We were there a few weeks ago and had an amazing time. Despina (the owner) has enormous love for, and pride in her place. You are instantly received with a warm welcome by Despina and Katerina who explain all of the hotel’s amenities and give you tips on how to enjoy Thira from a local’s point of view. Despina, an architect, designed the hotel with a sense of space that evokes simplicity and serenity. Nowhere is this more apparent than at the pool area where water, wood and stone coexist to provide an idyllic stage to admire the beauty of the caldera. This area is kept in impeccable condition by Victor who meticulously and resolutely tends the space as if it were a Japanese Zen garden. Victor is also responsible for serving guests their welcome champagne and the most incredible en suite breakfasts. He is always courteous and even though he appears to be very serious he bears a very friendly soul. The rooms are impeccable and capture a sense of tradition. The Jacuzzi area is quite sumptuous and is only available by reservation so that it can be enjoyed privately.
Our journey was complete when we met Anastasis, Despina’s son, a wonderful boy who was surprised to hear he was famous! In essence Despina welcomes you to her home, and you will be treated at all times as a guest of honor.

My wife and I stayed four nights at the Anastasis in June 2008, and had so extraordinary of a stay at such reasonable cost that we felt obliged to review the hotel at length. We organized our review by location, service, amenities, cleanliness, and value.

Location. The Anastasis is in the “village” of Imerovigli atop Santorini’s western cliff facing the caldera, and so provides spectacular views of the sea, Santorini and Thirassia, and sunsets. The hotel lies both on the main road connecting Fira, the island’s main and busiest city which is south of Imerovigli, and Oia, a popular and tranquil village which is northwest of Imerovigli, and on the footpath that runs along the cliff from Oia to Fira and beyond. The Anastasis is about ten minutes by car or bus and about thirty-five minutes by brisk walk from Fira, and about fifteen minutes by car or bus and about one hour and twenty minutes by brisk walk from Oia. The hotel provided a sheet of information listing the schedule of the Fira-Oia bus, the cost of a ride on the bus to either Fira or Oia, and the range of prices typically charged by taxi drivers for a ride to either place. Walking along the footpath offers beautiful views and charming glimpses of the island but for most people is not the main mode of transport to either Fira or Oia. Late in the evening after dinner, for example, few people choose to walk back to the Anastasis from Fira, and fewer still from Oia. Imerovigli is virtually a shell of a village consisting of several hotels and few restaurants; the nearest grocery store to the Anastasis is about ten minutes by foot from the hotel up a steep section of the footpath toward Fira. Although ill suited to those who wish to be at the center of activity and within a short stroll of a different restaurant every night, the Anastasis is well situated for those who wish to split their time outside a hotel between Fira and Oia and to relax in serenity among gorgeous views.

Service. The service provided by the staff – particularly Despina, Katrina, and the young gentleman who maintained the premises and delivered food and drinks – was extraordinary and the best we have encountered anywhere. When we arrived at the hotel to check in, Despina and Katrina greeted us as we stepped out of the van which they had arranged to pick us up from the airport at our request, and welcomed us with warmth and enthusiasm. Despina told us the hotel’s commonsense rules – for example, guests must rinse themselves underneath the outdoor shower before entering the pool – and then Katrina sat down with us for about fifteen minutes to provide an overview of the island and hotel, including numerous helpful recommendations and pieces of information such as what to do, where to eat, and how to rent a car (which she offered to arrange for us, including delivery of a car to the hotel). Minutes after we arrived at our room, the young gentleman delivered complimentary cocktails and snacks. From then until we checked out, the staff could not have been either less intrusive or readier to assist with any of our requests, demonstrating a remarkable sensitivity to guests’ comfort and enjoyment. There is one qualification: to guests of a sensitive disposition, Despina may seem, in a word, overbearing. But this had no effect on our stay and likely resulted mostly from the tremendous pride that she takes in providing superior service.

Amenities – Rooms. The hotel, a three-storey building designed simply and elegantly and painted white with green trim (a relief from the clusters of white buildings with blue trim scattered throughout the island), consists of about ten “apartments,” each of which faces the caldera and therefore has majestic views. When we contacted the hotel in January to reserve a room for four nights in June, we had to change our desired time of visit by a week to reserve any room and even then the best available, an apartment in the center of the first floor, was among the lowest class of apartments. We suffered not at all: our lovely room was spacious enough and of average comfort, contained a helpful kitchenette, and, like all the apartments, had an outdoor patio with furniture and views of the sea and caldera. The hotel’s lounge contained a large television, a decent selection of books, including materials about Santorini and Greece, and a computer with access to the Internet which the hotel allowed guests to use free of charge (although Despina said she would charge us if we were spending too much time using the computer).

Amenities – Water. The hotel’s pool is sizeable and was immaculate as a result of the young gentleman’s continual attention to it, but was merely “naturally heated,” in Despina’s words, which may be eco-friendly or quaint but was insufficient to prevent our feeling a shock of cold each time we entered the pool, even at the highest temperature of the day. Probably as a result, the pool was often vacant. Just north of the pool, the jacuzzi is perched atop the lounge at its western edge abutting the cliff and offers a breathtaking experience at sunset. Use of the jacuzzi required a reservation, and Despina required us to check in before we could reserve it – a potential problem for short-term guests who might discover upon checking in that the jacuzzi is already booked for the duration of their stay. On the day we checked in, we requested the jacuzzi for the first available sunset, which was four evenings later. It was a beautiful hour, replete with complimentary white wine and snacks including dolma, feta, and tomatoes, delivered by the young gentleman with disarming courtesy.

Amenities – Food and Drink. Although without a restaurant, the Anastasis offers from its kitchen two types of breakfast and, from 12:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., a good selection of very reasonably priced light fare. One breakfast, priced at eleven euros, consisted of fruit, an egg, orange juice, and coffee or tea with milk, along with a large combination of bread and pastries. The other breakfast, priced at fourteen euros, was largely the same but included an omelet instead of an egg. The menu of light fare included salads, a plate of fruit, a club sandwich, beer and wine, and several other beverages including bottled water, soda, juice, and coffee. All of the hotel’s food was very good, and the young gentleman delivered each order, no matter how small, with exquisite care. By ordering frequently from the hotel and by purchasing some food and drinks from the nearest grocery store and storing them in our room’s refrigerator, we saved a good deal of money that we otherwise would have spent at Fira’s and Oia’s pricey cafes and restaurants.

Cleanliness. The Anastasis was immaculate. The young gentleman was fastidious at maintaining the order and cleanliness of the premises and especially the pool, to which he continually tended as though with love. The staff kept the hotel and our room spotless, and even organized the clutter of our belongings each day they cleaned our room. Despite the numerous insects, lizards, and other creatures in the area around the hotel, we found not one of them in our room during our entire stay.

Value. Our room was 155 euro per night which, given our experience at the Anastasis, was such a good value as to induce some guilt in us. We ordered repeatedly from the hotel’s kitchen, and yet at the end of our four-night stay our room-service bill was just 61 euros, leading us to feel almost as if we were taking advantage of the hotel. These are not small sums but are extremely favorable compared with the exorbitant prices charged by other Santorini hotels which I highly doubt offer a stay better than the Anastasis experience.

We recommend the Anastasis wholeheartedly.

My husband and I stayed spent 5 days here for our honeymoon in May 2008. When we arrived we were exhausted from traveling, but this was more worth the wait. Despina greeted us with coffee and delicious snacks while we waited for our room to be readied, since we arrived at 6am. She gave us a tour of the property and then sat with us to go over a map of the island which she had carefully detailed her recommendations and suggestions. She literally mapped out the best restaurants and gave pricing and menu information, provided a bus schedule, and gave popular tour info, along with her opinions on them. She taught us a few Greek words, which we used to our advantage. We were awarded with free ouzo and wine thoughout our stay for just a simple "efharisto" (thank you). There aren't words to describe how kind and hospitable Despina and the entire staff were.

Now, the hotel. First, it is literally the most beautiful setting for a hotel you could imagine. The sunsets got better every night we stayed there. The view of the caldera never ceased to amaze us. The hotel is conveniently located right on the path that runs from Fira to Oia, but because it's not in one of the cities, it was very private...perfect for a honeymoon. We stayed in the Anastasis Suite, and it was not just beautiful, but immaculate, as was the rest of the hotel. Fresh flowers in the room, and a daily thorough cleaning. Not to mention, it smelled amazing. Then you step out on the balcony, and are awarded with a fantastic breeze and stunning views. It doesn't get any better. We were given a complimentary bottle of wine our first day, and Santorini has fantastic wine. Also, they have a modest menu of food available in room, and what they do, they do well. The breakfast was amazing, and the greek salad and brioche were the perfect food to have with wine on the balcony while enjoying the sunset.

The island. Fira is a beautiful 45 minute hike from the hotel. Cute shops and fantastic restaurants around every corner. Oia is a much longer (and more difficult) 2.5 hour hike, although it's definitely worth it if you can handle it. There are serious hills on the way, and at times the path gives way a little beneath your feet. Defintely wear sunscreen if you hike to Oia. The breeze makes the amount of sun you're getting deceptive, so lather up those shoulders. Oia is the most picturesque place we've ever been, although we honestly preferred the mood and the food in Fira. Oia is more expensive also, although the view you're paying for is worth making the trip. We rented a car the last two days we were there so that we could visit the beaches and wineries. Driving in Santorini is definitely not for the faint of heart, but worth it. There are no street signs on the island, and the maps aren't totally accurate. If you're used to driving in the US, it will take getting used to. All in all, this was the trip of a lifetime for us...and we're already trying to figure out when and how we can go back.

I still get very emotional when I look at all the reviews here. This place was wonderful. The facility is very clean and beautiful. We liked Despina, Katerina and all the staff's warm hospitality and kindness. Despina and Katerina seemed concerned about the very high prices of everything on Santorini Island and they helped us on choosing restaurants and excursions. In other words, although the facility, serivice is 5 star and luxurious, they are not pretentious or charge high price for it.

We stayed in the Anastasis Suite which probably is one of the best suite in the apartment. It was truly amazing. We had high expectations, but they certainly saved more to impress us.

We did see lots of ants in the apartment! We tried to keep the floor in our suite clean, and it got much better after a day or so. Also, probably because of the plumbing system of the island, the bathroom did smell a bit. All in all, it was still a beautiful apartment I wanted to live forever. Needless to say, the breakfast at the balcony was so romantic and I highly recommend it.

We wish them the very best , and we will go back!