Perivolas Hotel, The Acme of Stunning Santorini

The most famous hotel in Santorini is Perivolas, without a doubt. In fact, a few years ago, it made the cover of Condé Nast Traveler. It has featured in many other travel and interior design magazines and newspapers, and was even put on the cover of a book about some of the most extraordinary hotels in the world. Nevertheless, owner Costis Psychas is not affected in the least by all this attention. He doesn’t need publicity; his hotel is solidly booked throughout the season, despite his expensive prices and the island’s tough competition. This is because Costis and his late mother Nadia created a place that is simply flawless and unparalleled.

The family bought the land about thirty years ago. It was an area where, a few hundred years earlier, poor farmers and fishermen lived in troglodyte houses carved into the cliffside. Slowly and lovingly, Costis restored these tumbledown little houses entirely on his own. He went about his task with a profound respect for the natural landscape and a deep appreciation for the traditional building styles of Santorini. Although he opened his hotel in 1981 with only four houses, he completed more and more houses with each passing winter. While he designed each house, rebuilding the old ruins and carving deeper into the rock where more space was needed, his mother wove fabrics that were to be used for the furnishings. And gradually, the hotel expanded.

Today’s hotel is comprised of seventeen beautiful houses in a style that has recently been dubbed the “Cycladic Zen” style. The interiors are white and bright, with touches of blue, lavender and pink, while the floors are done in a soft white concrete. In some houses, a shaft of sunshine pours in from a skylight. Everything, from the stone-built benches, walls, and ceilings, is smoothly and perfectly curved. Even the built-in beds are tucked away in round niches. Aside from the low coffee tables and scattered wooden boxes, there is little need for more furniture. Extravagance would spoil the effect. You won’t find a heavily stocked mini-bar in your house, but rather a carafe with wine, a bottle of mineral water, a jar of coffee, and a little basket offering a selection of tea bags. You will notice a few novels in a corner, but there is no telephone, no music, no television.

The outer appearance is as gorgeous as every other aspect of this hotel. White, blue, and various shades of volcanic grey make up the color scheme of the exterior. A spectacular swimming pool appears to play with the shape of the cliff edge; its blue color merging with that of the sky and the sea. The façade of the pool bar looks like snow melting from the cliff. Here you will find a buffet breakfast waiting for you until late in the morning, presenting you with an excellent selection of fresh, healthy products, as well as croissants and scrumptious homemade cakes and pies. The service in the hotel is just right. The staff is young, friendly, and attentive, but there is no excessive fussing. You can relax, stretch out your feet, and enjoy the magic of the island.


Useful Information:

• Directions: There is a sign for Perivolas Traditional Houses on the left at the very beginning of the village Oia.
• Open: From the beginning of April until the end of October
• Rooms: 1 double studio, 12 houses for up to three persons, and 4 houses for up to four persons. Each house has a shower and kitchenette and is equiped with air conditioning and telephone.
• Prices: High
• Pool bar: Open all day
• Breakfast: Served from 8:00 to 11:30 at the pool bar
• Children: From 16 years and up accepted
• Swimming pool: Outdoor
• Credit cards: Not accepted
• Dogs: Not allowed

• Address: 847 02 Oia Santorini
• Tel: (+30 2286) 071308, (+30 210) 6208249
• Fax: (+30 2286) 071309