Katikies Hotel Santorini Oia, Santorini, Greece, Mediterranean

The Santorini you see splashed across social media and glossy brochures is the cliff-perched village of Oia and the good news is its royal blue domes and whitewashed houses look even better in the flesh. The luxury boutique hotel Katikies Santorini Oia is right in the thick of this hip, happening and handsome village, a glamorous address that is Santorini’s answer to Knightsbridge. And if Oia can be described using those three Hs, then Katikies Santorini excels in a trio of S words: sunsets, sea views and swimming pools.

A stay at Katikies is the Santorini you’ve always dreamed about. The hotel itself is like a jumble of sugar cubes that have been tipped out of a bowl and are mid-tumble down the rocky cliffside. Staff here call it a ‘village’ and it’s hard to disagree when you notice the white picket gates that lead off to the private terraces of each rooms. Just make sure you have your camera or smartphone ready, as there’s no limit to the Instagram opportunities at your fingertips. While the hotel certainly dazzles in white, it knows Mother Nature is the star of the show and jaw-dropping caldera views can be seen from nearly anywhere in the hotel, not least its trio of dazzling infinity pools.

What’s more, the upmarket boutiques, cafés and restaurants of Oia are just a few photogenic steps away from the door of your suite and its whitewashed web of lanes are a real joy to wander. This is where all it all happens in Santorini and while the glamour of Oia is no secret, you can smile in the knowledge you have the best address to experience it all. Plus, once the day visitors have gone, Santorini’s sunsets are all yours.