Why book? Because Grace is a postcard come to life. In fact, when you check in, a staff member takes a polaroid photo of you with the view as a dreamy backdrop. Grace has more than good looks going for it, though. It’s a true luxury resort with Greek hospitality at its heart.
Set the scene Built into the cliffs of Imerovigli, a quiet village between the tourist hub of Oia and the capital of Fira, Grace puts you close to the action but blissfully removed from the crowds. Upon arriving, you’ll be dropped off at Astra Square and instructed to follow a porter wheeling your suitcases down a couple flights of stone stairs, past other hotels and restaurants, and down some more stairs. The adults-only hotel extends over six levels carved into the rock, with stairs connecting them.
The reception is the highest point on the property and it gives you an overview of the hotel and its incredible views. Just in front of you is the hulking Skaros rock and beyond that an endless expanse of blue, where the sea meets the sky. Below the reception is the bar, a small shop, and a yoga/Pilates room. Below that is the pool deck, which is the heart of the hotel. The restaurant is set up just below the pool and the cushy lounge chairs occupied by couples tanning and reading during the day are turned into sofas where guests sit and sip cocktails in the evening. For a relatively small hotel, Grace certainly makes good use of the space available.
The backstory Grace is the first and only hotel in Greece by Auberge Resorts Collection, which runs 30 five-star hotels and resorts in the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe. The brand is known for exceptional design and service, with each hotel embodying the spirit of its location.
The rooms If the rooms and suites feel a bit like whitewashed caves carved right into the cliffs, that’s because they are. The design has been kept quite minimalist, with a predominantly white color scheme and a few pops of purple here and there. International sockets are cleverly hidden in a desk and the minibar is outfitted with premium spirits and Champagne. An iPad has information about the hotel and a bluetooth-enabled speaker allows you to play music via your phone. A pillow menu cleverly embroidered onto a small throw pillow has a choice of seven pillows in different shapes, sizes, and materials. Bathrooms are stocked with full-sized bottles of products by Apivita, a natural skincare brand founded in Athens. My room had a terrace with a big round sofa, but the vast majority of rooms have plunge pools. For safety reasons, the only accommodation that accepts kids is the two-bedroom villa, which has its own large pool.
Food and drink Everything revolves around Varoulku, the hotel’s main restaurant, which transforms over the course of the day. In the morning, breakfast is served as a five-course a la carte affair consisting of bread and pastries, Greek cheeses and cold cuts, the smoothie of the day, Greek yogurt, a sweet or savory pie of the day, eggs, and baklava or another sweet treat. The lunch menu keeps things light and unfussy, with options like a Santorini salad, club sandwich and burger—perfect poolside fare.
Varoulku’s gourmet side emerges in the evenings, when six- or eight-course tasting menus created by Chef Lefteris Lazarou—the first Greek chef ever awarded a Michelin star—take guests on a sensory journey through Greece. Plan your dinner to coincide with the sunset, which is truly spectacular seen from here. We chose the six-course Aegean menu and especially loved the crab served with thinly sliced apple, pickled ginger, and fennel as well as the cold saganaki with raw shrimp, tomato, chili, feta, and oregano. 363 Bar, which wasn’t open yet for the season when I visited, serves cocktails created by the talented team behind the award-winning Baba Au Rhum in Athens. Instead, we enjoyed an aperitif by the pool.
The spa There’s no sauna or steam room, but for treatments, the staff set up a massage table in a flexible yoga/Pilates room. After a day spent walking up and down the many stairs along the caldera to get to Fira, I was grateful for a soothing Greek olive oil massage.
The neighborhood/area Imerovigli is one of the quieter towns on the caldera. When you leave the hotel, there are people around, but they’re mostly just passing through on their way to Oia or Fira, or posing for flying dress photoshoots or wedding photographs. There are a few nice restaurants and bars around, but for more options, walk or take a taxi to Oia or Fira.
The service The staff are truly warm and welcoming, always friendly and happy to chat or offer recommendations. By our second day, our waiter Alex remembered our preference for sparkling water and how we like our coffee. Grace also has a van that they can use to transport guests around the island if taxis aren’t available.
Eco effort The hotel tries to reduce the use of plastic as much as possible, encourages guests to reuse towels, and recycles all fats from the kitchen. They also source produce and eggs from local farms.
Accessibility Guests with limited mobility should think twice about staying here—or anywhere on the caldera. Grace does its best to accommodate, providing access to a service elevator and ramps, but as soon as you exit the hotel, the stairs are unavoidable and there are many of them.
Anything left to mention? Even if you visit during the summer, as I did, be sure to pack a light sweater for the evenings. The wind can be surprisingly fierce here.
Imerovigli, Santorini, 847 00
Greece
https://auberge.com/grace-hotel/
+30 2286-021300