The Aressana Hotel in Santorini is an elegant hotel nestled in the heart of Fira. The beautiful white building sprawls far beyond what you’d expect when looking at it from the outside. Equipped with a relaxing spa, Instagram-worthy pool area and Foodie-inspired restaurant, it’s no wonder this is a top choice for travelers to Santorini.
When you think of Santorini or the Greek islands, I’m sure one of the top things that come to mind is luxury, beautiful views, white buildings and amazing hospitality. Aressana Hotel has them all which made it a great place to stay during our 3 days on the island.
| The Location |
When I started researching where to stay in Santorini I had a hard time deciding between staying right in Oia or the next popular town, Fira.
What many people don’t know is that Fira is actually the capital city of Santorini. While it makes sense to try and stay in the island’s most popular city, having been there and looking back I’m glad we chose to stay in Fira.
The Aressana Hotel is located right in the heart of Fira and is a stone’s throw from the heart of town and the bus station. From this station you can take an easy 20-30 minute bus ride (for only 2 Euro) into Oia. The minute you walk out of the lobby you’re almost on the cliff looking out onto the Aegean.
Because the rooms are located almost behind the hotel in a way, they are very quiet. This was particularly perfect after spending our days walking until our feet ached and eating mouthwatering Greek food until we couldn’t stuff our faces anymore.
| The Amenities |
Between the spa, the restaurant, the pool or the gym it’s really hard for me to choose which I loved more. Having a pool to hang out at between sight-seeing was definitely key because it allowed us to take a moment to decompress and actually relax (as if we ever really do that on vacation) before jetting out again.
We had our first dinner at the Ifestioni restaurant and it was amazing. The service was on point, and rather entertaining I might add and the food was definitely something to write home about. We started our meal with modern take on the classic Greek salad and Ben had beef tartare. We followed that up with melt-in-your-mouth lamb roast and delicious mashed potatoes. And we ended the meal with a sort of chocolate lava cake that would have any chocolate lover drooling. The only change I would make to the meal is an earlier reservation so we could have enjoyed the epic views from the windows, but that was a user error!
As someone who loves to work out while on vacation (or at least attempt to) having a gym where I’m staying is always a huge added bonus. I was pleasantly surprised with the space. There was enough room for a couple of people to be in there at the same time and had everything I could have needed for a good workout.
The last amenity I’ll mention is the Tefsion spa. We opted for a couples deep tissue massage to get some of those walking knots out after a long day of touring. While it wasn’t as relaxing as some of the other menu items might have been, I blame that on my own tight muscles and the poor masseuse that had to try and work those out!
| The rooms |
Last but not least, arguably the most important part of your trip is where you sleep. I can honestly say that the beds at Aressana Hotel had to be one of the comfiest I’ve slept in while traveling. It made it hard to actually get up in the morning and get going!
The rooms themselves were very nice and ours was slightly larger with a couch and a balcony that overlooked a small courtyard. If you have some extra money to spend I would strongly suggest getting one of the rooms with your own swim up pool! These rooms were perfect for families.
Speaking of which, Aressana is one of the only family friendly hotels in Fira. A number of their suites have enough sleeping space to accommodate a family of 4 comfortably so it’s often preferred by those traveling with children.
Book your stay
Average room price: $400 / night
Distance to Oia: 30 minute bus ride (steps from the hotel)
Distance to Fira: 100 meters
| Visit their website |
| Book your stay |
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