Introduction
Impressive 5-star luxury hotel Andronis Arcadia lies just on the very edge of Oia, the most popular and picturesque village in the dream island of Santorini. It is perfectly positioned to be peaceful and private, but is literally a few footsteps from the main attractions of this beautiful village, with its infamous blue domed churches (and hordes of tourists!). Read more about Oia and the rest of Santorini in the full trip report here.
The hotel is built on a large site which slopes gently downhill towards the cliffs. There are 53 suites, including a couple of villas. All of these face into the world famous Santorini sunset, which can be enjoyed in total privacy from your balcony. Every balcony or villa boasts a heated plunge pool. As the hotel is slightly set back from the cliffs, the view is of the sea itself rather than view down into the caldera. Of course you can easily walk into Oia to enjoy the famous views of the caldera as you please.
At the bottom of the slope are the hotel’s main communal areas, boasting a gorgeous infinity pool, and another separate swimming pool (Santorini’s largest). The pool area is ultra spacious, with gorgeous furniture continuing the cohesive design theme.
All day at the pool area, dreamy Café del Mar style house music plays at a respectable volume, and is never intrusive. Down here you will find the Pacman bar, which is open from breakfast to dinner, and another on site restaurant called Beefbar.
The Evexia spa is also located here, as is a small gym. There are ample staff around the hotel, some of whom use golf carts to ferry guests up and down the main slope between their villas and the pool area.
Check-in
The check in area is the highest point of the sprawling hotel complex, and is a wonder in and of itself, with Bougainvillea flowers tumbling down the walls outside, and three inviting egg chairs hanging just outside the check in desk. Arriving in our hire car, we stopped just outside the front entrance to ask for assistance, whereupon our car was promptly taken for us to the large car park while we checked in, and our suitcases delivered to our room!
Smartly dressed receptionists greeted us at the large check in area, and we enjoyed a complimentary drink as we gazed out of the window at the epic views of the sea and the little white Santorini houses in the distance. The receptionist gave us a brief talk about the hotel and issued us with a map, marking off some recommended restaurants and locations. After our long journey from the drizzly UK, in truth we were keen to go and see our suite asap, and it did not disappoint!
The luxury suite
Opening the door to our suite, we were blown away by the ultra modern design, with neutral colours and chunky furniture made of local wood. The attention to detail in the rooms is magnificent, and the coherent design theme continues throughout the entire hotel complex. The room was spotlessly clean, with luxurious toiletries provided in the bathroom. A complimentary hessian beach bag is provided in each suite, which guests can take home as a souvenir.
Fashionable polished concrete abounded both in the bathroom and on the balcony. Just as we had finished taking in our surroundings there was a knock at the door, and one of the staff presented us with a welcome gift of a chilled bottle of local white wine and a selection of confectionery, beautifully presented on a bed of delicious crunchy cacao nibs in a wooden gift box.
After this little treat of wine and chocolate, as Chenai got ready for dinner I relaxed a while in the heated plunge pool and gazed out again at the cobalt blue Aegean sea, enjoying the warm late afternoon sun on my skin. “This is the life!” I thought to myself…
A couple of days into our stay we came home from our night out in Oia to find a very romantic scene in our room… three large candles in jars flickered softly at the foot of the bed throwing out just enough light to reveal a covering of red rose petals on the bed. On the coffee table had been placed a professionally made birthday cake for Chenai. The staff had obviously noted her date of birth when checking our passports, and arranged the surprise, although at the time I was happy to take the credit 😉
Water is provided in the rooms daily, and there is a minibar and safe as you would expect. Room service is available too of course. You can also order the Instagrammers’ favourite… floating breakfast!
Pacman
The main Pacman bar serves drinks, snacks, and small meals through the day. Despite the name, there is no connection with the classic video game! The nearby Beefbar is a high-end restaurant serving diners in the evening. Even by Santorini standards, both of these are expensive dining choices.
Daily breakfast at Pacman was fabulous. Again, the staffing levels are way more than adequate, reflecting the high-end nature of the hotel. Once seated in Pacman, you are very quickly attended to, and can order fresh coffee or tea as you gaze past the infinity pool toward the inviting blue ocean. Guests are treated to a beautifully presented selection of cereals, yoghurts, jams and honeys, with fresh bread and pastries. Hot items such as omelettes can be cooked to order from the menu. No buffet here, everything is served to you at your table. Even your water will be poured for you, with staff quickly intervening if they see you lifting a finger to do it for yourself!
Facilities
The two main pool areas are delightful spaces in which to relax and while away the day. As soon as you approach a lounger, a member of staff will rush over with a bottle of fresh water for you and ask if you wish to order anything else (although you are not pressured to do so). The beautiful design theme of neutral tones continues in this area, and there are countless spaces for relaxation.
Evexia Spa on site is apparently the largest spa in Santorini. There are five treatment rooms, with the signature treatment being the ‘Kneipp Path’ during which guests walk through two hot and cold pools wearing cryo-therapy wraps and clay mask infusions for the lower body.
Next to the spa is a gym area, which (like most hotel gyms) is quite small, but perfectly functional for a morning workout. I was pleased to find it had wall bars, on which I could practise some calisthenics flag drills. There are some yoga classes available for guests too, for which reception should be able to provide a timetable.
Conclusion
This luxury hotel must surely be the finest luxury hotels in Santorini, or anywhere in the Greek islands for that matter. Everything is meticulously thought out. The incredibly modern design themes are cohesive in all areas of the hotel, and create a sense of calm and relaxation. The staff are supremely attentive, making you feel like you are being truly spoiled and pampered. All of the elements here come together to make you feel like a VIP. Time spent at this hotel is a wonderful and relaxing experience, a perfect wind down retreat after a busy day negotiating the crowds in Oia.
If you’re looking to treat yourselves to a once in a lifetime Santorini luxury hotel experience, perhaps for a honeymoon or a romantic indulgence, Andronis Arcadia is perfect… just perfect.
Thanks for reading our Andronis Arcadia hotel review. Check availability and book your stay at Andronis Arcadia here.
Disclosure : this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase via links in the article, I may receive a small commission which can help the blog to grow. I will only recommend hotels that we have personally stayed in and enjoyed.
