Acqua Vatos Santorini Hotel

Doses of bright, punchy color fill the Acqua Vatos Hotel inside and out, starting with the white facade painted with royal purple and celeste blue accents. Inside, an undulating front desk sports welcoming phrases like, "This is your space." The design throughout is chic and bright, with orange and red couches surrounding a rustic wood coffee table and butterfly stools in the lobby. Gauzy red and orange curtains, Eames molded plywood chairs, and tripod lamps add more stylish touches. White walls in the hallways are decorated with a flurry of island snapshots, almost like an Instagram trail. A funky lending library has bookshelves that spell out the word “READ,” and the playful breakfast room is adorned with ribbons holding up metal pitchers and utensils. A large outdoor pool is surrounded by a stone patio, with plenty of cushioned lounge chairs and straw parasols. This property has broad appeal attracting a mix of vacationers, including couples, solo travelers, and families with children.  

Acqua Vatos sits on a busy main street in Kamari, on Santorini’s eastern coast, in an area surrounded by bars and restaurants. It’s a three-minute walk to the black sands of Kamari beach, where lounge chairs and parasols are available to rent. The bus to Fira stops opposite the hotel -- Fira is about a 20-minute bus ride or a 15-minute drive. The Akrotiri archeological site is a 25-minute drive from the hotel, while the Santorini Airport is a 10-minute drive away. 

The 32 air-conditioned rooms include Economy, Standard, and Superior Double and Triple Rooms, as well as Junior, Family, and Master Suites. Like the rest of the hotel, the chic, modern units have a backdrop of whitewashed walls paired with boldly colored pillows and curtains. Above the beds, backlit signs are inscribed with uplifting messages. Eames molded chairs and jet-black lamps provide a dash of high-style. Rooms are on the small side overall, with narrow balconies that have views of the mountains, the pool, or the street. Amenities include flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, mini-fridges, and hairdryers. Bathrooms have colored or black-and-white thumbnail tile sporting fun messages like, "Hello, gorgeous!" But the stall showers don’t have doors, and it's easy to get water on the floor. 

The hotel serves a free buffet breakfast that includes yogurt and homemade savory Greek pastries on a lovely outdoor patio, which also serves drinks and light snacks. There’s a large rectangular outdoor pool surrounded by lounge chairs, with a pool bar. A second bar can be found in the lobby, and free self-service coffee and tea are available at all hours. There’s also a small funky lending library with books available to borrow and a reading nook with space for laptops. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. The front desk can arrange airport transfers and babysitting for a fee.