast is truly one of their strong points. Don’t miss the French toast.
- Room Service: Available all day until 10:00 p.m.
Above Blue Suites – Rooms
- Room Types: Pearl Suite • Felicity Suite • Lagoon Suite • Moonlit Suite • Charm Suite • Siren Suite • Harmony Suite • Rose Suite • Heaven Suite • Golden Echo Suite • Above Blue Villa
- Smoking Rooms: The hotel does not allow smoking in any of their room categories. It is allowed on the private outdoor terraces and in the outdoor common areas.
- Best Room: The best room for couples is the Golden Echo Suite. This is their largest, at 80 sqm, making it 4 times the size of the Pearl and Moonlit Suites. Golden Echo features both an indoor and an outdoor jacuzzi, a king-sized bed, a daybed, a spacious private terrace, and a 2-person shower.
- For Families: The hotel presents itself as an adults-only property, but this is not a firm rule. In Santorini, “adults-only” usually means 12 years and above. There are no special amenities for children. The Above Blue Villa is the best option for families. The villa is a huge 130 sqm, with a 30sqm terrace, an unheated, outdoor plunge pool, and a sauna. The main bedroom features a king-sized bed, while 1 loft bedroom offers a queen bed and the other loft has a daybed. The 2 bathrooms both have 2-person showers.
Above Blue Suites – Local Transport
- Walking: The hotel is located in the center of Imerovigli, above the caldera and the Oia-Fira hiking trail, with the village’s best restaurants, shops, and attractions just a few meters away. Easy access to all dining and attractions in Imerovigli as well as the nightlife and shopping in Fira, just a 30-minute walk south.
- Bus: The nearest bus is in Imerovigli village, a 5-minute walk from the hotel. Buses here serve all of the major villages and beaches on the island, often with a change in Fira. Tickets are bought on board and range from €1.80 to €2.50 per person in the daytime, depending on the route. Night buses (12:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.) run less frequently and cost a little more, from €2.30 to €3.10. Buses can get very crowded, especially during the high season, so much so that they often fill to capacity and are unable to take on more passengers. There are only 23 public buses serving the island.
- Taxis: The nearest taxi stand is at Stathmos Taxi, all the way down in Fira, so not very practical to walk or bus to. Plus, there is often a wait here as there are only 25 taxis serving the entire island (with guests from about 1,000 hotels, villas, and Airbnbs). Book ahead to avoid the wait, and have them meet you directly at the hotel. There will be a small surcharge for advanced reservations and for carrying luggage, usually just a couple of Euros. The average rate from Imerovigli to Fira is roughly €15, and from Imerovigli to the airport or port is around €25 to €35.
- Scooters/Motorcycles: Scooters are the main mode of transportation for the locals, but if you’re unfamiliar with the terrain, it can be very dangerous. The roads here are zigzagging, hilly, narrow, and have sheer drop offs with no guardrails and no street lights in most areas. Lots of dirt roads and potholes.
- ATVs/Quads: ATVs are a fun and popular mode of transportation with tourists, but for the locals stuck driving behind them, they move too slowly and hold up traffic in an area where getting around is already a hassle. For those who don’t ride quads regularly (i.e. most people), they can be dangerous at high speeds and on turns. Crashing your ATV is a sure-fire way to ruin your vacation.
Above Blue Suites – What’s Nearby?
Best Nearby Restaurants
- Avocado: Traditional Greek menu, charming space, super friendly staff. Cycladic recipes and a fantastic selection of Santorinian wines.
- Le Moustache: Elevated Greek and Mediterranean dining and excellent cocktails with panoramic sunset views over the caldera.
- Anogi: Al fresco dining with local specialties and classic Greek dishes. Rich flavors and large portions, so come hungry.
- The Athenian House: Elegant fine dining with spectacular sunset views. Contemporary and imaginative Greek dishes incorporate modern gastronomic techniques and locally-sourced ingredients. Most of all, they’re delicious.
- La Maison: Contemporary, Greek fine dining with sweeping caldera views. Food, wine, and service are all phenomenal.
- Vezené: Mediterranean-Asian fusion with spectacular sunset views and a romantic ambiance. Stupidly expensive, but everything on the menu is absolute perfection.
Best Nearby Bars and Breweries
- Buddha Bar Beach: Upscale cocktail bar, restaurant, and shisha lounge with views over Skaros Rock to the caldera. Pricey but on point.
- Volkan on the Rocks: Great brewpub in Firostefani with amazing views and an outdoor cinema.
Best Nearby Cafes
- Hlios Bakery: Good coffee, basic pastries, and deli sandwiches. Not exceptional, but the bakery is cheap and delivers (cash only for deliveries).
- To Briki: Fantastic café, the best place to try traditional Greek coffee. Breakfasts are superb, and the sunset views are gorgeous.
Nearby Shopping & Cool Shops
- Pegasus Boutique: Next to the hotel of the same name, this little boutique offers clothing, shoes, swimwear, and accessories by Greek designers.
- Under a Fig Tree: Upscale boutique featuring Greek-designed fashion, accessories, and swimwear right on the Oia-Fira trail.
Nearby Attractions
- Oia-Fira Hiking Trail: One of the top attractions on the island is this scenic 10.5 km hiking trail connecting Oia and Fira. A mix of sidewalk, cobblestones, and dirt trail, this route boasts gorgeous vistas the entire way. Hiking northwest, the full length of the path from the hotel to Oia Castle takes from 2 to 4 hours; heading south to the trail’s end in Fira, near Keti Hotel, takes about 30-40 minutes. Add about an hour for a detour at Skaros Rock either way. 2-minute walk from the hotel.
- Imerovigli Basketball Court: Not an attraction, but good to know. This is the main parking area in Imerovigli.
- Anastasi Church: The most picturesque, blue-domed church in Imerovigli offers gorgeous caldera views overlooking Skaros Rock. Popular for weddings and photo shoots.
- Agios Georgios Church: Small white church on a platform over the caldera, marking the start of the trail to Skaros Rock. Gorgeous, panoramic views from here.
- Skaros Rock: Impressive volcanic rock formation housing the ruins of a medieval castle and town, dating to 1207. The monastery at its base, Panagia Theoskepasti, is the only part of Skaros that is still active.
Nearby Markets or Grocery Stores
- Mini Market: There is a mini market and ATM just across from the hotel. 1-minute walk.
- Supermarket Nissi: The friendliest market in the area and usually the best prices in Imerovigli.
- Jimmy’s Market Cava: Market and deli with a great selection (especially the wines), plus great coffee and breakfast sandwiches (more consistent and better quality breakfasts than Hlios, but Jimmy’s doesn’t deliver).
Above Blue Suites – The Hotel
The first thing you’ll notice about Above Blue Suites is the sweeping caldera view. All suites and common areas have views to the caldera. That’s Thirassia Island on the left and Oia village on the right.
All but two suites here have a private jacuzzi, either indoors or outdoors.
Private jacuzzi terrace of the Harmony Suite.
View from the stairway leading down from reception to the hotel suites.
The tradeoff for the stunning views is the stair climbing. Like most caldera hotels, all floors of Above Blue are linked by stairways with no elevator.
Exterior view of the Charm Suite terrace, a mid-range suite with an outdoor hot tub and private terrace.
Entrance to the terrace of the Charm Suite.
Caldera view from the private jacuzzi terrace of the Charm Suite at Above Blue in Imerovigli.
Dining terrace view of Imerovigli village and the caldera on a rare, cloudy day. The Oia-Fira Hiking Trail is visible leading away from the village over the caldera’s rim.
The infinity pool sits behind the dining terrace and sun loungers. The pool is unheated.
The sun lounge area faces west over the caldera, directly toward Thirassia Island.
Facing southwest, the old and new volcanoes can be seen on the left from the loungers.
Each suite is completely different in terms of size, layout, and décor. The Lagoon Suite, seen here, offers 25 sqm of interior space, and an even larger terrace at 30 sqm.
This suite has a queen-sized bed.
The bathroom is behind the bedroom and features an open, cave-style shower with a natural rock sink…
…as well as a 2-person indoor jacuzzi.
Its spacious veranda boasts panoramic caldera views to Thirassia and Oia, with a 2-person dining table and 2 sun loungers.
The Rose Suite offers more indoor space but a smaller terrace, at 35 sqm and 11 sqm respectively.
This 1-bedroom suite offers a separate living room that can accommodate an extra guest.
The bedroom offers a king-sized bed.
Its bathroom features a generous 2-person, open-style shower, a natural rock sink, and is made of a mosaic of pebbles.
This is the well-stocked minibar in the Rose Suite; all other suites have one, too.
This suite, like the majority of suites here, also boasts an outdoor, private jacuzzi with views over the caldera toward Thirassia.
The Above Blue Villa is the largest unit onsite at 130 sqm, and is the only one with a private plunge pool. It also has sun loungers and a dining table for 4.
The plunge pool is unheated with jacuzzi jets and views over the caldera to Oia.
The villa opens up to a living room with the master bedroom behind.
The master bedroom offers a king-sized bed, ensuite bathroom, desk, and a TV.
The ensuite master bathroom has an open, cave-style shower for 2, and a marble sink and vanity.
There is a second living room to the right of the main living room…
…and a second bathroom behind that in a similar design to the first.
To the right of the second living room, there is an indoor sauna.
The second bedroom is a small loft above the second living room. This cozy bedroom offers a queen-sized bed.
Another loft bedroom features a queen-sized daybed above the sauna. Check rates and availability: Above Blue Suites
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