Istoria, a Member of Design Hotels, Santorini — Hotel in Municipality of Thira

Careful in our selection, we researched every top tier property on Santorini and chose Istoria as a “splurge” to celebrate two 40th birthdays. So, of course, our expectations and hopes were that we would be wowed from the start, and in many cases we were.

For example, the entire staff was incredibly friendly, welcoming and attentive from the moment we walked in til the day we checked out. Leonidas offered a genuinely bright and lovely greeting every time we walked through the lobby, offering us delicious fresh squeezed lemonade upon arrival, and insisting on helping us with our bags. You couldn’t walk past a staff member without being greeted with a smile. It was delightful!

When we noticed issues in the room upon arrival and I brought it to the manager, Vaggelis’ attention, he validated our critiques and took swift, immediate action to not only remedy all of the issues while we were at dinner, but made sure we felt more than taken care of for the disappointing experience. To me, a 5 star, luxury property should be judged by how they make it right when something is not right. They did just that!

Vaggelis personally checked in on us several times a day, whether at the pool, on the beach or at the restaurant, ensuring we were happy with their service especially after our first interaction. He and the other staff we came to know were on property nearly 24/7- it was quite astounding to see how present and attentive the entire team is.

I also witnessed Vaggelis cleaning up towels on the beach and moving furniture for guests to help the beach attendant when he was busy- something you rarely see a manager do. He expressed to us how important hospitality is to him and I believe he was completely genuine when he said everything he does is from his heart and desire for us to be satisfied with our experience. I could not have scripted a more perfect response to this entire situation. He nailed it 100%.

They have very small spa with only two treatment rooms and a little waiting area with a chilly tub (it looks like a hot tub but is cold) on site. As someone who is quite particular when it comes to massages, this one was great. She made sure the pressure was to my liking (I chose deep tissue and she really got in there) and to ask what areas to focus on or avoid. I was very pleased with the experience!

The restaurant on property is beautiful and the dinner was wonderful- a concise but innovative menu. It was some of the best food we had in all of Greece. The (included) breakfast offered a lengthy menu with a multitude of options- perhaps a few too many, making it harder to execute all of them well. But we delighted in the cheerful and attentive service every time we sat down.

Beds are comfortable, linens are divine, and the fresh lemonade, candies, and notes left on the pillows everyday were a sweet surprise.

The pool is stunningly beautiful and the infamous black sand beach is a mere 10 second walk across the street. We found it easy to get a beach bed under the shade even in high season. The drinks by the pool, while unbelievably expensive (and that’s coming from someone who lives in San Francisco), were tasty and delivered with joy. People here genuinely seem to love their jobs.

Overall, we had a fantastic time at Istoria and am truly impressed by their...

Situated right on the beach, this is a 12 suite, luxury hotel. It is very new, built from scratch, and had been open only three weeks prior to our stay of one week.

The suites offer a great deal. They are spacious with really great beds and pillows. All have good to great views of the sea and most have their own plunge pool, although the hotel pool is one of the nicest and coolest on offer from any hotel with no shortage of loungers and an in-built in jacuzzi. There is a very well stocked and varied bar by the pool that serves both a good range of cocktails and a good and interesting range of snacks (club sandwich through to soft shell crab souvlaki). Next to the pool the hotel also has an Asian spa with a range of treatments available.

Beach accomodation has no shortage of sun loungers and parasols with full bar and food service provided, so both pool and beach offer great places to relax to enjoy the sun and swimming.

The restaurant, Mr E, offers a full service from breakfast to evening meal. The a-la-carte breakfast, which we had included, is super. It also includes really great healthy options as part of its range. Evening meals, together with the wines available, rate as amongst the best we had on the island and, unlike others, you do get what you pay for in terms of quality and experience (this is often not the case in Santorini where we often felt short changed and even robbed)

Over and above everthing , the very best thing that Istoria offers is the team. They can do and find anything for you. Everything is done with a genuine desire to help and exceed your expectations. Everyone, without exception, is friendly and respectful with an open desire to make your stay as good as it could be.

We had a great break. Not being in Fira, Oia or Imerovigli was a blessing. They are crowded by cruise ship passengers, much more noisy, and can be easily visited as can other very interesting parts of the Island, just...

Our stay at Istoria felt like slipping into a stylish island dream the moment we stepped onto the minimalist, sun-bleached terrace and were greeted with ice-cold welcome cocktails. Every design detail whispers Cycladic chic, yet the genuine warmth of the team gives the hotel its real soul.

Highlights we loved • Seamless first impression – Refreshing welcome drinks before check-in formalities set a celebratory tone. • Exceptional dining & mixology – Breakfast bowls piled high with local fruit, creative mezzes that showcase Santorini produce, and sunset cocktails that balance island botanicals with top-shelf spirits; every bite and sip felt curated. • Thoughtful turndown service – Evenings brought beds turned down, soft lighting, and artisanal chocolates on the pillows—a nightly ritual that made the room feel freshly prepared just for us. • Genuinely friendly staff – From servers remembering our coffee order to the concierge checking ferry times, everyone seemed keen to personalise our stay.

A minor snag: a night-shift miscommunication led to our early-morning transfer being booked for the wrong time, which resulted in a €20 no-show fee. Daytime management apologised and swiftly organised a new ride, but we’ll double-check transportation details next visit.

Bottom line

Istoria remains one of the most memorable boutique stays we’ve had on Santorini: gorgeous setting, standout food and cocktails, impeccable housekeeping touches, and staff who (with one late-night exception) excel at making guests feel special. We’d happily return—and won’t soon forget those welcome drinks or...