Megalohori, Megalochori, Greece
Walkable and peaceful Megalochori location near a handful of Greek tavernas
Range of luxurious suites and villas, some with private plunge pools or whirlpools
Pergola Pool Restaurant serves Prosecco buffet breakfast and meals; 24-hour room service
Canava wine bar in a 400-year-old winery, wine tastings available
Alati restaurant for seafood and Greek dishes for dinner
Prive restaurant offers private multi-course dining (with advance notice)
Large pool and sun deck; additional large whirlpool
Free shuttle to Black Rose beach club
Asian Spa provides full treatments and a fitness center
Boutique sells European swimwear, jewelry, and resort clothing
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Helicopter landing pad and free car parking
Not walkable to Fira or Oia and no caldera views (pro for some)
Fitness center equipment is dated
Closes from the end of October to the beginning of May (common in Santorini)
Vedema, a Luxury Collection Resort, Santorini is one of the only traditional five-pearl hotels on the island -- and it once hosted Angelina Jolie. The fact that it has space for three high end restaurants, a chic outdoor pool, Asian Spa, fitness center, 400-year-old wine cellar, helipad, and boutique shop is due to its unusual location in the ancient village of Megalochori. Guests trade caldera views for vineyard and distant Aegean Sea views, but the village is much more intimate than the tourist trappings of Oia and Fira. The resort offers a free shuttle to its private beach club. Though the main buildings are done in Cycladic style, the 46 villas and suites interiors are modern and many include private pools or whirlpools. For travelers who want luxury on the caldera in Oia, check rates at Mystique Luxury Collection Hotel but expect higher prices and you'll lose the beach club access.
Scene
Cycladic architecture and vineyard views under the Starwood brand
From the street, the resort looks like any other gorgeous Cycladic mansion on the island. There's little to hint at how large and luxurious the grounds truly are. Guests are greeted with welcome drinks in the chic whitewashed cave-style lobby, which holds a long blue dining table and a cozy seating area with books. From there, lava stone pathways meander up to the European-style pool and then around the expansive grounds peppered with herb gardens, olive trees, and succulents, leading to Cycladic structures that hold the guest rooms. Vedema means winemaking in Greek, and the name is a tribute to the 400-year-old winery on-site and surrounding vineyards. The distant Aegean Sea and views of Megalochori rooftops (plus the occasional ringing church bell) add to the visual (and auditory) appeal. This property is part of Starwood's luxury brand.
Overall, the atmosphere is relaxed and quiet. The pool doesn't get crowded, since many guests explore during the day or take advantage of the resort's private beach club off-site. Most of the guests here are couples on vacations and honeymoons. Angeline Jolie once stayed here. Thanks to the lack of steep steps and cliff drops, the hotel is also a favorite with families. Note that the resort closes from the end of October to around May, which is common in Santorini.
Location
In the heart of Megalochori village
Vedema has an unusual and covetable location for Santorini. While most of the island's luxury hotels cling to the cliffs (at the expense of space for large pools, spas, and restaurants) the Vedema takes up a prime piece of real estate in the ancient village of Megalochori. The village is lesser known and not as deeply explored as Oia (40-minute drive) and Fira (15-minute drive) which means there are fewer crowds and tourist trappings. Still, there are four excellent Greek tavernas and a few shops about a block from the hotel. The cobblestone streets are too narrow for much traffic, so it's easy to walk and gawk at the Cycladic architecture, blue-domed churches, and mansions that make up the neighborhood. Unlike most parts of the island, Megalochori still has residential homes. Santo Wines Winery is about a five-minute drive. Expect about a 15-minute drive to Red Beach and the resort's private beach club on Black Beach. Santorini Airport is about a 15-minute drive. The resort offers free parking in a small lot and has a helipad.
Rooms
Range of modern suites and villas with outdoor spaces
There are three types of suites and two types of villas located on-site and one luxurious off-site villa that sleeps 10 people. Decor, layout, and view change slightly between units, even among the same room type. Overall, each of the units has a chic and modern decor with a mostly bright white color palette punched up with either purple, gray, green, or blue in the upholstery and bedding. Dorian Suites are the most affordable and these come standard with a separate bedroom and living room area. Features include flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, free bottled water, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, minibars, safes, Tivoli sound systems, kettles, and telephones. Furnished terraces or patios have views to the garden, vineyards, sea, or village. Spacious bathrooms feature large glass showers and separate bathtubs. Korres toiletries and hairdryers are provided. Aegean Suites are the next category up, and these units have everything provided in the Dorian Suites, plus the addition of an indoor dining room and a whirlpool tub on the terrace. Athenian Suites are a nice option for families, since they have two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Honeymooners prefer the Olympian Villas for private outdoor pools and whirlpools surrounded by a stone wall, plus an indoor jetted tub. The Presidential Villa sleeps seven people in three bedrooms, and has a private plunge pool and whirlpool.
Luxury extras include evening turndown service and welcome bottles of wine and fruit on arrival.
Features
Free Prosecco breakfast buffet, poolside restaurant, ancient winery, and off-site beach club
When compared to other luxury hotels in Santorini, Vedema's features blow the competition out of the water. Pergola Restaurant serves a self-serve buffet breakfast with Prosecco, eggs, bacon, breads, fruits, cheeses, yogurts and Greek pastries. There's a fresh juice station and guests can order a la carte and specialty coffees. The cost is usually included with the room rate. Lunch consists of a la carte seasonal salads and pastas, plus cocktails. Servers provide drink and snack service by the pool. For dinner, Alati (which means salt in Greek) is located in the 400-year-old winery cave and still has stone walls and winery equipment. The menu is seafood focused. The adjacent Canava wine bar offers tastings, tours, and wines by the bottle and glass in the evenings. For a truly special dinner experience, Privé offers five- or seven-course meals for two by candlelight (with advance bookings). Room service is available 24 hours.
For relaxation at the hotel, there's a large pool and adjacent tiered sun deck. A shallow whirlpool sits away from the main area of the resort. Asia Spa has Greek and Asian technicians, and offers massages, facials, wraps, scrubs, and masks incorporating the Phytomer line. There's an adjacent fitness center with a range of slightly dated Cybex machines and free water and towels. Just across the courtyard is a small business center. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. An upscale boutique sells European swimwear, resort wear, and jewelry.
The resort isn't on the beach, but it offers free shuttle service to the Black Rose beach club on Black Beach. Guests get free beach chairs and there's a Mediterranean restaurant.