Kontohori Fira, Fira, Greece
Walkable location is 10 minutes from the heart of Fira Town's Caldera
Pleasant rooms with mini-fridges, air-conditioning, and furnished outdoor spaces
Apartment with a kitchen and six-person whirlpool tub
Free cold breakfast buffet with fruit, meats, and Greek pastries
Large and secluded outdoor pool with sun loungers
Pool service and small menu of drinks and snacks
Free and reliable Wi-Fi throughout
Large and free parking lot (not common in Fira)
Family-owned hotel provides personalized service
Central courtyard with pomegranate trees and tables
No Caldera views
Breakfast room is dated
Some complaints of noise from rooms facing the road
Anatoli Hotel is an excellent mid-range choice for families and couples who want to stay near the heart of the action in Fira while avoiding its notorious crowds and high rates near the Caldera. Originally built as a distillery in the late 1800s, the family-owned hotel now offers 11 clean rooms (some of them are cave-style and there's one apartment) that include air-conditioning and furnished outdoor spaces. A free cold breakfast is served in either a lovely courtyard or dated breakfast room. The back of the property holds a large pool and sundeck where staff is on hand to serve a selection of drinks and light food. Most guests walk to Fira Town's Caldera (about a 10-minute uphill trek) and spend little time at the hotel apart from sleeping and breakfast. For something with Caldera views, check rates at Nefeles Suites Hotel, but lose the large pool and parking access.
Scene
Whitewashed buildings tucked into garden grounds and a historic distillery
The hotel was originally built as a distillery and place to store wine in the late 1800s. Today, it's family-owned and staff is readily available to assist with suggestions, directions, and booking tours. Guests enter via a large parking lot (rare in Fira) in front of the historic wine cellars, and are welcomed into a traditional cave-style lobby with low ceilings and whitewashed walls. The rooms are divided into three two-story buildings at the front of the property. Breakfast is served either in a picturesque courtyard with pomegranate trees, or a dated breakfast room with carved wooden chairs and checked tablecloths. The large outdoor swimming pool is placed at the back of the property and is relatively quiet and secluded; a large stone wall provides privacy. Guests are a mix of international couples and families on vacation.
Location
Across the street from the Folklore Museum in Fira Town
Anatoli Hotel has a walkable and convenient location in Fira that's away from the Caldera crowds. The hotel doesn't overlook the Caldera, but still offers picturesque village views and you can see the Aegean Sea in the distance from some parts of the property. Directly across the street is the Folklore Museum, and there are a handful of small mini-marts within a two-minute walk. There's a bus and taxi station (with regular busses to Oia) about a five-minute walk from the hotel's front doors. It's about a 10-minute trek uphill (almost unavoidable in Santorini) to reach the picturesque Caldera with its huge concentration of shops and restaurants on a pedestrian pathway. This is where visitors gather every evening for sunset views. Further afield, it's about a 25-minute drive to Oia. Red Beach is a 30-minute drive. Plan on a 15-minute drive to Santorini International Airport.
Rooms
Mix of cave-style and traditional rooms with mini-fridges, flat-screen TVs, and air-conditioning
There are 11 rooms here, divided between cave-style rooms with rounded corners and whitewashed walls, and traditional hotel rooms. Each unit is spacious and spotlessly clean. Simple decor includes a mostly neutral color scheme and some boldly colored bedding. Local landscapes hang on the walls. There's one apartment with a kitchen and a six-person whirlpool tub. The remaining units sleep up to three people and include a mini-fridge, free bottled water, flat-screen TV, air-conditioning, and free Wi-Fi.
Cave-style bathrooms feature smooth cement showers with strong pressure and large vanities. Traditional bathrooms present showers enclosed with glass doors (no clingy fabric curtains here). Toiletries, towels, and hairdryers are provided.
All of the units have some sort of furnished outdoor area, though balconies are more private than the terraces. Most rooms overlook the hotel's grounds, but some have picturesque views of the village and Aegean Sea in the distance. Rooms that face the road can pick up some slight traffic noise.
Features
Free cold breakfast buffet, large swimming pool, and light snacks
Features add value and convenience to a stay. The day starts with a free breakfast spread that includes cold items like Greek pastries, hardboiled eggs, cookies, meats, cheeses, juice, and hot coffee. The self-serve meal can be enjoyed in the outdoor courtyard or inside the slightly dark breakfast room. A large, unheated swimming pool is surrounded by sun loungers. Towels are self-serve. Staff is available to take drink orders and there's a small menu of smoothies, pizzas, and gyros. Wi-Fi is free and fast throughout the hotel. Parking is free in a paved lot in front of the lobby (a rarity in Fira). Staff is available to book tours or provide restaurant suggestions.