Santorini's Sexy New Trio
Small on room counts + big on views = ready to seduce
Whatever summer 2021, if it ever comes, means one thing it won't will be having to fork over a fee to see the sunset over Oia, at the tip of the sybaritic island of Santorini. If the mere idea of that seems somewhat outlandish, consider that that's where things were actually headingthis yearbefore stone cold pandemic reality set in.
Even if global travel and tourism recovers in 2021, you can bet your hot little fannypack that from the Algarve to Capri to Santorini and beyond the postcard hotspots will not be packing the kinds of crowds they did prior to the cerified calamity called 2020. The aftershocks of the alleged Chinese biowarfare will ripple for at least a year and likely more. Savvy travelers are planning now though, and within their sights are smaller properties that rock design or eco-chic edginess and have a lock on lower occupancies due to their small size. Welcome to the new sexy, where Las Vegas is the beat-up station wagon you're embarrassed to be dropped off at school in and places like Santorini serve the kind of new clout to make your 'gram shout.
But listen up! Quietly.
First of all, is it even appropriate to dish on Santorini at a time when Americans are banned from traveling to Europe—or wait,are they? Anyway, oh yeah: especially if you're the sort of traveler who likes to plan. Because the thing about luxury hideaways is they tend to not have very many rooms, so it makes sense to get your reservations on the books on the early side. Most hotels have much more flexible cancellation policies these days anyway.
Now, first thing second: forget Fira! Even without the busloads of cruise ship passengers clogging the byways of Santorini's cliffside capital, Fira is the least social distancing-friendly spot on Santorini, with—sorry but—cliched Oia next in line. In Fira go to see the archaeological museum, grab a nice posh bite at Argo and off you go to places less heavily trafficked. Midway between Fira and Oia is a good place to start.
Now, the last time I checked into Imerovigli, the highest point on the island that inspired the myth of Atlantis, it was for lunch at La Maltese Estate with a Turkish colleague and my mother, the international spa expert and wellness journey guru Pam Price and many fine flavors were savored indeed. Stunning views over the caldera elevated the experience, the way it does in Santorini, which is why you wanted to schlep here in the first place. La Maltese is still there, and now it even has a Buddha-Bar. And as for Imerovigli...
...it now has Vora Private Villas, which opened its doors in late June and remained open during the dreary "lost" summer of 2020. Vora is a jaw-droppingly gorgeous trilogy of private villas carved into caves, cliffs and suspended high above the sea.
Though I haven't made a site inspection myself, I knew the design firm behind this luxe bolthole, the mysterious and elusive K-Studio. This is a firm that knows how to give its clients what they know they'll need to please the most demanding of the jetset bolthole-seekers, like my French buddy Julien de Salle-Lesseps (née Berkowitz), a French TV producer with whom I once "worked" in Paris. So what does you basic French snob (desolé, Julien) look for in his bolthole?
"Generally what you want in your Santorini bolthole de choix," he confides, "is what you seek in a beautiful woman." D'accord baby. Pressed further, he adds, "That means generous curves, a less-is-more approach to fashion, and of course that certain je ne sais quoi—ideally, paired with some simple accessory like hoops—and if they somehow accentuate the bosom, find me a Frenchman who's gonna complain!"
Based on that assessment—and possibly your gender—you would or very much would not like to have Julien as your neighbor at Vora. But here's the thing, and why Vora is first in line for our sexy-in-Santorini designation: even when the place is full, there's hardly anyone there but you and the Aegean Sea breeze's balmy caress.
How perfect it this: There are just three villas!!! Villa Omikron—"an inspiration from the traditional cave dwellings of Santorini, this secluded cave-like cocoon features great luxury detailing, custom-made furniture and stylish interior"— Villa Ro,—"earthy color palette of beige, dark wood, and black, the villa’s minimal yet ultra-luxurious interiors highlight the breathtaking views outside"—and Villa Alpha—a "duplex villa" that is "a study in minimalist Cycladic design. Freshly designed, with stylish and custom-made furniture."
In each of the villas, you can enjoy a freshly prepared à la carte breakfast in the privacy of your own terrace, with the panorama of the cobalt blue of Santorini's legendary volcanic caldera stretching out to infinity in front of you: better than caffeine blast to energize you for sure.
As K-Studio puts it—danger, curve alert!—"Guests experience a series of carefully choreographed contrasts – the wide open exposure to the sun and view against the cool darkness of the cave rock; black volcanic rock and burned finishes against cool white curves and calming pale textures – dark with light, sharp with soft, drama with total relaxation. The hotel is intense and complex, yet laid out with clarity and designed with authenticity."
Are you in?
The pool at Istoria on Santorini
There's more cool design deliciousness going on elsewhere on the island at Istoria, described on its websiteas "a topographical poem under an infinite sky." The location is Perivolos, by the black sand beach of Perissa. According to the hotel, "the pristine eastern side of the island is still left undisturbed by the visiting crowds, just 10 km from Santorini’s port and 13 km from the airport. Surrounded by ancient olive trees, wild herbs and aloe plants, Istoria is a natural beachfront hideaway that nurtures your creative side and piques your curiosity. With soul-healing lava literally underfoot, here you can ground yourself in the famed Cycladic isle’s mysterious volcanic energy and reinforce your connection to Mother Earth."
Voilà.
"Generally what you want in your Santorini bolthole de choix is what you want in a beautiful woman..." -- says virtually any Frenchman
As for the Sexy Santorini bolthole #3, what makes you think it has to be in Santorini? Sometimes, you know, you have to think a little bit outside the caldera.