Greece › Santorini › Best Hotels › 5-Star
Updated: September 25, 2026 • By Santorini Dave • dave@santorinidave.com
Questions? dave@santorinidave.com
My Luxury Booking Tips
- Book 8 to 10 months in advance: The best suites, especially those with private pools, can sell out many months ahead. For a summer trip, I would not wait until February to book.
- Manage your pool expectations: In Santorini, a “private pool” is typically a plunge pool. These are small, built for soaking and admiring the view rather than swimming laps.
- A heated pool is worth having outside summer: I strongly recommend one in April, May, and October. Unheated plunge pools can be chilly, especially in spring.
- Luxury does not mean accessible: Most 5-star cliffside hotels are built into the steep rock with endless stairs. If mobility is a concern, Canaves Oia Suites is my top choice. It’s the only hotel in Oia with an elevator serving almost all hotel levels, though there are still some steps.
My Favorite Luxury Hotels in Santorini
1. Grace Santorini
2. Katikies Suites
3. Canaves Oia Suites
4. Saint Hotel
5. Kivotos
6. Cavo Tagoo
7. Andronis Arcadia
• All photos taken by the Santorini Dave team
1. Grace Santorini – Imerovigli
- My favorite luxury hotel in Santorini: Grace sits high on the Imerovigli cliff with fantastic views over Skaros Rock, the caldera, and the sunset.
- Beautiful infinity pool: The large heated pool is one of my favorites in Santorini, with 363 Bar beside it for drinks and sunset views.
- Excellent restaurant: Varoulko Santorini is led by Michelin-awarded Greek chef Lefteris Lazarou, with a seafood-focused Mediterranean menu and a wonderful caldera setting.
- Great private pools: Many rooms and suites have heated plunge pools. The huge two-bedroom Villa has its own outdoor pool, indoor plunge pool, steam room, and large private terrace.
- Excellent breakfast: The multi-course Champagne Breakfast is a highlight and is served overlooking the caldera.
- Adults-focused: Guests must be 14 or older except in the private Villa, which accepts younger children. Grace is not a good choice for travelers with limited mobility.
363 Bar at Grace with a view over the caldera toward Oia village and Thirassia Island. Imerovigli sits at the highest point of the caldera, with incredible views in every direction.
Two private pools on the right and part of the main pool on the left.
The bedroom of a Superior Suite with Plunge Pool, a midrange room category.
The Superior Suite’s plunge pool with a caldera view toward the sunset.
Grace’s freeform pool. Varoulko Restaurant is visible on the terrace just below.
View from the top floor over the hotel with the Akrotiri Peninsula, the volcanoes, and Skaros Rock with its hiking trail visible.
2. Katikies Suites – Oia
- My favorite luxury hotel in Oia: Katikies is the classic whitewashed Oia hotel, built down the caldera cliff with beautiful views and several excellent pools.
- Great location: It’s at the quieter eastern end of Oia but directly on the pedestrian path, so restaurants, shops, and the center of the village are an easy walk.
- Rooms with caldera views: Rooms and suites have private verandas facing the caldera. Higher categories add outdoor jetted tubs or private plunge pools.
- Excellent dining: Botrini’s is the hotel’s intimate fine-dining restaurant. There are also beautiful spots around the hotel for drinks and sunset dining.
- Spa at Gea House: Katikies Spa is located at Gea House, the quieter eastern section of the hotel, with treatment suites and a cave pool.
View from the top-floor entrance of Katikies Suites with Thirassia Island on the right, little Aspronisi in the middle, and a volcano and Akrotiri on the left.
The intimate, fine-dining restaurant, Botrini’s.
Inside a Honeymoon Suite. This version of the suite comes with an outdoor jacuzzi.
One of the pools with a shaded lounge and caldera views toward Skaros Rock and the volcanoes.
The entrance to Katikies on the marble pedestrian path through Oia.
3. Canaves Oia Suites – Oia
- Best luxury hotel in Oia for easier access: Canaves Oia Suites is the only hotel in Oia with an elevator serving almost all hotel levels. There are still some steps, but it’s much easier to get around than most caldera hotels.
- Private pools: Suites have private plunge pools and caldera or Aegean views. Several categories have heated outdoor plunge pools, while the large Infinity Pool Suite has a 20-square-meter private pool.
- Two main pools: The hotel has two shared pools, including a shallow infinity pool with partially submerged loungers.
- Quiet but convenient: It’s at the entrance to Oia, right beside the pedestrian path and within an easy walk of the village’s restaurants and shops.
- Good for larger groups: The three-bedroom villa sleeps up to seven and gives families or groups much more space than most Oia hotels.
Inside the cave of the main pool at Canaves Oia Suites.
The bedroom of the Presidential Suite with Plunge Pool, one of the hotel’s best suites.
The plunge pool belonging to the Presidential Suite.
The bathroom of an Executive Suite with Cave Pool features two sinks and a walk-in shower.
Private plunge pools with caldera views toward Thirassia, Aspronisi, Akrotiri, and the volcanoes.
The shallow infinity pool on the caldera’s edge features a row of partially sunken sunbeds.
4. Saint – Oia
- Small and stylish: Saint has just 16 suites and a much more contemporary look than the traditional white cave hotels in Oia.
- Excellent private pools: Suites have private heated plunge pools, with wide-open caldera views from the terraces.
- Great main pool: The infinity pool and adjoining sun deck are among the best reasons to stay here, especially if you want a small hotel where you’ll actually spend time around the pool.
- Good spa: Sacred Spa has a hammam, steam room, jacuzzi, and treatment rooms, with in-suite treatments also available.
- Quiet edge of Oia: Saint is at the eastern entrance to the village, directly on the Fira-to-Oia hiking trail. The center of Oia is an easy walk, but the setting feels removed from the busiest pedestrian lanes.
The main entrance of Saint above the caldera with views toward (from left to right) Oia, Imerovigli, Skaros Rock, Firostefani, and Fira in the distance.
The main infinity pool is lined with double sunbeds and overlooks the caldera toward Thirassia Island.
Inside an Epic Suite with a king-sized bed and a welcome bottle of wine and fruit.
Caldera view from the bed of an Epic Suite.
A private infinity pool with a glass edge and caldera views toward the volcanoes, Akrotiri Peninsula, Aspronisi Islet, and Thirassia Island.
The Iconic Suite (shown here) and the Element Suite have outdoor, heated cave pools.
5. Kivotos Santorini – Imerovigli
- The most unusual design on this list: Kivotos is almost entirely black, inside and out. If you love the traditional white Santorini look, stay somewhere else. If you want something completely different, it’s a beautiful hotel.
- High-tech rooms: Suites and villas have iPads, customizable lighting, and Sonos sound systems. The dark cave-style interiors are especially atmospheric at night.
- Excellent sunset location: Kivotos sits high on the Imerovigli caldera with open views toward Skaros Rock, Oia, and the sunset.
- Mavro restaurant: The hotel’s restaurant serves contemporary Greek and Mediterranean cooking with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients, local seafood, and Santorini produce.
- Huge villas: The cave-style villas are exceptionally large for a caldera hotel. The three-bedroom Cave Villa is 265 square meters and has an indoor heated pool, outdoor jetted tub, hammam, and private terrace.
The living room of the 2-bedroom Kivotos Villa with Private Heated Pool.
The underground Kivotos Villa features cave-style design dug into the cliffs.
Two sinks and a cave shower in the Kivotos Villa.
The Kivotos Villa includes an indoor, heated cave pool.
The dining terrace of Mavro, the hotel’s signature restaurant.
View from the footpath toward Mavro over the caldera with Thirassia on the left and Oia village on the right.
6. Cavo Tagoo Santorini – Imerovigli
- Best for a lively pool scene: Cavo Tagoo is more social than most Santorini luxury hotels, with music, large sunbeds, cocktails, and one of the island’s most photographed infinity pools.
- Excellent private pools: Room choices range from suites with outdoor hot tubs to large private heated pools overlooking the caldera.
- ROKA restaurant: The Japanese restaurant specializes in robatayaki cooking, sushi, sashimi, and seafood, with tables beside the infinity pool.
- Quiet location: Cavo Tagoo is north of central Imerovigli, directly on the Fira-to-Oia hiking trail. It’s more isolated than staying in the village, so I would not choose it if you want lots of restaurants within an easy walk.
- Best for: Couples who want a stylish resort atmosphere and sunset pool scene. For a quieter, more traditional Santorini stay, I prefer Grace or Katikies.
ROKA restaurant faces the infinity pool at Cavo Tagoo.
A row of double-sized sunbeds in the infinity pool overlooking the caldera.
The bedroom of a Pool Suite.
Two copper sinks in the bathroom of a Honeymoon Suite at Cavo Tagoo.
The Honeymoon Suite has the most private pool area of all the rooms here.
The private pool at sunset in the signature Cavo Tagoo Pool Suite.
7. Andronis Arcadia – Oia
- Best luxury hotel in Oia for families: Andronis Arcadia has far more space than the typical cliffside hotel, plus large suites and villas and the excellent ARCADemy kids club for ages 4 to 14.
- Sunset views, not caldera views: Arcadia is on the western side of Oia facing the open Aegean. The sunsets are fantastic, but if you want the classic Santorini caldera view, stay at Katikies, Canaves, or Saint instead.
- Huge pools: The resort has several large shared pools, including the 1,000-square-meter Grande Pool, plus private infinity pools with the suites and villas.
- Two very different restaurants: Beefbar specializes in premium cuts, while Pacman serves Mediterranean and sushi dishes with live music and sunset views.
- Easy access to Oia: You get the space and facilities of a resort but can still walk into Oia. It’s a particularly good choice if you want a private pool and lots of outdoor space without staying down the caldera cliff.
The main lobby at Andronis Arcadia.
View from the infinity pool toward the lagoon pool and Aegean Sea.
The lagoon-style pool with a view toward Beefbar restaurant and Oia village.
The large, private infinity pool of the Four Bedroom Villa faces the sunset and Aegean Sea (not the caldera).
Inside the Evexia Spa.
Sushi with a sea view at Pacman restaurant by the infinity pool.
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