The best hotels in Santorini: seven places to stay, caldera to wine country

White suites down the cliff

Canaves Oia is a cluster of white suites and cave houses stepping down the cliff below the village, with pools and terraces facing the caldera. Several suites have their own pool, and the main pool seems to hang over the edge.

It makes an easy first choice, giving you the classic Santorini view, polished service and a location within walking distance of Oia's restaurants. It is right for couples and honeymooners. Rates are high and there are plenty of steps between rooms. In the evening you can watch the sunset from your terrace rather than jostling at the walls above.

Pools in tiers down the slope

Katikies stands in Oia, built in white tiers down the caldera wall, with pools on several levels and views straight out to sea. The style is classic Cycladic, all whitewashed walls, arches and blue water.

It is a strong pick for anyone who wants one of the island's best-known hotels and the view every photograph shows. It is a grown-up hotel, best for couples and friends. Many rooms sit far down the slope, so every trip up to the village means stairs, though the deeper you go the quieter it gets.

Cave houses and a pool that spills into the sky

Perivolas lies on the edge of Oia, in old cave houses converted into rooms and suites with white walls and simple, calm shapes. The pool sits right at the edge of the cliff, so the water appears to flow straight into the sea.

It is our romantic pick, quieter than the hotels in the middle of Oia and more private. It appeals to couples who want peace and the view without much going on around them. Reaching the village restaurants means a stroll along the cliff path, and it is not a place for children.

Hidden in the cliff below Oia

Mystique is tucked into the cliff just south of Oia, with suites carved into the rock and terraces right above the caldera. There is a wine cellar in a cave and several pools with views.

It is well suited to couples who want luxury and discretion, with Oia close when they want it and silence when they do not. Its position low in the cliff means many steps, so ask about transfers up to the village in the evening. Rates sit at the top of the island's range, which makes it one for a special occasion.

Clean lines above the caldera

Grace Hotel Santorini sits on the rim at Imerovigli, with crisp white forms, a long pool reaching towards the edge and rooms with large windows over the sea. The style is modern and minimalist.

This is our design pick, a hotel where the view is the whole interior. It suits couples who want contemporary luxury in a quieter village than Oia. Imerovigli has fewer restaurants, so you will often take a taxi to Fira or Oia for dinner. The cliff path from Imerovigli to Oia is one of the best walks on the island, ideally early in the morning.

Calm and family-run in Imerovigli

Astra Suites stands in Imerovigli, with suites and apartments spread down the slope around a pool with caldera views. Rooms are simple and bright, many with a kitchen and terrace.

It is a good fit for travellers who want the caldera view and some peace, with a little more space and a more personal feel than the big luxury hotels. It works well for couples staying a week. As everywhere on the rim there are steps and no beach nearby, but Fira, with the most restaurants and shops, is minutes away by taxi or bus.

A village around an old winery

Vedema stands in Megalochori, built around an old winery, with low white houses, lanes and a large pool. It has its own wine cellar and transport to a beach club on the south coast.

It gets our vote as the family pick, because it is flat, spacious and has room for children on an island where many hotels tumble down cliffs. It also suits couples who want quiet, wine and good food. There is no caldera view from the rooms, but you can watch the sunset from Megalochori, ten minutes away.