Chromata

Hotel description

High above the sea, at the highest point of Santorini’s volcanic caldera, Chromata would be remarkable enough for the view alone. In fact some of Santorini’s hotels stop with the view, perhaps reasoning that any attempts at arresting interior design would be overshadowed by the natural beauty of the place.

This is not the case here, however. Chromata forswears the sparkling white interior scheme of the typical Greek island hotel in favor of a warmer palette of rich reds and pinks, turqouises and violets. Delicate four-poster beds and antique chairs add to the boudoir ambience, and rough stone walls line the cave-like bathrooms and make appearances in the bedrooms as well.

The pool is as stunning as you can imagine, offering swimmers and sunbathers unparalleled views of the caldera from Chromata’s vertiginous cliffside perch. A poolside restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, and a more intimate two-table venue sits on a glass deck above the pool, serving candlelit Mediterranean dinners.

As for sightseeing, if you’ve had enough of the caldera view, the village of Imerovigli is just steps from the hotel, and the capital city of Fira is a ten-minute drive away. One practical note on the location: Chromata’s cliffside situation means that for safety reasons, families with children under thirteen will have to look elsewhere.