Andronis Arcadia, Santorini - hotel review

The latest addition to the Andronis hotel group welcomes families with open arms
1/15
Mary Lussiana21 September 2019

The latest in the Andronis empire bringing to six the number of their low, white-washed hotels that grace the beautiful island of Santorini, targets both families and spa junkies alike in a move that deliberately distances it from the usual honeymoon hotel that Santorini is famous for.

Overlaying that is a party vibe with regular live music events to accompany that famous sunset.

Where is it?

On the edge of Oia, Santorini’s most picturesque town, where a jumble of white washed houses tumble down the impressive caldera, with blue domed churches punctuating the skyline. Art galleries and jewellery boutiques fill the streets as do small restaurants and big crowds of people who arrive here to watch the sun sink into the Southern Aegean sea in a blaze of colour.

Style

Flat roofed, sugar cube villas, all with their own private plunge pool run down towards the sea. White washed exteriors open into traditional Greek forged cement interiors, minimalist in feel, with bamboo reed ceilings from which straw lampshades swing in the sea breeze. Much of the furniture is handmade, much roughly carved from pale local wood giving a rustic feel to the whole.

Local lava stone features heavily in the garden walls framing the plants and succulents. Restaurants are sleek with the main restaurant overlooking the long infinity pool (the largest on the island), which has a bar cut into it and some sun beds positioned on the first wide step within the pool allowing you to dip a toe in the water without moving, should the heat get too much.

(Adronis Arcadia)

Facilities

Wellness is a pillar of the Andronis philosophy and here Evexia Spa, created with Ila’s founder Denis Leicester, offers a wide range of facilities including a pebbled water path or Kniepp pool, in hot and cold circuits to boost the immune system and improve circulation. The treatment includes application of cryo bandages to improve the metabolism and promote drainage.

There is hair profiling and several treatments which concentrate on both male and female hormone imbalances alongside the classic anti-stress therapies.

Visits to local wineries can be organised, as can walking tours and catamaran sailing.

(Adronis Arcadia)

Food & drink

Hugely impressive food here starts at breakfast with a yoghurt trolley which comes to you laden with natural Greek yoghurt and toppings of chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, granola, fruits, goji berries and more. A basket of bakeries come with traditional Greek pastries alongside the normal breakfast fare and eggs to order include poached eggs on a delicious concoction of lime, chilli and coriander mashed avocado.

There are a variety of shakes and juices from the Lava Blood (beetroot, ginger, water, lemon and kale) to Sunshine (yoghurt, mango, pineapple, peach, carrot and honey).

Lunch is served at Pacman, by the pool with a choice of either a Greek tavern menu with grilled octopus, Greek salads, sea bass in a salt crust or a sushi menu with tuna tataki, salmon tartare, king crab rolls and more. At dinner the Opson restaurant offers a fascinating exploration of the tastes and ingredients of ancient Greece.

Chef Stefanos Kolimadis, in consultation with a classical scholar, has created a tasting menu based on the dishes enjoyed by philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato, sourcing local ingredients and home-grown vegetables. Nothing, including potatoes and lemons, which didn’t exist in Greece in those times appears on the menu, but caviar, luckily, seemed to be a staple as did quail and pomegranates, ancient grains and fresh fish.

(Adronis Arcadia)

Extra-Curricular

There is so much to see and do in the immediate vicinity but don’t miss out on a visit to a winery to learn how the vines twist around the plants to avoid the sea winds or a tasting of the many excellent mineral whites. If a black beach appeals (beware of the heat rising from it) head across the island to Perivolas, otherwise potter around Oia, for every view and vista is a joy.

Which room?

There are 52 suites, all of which are angled to catch the sunset. There are also two bedroom villas, four bedrooms villas and the island’s biggest private hotel villa with six bedrooms and two pools. All of which underline their commitment to family holidays. Sunset suites offer privacy from their pools and a short walk to the restaurants or spa making them an ideal choice. Beds are low to the floor on a wooden base, bathroom come with showers and volcanic stone basins. Amenities are the lovely holistic, Greek, Apivita brand.

Best for...

Increasingly for families, especially as parents want to bring their children to where they honeymooned, but Santorini’s romantic vibe hasn’t dimmed and its culinary offering and spa facilities have hugely improved in the last few years opening it up to so many more potential visitors.

This hotel stands out in Oia for having a nightlife scene, an excellent spa and welcoming children which many hotels in Oia, on the edge of the caldera, are not able to do.

When to go

Spring is lovely and warm and still before the crowds, or wait until September.

Details

Doubles from £575 including breakfast. andronisarcadia.com

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