Santorini Hotels: The Best Hotels by Type, Budget and View

Almost every decision about Santorini hotels comes back to one cliff. The west side of the island is the rim of a flooded volcanic caldera, and the hotels built into it, in Oia, Imerovigli, Firostefani and Fira, sell the view that made Santorini famous: whitewashed terraces, small pools and a straight line of sight across the water to the volcano. The east and south coasts are flatter, cheaper and closer to long beaches of black sand, but they look out at open sea instead. Pick your side of the island first, then your hotel.

Quick answer: If the view is the point of the trip, book a caldera-view room in Imerovigli or Oia and accept the steps and the prices. If you want the view for less, with buses and restaurants close by, stay in Fira or Firostefani. If you’d rather have a beach, flat access and money left over for dinner, stay in Kamari or Perissa-Perivolos and take the bus to the caldera for sunset.

Last updated September 25, 2026. We checked each hotel below against its own website in September 2026 (season dates, views, pools, age policies and access notes), and checked fees, bus fares and the 2026 Civil Protection measures against official and trade sources. We did not stay at these hotels, and no hotel paid to be listed.

• Caldera view vs sea view: “caldera view” means the west-facing cliff from Oia to Fira, plus a few spots near Megalochori and Akrotiri. “Sea view” usually means the east or south coast, facing open water and the sunrise.
• The view comes with stairs: most caldera hotels sit below pedestrian lanes that cars can’t reach. Ask how many steps lie between the drop-off and your room, and who carries the bags.
• Season: most hotels on this list open in April and close in the second half of October; a handful stay open into November, and none of those that publish dates opens from December to February (see when to book).
• Tax on top: Greece’s Climate Crisis Resilience Fee adds EUR 2 to EUR 15 per room per night from April to October, depending on the hotel’s stars (EUR 8 for a short-term rental, EUR 15 for a villa), usually paid at checkout.
• 2026 safety measures: Civil Protection measures in force until March 31, 2027 control traffic at Athinios port and close the Ammoudi road below Oia to general traffic. They restrict roads, paths and port areas, not hotels.

On this page: How we chose | Caldera vs sea view | Pools and hot tubs | Steps and access | Room types | Areas | The shortlist | Budget and fees | By trip type | When to book | What’s changed | FAQ

If you want	Stay in	What you get	What you give up
The classic sunset view	Oia	The caldera and the sunset from your terrace, in the island’s most photographed village	The highest prices, sunset crowds, plenty of steps
A caldera view with more quiet	Imerovigli	The highest point of the rim and a view over the whole caldera	Fewer restaurants; a walk or bus to Fira
A view plus convenience	Fira or Firostefani	Caldera views for less, the bus hub, restaurants and bars	Busier lanes and cruise-day crowds in Fira
A beach and flat access	Kamari, Perissa or Perivolos	Black-sand beaches, bigger pools, lower prices	No caldera view; a bus ride to the sunset
Wine country and village life	Megalochori or Pyrgos	Traditional villages, wineries, quiet nights	A car helps; fewer hotels to choose from
The lowest price	Perissa, Karterados or Fira’s back streets	Hostels, studios and simple family hotels	No view, basic rooms

How We Chose These Santorini Hotels

Search for Santorini Greece hotels and you’ll get more listings than anyone could read, and a lot of lists that read like the same press release. Here’s how this one was built, so you can decide how much to trust it.

• Open for 2026, confirmed at the source. Every hotel on the shortlist was checked on its own website in September 2026 for evidence it’s operating this season. Season dates come from each hotel’s own booking engine or website, which usually list the opening period without a year.
• Only facts the hotel states itself. Views, pool types, heating, age policies, room counts and access notes come from the hotel’s own website or its brand’s. Where a hotel doesn’t publish something that matters (step counts, usually), we say so and tell you what to ask.
• Every budget and every side of the island. The list runs from dorm beds to villas, and from the caldera to the beaches and the wine villages, because the best Santorini hotel for a backpacker and the best one for an anniversary are not the same hotel.
• A reason to be here. Each hotel earns its place for a specific kind of trip, and we tell you who it suits and who should look elsewhere.

This guide doesn’t rate beds, breakfasts or service, and it doesn’t repeat other people’s reviews. No hotel paid to be included or saw this page before it was published. Hotel details change, especially season dates and pool heating, so confirm anything that matters to you directly with the hotel before you pay.

Caldera View, Sea View or No View: What You’re Paying For

Santorini is the biggest piece of a broken ring of islands left behind by a Bronze Age eruption. The middle collapsed and flooded, and what remains on the west side of the main island is a long, curved cliff, banded red, black and cream, dropping straight into the bay. That bay is the caldera. The villages on its rim (Oia at the northern tip, then Imerovigli, Firostefani and Fira along the central stretch) look west across the water to Nea Kameni, the dark volcanic island in the middle, and to Thirasia, the smaller island that closes the ring on the far side.

A “caldera view” hotel is one built into that cliff or along its rim. It’s the Santorini you’ve seen in photos, and it’s where the most expensive Santorini hotels are. The rest of the island slopes gently east and south to farmland, vineyards and long beaches of dark volcanic sand. Hotels on that side have sea views, sometimes very good ones, but they face open water and the sunrise, not the volcano and the sunset.

The view labels, decoded

Hotel websites use a small set of view labels, and they don’t always mean what a first-time visitor expects:

Label	Where you find it	What you actually see	Watch for
Caldera view	Oia, Imerovigli, Firostefani, Fira; a few hotels near Megalochori and Akrotiri	The bay, the volcano and Thirasia, straight from your room or terrace	Steps, neighbors’ terraces, higher prices
Sunset view	Oia above all, but any west-facing room on the rim can claim it	The sun going down over open sea or behind Thirasia, depending on the village and the month	Crowds on the lanes above you in Oia; a neighbor’s wall cutting the angle
Volcano view	Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli	Nea Kameni head-on, cruise ships at anchor by day	Some rooms face the volcano but not the sunset
Partial caldera view	Anywhere on the rim	A slice of the caldera between buildings, or a view from a shared terrace	Paying caldera prices for a sideways glance
Sea view	Kamari, Perissa, Perivolos, Oia’s north coast, inland ridges	Open Aegean, often the sunrise, sometimes neighboring islands	Not the caldera, whatever the photos imply
Garden or pool view	Inland villages and beach resorts	The hotel’s own grounds	Usually the best value if you’ll be out all day

Is the caldera view worth it?

It depends on how much time you’ll spend in the room. The caldera view is at its best in the hours when most day-trippers are gone: early morning, when the bay is flat and gray-blue, and the long evening from late afternoon to after dark. If you plan to spend those hours on your own terrace, the view is the whole point of the trip and worth stretching for. If you’ll leave after breakfast and come back at midnight, a caldera room is an expensive place to sleep, and you can watch the sunset from any public lane on the rim for free.

A middle path works well: book a caldera view for two or three nights and a beach or village hotel for the rest. Many hotels also sell cheaper rooms without the view, so you can get the location and the pool while watching the caldera from the hotel’s shared terrace instead of your own.

Two things the photos never show. First, the cliff is crowded. Terraces stack on top of each other, so the couple on the terrace above can often see into yours, and the cliff-top path through Fira, Firostefani and Imerovigli runs right past many hotels. Second, sunset in Oia draws crowds to the lanes and the castle viewpoint, and the hotels just below them get the noise that comes with it. Neither is a reason to skip the caldera, but both are reasons to ask exactly where on the cliff your room sits.

Private Pool, Plunge Pool or Hot Tub: What the Labels Mean

After the view, water is the second thing Santorini hotels sell, and the vocabulary is slippery. A “private pool” on the caldera is almost never a pool you can swim laps in. The cliff leaves little flat ground, so most private pools are plunge pools set into a terrace, sized for cooling off and floating with a drink, not for exercise. Big pools mostly belong to the beach resorts and the inland hotels, where there’s room to build them; the 25-meter lap pool at Perivolas in Oia is the rare exception.

What the listing says	What it usually is on Santorini	Heated?	Ask before booking
Shared pool	One pool for all guests; on the caldera often small, sometimes cut into the rock	Sometimes	Size, opening hours, whether it fills up at sunset
Infinity pool	A shared (or occasionally private) pool whose far edge seems to spill into the caldera	Sometimes	Whether it’s shared, and how many rooms share it
Private pool	A pool on your own terrace, usually a plunge pool of a few meters	Not always	Dimensions, heating, who can see it
Plunge pool	A small private pool, deep enough to sit or stand in	Varies: some heated year-round, some not at all	Whether it’s heated in April, May and October
Outdoor hot tub or “jacuzzi”	A whirlpool tub on the terrace, typically heated	Usually	Indoor or outdoor, and whether the jets and heat run all season
Cave pool	An indoor pool or tub dug into the rock under a vaulted ceiling	Ask	Ventilation and natural light

The heating question matters more than the size. Santorini’s season starts in April, when the air is mild but the water in an unheated terrace pool is cold enough to make you gasp. Through late spring and again from mid-October, a heated outdoor hot tub is often more useful than a bigger unheated plunge pool. If you’re traveling outside July and August, ask the hotel directly whether your room’s pool or tub is heated during your dates, and get the answer in writing.

Privacy is the other half of the pool question. Because the cliff is terraced, a “private” pool can be overlooked by the terrace above, by a neighboring hotel or by the public path. Some hotels screen terraces with walls and planting; others sell the openness as part of the view. Look at the hotel’s own photos for where the pool sits relative to the path, and ask. If you want a pool that nobody else can see, the villa-style hotels on Oia’s north coast and in the inland villages have more room to give you one.

Shared infinity pools are the photogenic ones, and the most crowded at the hour everyone wants them. At sunset a small caldera infinity pool can feel like a hot tub at a party. If the pool is part of why you’re booking, ask how many rooms share it, and consider a hotel with more than one pool or a private pool of your own.

Steps, Luggage and Getting to Your Room

Here’s the part the booking sites bury. Santorini hotels on the caldera are built down the face of a cliff, so reaching your room almost always means stairs: down from the lane to reception, then down again to your terrace. Dozens of steps are common, and the lower the room, the more there are. The steps are often uneven and can be slippery when wet, and very few cliff hotels have an elevator; Canaves Oia Suites says its elevator is the only one in Oia. In Oia, where cars can’t enter the lanes, that walk from the drop-off point is part of every arrival, and our Oia Santorini guide explains how the village is laid out.

Cars can’t reach most caldera hotels either. Oia’s cliff-top lanes are pedestrian-only, so taxis and transfers stop at the edge of the village and the last stretch is on foot. Fira, Firostefani and Imerovigli work the same way along the rim. Most of the caldera hotels on our list offer porters who meet you at the nearest drop-off point and carry your bags; Andronis Luxury Suites, for example, meets guests at a set point in the village. If a hotel doesn’t mention luggage at all, ask before you book, not when you’re standing at the top of the stairs with two suitcases.

Beach and inland hotels are usually the opposite, with flatter access and parking on site or close by. That makes them the practical choice if anyone in your group has limited mobility, a heart or knee problem, or a stroller. Truly step-free caldera rooms are rare. A few hotels list an accessible room; if you need one, get the details (door widths, bathroom layout, steps from the drop-off) in writing.

Getting there from the airport, the ferry and the cruise port

• Airport: Santorini’s airport sits on the east side of the island, close to Kamari and Monolithos, so beach hotels in Kamari are a short ride away and Oia is the farthest of the main bases.
• Ferries: most ferries dock at Athinios, the port on the caldera below Pyrgos and Megalochori, reached by a steep switchback road. Under the 2026 Civil Protection measures, traffic at Athinios is controlled during ship arrivals and departures, so allow extra time for your transfer.
• Cruise ships: cruise passengers come ashore at Fira’s Old Port and ride the cable car up to Fira (EUR 10 one way for an adult, EUR 5 per piece of luggage, 2026 price list). If you’re joining or leaving a cruise, a Fira hotel saves a long transfer.
• Buses: KTEL buses run from the Fira bus station to Oia, the beach villages, the airport and Athinios. The official fare table (updated May 19, 2026) lists EUR 2.20 for Fira to Oia (EUR 2.80 at night), EUR 2.20 for Fira to Kamari or the airport, and EUR 2.70 for Fira to Perissa or Athinios.
• Taxis and transfers: taxis can be hard to find at busy times, especially when ferries arrive. Pre-booking a transfer through your hotel is the calm option; many hotels arrange one, and a few include it in the rate.

Six questions to ask before you book a caldera hotel

1. How many steps are there between the car drop-off and my room?
2. Do you carry luggage from the drop-off, and is there a charge?
3. Is the view from my room and terrace, or from a shared terrace?
4. Is my pool or hot tub heated during my dates?
5. Can anyone see my terrace from the path or from neighboring terraces?
6. Where’s the nearest bus stop and taxi pick-up, and how long is the walk?

Cave Houses, Suites, Villas and Studios: Room Types Explained

Santorini’s hotel inventory is unusual. There are very few big hotels, and a great many small ones: family-run studios with a dozen rooms, clusters of converted cave houses, and luxury properties that are really a string of suites stepping down the cliff. Knowing the room types helps you read listings.

Cave houses (yposkafa)

The traditional Santorini home was dug into the cliff rather than built on it. These yposkafa (the Greek word means roughly “dug underneath”) were carved into the soft layers of volcanic ash and pumice, with a vaulted ceiling and a single facade facing out. They stay cool in summer, which is why farmers and sailors lived in them for centuries, and many caldera hotels today are made of restored ones.

A cave room is atmospheric and quiet, but it has trade-offs: daylight only comes in from the front, the back of the room can feel enclosed, and some can feel damp. Good hotels ventilate and dehumidify them well. Also watch for “cave-style” rooms: vaulted rooms built in the traditional shape rather than dug into the rock. They’re often perfectly nice, just not the real thing. Santorini cave hotels range from a single restored house to whole stretches of cliff turned into suites, and the listing photos rarely tell you which you’re getting.

Suites, villas, studios and apartments

• Suite: on Santorini, “suite” can mean anything from a room with a sitting corner and a terrace to a two-bedroom unit with its own pool. Compare square meters and bed setups, not labels.
• Villa: a standalone house, usually with a private pool, for families and groups. Some are part of a hotel with daily service; others are rentals where you’re on your own.
• Studio or apartment: a room with a kitchenette, the classic budget option in Kamari, Perissa and the villages behind Fira.
• Vacation rental: a private home or apartment rented through a platform. Greek short-term rentals must be registered with the tax authority, and the registration number (called the AMA) is supposed to appear on the listing; a listing without one is a red flag.
• Hostel and camping: a handful of hostels and a campsite cover the backpacker end, mostly in Perissa and near Fira.

Stars, keys and what they don’t tell you

Greek hotels are officially classified from one to five stars, while rooms to let and furnished apartments get keys instead, with four keys the top grade. The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels issues the certificates under a system in force since January 1, 2015. Stars measure facilities and services, not views or charm, so a three-star family hotel on the caldera can beat a five-star inland resort for the thing most people come for. The classification does matter for one practical reason: it sets the Climate Crisis Resilience Fee you’ll pay per night (see budget and fees).

Where the Hotels Are: Santorini’s Areas in Brief

The area matters more than the hotel, so decide where to stay in Santorini before you fall for a single room. The island is small (the bus route from Fira to Oia is 11.8 km, about 7 miles), but the caldera villages, the beach towns and the inland villages feel like different places, and the bus network runs through Fira, so almost every trip across the island means a change there.

Area	View	Beach	Bus fare from Fira (2026)	Price level	Best for
Oia	Caldera and sunset	No sandy beach	EUR 2.20	Highest	The view, couples, photographers
Imerovigli	The whole caldera from its highest point	None	EUR 2.20	High	Quiet evenings with the view
Firostefani	Caldera and volcano	None	Walk to Fira	Mid to high	A view within walking distance of Fira
Fira	Caldera and volcano	None	Bus hub	Mid	First-timers, no car, nightlife
Megalochori and Pyrgos	Vineyards, some caldera	None	EUR 2.20	Mid to high	Wine, village life, travelers with a car
Akrotiri	Caldera or open sea	Small beaches nearby	EUR 2.20	Mid	Quiet, the archaeological site
Kamari	Open sea and sunrise	Long dark pebble beach	EUR 2.20	Low to mid	Beach days, families, the airport
Perissa and Perivolos	Open sea	Long black-sand beach	EUR 2.70	Low to mid	Beach bars, budgets, long stays
Karterados and Messaria	Little or none	None	EUR 2.20	Low	Saving money close to Fira

A few smaller places are worth knowing about when you’re comparing prices. Finikia sits just inland from Oia, a short walk from the cliff, and costs less for the same village. Vourvoulos, Exo Gonia and Vlychada are quiet corners with few hotels, better for a second base than a first. And “Oia” in a listing sometimes means somewhere on the road above Oia rather than on the cliff, so check the map pin, not the name.

Where you stay also decides how you’ll see the sunset. From Oia, Imerovigli, Firostefani or Fira you walk out of your door. From the beach towns it’s a bus ride to the caldera and a crowded bus back, or a taxi if you can find one. Plenty of people happily make that trade for a cheaper room and a beach, but know you’re making it.

The Best Santorini Hotels at a Glance

Here are our Santorini hotel recommendations in one table: 26 hotels, grouped by type, from cliff-edge suites to a campsite. The numbers match the entries below, and the age column matters more than you’d think, because many caldera hotels don’t take young children.

#	Hotel	Where	View	Pools	Ages
1	Canaves Oia Suites	Oia	Caldera	Private pool or plunge pool in every suite	13+
2	Katikies Santorini	Oia	Caldera	Three infinity pools; private pools or jetted tubs in many suites	13+
3	Perivolas	Oia	Caldera	Infinity pool, lap pool; heated private pools in some suites	16+ (except the villa)
4	Andronis Luxury Suites	Oia	Caldera	Heated private pool or hot tub in every suite	13+
5	Grace Hotel	Imerovigli	Caldera	Heated infinity pool; heated plunge pools in most rooms	14+ (except the villa)
6	Cavo Tagoo	Imerovigli	Caldera	Heated infinity pool; private pool or hot tub in every suite type	All ages
7	Astra Suites	Imerovigli	Caldera	Infinity pool; private pools in two suite types	All ages
8	Aigialos	Fira	Caldera	Small shared plunge pool	6+
9	Canaves Epitome	Outside Oia	Sea and sunset	Heated private pool or plunge pool in every suite	All ages
10	Grand Ambassador Santorini	Akrotiri	Caldera	Private pool in every suite and villa	All ages
11	Alti Santorini Suites	Megalochori	Caldera	Heated plunge pool in every suite	18+
12	Esperas	Oia	Sea and sunset	Half-cave pool; plunge pools in suites	16+
13	Villa Renos	Fira	Caldera	Caldera-view pool; whirlpools in two room types	All ages
14	Hotel Keti	Fira	Caldera	Heated outdoor Jacuzzi in three suites	All ages
15	Anastasis Apartments	Imerovigli	Caldera	Heated infinity pool and Jacuzzi; private Jacuzzis in five units	13+
16	Cosmopolitan Suites	Fira	Caldera	Unheated infinity pool; heated jet tubs in suites	13+
17	Vedema	Megalochori	Gardens and vineyards	Two pools, heated Jacuzzi; heated pools in some villas	All ages
18	Zannos Melathron	Pyrgos	Island and sea	Pool; private Jacuzzis in some suites	All ages
19	Aressana	Fira	Garden, pool, sunrise	Freshwater pool; hot tubs in top-floor suites	All ages
20	Istoria	Perivolos	Sea	Large pool; hot tubs in most suite types	14+
21	Costa Grand Resort and Spa	Kamari	Sea	Pool, kids’ pool; one private-pool room type	All ages
22	Santo Miramare Resort	Perivolos	Sea	Three pools, one for children	All ages
23	Orabel Suites	Perivolos	Sea and pool	Pool; private Jacuzzi in every suite	Adults only
24	Stelios Place	Perissa	Not a selling point	Pool with Jacuzzi	All ages
25	Caveland	Karterados	Mostly none (cave rooms)	Pool, late April to October	18+ alone; families book a whole dorm
26	Santorini Camping	Fira	Sea, from the pool	Seasonal pool	Not stated

Best Luxury Caldera Hotels

These are the hotels in the photos: suites stepping down the cliff in Oia, Imerovigli and Fira, most with a pool or hot tub of their own. Expect the island’s highest prices and plenty of stairs, and check the age limits before you fall in love with one: several don’t take children under 13 or 14.

1. Canaves Oia Suites

Top-tier luxury, caldera view, Oia. The Chaidemenos family started Canaves in 1986 by turning 17th-century wine caves in Oia into a hotel, and Canaves Oia Suites, opened in 1993, still has suites carved into the cliff in those former wineries. It sits at the entrance to the village, at what the hotel says is Oia’s highest point, and its 46 suites and villas face the caldera, the volcano and the Aegean. Every one has a private plunge pool or pool (heated in the Junior, Superior and Honeymoon suites), there are two shared pools, and the spa is in a 17th-century wine cave. The rare part is an elevator linking the street with almost every room level, which the hotel says is the only one in Oia.

Plan it: The booking engine lists a season of April 1 to November 15, although no November 2026 nights were for sale online. Guests 13 and over. Free parking with EV charging and a 24-hour porter. On September 24, 2026, its own site priced an October night for two from EUR 613 (late October) up to EUR 1,915 (October 2). A Small Luxury Hotels of the World member. Best for: Oia luxury with far fewer stairs than its neighbors.

2. Katikies Santorini

Top-tier luxury, caldera view, Oia. Katikies Santorini now comes in two parts: Pelagos House, on the cliff in the heart of Oia at the start of the main pedestrian street, and Gea House, at the quieter edge of the village. Every suite has a private veranda with a caldera view, there are three infinity pools (only the main one is described as heated), and the jetted tubs are heated to about 23°C. The headline table is Botrini’s Santorini, the island outpost of a Michelin-starred Athens restaurant. It’s a Leading Hotels of the World member, and its awards page lists a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award.

Plan it: No season dates are published, though 2026 menus are posted on its site. No children under 13; the group points families to Katikies Garden in Fira. Free private parking about a minute’s walk away, luggage handling, and private transfers for up to four through the hotel’s concierge. Best for: the white-terraces-and-infinity-pools Oia stay, right in the village.

3. Perivolas

Top-tier luxury, caldera view, Oia. In 1969 Manos and Nadia Psychas bought cave dwellings and stables on the outskirts of Oia and began restoring caves that fishermen and farmers had lived in for some 300 years. The result, Perivolas (now styled Perivolas Lifestyle Houses), is 23 suites and villas on terraces facing the caldera and the sunset, with an infinity pool that has appeared on magazine covers since 1997 and, unusually for Santorini, a 25-meter lap pool beside the gym. Several suites have their own heated infinity pools. There are no TVs in the rooms, which tells you what kind of place it is.

Plan it: Open April 17 to October 31, with a two-night minimum on some dates. Unlike most cliff hotels it has its own free car park next door, so you can drive straight to it. Children under 16 are accepted only in the Perivolas Villa. October 2026 nights started at EUR 513 for two on its own site. The hotel says the Michelin Guide has awarded it a Key. Best for: quiet, understated luxury, and a pool you can actually swim in.

4. Andronis Luxury Suites

Top-tier luxury, caldera view, Oia. Andronis Luxury Suites is built into the cliff right on Oia’s pedestrian street, about a seven-minute walk from the blue domes and the castle. All 39 suites and villas have a private hot tub or pool, and the hotel says every pool and hot tub is heated, the shared 60-square-meter infinity pool included, which makes it a strong pick for April, May and October. Most suites look over the caldera, the volcano and the Aegean; only certain villas face the sunset directly. Lycabettus is the fine-dining restaurant, the cave spa is adults-only, and some top suites come with use of a MINI Cooper convertible during the day.

Plan it: No season dates are published, but the booking engine was selling every night of October 2026 from EUR 628 for two. Many steps and no elevator, and the hotel says it may not suit guests with mobility challenges; staff meet you at a meeting point in Oia and carry your bags, and there’s free parking nearby. No children under 13. Best for: a heated pool or hot tub of your own, in the middle of Oia.

5. Grace Hotel

Top-tier luxury, caldera view, Imerovigli. The big draw at Grace Hotel, now part of the Auberge Collection, is its pool: a heated, 22-meter infinity pool that the hotel calls the largest in Imerovigli, on a clifftop it says sits 300 meters above the caldera. There are only 22 rooms and suites plus a villa, all with 180-degree views of the caldera and the sunset, and most have a heated outdoor plunge pool of their own; the two Infinity Suites get private heated infinity pools. The restaurant, Varoulko Santorini, is run by chef Lefteris Lazarou. There’s no spa, but treatments come to your room.

Plan it: The hotel says it usually closes from November until April 14. Guests must be 14 or older, except in the villa. Getting in means walking down several flights of concrete steps, and the hotel says it may not suit guests with restricted mobility; porters carry bags. Private transfers cost EUR 100 per room each way. Best for: a no-compromise caldera stay with a heated pool on your own terrace.

6. Cavo Tagoo

Top-tier luxury, caldera view, Imerovigli. Cavo Tagoo scatters its suites down a steep slope of the caldera near Imerovigli, and every category is sold with a sunset view. The main infinity pool is heated, five suite types have private pools, three more have hot tubs, and Roka, the restaurant, serves Japanese-inspired grilled food. Two things set it apart from most cliff hotels: children of all ages are welcome, and parking and valet service are free. Non-guests can buy a limited number of pool day passes (noon to 5 p.m.), with the price credited to food and drink.

Plan it: Open April 23 to October 19, one of the shorter seasons here. The hotel puts the airport 15-20 minutes away and Athinios 20-25 minutes, and arranges private transfers. Spa treatments are for guests 16 and over. Best for: families who want a luxury caldera hotel, and drivers who want a private pool without hunting for parking.

7. Astra Suites

Luxury, caldera view, Imerovigli. Astra Suites has been on the cliff at Imerovigli, near the highest point of the rim, for nearly three decades by its own account. Its 21 suites each have a balcony over the volcano and the Aegean, the shared infinity pool faces the sunset, and the Pool Suite and Infinity Pool Suite add private pools. It’s also unusually candid: the hotel warns that private balconies aren’t screened from view (the jetted-tub and pool suites are the most private), that its pools are heated only in the low and mid seasons, and that the location may not suit guests with mobility issues.

Plan it: Open April 1 to October 31. The nearest bus stop is 800 meters away; transfers cost EUR 55 semi-private or EUR 80 private for two, each way. Children accepted. For late-September 2026 check-ins its own site listed the Studio from EUR 402 a night and the Pool Suite from EUR 1,002. Best for: couples who want a proper caldera suite and a straight answer about what they’re getting.

8. Aigialos

Luxury heritage hotel, caldera view, Fira. Aigialos Luxury Traditional Settlement is a cluster of 18th- and 19th-century homes that belonged to a sea captain’s family, restored in 2000 and a member of Historic Hotels of Europe since 2005. It sits on the caldera rim at the quiet edge of Fira, a three-minute walk from the shops, with 15 residences and suites named after Aegean winds. Every unit has a balcony or terrace over the caldera (two categories share one), and most also face the volcano or the sunset. The only pool is a small plunge pool by the restaurant, so come for the houses and the view, not the swimming.

Plan it: Its booking engine lists May 1 to October 26, while its FAQ says April to October, depending on Easter. It’s 200 meters from the transfer drop-off, then numerous steps and no elevator, and no units are suitable for guests with disabilities. Children from age 6. Free public parking 150 to 300 meters away fills up in peak season. Best for: sleeping in a restored captain’s house rather than a new-build suite.

Best for a Private Pool Away From the Crowds

Three hotels where every suite comes with its own pool, away from the busiest lanes of Oia and Imerovigli: one just outside Oia, one at Akrotiri and one on the quieter southern stretch of the caldera.

9. Canaves Epitome

Top-tier luxury, sea and sunset view, outside Oia. Canaves Epitome, built in 2018 from local volcanic stone, sits just outside Oia above the fishing harbor of Ammoudi, about 2 km from the village center. Because it isn’t built into the cliff, it’s far easier to get around than the caldera hotels: there’s an elevator, a 24-hour porter, free parking and valet, and a free shuttle into Oia on request. All 53 suites and villas face the sea and the sunset, and every one has a private plunge pool or pool, heated year-round to about 32°C (plunge pools) or 28°C (private pools), the hotel says. The two big infinity pools are unheated, and there’s a children’s pool.

Plan it: The booking engine lists a season of April 1 to November 15, though November 2026 wasn’t bookable online. Children of all ages are welcome, under-6s stay free, and a kids’ program runs for ages 4 to 12. October 2026 nights started at EUR 640 for two on its own site. The hotel’s shuttle also serves Ammoudi, so ask how the 2026 road restrictions there affect it. Best for: families, and anyone who wants Oia-level luxury without the stairs.

10. Grand Ambassador Santorini

Luxury, private pools, Akrotiri. If you knew it as Ambassador Aegean, it now trades as Grand Ambassador Santorini, part of Trend Hotels Collection. It sits on the cliffs of Akrotiri at the southwestern end of the caldera, facing the volcano and the sunset, and each of its 40 suites and villas has a private pool, with a shared infinity pool too. Golf carts move guests around the property. It’s 1.5 km from the Akrotiri archaeological site and 8 km from Fira, which is the trade: quiet and a pool of your own, but you’ll want a car or transfers for everything else.

Plan it: Its season runs May 1 to October 31. The hotel’s driver meets guests at the airport or port, and direct bookings of seven nights or more include a free transfer. Children welcome. October 2026 nights started at EUR 318 for two, prepaid with breakfast, on its own site. Best for: couples who want a private pool and don’t need to walk to dinner.

11. Alti Santorini Suites

Upper mid-range, caldera view, Megalochori. Alti Santorini Suites is 11 suites in two small complexes on the caldera cliff at Megalochori, a long way from the Oia and Fira crowds. Every suite has a private heated plunge pool, kept 5°C above the air temperature to a maximum of 30°C, which is exactly what you want in April or October. The views run across the caldera to the volcano and the sunset, and breakfast is brought to your suite.

Plan it: No season dates are published, but the booking engine was selling October 2026 nights from about EUR 174 for two with breakfast. Adults only (18+). Free parking, bell-boy service and transfers by arrangement; Athinios port is 4 km away. A EUR 500 damage deposit is taken by card on arrival. Best for: a heated private pool with a caldera view for a mid-range price.

Best Mid-Range Hotels With a Caldera View

The caldera without the four-figure bill. These smaller, simpler hotels have the same view as their expensive neighbors; four are in Fira and Imerovigli, and one is on the cliff in Oia.

12. Esperas

Mid-range to luxury, sea and sunset view, Oia. Esperas stands on the cliff edge about five minutes’ walk from the village center, above the little port of Ammoudi, and it began in 1986, when its founders, a surgeon and a dentist, bought the plot and uncovered five old caves. Today it has 21 studios, cave houses and suites, all with open sea views and most facing the sunset from private terraces. The shared pool is a half-cave carved into the rock, the suites have plunge pools, and the hotel is a member of Historic Hotels of Europe.

Plan it: Its season runs April 15 to November 2. Guests 16 and over. The site says nothing about steps or luggage help, so ask. On September 24, 2026, its own site priced most nights from October 16 to 31 at EUR 194 for two, against EUR 652 on October 1 and 2. Best for: an Oia cave room and a sunset terrace without Oia’s top-tier prices.

13. Villa Renos

Mid-range, caldera view, Fira. Villa Renos calls itself one of the first hotels on Santorini, and it sits where Fira’s old quarter meets the top of the cliff. Every room has a big balcony facing the volcano and the sunset, there’s an outdoor pool on the caldera edge, and the Deluxe Room and Junior Suite each add an outdoor whirlpool. Rooms run from an 18-square-meter single to a 100-square-meter suite for five, which makes this one of the few caldera hotels that works for a family or a group of friends. The hotel says its latest renovation took it to four stars.

Plan it: Open March 20 to November 29, one of the longest seasons on the caldera. Homemade Greek breakfast included; free public parking nearby, bell-boy service and transfers on request. Children welcome. On September 24, 2026, its own site priced October nights from about EUR 235 for two. Best for: a classic caldera balcony at a mid-range price, with Fira on the doorstep.

14. Hotel Keti

Mid-range, caldera view, Fira. Small and old-fashioned in the best sense, Hotel Keti is a renovated traditional building on the Fira cliff with a handful of rooms (the homepage says nine), every one with a balcony over the caldera and the volcano. Three suites, the Rock, Pillow View and King, have a heated outdoor Jacuzzi on a large private balcony, and the Cave House Suite is a two-space cave room. Breakfast is served at the hotel’s bar.

Plan it: Open March 15 to November 20, so it’s one of the few caldera hotels you can book in March or November. It’s about five minutes from Fira’s main square up the old stone steps, and the site doesn’t mention a porter, so ask. Children welcome; transfers cost extra. October 2026 nights started at EUR 185 for two on its own site, breakfast and taxes included. Best for: a real caldera balcony for the least money, if you’re fine with stairs.

15. Anastasis Apartments

Upper mid-range, caldera view, Imerovigli. Anastasis Apartments solves the caldera’s biggest practical problem: the hotel says its location has no cliff steps, and the bus stop is 95 meters away. It sits on the edge of the cliff on the outskirts of Imerovigli, about 1 km (a 15-20 minute walk) from the village center, with ten apartments and suites plus a cliffside villa, all looking over the sea and the sunset. Every unit has a kitchenette. There’s a heated infinity pool, a heated shared Jacuzzi on the caldera edge and a small spa, and five of the units have a private outdoor Jacuzzi.

Plan it: The season is short: April 25 to October 21. Porters, private parking and a free evening shuttle (18:00 to 23:45) to Imerovigli, Firostefani and the edge of Fira. No children under 13. Its booking engine quoted early-October 2026 nights from EUR 252 for two. Best for: caldera views without the stair workout, and travelers with a rental car.

16. Cosmopolitan Suites

Upper mid-range, caldera view, Fira. Cosmopolitan Suites, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is ten units on the caldera edge in the middle of Fira, two minutes’ walk from the main square. Every room faces west over the caldera, the infinity pool sits on the edge (unheated, the hotel says, for sustainability reasons), and the jetted tubs in the suites are heated to about 32-35°C. By the hotel’s own account it has relatively few steps for a cliff property, and it’s a one-minute walk to the cable car and five minutes to the bus station.

Plan it: Open April 1 to October 30. The street is car-free; the nearest road is a 1-2 minute walk and a porter carries bags. No children under 13. October 2026 nights started at EUR 380 for two with breakfast on its own site. Best for: a caldera suite in the middle of town, and a stay before or after a cruise.

Best Hotels Away From the Caldera Edge

Hotels that trade the cliff-edge view for space, flat access or village life, in the wine villages and in the middle of Fira.

17. Vedema, a Luxury Collection Resort

Luxury resort, vineyard views, Megalochori. Vedema grew out of a 400-year-old winery inside the village of Megalochori, and it’s the island’s clearest alternative to the cliff: 74 suites and villas around gardens and vineyards, two pools, an open-air heated Jacuzzi, and villas with private heated pools. Alati restaurant sits in the old wine cellar where the estate began, and the spa is in a century-old cellar. Marriott lists an accessible main entrance, complimentary parking and valet parking, all rare on this island.

Plan it: Neither Vedema nor Marriott publishes 2026 season dates, so check before planning an early or late trip. It calls itself family-friendly and runs a “Kids Stay and Eat Free” offer; pets up to 5 kg are welcome for EUR 50 a night. There’s no airport shuttle, and the airport is about 7 km away. Best for: families, and anyone who wants full-service luxury with flat access rather than a view.

18. Zannos Melathron

Boutique, island views, Pyrgos. Zannos Melathron occupies a neoclassical mansion at the entrance to the old castle quarter of Pyrgos, the hilltop village in the middle of the island; its history page dates the family story to around 1870. Now run by Omilos Hotels, which describes it as five-star, it has 31 individually designed rooms and suites, a pool beside the bell tower of St. Theodosia church, and suites with private Jacuzzis. The views are over the island and the sea rather than the caldera.

Plan it: Open April 1 to October 31. It’s a five-minute walk to the village square; wine and olive oil tastings run in the cellar. Children welcome, and the Cave Family Suite sleeps six. Best for: evenings in a real village, and a central base for exploring by car.

19. Aressana Spa Hotel and Suites

Upper mid-range, garden and sunrise views, central Fira. Aressana is a 48-room Small Luxury Hotels of the World member next to Fira’s Orthodox cathedral, a few steps from the caldera rim but without caldera views: rooms look over the garden, the pool or east toward the sunrise. What you get instead is room to move, which is rare in Fira: a freshwater pool with hydromassage, junior suites that open onto a shared pool and sleep two adults and two children, top-floor suites with private hot tubs facing east, and a spa.

Plan it: Open April 12 to October 31. It’s in the car-free zone, but arrival transfers drop guests at the entrance, and the bus and taxi station is close. Cots, high chairs and babysitting on request; under-2s stay free. October 2026 nights started at EUR 194 for two with breakfast on its own site. Best for: families who want Fira’s convenience and a proper pool, and don’t need the view from bed.

Best Beach Hotels and Resorts

On the east and south coasts, the beach is the view. These hotels sit on the sand or a few steps from it, in Kamari and along Perivolos.

20. Istoria

Luxury, beachfront, Perivolos. Istoria, a member of Design Hotels, is the beach hotel for people who usually book caldera suites: 12 suites right on the seafront of Perivolos, a long stretch of black volcanic sand. Four of the six suite types have an outdoor hot tub on a private terrace, there’s a large shared pool with a sunken bar, and guests get free access to the hotel’s beach club on the sand. It now has a sister property, Istoria Cliff, with nine suites and villas in the caldera cliff at Firostefani, so you can split a stay between beach and caldera without changing hotel brands.

Plan it: The site publishes no season dates; its offers run May to October. Guests must be 14 or older. Transfers in electric cars on request. Best for: design-minded couples who want a beach, a hot tub and dinner steps from the sand.

21. Costa Grand Resort and Spa

Resort, beachfront, Kamari. Costa Grand says it’s the only resort right on Kamari’s black-sand beach, and that’s its whole appeal: walk out of the gate and you’re on the beach, with the hotel’s own sunbeds and a bar a few steps away. It’s the newest five-star hotel of the local KD Hotels group, with a freshwater pool, a children’s pool, a spa and a room type with its own private pool. The airport is 4 km away, the shortest ride on this list.

Plan it: Open April 25 to October 28. Parking on site; transfers can be booked. Families welcome, with a kids’ pool and baby chairs; small pets up to 5 kg allowed. Best for: families and beach people who want resort facilities and a short airport transfer.

22. Santo Miramare Resort

Resort, beachfront, Perivolos. Santo Miramare, also from KD Hotels, is a four-star resort on the black sand at Perivolos with three outdoor pools (one for children), family rooms of two connecting spaces for up to four, and something beach hotels on Santorini don’t always offer: sunbeds and umbrellas on its own stretch of beach, free for guests. Buffet breakfast and dinner are served on site.

Plan it: The season runs April 24 to October 26. Fira is 13 km away; transfers cost extra. Babysitting on request. Best for: a family beach holiday with free sunbeds and a pool for the kids.

23. Orabel Suites

Boutique, adults-only, Perivolos. Orabel Suites is 11 suites just above the beach at Agios Georgios, the southern end of Perivolos, and every one has a private Jacuzzi: outdoors on the verandas of most suites, indoors in the two-bedroom Master Suite. There’s a shared main pool with a lounge bar, breakfast in your suite and free private parking. It bills itself as an adults-only retreat (it states no minimum age).

Plan it: Open April 24 to October 31. The hotel puts Fira about 10 minutes away by car and Oia 30. Transfers on request. Best for: couples who want a hot tub, a quiet pool and the beach, without caldera prices.

Best Budget Stays: Hotels, Hostels and Camping

Santorini on a budget means Perissa, Karterados or the campsite in Fira, with the caldera a bus ride or a walk away.

24. Stelios Place

Budget, near the beach, Perissa. Family-run since 1992, Stelios Place is the kind of simple, friendly hotel that makes a long Santorini stay affordable: 20-square-meter rooms with a balcony or veranda, a pool with a Jacuzzi, a shared kitchen, and Perissa’s black-sand beach two minutes’ walk away. The bus stop on the main road is also two minutes away, with buses to Fira every 20-30 minutes in high season, the hotel says.

Plan it: Open April 1 to October 31, according to its site. Children welcome, and cots are free for babies up to 2. Free luggage storage and showers for late departures. Its booking calendar showed October 2026 nights at EUR 50-55 for two. Best for: beach days on a budget, with the caldera a bus ride away.

25. Caveland

Budget hostel, cave rooms, Karterados. Caveland is a hostel with a better story than most hotels: an 18th-century wine estate whose dorms and rooms are man-made caves dug into the volcanic ground, some around 250 years old and once used for wine storage or as stables. Each has air conditioning and a dehumidifier. Dorms range from women-only rooms to 10-bed mixed caves, there are private doubles and an apartment with a sea-view terrace, breakfast is included, and the pool runs from late April to October.

Plan it: The site takes bookings but publishes no season dates, and its FAQ mentions low-season reception hours and off-season deals for digital nomads, so it’s worth asking about winter stays. It’s a 25-minute walk or 5-minute drive from Fira, and the bus stop is 10 minutes’ walk; parking is free. Social nights (tavern dinners, pizza and movies, rooftop yoga) run through the season. Under-18s need written parental consent. Best for: solo travelers and backpackers who want a cave room at a dorm price.

26. Santorini Camping

Budget, camping and dorms, Fira. The cheapest bed near the caldera is at Santorini Camping, about 350 meters from the center of Fira and 300 meters from the bus station. Choose between pitches for your own tent (no reservation needed), bed-tents, air-conditioned dorms for six to eight people, and private rooms with their own bathrooms. There’s a seasonal pool, a self-service restaurant and a mini market. Its price list, last updated in April 2025, runs from EUR 12.50 for a dorm bed in spring to EUR 30 in July and August.

Plan it: Open March 1 to November 30, the site says, the longest season on this list; reception is staffed around the clock from June 1 to September 15. Best for: the tightest budgets, and anyone who wants to walk to Fira’s sunset for free.

Santorini Hotels by Budget: What Your Money Buys

Santorini hotel prices move with four things, roughly in this order: the month, the view, the village and, last, the star rating. A simple double in Perissa in late April and a caldera suite in Oia in mid-August are both “Santorini hotels,” and they’re not in the same universe. Rather than quote island-wide averages, here’s what a night for two cost on the hotels’ own booking engines on September 24, 2026, for dates in October 2026. October is shoulder season, so July and August cost more, and early-October nights often cost twice the late-October price or more.

Per night for two, October 2026	What it bought	Examples (lowest October rate we saw)
Under EUR 100	A simple room near the beach, a hostel bed or a campsite pitch; no view, shared pool	Stelios Place (EUR 50-55), Santorini Camping (dorm beds from EUR 12.50 on a price list last updated in April 2025)
EUR 150-300	A caldera-view room in a small Fira or Imerovigli hotel, an Oia cliff-edge room late in the season, a heated plunge pool on the quiet southern caldera, or a central Fira hotel with a pool but no view	Alti (EUR 174), Hotel Keti (EUR 185), Esperas and Aressana (EUR 194), Villa Renos (EUR 235), Anastasis (EUR 252)
EUR 300-600	A caldera room or suite at a boutique luxury hotel in Oia, Fira, Imerovigli or Akrotiri, some with a heated tub or a private pool	Grand Ambassador (EUR 318), Cosmopolitan Suites (EUR 380), Astra Suites (Studio EUR 402 in late September), Perivolas (EUR 513)
EUR 600 and up	Oia’s top hotels, with a private pool or hot tub in every suite; the same rooms cost well over EUR 1,000 on busier nights	Canaves Oia Suites (EUR 613), Andronis (EUR 628), Canaves Epitome (EUR 640)

These are the cheapest room types on the cheapest nights, and rate conditions vary: some include breakfast and taxes, and many of the lowest rates are prepaid or non-refundable. Treat them as a sense of scale, not a quote, and check the hotel’s own site for your dates.

The fee you’ll pay on top

Greece’s Climate Crisis Resilience Fee is charged per room (not per person) per night, usually at checkout, and it isn’t always included in the price a booking site shows you. The rates below have applied since January 1, 2025, and no change had been announced for 2026 as of September 2026.

Type of accommodation	April to October	November to March
1- and 2-star hotels	EUR 2	EUR 0.50
3-star hotels	EUR 5	EUR 1.50
4-star hotels	EUR 10	EUR 3
5-star hotels	EUR 15	EUR 4
Furnished rooms and apartments	EUR 2	EUR 0.50
Short-term rentals	EUR 8 (EUR 15 for a detached house over 80 square meters)	EUR 2 (EUR 4)
Tourist villas	EUR 15	EUR 4

On a seven-night stay in a five-star caldera hotel in July, that’s EUR 105 on top of the room rate; in a three-star hotel in Kamari, EUR 35.

Ways to spend less without giving up the view

• Go in the shoulder season. Late April, May, early June, late September and October bring lower rates, warm days and far fewer people. The sea is cooler in spring, which is where a heated hot tub earns its keep.
• Split your stay. Two or three caldera nights plus a beach or village base for the rest costs much less than a week on the cliff, and you’ll see more of the island.
• Book the room below the view. Many caldera hotels sell rooms without a private caldera view but with access to the same pool and terrace.
• Look at Fira, Firostefani and Imerovigli before Oia. The caldera is the same caldera, and the prices are usually friendlier.
• Check the hotel’s own website. Small hotels sometimes offer a better rate, or extras such as breakfast or a transfer, when you book direct. Compare the cancellation terms line by line, not just the headline rate.

Which Hotel for Which Trip

If you already know what kind of trip this is, start here: the Santorini hotels below are matched to the trip, and the links jump to their entries above.

Your trip	Where to look	Start with
First visit, no car	Fira or Firostefani, near the bus hub	Villa Renos, Hotel Keti, Cosmopolitan Suites
Honeymoon or big anniversary	A caldera suite with its own heated pool	Andronis Luxury Suites, Grace Hotel, Alti Santorini Suites
Young children	Beach resorts, or the few luxury hotels that take all ages	Canaves Epitome, Cavo Tagoo, Costa Grand, Santo Miramare, Vedema
Limited mobility or heavy luggage	Flat sites, an elevator, or no cliff steps	Canaves Epitome, Canaves Oia Suites, Anastasis Apartments, Vedema
April, May or October	Heated pools and hot tubs	Andronis Luxury Suites, Alti Santorini Suites, Canaves Epitome, Anastasis Apartments
Beach first, caldera second	Perivolos or Kamari	Istoria, Orabel Suites, Costa Grand
Wine, food and village life	Megalochori and Pyrgos	Vedema, Zannos Melathron, Alti Santorini Suites
Tight budget	Perissa, Karterados, the campsite in Fira	Stelios Place, Caveland, Santorini Camping

Traveling with children? Check the age policy before anything else. Of the caldera hotels on this list, Canaves Oia Suites, Katikies Santorini, Andronis Luxury Suites, Anastasis Apartments and Cosmopolitan Suites don’t take children under 13, Grace Hotel sets the limit at 14 except in its villa, Esperas at 16 and Alti at 18. The reason given is usually safety: steep steps, cliff-edge terraces and open plunge pools. Cavo Tagoo, Astra Suites, Villa Renos and Hotel Keti do take children, and the family resorts on the beach, Costa Grand and Santo Miramare, are built for them.

Planning a honeymoon? A Santorini honeymoon usually means a suite with a caldera view and a private heated pool or hot tub, booked early for summer. Most hotels in the luxury and private-pool sections above offer exactly that in at least some suites (Aigialos, with only a small shared pool, is the exception); the difference is how much you’ll pay and how many stairs you’ll climb to get there.

When to Book, and When the Hotels Close

Santorini hotels run on a season, not a calendar year. Of the 26 hotels on this list, most open in April and close between October 19 and October 31. Santorini Camping (from March 1), Hotel Keti (March 15) and Villa Renos (March 20) open earliest. At the other end, Esperas lists November 2, the two Canaves hotels November 15 (though neither was selling November nights online in September 2026), Hotel Keti November 20, Villa Renos November 29 and the campsite November 30. None of the hotels that publish their dates is open from December to February.

Prices follow the season closely, and the drop at the end of it is steep. On the hotels’ own booking engines on September 24, 2026, the cheapest night for two at Hotel Keti cost EUR 527 on October 3 but EUR 185 later in the month. Villa Renos went from EUR 483 on October 9 to EUR 235 on October 23, and Cosmopolitan Suites from EUR 582 on October 9 to EUR 380 on October 20. The same pattern runs in reverse in spring, so late April, May and the second half of October are the sweet spots if you can live with cooler water.

• July and August: book caldera rooms as early as you can, ideally over the winter. Small hotels have few rooms, and the best-placed suites go first.
• June and September: still high season on the caldera, with a little more choice.
• May and October: the best value, with warm days and quieter lanes; early October is still busy, and prices fall through the month.
• April and November: many hotels are just opening or about to close, so check that yours is open for every night of your stay.
• December to February: most hotels are shut. Fira, the capital, keeps the most year-round life; confirm the hotel is actually open before you book anything.

Read the rate rules as carefully as the room description. The cheapest prices on hotels’ own sites are often prepaid and non-refundable, some nights carry minimum stays in busy periods, and a few hotels take a damage deposit on arrival. If your dates might move, the flexible rate is usually worth the difference.

What’s Changed Since You Last Looked

A lot of Santorini hotel advice online was written before 2025. These are the changes that affect where and how you stay:

What changed	When	What it means for your stay
The Climate Crisis Resilience Fee rose to EUR 2-15 per room per night (April to October) by hotel category, EUR 8 for short-term rentals	January 1, 2025; unchanged for 2026	Budget for it on top of the room rate; it’s usually paid at the property
An earthquake swarm between Santorini and Amorgos led to a state of emergency; there was no eruption	Late January to March 2025 (emergency declared February 5, 2025)	Tourism resumed for the 2025 season, and scientists continue to monitor the area
Civil Protection measures after a new 2026 earthquake sequence: traffic control at Athinios port, the Ammoudi road closed to general traffic, the Ammoudi to Agios Nikolaos path closed, and a restricted zone at Fira’s Old Port	In force until March 31, 2027	Allow extra time for ferry transfers; if your Oia hotel is near Ammoudi Bay, ask how guests get down there. The cable car and the Fira to Old Port path were not restricted
Cruise passengers capped at 8,000 a day, and a per-passenger fee of EUR 20 from June to September	Since July 2025	The busiest cruise days are capped, but Fira and Oia still fill up when several ships are in

What to Skip, and Red Flags When Booking

• “Sea view” rooms sold with caldera photos. If the hotel is in Kamari, Perissa or inland, the view is the Aegean, not the volcano. Check the map pin.
• A low cliff room if stairs are hard for you. The lower the room, the more steps back up to the lane, every time you go out.
• Paying extra for an unheated plunge pool in April or late October. A heated hot tub will get far more use.
• Oia for a beach holiday. There’s no sandy beach in the village; the beach towns are across the island.
• One caldera night on a ferry day. If your boat lands in the evening, you’ll pay for a sunset you watch from a transfer van. Put the caldera nights in the middle of the trip.
• Package “all-inclusive” deals. All inclusive Santorini options are rare, and eating out in the villages is half the reason to come.
• Rentals with no registration number, no address and a request to pay off-platform. That’s how holiday-rental scams work everywhere, and Santorini’s high prices make it a target.

Santorini Hotels FAQ

What are the best hotels in Santorini?

It depends on the trip. For classic caldera luxury, start with Canaves Oia Suites, Katikies Santorini and Perivolas in Oia, or Grace Hotel in Imerovigli. For a caldera view at a mid-range price, look at Villa Renos, Hotel Keti or Esperas. For the beach, Istoria and Costa Grand; on a budget, Stelios Place and Caveland.

Is it better to stay on the caldera or near the beach?

Stay on the caldera if the view and the sunset are why you’re going and you’re comfortable with steps. Stay near the beach in Kamari or Perissa if you want flat access, a sandy (well, black-sand) beach and lower prices. Many visitors split the trip: two or three caldera nights, then the beach.

Are Santorini hotels open in winter?

Mostly not. The majority of hotels open in March or April and close in late October, and a few in Fira stay open into late November. From December to February most hotels are shut, so if you’re planning a winter trip, look in Fira, the capital, and confirm that your hotel is open for every night before you book flights.

Do Santorini hotels have a lot of stairs?

Caldera hotels do. They’re built down the cliff below pedestrian lanes, so reaching a room often means dozens of steps, and rooms low on the cliff mean more. Most send porters for luggage. If stairs are a problem, choose a beach or inland hotel, where access is usually flat and parking is at the door.

Is a caldera view worth the extra money?

It is if you’ll spend mornings and evenings on your terrace, because that’s when the view is at its best and the lanes are quieter. If you’ll be out from breakfast to midnight, it’s an expensive backdrop you’ll barely see. The sunset is free from any public lane on the rim, so a split stay is often the smarter buy.

Is there a hotel tax in Santorini?

Yes. Greece’s Climate Crisis Resilience Fee is charged per room per night. From April to October it’s EUR 2 for a one- or two-star hotel, EUR 5 for three stars, EUR 10 for four, EUR 15 for five, EUR 8 for a short-term rental and EUR 15 for a villa, and much less from November to March. It’s usually paid at the property.

Does Santorini have all-inclusive resorts?

Very few. Santorini’s hotels are mostly small, and even the luxury ones usually sell rooms with breakfast rather than full board, because dinner is something you go out for. Some beach resorts in Kamari and Perivolos have restaurants serving breakfast and dinner, which is the closest most hotels get to all-inclusive.

When should I book a Santorini hotel?

For caldera rooms in July and August, book as early as you can; the most-wanted suites go first, and small hotels have few rooms. May, early June, late September and October give you more choice and usually lower rates. Whatever you book, read the cancellation terms, because many luxury rates are prepaid and non-refundable.

Sources and How We Checked

We checked each hotel’s details on its own website (linked in its entry) in September 2026, and the fees, fares and 2026 measures against the sources below. We did not visit or stay at the hotels for this guide.

• KTEL Santorini: official bus fare table (updated May 19, 2026)
• Santorini Cable Car: 2026 price list
• GTP Headlines: Climate Crisis Resilience Fee rates from 2025
• Euronews: Santorini’s 2026 Civil Protection measures (April 28, 2026)
• Hellenic Institute of Certifications: accommodation ranking in stars and keys

Santorini Tourism Guide is an independent publication. We are not affiliated with the Municipality of Thira, the Greek National Tourism Organisation, any hotel group or booking site, or any hotel listed here, and no one paid to be included.

Photo Credits

• Hotels on the caldera cliff in Fira (top): photo by Olaf Tausch, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
• Hotel pool in Pyrgos looking east: photo by bongo vongo, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
• Cliffside pool in Oia: photo by Dinkum, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
• Stairs in Oia: photo by Rambling Traveler, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
• Cave house in Oia: photo by Klearchos Kapoutsis from Santorini, Greece, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
• Oia on the caldera cliff: photo by Jean Housen, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
• Imerovigli seen from Fira: photo by Bernard Gagnon, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
• Pyrgos Kallistis: photo by logopop, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
• Kamari beach: photo by Michelle Maria, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)