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May 02 2019
Here’s some snaps from Hanna’s recent trip to visit the beautiful Canaves Oia hotels and suites in Santorini with GP Associates. With five different luxury properties on the island, this boutique hotel group have got it just right, offering the perfect destination for couples and honeymooners, as well as families.
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Published: May 02 2019
My first visit to Santorini was when I was 18 and I went back-packing round the Cyclades islands so this visit was definitely a bit more luxurious and refined! The trip with the lovely Fliss from GP Associates was brilliant and it’s always so good to really experience hotels first-hand.
To give you a bit of background to the brand, the story of Canaves Oia began in 1985 when the Chaidemenos family were among the first families to introduce tourism to the fishing village of Oia in Santorini. It was then that Yiannis and Anna Chaidemenos transformed the 17th-century caves, once used to store wine, into designer-chic luxury hotel rooms. The birth of the Canaves Oia brand led to the hotel’s all-white minimalistic concept, which redefined the meaning of luxury accommodation in Santorini. Yiannis and Anna started with 2 caves only and eventually, the hotel expanded to 18 hotel rooms to become the ideal hideaway for romantic couples and newlyweds. In 2010, the Chaidemenos sons, Markos and Alexandros, took over. Their modern take on hospitality rocketed the brand to new heights with international awards and top-tier media exposure for each property. In 2015, Canaves Oia Hotel and Suites underwent a full renovation and in 2017 all the common areas of the hotel were also renovated and a brand new infinity pool was added in both properties.
We visited Canaves Oia Hotel, the Suites, the Sunday Suites and Canaves Oia Epitome (the latest of the hotel’s openings where I stayed) and there is also a private villa available to hire which sleeps seven. All the properties are extremely lovely, both in their design and in the facilities they offer. Canaves Oia Epitome is a 5 minute shuttle ride or 10 minute walk from Oia in a serene location so it is away from the hustle and bustle of Oia [pronounced Ee-a!] where the other properties are located. The styling is very contemporary - think neutral tones, linens, rattan textures and dark black local stone. I stayed in a Honeymoon Suite with a Plunge Pool and its own terrace which was really private and perfect for a couple and there are also Two Bedroom or Aqua Two Bedroom Pool Villas which are ideal for families as they are on two levels and have their own pool and stunning spacious terrace. Everything is very well thought out from the straw hat, bag and flip flops in the room to the incredibly comfortable mattress and the Elemis pillow spray at turndown! The Canaves Oia Hotel, Suites and Sunday Suites are more traditional in that they are set in the caves and the colour scheme is minimalist white with stone and wood details - the romantic setting is more grown-up and suitable for couples or families with children over 14 years old.
I got the early bird flight from Gatwick direct to Santorini and we were on the lovely terrace at Canaves Oia Hotel by 12.30pm so it’s a destination which is totally manageable for a long weekend and the private transfers from the airport are all very quick as it’s a small island. The food at all the properties was incredible, and a mixture of relaxed Poolside food and exquisite fine dining. We enjoyed a lovely wine tasting in a private cave at Suites and a day out on a boat touring around Santorini, swimming in hot springs and enjoying a barbecue prepared on the back of the boat! Both these are definitely experiences we highly recommend on a stay here. Every aspect of the service across all the Canaves Oia properties was outstanding and the staff were all so welcoming - a special thank you to Markos and Thanassis for their hospitality, and of course Fliss for looking after us on the trip!
Please contact us on 020 8935 5779 to find out more about booking one of these amazing destination hotels and browse our Greek holidays here.
Hanna joined Go Bespoke in February 2018 and has over 15 years’ experience working in Marketing & PR. She studied Modern Languages at University, and lived in Granada in Spain for a year before working for a city-based tour operator and then on the Sales team at Orient Express. Hanna is our resident Spanish speaker, and also speaks French and a bit of Portuguese. She looks after all our social media and marketing collateral, including the website and anything visual that you might see!
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