Iconic Santorini

Carved into the caldera wall at Imerovigli, Iconic Santorini is an adults only boutique cave hotel descending across five levels of volcanic rock, with every room and suite opening towards the volcano and the immense blue of the Aegean.

Iconic feels inseparable from Santorini itself. Rather than sitting above the landscape, much of the hotel disappears into it, with whitewashed cave interiors hollowed from the cliff and a succession of terraces stepping down towards the caldera. As you move through the property the perspective keeps changing, sometimes framing the volcano between walls of rock and at others opening suddenly onto the full sweep of sea and sky.

Imerovigli is particularly well suited to this kind of stay. The village occupies one of the highest points on the caldera and has all the drama of Santorini without the constant movement of Oia, allowing Iconic to feel remarkably secluded even though restaurants and village life are only a short walk away. The infinity pool is beautifully positioned midway down the cliff, its edge appearing to fall directly into the Aegean below.

Rooms & Suites

No two rooms are quite alike because the architecture follows the original shapes of the cliff. Curved ceilings, smooth white walls and recessed spaces retain the character of traditional Santorinian cave houses, while COCO-MAT beds and understated contemporary furnishings keep the interiors comfortable without distracting from what lies outside.

Every category has its own veranda and caldera view, from the Classic Cave and Loft Rooms through to the Cycladic and Honeymoon Suites. The Cave and Caldera Suites add outdoor jetted plunge pools, creating a wonderful place to sit above the water as the light begins to soften across the volcano.

The Cliff and Iconic Suites are the standouts, each combining indoor and outdoor jetted plunge pools with generous cave interiors and extraordinary sea views. They turn the architecture itself into part of the experience, moving from the cool enclosure of the rock to a private terrace suspended high above the caldera.

Dining

Breakfast is one of the loveliest rituals at Iconic. A full cooked breakfast can be served on the terrace, so the first part of the day unfolds privately above the caldera with coffee, breakfast and the volcano filling the view before Imerovigli has properly stirred.

The restaurant stays close to Santorini through local dishes and regional ingredients, allowing dinner to feel rooted in the island rather than simply accompanied by it. The intimate scale suits the hotel, with meals served against a panorama so extraordinary that elaborate surroundings would be entirely unnecessary.

Private dining and room service make it equally tempting to remain on your own veranda, particularly in one of the suites with a plunge pool. Drinks at the bar complete the picture, with the caldera changing constantly as daylight gives way to the lights appearing around the rim of the island.

Experience

Life at Iconic naturally revolves around the cliff. The infinity pool and sun terrace provide its main shared gathering place, while the arrangement of private verandas means much of the hotel remains wonderfully personal. It is very easy to spend several hours doing little more than moving between the water, a lounger and the view.

Imerovigli also puts one of Santorini’s great walks almost outside the door. The caldera path threads through the villages towards Fira in one direction and Oia in the other, revealing a succession of churches, cliffs and changing views that are difficult to appreciate from the road.

Further afield, hiking, diving, snorkelling, horse riding, canoeing and windsurfing can all be arranged, giving plenty of reasons to leave the cliff for a few hours before returning to the particular pleasure of having Imerovigli as your base.

Wellness

The spa feels entirely appropriate to a hotel carved from volcanic rock. Treatments include massages, body therapies and facials, with couples treatments and wellness packages available for longer sessions, while dedicated relaxation spaces continue the sense of retreat found throughout the property.

Some of the finest moments of wellbeing require no appointment at all. A late afternoon in an outdoor jetted pool, with the caldera below and the white villages beginning to catch the evening light, is Santorini providing its own version of a spa treatment.

Where

Iconic Santorini is located in Imerovigli on the caldera rim, around 2 kilometres from Fira, with restaurants and bars within walking distance and easy access to the celebrated walking route connecting Fira and Oia.

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