Santo Pure Oia Luxury Suites & Villas — Hotel in Municipality of Thira

Before writing this review I double checked to confirm that Santo Pure is characterized as a 5 Star “resort” rather than what it actually is which is a lackluster hotel. The packages were through Costco Travel which I will contact directly so they are aware of what they are selling to customers used to being able to rely on the premium quality they purport to (and usually do) provide with their brand.

To start with positives there are some amazing views from certain areas. The staff who transport your luggage are excellent. The gym, while small, is well appointed and kept clean, cool and stocked with cold water. The location is close enough to walk into Oia as advertised. However note that the path is littered with trash and clearly not maintained. We did discover a small pool near to our room (not pointed out by staff) which was nice.

As the universe will have it we (traveling with my wife and parents) were given a glimpse of what was to come when we were served one of the most bitter and unpleasant welcome drinks that I have experienced at any place of accommodation I have stayed. Reception was slow during intake and insisted on repeating the same spiel to both parties despite us sitting side by side. It may have been due to the fact that the rooms were not prepared for our arrival while other guests on our same transport were taken directly upon completion of registration. We were informed after (3 minutes to be fair) the advertised check in time that it was ready. What my wife and I were provided-room 260-had no covered outdoor area, a hot tub not big enough for 2, and a second outdoor space with lounge chairs with a view of the clothes line of the private residence next door. A completely unusable space. The room was large but sparsely appointed. Nothing close to what one envisions as a luxury space for the price paid. This is in contrast to the room provided to my parents-202-which to again be fair has a delightful outdoor space and views. The disparate nature of the rooms was highly curious since I booked both stays with identical descriptions of what was to be provided. When I went to the reception to inquire about the underlying reason the person identified as the manager on site told me she would need to check to ‘confirm that we had the same booking and would be back “in less than 2 minutes” after checking. 9 minutes (the reason I kept actually noting specific amounts of time articulated more fully below) later her first response was to say that “Costco didn’t tell us that our groups were together”. Attempting to immediately pass the proverbial buck to them is both unprofessional and something the brand should be aware happens when complaints are registered. It also has nothing to do with anything. I was told that they “like to provide upgrades when possible” to which I responded that I was very pleased my parents received this treatment it did not explain why we received different treatment nor was any further explanation provided. It was then that the manager said that “I can see you are upset” and that my facial expressions (it was specifically acknowledged that nothing I had said was offensive, inappropriate or with a raised voice) were “making me feel sad” which is one of the most inexplicable and disturbing responses I have ever heard. They then went in to demonstrate these expressions which were a pout and frown. 2 options I was then offered failed to address the one primary issue. The manager had radioed him a 3rd option was available and he acknowledged it would not deal with my concern and I declined.

The dinner options were limited and bland although service was fairly prompt and live music enjoyable. From my table I was able to identify the reason the drinks were weak watching the bartender short pour the liquor. The breakfast had lots of options but waiting 13 minutes for water and coffee to be offered and 11 more for delivery (9 and 14 the next day) was disappointing with no more than 10 tables occupied. Don’t waste your precious time on this place. It’s just...

We wanted a perfect honeymoon stay but this exceeded all our expectations, earned it's 5 stars (and deserves more!)

My wife and I were completely stunned and can’t stop thinking about how incredible this hotel was in every single aspect - it was a completely flawless experience. We can’t imagine having spent our honeymoon anywhere else but here, it made the occasion so incredibly special for us. Here’s why!...

We arrived early and were shown the early arrivals room which was honestly good enough to be a hotel room in and of itself! The room had a full service bathroom, a very comfortable day bed and enough privacy for us to have a nap and feel refreshed before starting the day.

We awoke from our nap and the hotel organized a buggy for us (tip: it’s an absolute must to hire a buggy to get around Santorini - it’s also really fun!) which was delivered in no less than 15 mins. The concierge planned out a perfect day trip for us (with four trip options for us to choose from), including some restaurants to choose from depending on how we decided to spend the day.

Riding the buggy to and from the hotel you really come to appreciate the location of the hotel in Oia. It’s not in the busy centre but just a few minutes away if you want to visit any of the famous locations (eg: The Three Blue Domes, Amoudi Bay).

The suite was incredibly spacious with an open plan and a contemporary design but still in line with the rest of Santorini’s stunning Cycladic architecture.

We were greeted by a complimentary bottle of French champagne, beach towel and a handwritten note welcoming us which was the perfect accompaniment to help us enjoy our private jacuzzi which was ready and warm. The concierge impressed us again with a handwritten note confirming our preferred restaurant was booked for that evening.

The pillows and mattress were exactly to our liking, the shower and bathroom was spacious, clean and modern and the TV in the perfect spot to enjoy a movie from bed after our dinner.

Whilst poolside, we were greeted with complimentary aloe vera facial treatments from the Spa on-site which one Greece’s Best Resort Spa for 2017 in the World Spa Awards. This was just a taste for the ‘honeymoon experience’ we booked the following day which included a complementary extension of our 2 ½ hour massage and facial treatment by 15-mins redeemable as either a facial or massage as part of our stay at the resort.

This resort is in Oia and we haven’t even mentioned the sunset?! Well, lucky you if you stay here because you’re going to get an uninterrupted view away from all the tourists, sipping a cocktail laying back on one of the comfy pool chairs by the main stunning infinity pool (yep, get your instagram ready - the photos will be your most-liked yet!). The bartender told me that he could literally make any drink I requested (I definitely tested this a few times throughout our stay!)

If the private view of the sunset isn’t enough to blow you away, the postcard views from your breakfast table at the restaurant will. The breakfast buffet was the best we have ever experienced with everything you could want. Fresh juices, omelets, tasty coffee (and pancakes!) were something to look forward to every morning.

Most importantly, this hotel is run and staffed with incredibly happy and friendly people. We knew this from the first instance when we had an issue with the transfer we booked from the airport, so took a taxi instead. We shared our story with the hotel when we arrived and without even asking the hotel organised a free transfer for us for when we had to return to the airport, at their expense - even though the problem had nothing to do with them! It was from this moment that we knew this hotel would be something we had never before experienced and that it is the most special place we have ever stayed at.

If you’re looking for somewhere to stay for your honeymoon, relaxing break or to treat yourself - this hotel is your best option and in a class...

3/5 stars as the hotel is beautiful, terrific staff on the exterior - food/bell hop/gatesman/pool attendant. But temper expectations with service desk, management, and the entire hotel stay felt as if everything was a la carte, nickel and diming with every little thing.

To start with the good… The grounds and hotel as a whole are beautiful. Aesthetics 10/10 and well maintained. The location was also excellent because it was away from the crowds in Oia but just a short 10 minute walk there. Service was top notch. Our dinner server from Albania was superb, the matrie d of the restaurant was excellent himself and has a great atmosphere and environment he has created with his entire team. The food was really good. Breakfast had a nice selection of items, quality food and fresh. As one previous guest mentioned, the coffee does come out luke warm which I requested it hotter and true to form they took care of it. Lastly, the restaurant onsite at Alios Ilios was a treat. Reasonably priced for a top tier restaurant - the mushroom risotto starter and the fish/lemon starter were some of the best appetizers I’ve ever had. The “treasure chest” of bread was next level, dinner & desert were on par but not quite to the level of the starters. Bravo to the chef and team.

Now, the not so great, especially for a 5* hotel: Upon arrival, they showed us to our room, brief tour, mentioned that we should not drink the water as it is not potable; and therefore they will supply us with waters as needed and upon request. The following day we ran out of the 4 waters they place in your room (2 in the am, 2 again at pm) and requested more. They told us that they would provide waters, but we would be charged for each…. Somewhat understandable but as with anything else in life, problems should be met with solutions such as a water re-fill station etc. None on the premises. Later that night, after signing the waiver to increase the heat for the jacuzzi, we got in the tub and it was still not a “hot” tub. Temperature was Probably 85f/30c and we were hoping for hotter. Next, laundry service. We called in a request at 11:30am to have them do our laundry service and mentioned we would be checking out the following day at 11 so obviously would need the clothes by that time. They told us that we could pay an additional 45€ if we wanted to ensure it would be done by then or they could not guarantee it be done…. That’s 23.5 hrs to do one load of laundry but couldn’t perform.

At a 5* resort you would imagine general accommodations would be included and then additional luxury accommodations would be an additional cost (ie: massages, tours etc). I’ve stayed at many hotels where the steam room and sauna are included, let alone a 5* resort in which they charge 1€/minute for use in 30min blocks.

Shuttle/taxi Service Service was provided one-way from the airport to the hotel upon arrival. So when it was time to check out we figured that we would have a return service as well, but think again. We tipped our driver and then he informed us we needed to pay 50€ for the car service as well. We will get you here but charge you to leave is kind of how the whole trip felt. There was also confusion over the bill when it came time for check out. We booked this trip 3 years ago, and they issued us a voucher (would not allow us to have our money back using covid). It seemed as though we were charged the full amount without mention or use of our voucher, and we had a long back and forth trying to gain clarity. We had to leave so we wouldn’t be late for our ferry, so that is still an ongoing scenario.

All in all, we recommend the hotel as a whole, a lot of great qualities, amenities and staff. However we feel there is room for improvement to fulfill expectations as...