While it doesn’t quite live up to the facilities and room quality of other nearby hotels, Andronis offers luxury stays at a good value.

Canaves Oia Epitome is a spacious Cycladic oasis in Santorini that balances caldera access with palpable privacy and unparalleled service.

This elegant boutique property is ideally situated by the entrance of Oia town, steps from the tourist-filled pedestrian streets.The Santorini location of the Canaves Oia Hotel & Suites makes for stunning views: on one side, Imerovigli town and the surrounding volcanic islands, and on the other, sparkling white Oia.

The hike from Imerovigli town to the Santorini Grace is not for the faint of heart.  A steep set of outdoor stairs leads guests to a pathway that winds down the cliff face, past various apartments and private villas, until they happen upon a contemporary gray and white façade with minimal signage. This was the same 149-step trail used by the donkeys and workmen that created the Santorni Grace, which was built entirely by hand and took roughly five years to complete once opened.

Located in the northwest of Santorini, about fifteen-minutes south of Oia, the Grace offers dramatic views over Santorini’s caldera and a contemporary design scheme that set it apart from the competition. Polished gray floors and monochromatic photographs of the surrounding landscape break up stark white interiors; windows opening up to the azure sea and sky offer pops of color. All of the hotel’s rooms and suites have terraces and nearly all come with a heated outdoor plunge pool with panoramic vistas. Certain suites boast steam showers, indoor baths and the property’s two-bedroom Villa includes its own spa, kitchen, wine cellar and swimming pool.

Though the Santorini Grace accepts children over the age of fourteen, the vibe is hip and sophisticated, catering to mostly couples. The core of the property is the long and uniquely shaped pool, which sits in front of a small cocktail bar and open-air chef’s kitchen. Here guests congregate around 8pm to watch spectacular sunsets over Oia town.

The newest from the Luxury collection, Istoria is an intimate 12-room boutique hotel that brings fantastic dining and a much-needed beach club to Perivolos.

Cascading down the caldera in a blur of white—accented only by the aqua of its pool and the occasional burst of pink bougainvillea—Katikies Kirini Santorini features the traditional Santorinian architecture style (bright white buildings, cave-like structures). Opened in 2009, the elegant hotel is so well kept and stylishly designed that it feels much newer, but the skilled staff and ever-present concierge, who can be found checking in with poolside guests throughout the day, are a testament to Katikies Kirini’s status as one of the top properties in Santorini.

Set 10 minutes from Oia—far enough removed to be blissfully secluded but close enough for guests to easily walk into town for meals—Katikies Kirini has a prime location for views of the caldera and town, which is beautifully backlit each evening by the setting run. The all-suite property’s 21 accommodations range in amenities (some have plunge pools and private terraces), but all offer beautiful panoramas of the Aegean. The rooms are done in the island’s signature white, with orchids, bleached coral and cream-colored French medallion chairs adding romantic accents to the minimalist design. The bathrooms feature rainfall showers, pebbled floors and Bulgari bath products.

Days at Katikies Kirini begin with taking in the stunning morning views (Indagare Tip: plan to never take off your sunglasses, as the white landscape is very bright) and breakfast either from the comfort of one’s private terrace or at the Pool Lounge & Cocktail Bar. As a Relais & Châteaux hotel, Katikies Kirini has a spectacular culinary program, and the morning spread includes granola, Greek pastries (think sweets doused in hazelnut spread), fresh fruit, cheese and charcuterie, as well as an à la carte selection with eggs and pancakes. The lunch menu highlights traditional cuisine like Greek salads and fresh fish, whereas dinner is an upscale gourmet affair. The primary restaurant, Anthós, occupies a stunning white stucco cave that feels open and light thanks to the silver chrome orbs that hang from the ceiling, blond wood chairs and cream-and-blue cushions. The menu is Mediterranean fusion and might include such dishes as tuna tataki, watermelon and feta salad and chicken with Greek truffles. For in-between bites, guests can grab nibbles at the snack table, which is constantly replenished with baked goods, fresh fruit and dark chocolate.

The pool at Katikies Kirini is the heart of the hotel, affording sweeping views and surrounded by yellow-and-white cabanas and white daybeds. The serene area is where guests spend the majority of time on property. Additional onsite amenities include A.SPA, the pampering spa that features a large relaxation pool and uses Ligne St. Barth products. The lobby-side boutique stocks beach-appropriate products like Melissa Odabash cover-ups and tunics, sandals and Ligne St. Barth products.

Note: Katikies Kirini  guests have access to other Katikies facilities at a handful of hotels around the island. Katikies Santorini hotel is also a part of the group, and is home to three spectacular restaurants – guests should book at least one meal here.

Katikies enjoys a prime position overlooking Santorini’s spectacular caldera. A cluster of whitewashed buildings connected by stairways, arches, and bridges cascades down the cliff (the steps are steep, so ask for a room near the top if necessary.) Each room is unique in style and size, but all abide by a typically Cycladic aesthetic with a contemporary twist: white-on-white interiors kitted out with Jacuzzi bathtubs, iPod docks and mini wine cellars.

Apart from lounging around the three infinity pools, there’s little to do but allow the attentive staff to indulge you by delivering champagne breakfast to your room or plying you with basil mojitos from the pool bar. Kirini restaurant—with an outstanding wine list curated by local vintner Paris Sigalas—gets rave reviews, but the most exclusive dinner spot is the property’s secret veranda with just four tables. The elegant restaurant features sophisticated dishes like an olive oil parfait with cherry tomatoes and sea salt, and is best reserved for a big night out. Guests can also use the hammam, heated pool, and spa at the nearby Kirini Suites, the Katikies’ more affordable sister hotel.

Besides the expansive sea views, the standout feature is the service. Unflappable staff will arrange everything from a catamaran cruise to an aerial tour in the blink of an eye. Uber-swanky and ever so slightly snobbish, Katikies is all about feeling pampered.

Mystique immediately stands out from its five-star competitors in Oia—it’s painted in natural sand color, rather than dazzling white. Interiors are less classically Greek, too thanks to earthy-toned linen sofas, driftwood lamps and coffee tables that look like giant pebbles. Billowing canopies shade calico sun-beds dotted about the terraces and infinity pool.

All 35 suites and villas have stunning caldera views and are equipped with Nespresso machines and state-of-the-art technology (with the occasional glitch). Suites come with either indoor or outdoor hot tubs, but outdoor ones are a better bet, as the rooms don’t get as humid. Swankiest of all are the Spiritual suites, which come with a massage bed, steam room and private gym. The small Asian Spa offers scrubs, rubs and wraps using organic ila products.

Managed by Marriott’s the Luxury Collection, Mystique is designed to appeal to Americans, but there are plenty of authentic local touches. The mini-bar comes stocked with locally brewed Donkey beer and Vinsanto-flavored chocolate from the Argyrou winery; there’s a Greek breakfast menu and Charisma restaurant champions distinctly Aegean flavors (try the olive-crust sea bass in a tomato, ouzo and basil broth). The 150-year-old cellar, available for private dining, is impressively well stocked. Although parts of the hotel could use an update, the unbeatable setting and amenable service make up for it.

Perivolas is the hotel that put Santorini on the map, and it remains the finest property. It’s located on the outskirts of Oia—far enough from the cooing couples and partiers who descend on this picture-perfect village to be utterly, blissfully serene. It’s built amphitheatrically on the rim of Santorini’s dramatic caldera, with connecting rooms and suites carved out of the rock face. The accommodations’ smooth contours, rough-hewn alcoves, and domed ceilings echo traditional yposkafa, the naturally ventilated cave dwellings unique to Santorini (but these modernized accommodations do feature AC). All-white interiors punctuated by fuchsia cushions and lilac throws are daringly bare, and there are no TVs or small children to disturb the peace.

Every room has a sea-view terrace (some more private than others), but most guests gravitate towards the stunning infinity pool that hovers between sky and sea. Other amenities are limited to a small gym, outdoor Jacuzzi and treatment room, plus an intimate poolside restaurant that serves unpretentious Mediterranean food. Despite its high-profile fans and countless accolades, the vibe here is understated and laidback.

One of the few luxury hotels on Santorini that accepts young children, Vedema is located inland, with dramatic distant sea views and a shuttle to the beach.

Most of Santorini’s best hotels are clustered along the caldera, but Zannos bucks the trend. Located in the hilltop village of Pyrgos, the hotel is spread across two 18th- and 19th-century mansions (a local ship-owner gave one of them to his daughter as a wedding gift.) The location may be discreet, but the interiors, by celebrated Greek designer Yannis Tseklenis, are lavish. Ochre and terracotta walls, frescoed ceilings and antique furnishing evoke the grandeur of a bygone era.

Wine is a big part of the Zannos experience. There’s an open-air pavilion in the hotel’s vineyard where guests can sample the aptly named Chateau Zannos, and the spa even specializes in vinotherapy. But the Canava suites, located in converted cellars below the main building, take the theme a little too far, and the result is rather damp and gloomy. The small, rock-cut pool is more appropriate for cooling off than for swimming laps, and the veranda has panoramic views across the island. Both are lovely spots to watch the sunset without the usual Santorini crowds.

The Zannos offers more privacy, cooler temperatures and fewer stairs than those properties located on the caldera, but not necessarily more bang for your buck. (It’s eye-wateringly expensive). The formal restaurant serves standard hotel fare, so for something more special, stroll down to Selene or up to Franco’s Café by the Venetian castle. The property’s resident donkey picks up your luggage on arrival, but you’ll need a car to explore the island (although Pyrgos is a good starting point for hikes).