Santorini Palace

The Santorini Palace is housed in a striking all-white building with the Cycladic architecture typical of Fira -- think: arches and long corridors. Guests enter into an all-white lobby with with powder-blue chairs and sofas, potted plants, a flat-screen TV, and a lobby cocktail bar. The restaurant is also done all in white, livened up with splashes of yellow in the tablecloths. Other common areas include large freshwater outdoor pool, with a striking blue color that complements the usually blue sky and contrasts well with the all-white building. The deck has a lobby bar and features views of eastern Santorini and the sea. Occasionally, at high occupancy, there are issues with crowding around the pool and in the breakfast room, but things here are generally quiet. The three-floor building has no elevators and numerous stairs, and the walk to and from central Fira involves hills, so guests with mobility issues may find it a challenge to stay here. The hotel does offer baggage assistance to rooms. Although most guests are vacationers, the hotel does attract some business guests with its meeting rooms and its location near the Petros M. Nomikos Conference Centre.

Santorini Palace is located a little over a five-minute walk from the northern edge of Fira, near cafes, restaurants, bars, shops, wineries, and tour operators. It's an eight-minute walk from the hotel to the area with the Archaeological Museum of Thera the entrance to the cable cars that go down to the Old Port. The hotel is a two-minute drive or a little under a 15-minute walk from the main square and bus station. The blue-domed Agios Theodori Church features excellent views of the sea and sunset -- it's about a two-minute walk from the hotel. The Megaro Gyzi cultural center is a five-minute walk and the Petros M. Nomikos Conference Centre and Cathedral of St. John the Baptist are both within a seven-minute walk. The White Door Theatro features Greek music, dance, and wedding shows and is a little under a 10-minute walk from the hotel, while getting to the Museum of Prehistoric Thira and 19th-century Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral takes just under a 15 minutes on foot. The hotel is also a 15-minute drive from the airport, and a little over a 20-minute drive from the Thira (Santorini) ferry, while both Red Beach and the Minoan Bronze Age Akrotiri settlement are around half an hour away.

Rooms and suites at the Santorini Palace have a contemporary look and are done almost entirely in white, with beige and light-gray accents, light-wood furniture, and predominantly bare walls. The look incorporates classic, urban-chic, and minimalist motifs to create visually interesting spaces, defined by elegant patterns, tufted accents, and light wood-laminate floors. All rooms are spacious. Entry-level rooms range from 323 square feet (30 square meters) to 377 square feet (35 square meters) in size, and suites are 538 square feet (50 square meters). All come with safes, mini-fridges, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and smallish flat-screen TVs with a good range of English and satellite channels. However, rooms lack tea- and coffee-making facilities. Bathrooms are spacious and stylish, with carved-stone vessel sinks, hairdryers, and walk-in rainfall showers. Some rooms also have bathtubs. One small pet per room is permitted free of charge, with prior notice. All rooms have balconies with views of the inner courtyard or eastern Santorini and the sea.

This hotel's style is certainly hard to fault, and thankfully its list of features lives up to expectations as well. The Santorini Palace features a freeform outdoor swimming pool, big enough for a genuine swim. The adjacent deck offers sea views as well as a children's pool and a poolside bar with drinks, light snacks, and barbecued items. The spa has typical accoutrements including aromatic candles and calming music, and features a good range of massage offerings. There's also a hot tub, a sauna, and a Turkish bath. A small fitness room is next to the pool.
The on-site restaurant serves a decent breakfast buffet with eggs, meats, baked goods, and Greek yogurt. The restaurant also serves lunch and dinner, with a menu of traditional Greek cuisine made largely of locally sourced ingredients. Room service is available and there's a cocktail bar in the lobby. Other features include a business center, two meeting rooms, a 24-hour front desk, airport transfers (for a fee), and free on-site parking. The staff can book tours, excursions, and car rentals. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.