Whitewashed suites stepped down the Oia cliff, with caldera views from every veranda and the village lanes on the doorstep.
Katikies is the Santorini of the postcards: white cubes stacked down the caldera wall at Oia, infinity pools hanging over the drop and the volcano out in the bay. It is split into two houses. Pelagos House sits in the middle of the village by the main pedestrian lane, and Gea House is at the quieter edge with a gym and a calmer feel.
Every room and suite has a private veranda facing the caldera, and many have heated jetted tubs. The spa is built into a cave with its own pool, and dinner can be a sit-down tasting menu at the Santorini outpost of Botrini's from Athens or something simpler by the pool.
It is made for honeymoons and anniversaries, and the hotel only accepts children over 13. It also means stairs. Santorini cliff hotels are reached on foot, the beaches are a drive away, and Oia fills with day visitors at sunset, so we plan boat days and early mornings around that.
Available in both houses: a bedroom and sitting area, some on a loft level, opening onto a private veranda with caldera views and a heated jetted tub.
Larger suites with an open-plan sitting and dining area, a private caldera-view veranda and a heated jetted tub.
Suites for couples at Pelagos House with a jetted tub, or at Gea House with a private pool, both facing the caldera.
The Cave Horizon, Caldera Edge, Open Living and Terrace Pool suites at Pelagos House, and the Open Courtyard Suite at Gea House, with larger living spaces and in some cases a dressing room.
Guests can eat at all of the Katikies restaurants during their stay. The fine-dining choice is the Santorini outpost of Botrini's, the Athens restaurant, and there is all-day dining around the large infinity pool on the lower deck, plus a lounge on the upper level for drinks with views of the caldera and Oia.
The Katikies Spa is set in a cave with a spa pool and uses Ligne St Barth products. A spa suite at Pelagos House has a steam bath, jetted tub and twin massage beds, and there is a Technogym fitness studio at Gea House.
Children over 13 are welcome. For families with younger children, the hotel suggests its sister property, Katikies Garden in Fira.
| Houses | Pelagos House in the centre of Oia, Gea House at the quieter edge |
|---|---|
| Pools | Three infinity pools, the main one heated |
| Verandas | Every room and suite has a private veranda |
| Children | Over 13 only |
| Transfers | Private transfers for up to four people |
| Nearest beach | About a 10-minute drive |
| Check-in | From 15:00; check-out by 11:00 |
Oia, Santorini, Greece
A few of the things we plan for guests in Greece.
Stay on the caldera rim in Imerovigli or Firostefani rather than Oia, which fills with visitors at sunset. Walk the cliff path from Fira to Oia early in the morning, then spend an afternoon tasting assyrtiko at a winery in the island's interior. A private catamaran at sunset avoids the crowds on the terraces. Cruise ships make the middle of the day busy from spring to autumn.
Much of Milos can only be reached by water. A day boat takes you to the sea caves and rock arches at Kleftiko, with swim stops in water so clear the seabed looks close enough to touch. On land, Sarakiniko is a moonscape of pale volcanic rock, best seen early. Plaka, the hilltop village, is the place for sunset and dinner.
Paros is the easy island: good beaches, short drives and the harbour at Naoussa lined with fish tavernas. Walk the old Byzantine path from Lefkes to Prodromos in the cooler hours, and take the short ferry to Antiparos for a quieter beach day. It suits families and couples who want a base with little driving.
Two nights in central Athens below the Acropolis, four on the caldera cliff at Oia, and three at Megali Ammos, close enough to walk into Mykonos town for dinner. Island hops by ferry, with a Delos day included.
Three nights in Athens for the Acropolis and the museums, then a drive west via the Corinth Canal to seven nights on the Messinia coast, where a kids club, an aqua park and ancient Olympia keep every age busy.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.
