ASTRA SUITES | IMEROVIGLI, SANTORINI
September/October 2014
This is what I miss. Nowhere to be, nothing to do, and a Santorini sunset from our patio.
We splurged big time when we stayed at Astra Suites in Imerovigli. When I say splurged, I mean this was definitely not our normal travel budget. But it was our anniversary, we were going to Santorini, and sometimes you just have to look at each other and say, “We’re doing it.” So we did. It was so worth it.
There are places you stay because they’re convenient. There are places you stay because the price is right and you really only need somewhere to sleep. Then, every once in a while, there’s a place where the stay itself becomes part of the trip. Astra Suites was one of those places.
The incredible views, the location, and all the little things the staff did to make us feel welcome made it the perfect place for Doug and me to celebrate our anniversary.
Our suite had a living room, bedroom, enormous shower, and a cute little kitchenette. But let’s be serious—the best part was outside. We had our own private pool overlooking the caldera.
Seriously. Did I mention this place was amazing?
Breakfast with a view of Skaros Rock. I could definitely get used to this.
Every morning, breakfast was delivered to our room, and we’d sit outside on our patio looking across the caldera toward Skaros Rock while we ate. There was no rushing downstairs before breakfast ended. No figuring out where we were going to eat. No grabbing something quickly because we had somewhere else we needed to be. Breakfast just showed up, and there we sat.
Looking back, that’s one of the things I remember most—and miss most—about Santorini. Not just the view or the breakfast, but having nowhere else we needed to be.
The View Came With a Few Steps
Astra Suites is built into the cliffs of Imerovigli, which is exactly what gives it those incredible Santorini views.
It also means steps. Lots and lots of steps.
Getting down to our suite was one thing. Thinking about hauling our luggage back up all of those steps when it was time to leave was another.
Looking back to Astra Suites from Skaros rock.
We would watch hikers on top of Skaros Rock from our suite.
Thankfully, someone carried our luggage down when we arrived—and, more importantly, carried it all the way back up when it was time to go. That may have been one of the best amenities of the entire stay.
Directly in front of our suite was Skaros Rock, a massive rock formation created by ancient volcanic activity. We could see it from our patio, our pool, and pretty much every time we looked outside.
It’s hard to complain about steps when that’s the view waiting for you at the bottom.
The Little Things
One evening, the staff surprised us with fruit and champagne for our anniversary.
It wasn't something we asked for or expected. It was simply one of those little touches that didn't have to happen but made the stay feel even more special.
Brought champagne & fruit to our suite for our anniversary.
Our private pool outside our bedroom door.
Looking out our bedroom door.
A beautiful room and an amazing view certainly didn’t hurt, but the little things the staff did for us made the stay even better.
Astra Suites made us feel like our anniversary mattered to them, too.
Why I Loved Imerovigli
I also loved Imerovigli itself. It was quieter than some of the busier parts of Santorini, but we were right next to Fira and close to public transportation that could take us around the island.
It gave us the best of both worlds. We could go out and explore when we wanted to, but when we came back, it felt like we had escaped some of the activity.
Sometimes, we didn’t want to go anywhere at all.
When you have a private pool, breakfast delivered to your patio, and a view across the caldera, staying put doesn’t exactly feel like you’re missing out.
Beach hair. Don't care.
This Is What I Miss
Of course I remember Santorini’s white buildings, blue water, and incredible sunsets. But what I miss most isn’t really something we went there to see or do.
We cooled off in the pool, spent afternoons with nowhere we needed to be, and watched the sun slowly disappear over the caldera in the evening. More than anything, I remember how it felt to simply be there.
We spent more on this stay than we normally would have. I knew that when I booked it, and I definitely knew it when we paid for it, but more than a decade later, I’m not thinking about what it cost. I’m thinking about breakfast on that patio. The sunsets. That view.
Still not sure what was happening here. We decided he was practicing his ninja skills on top of the building. I have no other explanation.
Been there. Splurged big time. Loved that.