Santorini is a truly picture-perfect place coupled with fantastic weather, charming locals and delicious cuisine. A visit to Santorini is ideal both for a romantic retreat or a glorious
getaway with friends.
getaway with friends.
From sipping cocktails sprawled lazily on a sun lounger to roaming the cobbled streets of the surrounding town, watching the sunset from the veranda of a tucked away hill top restaurant to leaping into the blissful sea and swimming towards the Islands active volcano to explore the infamous hot springs and mud baths sunset, Santorini is an ultimate must-visit holiday location.
Santorini is simply stunning, there's no two ways about it. Thanks to it's vast array of luxurious accommodation it's a serious contender for a beautiful destination wedding or the perfect honeymoon spot.
My friend and I (both single pringles) both fell in love with the idea of visiting such a picturesque holiday destination and so decided to sod the fact we were neither brides nor newlyweds and head on over - and do it in style! We stayed at two different resorts during our stay. We splashed out for 4 nights at The Pegasus Suites and Spa where we stayed in the absolutely incredible Angels Infinity Pool Suite complete with our own fresh water, private heated infinity pool followed by 3 nights at the Belvedere Hotel.
The service at the Pegasus was faultless. A vast array of delectable dishes to chose from with breakfast served on our own private balcony. Every morning we would awaken to a perfectly set table with an American champagne breakfast which consisted of a vast array of sweet and savoury options (I have rather a sweet tooth hence the abundance of biscuits and sweet treats you can see in the photo above!) and would sit, sip and munch our way through the lot whilst enjoying the wonderful sea view and refreshing breeze.
After we finished our breakfast all we needed to do was walk a few steps down to our sun loungers to our private infinity pool. There is also a communal pool but we never ventured far from our suite during the day, room service was fantastic and available until late so we parked ourselves on our sun loungers and basked in the gorgeous May sunshine (I highly recommend visiting in May as it's quieter and not uncomfortably hot) and chatted, dozed, laughed, listened to music and read.
Isn't that just the most idyllic, breathtaking view?
The Pegasus Suite and Spa is definitely a relaxation destination, there is none of the resort-style-entertainment (no karaoke, magicians or group conga lines to be found here!) and the majority of the other guests were couples, most being newlyweds or wedding parties - my friend and I definitely received more than one quizzical glance as you could see people trying to work out whether we were a couple or not!
The Angel Infinity Pool Suite was the height of comfort and style, to access the private pool one needn't even step outside the door due to the spiraling staircase located within the bedroom which leads directly down to access the pool. The alcove is tucked away - perfect for couples or two mates trying to have a bit of a break from the sun and read their books in the shade - either way I pretty much thought the room was the coolest thing ever which explains my cheesy double thumbs up in the snaps below!
(Dress: ASOS. Kimono: Dorothy Perkins)
(Dress: H&M. Shoes: Accesorize. Necklace and Bracelet: Accessorize)
I didn't have my DSLR with me so here are a few photos from the website which show just how gorgeous the room was, right down to the venetian themed en-suite bathroom complete with rain shower (side note, the acoustics of the bathroom means it's the perfect place to belt out all of the songs you know from Glee after a one or four glasses of prosecco ...apologies to any guests who stayed whilst I was there and were subjected to that!)
I didn't have my DSLR with me so here are a few photos from the website which show just how gorgeous the room was, right down to the venetian themed en-suite bathroom complete with rain shower (side note, the acoustics of the bathroom means it's the perfect place to belt out all of the songs you know from Glee after a one or four glasses of prosecco ...apologies to any guests who stayed whilst I was there and were subjected to that!)
The hotel can also arrange private dinners for you on your balcony complete with candles and champagne (top tip fellas - perfect proposal spot!)
Santorini
(Hat: ASOS, Kimono: Dorothy Perkins. Vest: H&M. Shorts: New Look. Flip Flops: Havianas)
The views and especially the sunsets are spectacular, Santorini is often described as the greatest open-air cinema in the world and I can see why. We often wandered to the view points to take in the scenery; sky, sea and pool merged in a haze of beautiful blue.
We wandered down the hilly roads through the white marble streets into the main town on two evenings and perused the numerous high-end shops interspersed with local tourist ones and popped our heads into a few of the bars which were small but seemed busy and buzzing. Locals believe the island is the site of the lost city of Atlantis, whilst that may be a myth, the fact is that Santorini is definitely not a party holiday - Ibiza it ain't!
As the amenities were so fabulous we spent most of our time in our hotels but we did take a sailing trip from the old port of Fira to visit the volcano, hot springs and mud baths. The town is about a 10 minute walk and for the sailing trip we simply arranged it at The Pegasus Hotel reception desk. I didn't notice any magical 'healing powers' that legend claims the hot springs have, but covering myself head to toe in mud certainly made for an interesting experience!
The water is crystal clear and calm so you don't need to be a strong swimmer to enjoy the day but you can always stay on the boat and sunbathe and enjoy the views as my friend decided to do. Food and drink is included and it's a good chance to interact with other people as about 12 of us in total were on the tour. It was thanks to their encouragement that I plucked up the courage to leap off the boat which was terrifying and hair-ruining - but totally worth it (the photographic proof is at the end of the post).
The Belvedere offered yet more simply stunning views of Santorini but had a very different vibe to Pegasus. The Belvedere managed to blur the line between being both luxury and a cool boutique hotel, whilst retaining that sense of exclusivity. We stayed in the superior room which was perfectly sized for two gals who had both packed far, far too many clothes for one week and was spotless, modern and extremely comfortable. No private pools or secret staircases this time, but it didn't matter because the pool area is the highlight of this gorgeous hotel.
Ridiculously comfortable sunbeds, music playing at just the right level, a panoramic view of the sea, and surrounding islands and a poolside bar whipping up and serving mouth-watering cocktails this is where we plonked ourselves and stayed put from morning until sunset each day before retiring to our rooms to get ready for dinner.
For the quintessential Greek isle experience, look no further than Santorini. If you're looking for R&R with dreamy views, sun-soaked days, chilled evenings, luxury resorts and fantastic food and drink then this really is your ideal destination. More suited to couples this is an absolute bucket-list destination and with a 4-hour travel time it's possible to spend a few days there and it still be worthwhile. With a wide range of accommodation options you can visit on a tighter budget and check in to one of the many charming small hotels or go all out and book yourself in to a luxury suite.
Jennifer Rosellen x