Santo Mine Oia Suites Hotel

Oia, Santorini, Greece

To stand out in Santorini, Greece, is no small feat, but those in the know head to Santo Collection’s newest pad for an exclusive feel, exceptional gastronomy and sunset views that are entirely your own

Privacy in Santorini is hard to come by. But at Santo Mine Oia Suites, things are done a little differently. Just a ten-minute walk from Oia’s whitewashed streets, this intimate property feels like a well-kept secret, towering alone over Ammoudi Bay with uninterrupted sea views. If ever time stood still, it’s here, watching sailboats glide across an ever-changing horizon.

Now into its second season, the 37-suite hotel – each with private pool, Jacuzzi or both – is a love letter to the island’s unique terroir and culinary splendour. Carved into the volcanic cliffs, what was once the site of a stone mine is now a place of quiet luxury. Interiors echo the island’s raw beauty: pumice-stone textures, lavainspired walls and earthy tones. Breezy balconies and private pools offer space enough to linger, or head straight to the two-tiered infinity pool, perhaps followed by a yoga class or sessions at the outdoor gym and underground spa.

When you want to explore, friendly staff are on hand to offer local insights, book restaurants and arrange winery visits, but be back for sundown: Rhoē Wine & Cocktail Bar is the only place to be for spectacular sunsets – no two are the same. Live music carries you into the night and fine-dining seafood restaurant Ālme delivers a standout tasting menu: meaty langoustine, aged anthotyros cheese with wild mushroom, red mullet savoro, and bergamotinfused desserts. Head to the cellar for a sommelier-led tasting of mineral-rich assyrtikos wines with artisanal meats and cheeses.

The whole set-up is idyllic, but next-door sister property Santo Pure offers yet another reason to extend your stay, with 83 suites and two villas arranged around lush ‘neighbourhoods’. A highlight is Alios Ilios, where Mediterranean flavours –think melt-in-the-mouth Cretan lamb – shine. If romance and seclusion are on the cards, this is the place to fall for it all.

Words by Megan Dickson.

Suites from £334. +30 2897 502154, santocollection.gr