Review: Canaves Oia

Why book?

Contemporary elegance meets traditional Cycladic architecture at Canaves Oia’s whitewashed, luxury properties. Perfect for couples and honeymooners, these romantically inclined hotels and villas overlook Santorini’s famed caldera, offering sunset views that stretch endlessly across the Aegean Sea.

Set the scene

Once a sleepy coastal town of whitewashed homes carved into the rugged cliffs, Oia is now a tourist hotspot. Summertime crowds reach a frenzy during the gloriously sunny months of July and August, when the cerulean-colored Aegean Sea hits the perfect temperature for boating and beach hopping. Canaves Oia’s four in-town properties all perfectly encapsulate the historic nature of Oia, echoing the feel of 17th century caves, but boasting luxury, modern amenities.

Canaves Oia is a family-owned-and-managed collection of luxury resorts on Santorini, each offering its own unique dining concept, original design, and stunning views. The Chaidemenos family was among the first to introduce tourism to the sleepy fishing village of Oia with their 1983 opening of the 18-suite Canaves Oia Boutique Hotel, their inaugural property. Husband-and-wife Yiannis and Anna Chaidemenos transformed 17th-century caves that were once used to store wine (called canaves), into refined hotel rooms. The birth of the Canaves Oia brand, led by an all-white minimalist concept, redefined the meaning of luxury accommodation in Santorini. Since then, the Canaves Oia collection has expanded (under their two sons’ discerning leadership and exquisite design sensibility) to include five luxurious properties on the island: Canaves Oia Epitome; Canaves Oia Suites; the flagship Canaves Oia Boutique Hotel; Canaves Oia Sunday Suites; and a three-villa complex called Eden Villas.

The rooms

Depending on your budget and the size of your group, the various Canaves Oia properties offer everything from an intimate Classic Suite to a spacious, private Villa. With the exception of just a few suites, most boast a private plunge pool and sweeping views of Oia and the Aegean Sea. If your idea of romance is sharing a bottle of wine in your private plunge pool while the sun sinks into the sea and ignites the sky into a kaleidoscope of colors, Canaves Oia has you covered! If your idea of an ideal summertime trip involves your best friends, a private infinity pool, and a full buy-out of a property, Canaves Oia can deliver. No matter your preferences, you’ll find beautifully designed whitewashed rooms, with mostly white furnishings and the occasional pop of color. The simple color palette of the rooms allows the views to take center stage. Because all of the properties are converted wine caves, the room sizes can feel a bit tight. However, that is part of Oia’s charm, and if you are looking for a more spacious accommodation, Canaves Oia Epitome is the best bet.

Food and drink

With multiple restaurant experiences at Canaves Oia, you’ll never be short on fine dining options. Breakfast and lunch are delicious, and served in various locations throughout each property, but dinner is when the restaurants really shine, due to their incredible locations and sunset views.

Petra Restaurant at Canaves Oia Suites serves traditional Greek recipes with contemporary, upscale twists, such as fisherman’s kakavia stew with seafood and a wild garlic pesto, potato cream and squid ink, and handmade spaghettini with lobster.

Enjoy a candlelit poolside dinner at Infinity Modern Bistro & Bar at Canaves Oia Boutique Hotel On the menu of this Greek bistro, you’ll find everything from fried artichoke with goat’s cheese to octopus served with local fava and caramelized onions, and from Santorinian salad to a rich combination of fried seafood – perfect matches for a crisp assyrtiko wine.

Veranda Aperitivo Bar at Canaves Oia Sunday Suites is located at the highest point in Oia, offering panoramic views and a light menu of Japanese and Greek inspired aperitivos and tapas featuring fresh and locally-sourced seafood.

The spa

Designed inside a natural cave, Canaves Spa located at Canaves Oia Suites features two treatment rooms, a nail studio, a steam bath, sauna, and external couple’s treatment room with ocean views. The spa feels like a tranquil underground lair, which is understandable given its use as a wine cave in the 17th century.

The spa offers a variety of massages and facials featuring Cinq Mondes products. The spa is quite small, and is not an ideal space in which to spend the day lounging. Come for a service or a steam, and head back to your room or pool for a more ideal and spacious lounge.

The neighborhood/area

All four properties are located conveniently in Oia, a classic Santorini village, with white-washed buildings and blue domed churches hugging the cliffside and overlooking the caldera. The pedestrian-only strip weaves through small shops, restaurants and boutiques that mainly cater to tourists. The Castle of Oia, a famous sunset spot, is also lovely, though the sunset-seeking crowds can be intense. Head down to the waterfront- reachable by a long stairway from town- where you’ll find Armeni Restaurant, a classic Greek taverna serving up the freshest seafood on the island. It's worth taking a tour of the island and enjoying the other classic towns, such as Megalochori and Pyrgos Kallistis, which aren’t as touristy as Oia.

There’s no better way to explore Santorini and the surrounding islands than by boat. Canaves Oia can help plan a luxurious, fully-crewed private yacht or sail boat experience. Additionally, Santorini, one of the most famous wine regions in Greece, has a rich 3000 year old history and tradition. Canaves Oia can arrange a tour of the island’s wineries, or suggest a wine-tasting experience that covers the island’s nine indigenous grape varieties, each with unique tastes and aromas due to the distinctiveness of the volcanic soil.

The service

The service can best be described as prompt and attentive, without being over-the-top. The staff is warm and friendly, and their passion for hospitality shines through. Occasionally, they seemed a bit baffled by situations for which they should have been prepared, including suggesting alternative activities for inclement weather.

For families

The Canaves Oia properties are best for couples, newlyweds or larger parties of adults. The most family friendly property in the collection is Canaves Oia Epitome.

Eco effort

In addition to being paper-free thanks to a guest app that allows for all guests procedures to be contactless and online, all Canaves Oia properties are going fully plastic-free by 2025. They have already eliminated single-use plastic (plastic straws and bottles), which has reduced a significant amount of plastic waste.

For housekeeping services Canaves Oia uses certified and eco-friendly products from EcoLab that are made using sustainable manufacturing practices and naturally derived, safe, non-toxic, and biodegradable ingredients. Water usage is a stressor on the island environment, and to help combat waste, environment-friendly cards are placed on top of guest bed sheets and toilets to encourage customers to engage in environmentally friendly practices. Lastly, the properties are installing new systems to monitor and control the buildings energy needs producing greater energy savings. The program was piloted at Epitome, the collection’s newest property.

Accessibility

Oia is notoriously challenging to navigate with its plentiful stairs and cliffside location, and these properties are no exception. While Canaves Oia Suites is the only property in Oia with full elevator access to all levels, there are many other accessibility challenges due to the location.

Canaves Oia Epitome, located just outside of Oia, is the best option in terms of accessibility, with spacious grounds and gentle topography.

Anything left to mention?

You're at the mercy of the weather here in Oia. The cliffside location can mean intense wind. (During my visit in May, just before high season, the weather was extremely windy, rainy, and chilly.) At Infinity Modern Bistro, where we met for dinner, the wind was so intense that lanterns were crashing to the ground and tables were blowing over. Due to the open-air nature of the dining area, it was clear the restaurant wasn’t set up for inclement weather, and this is the case with many Oia dining establishments. Check the weather and make dining plans and itinerary shifts accordingly.

Greece has long had a reputation for service that is disorganized and indifferent, and while that was not reflected at any of the Canaves Oia properties, it can occasionally pop up when dealing with outside vendors. Your shuttle arrives 45 minutes late with no explanation? That’s pretty normal, and you won’t get an apology or explanation. Is there a single custom’s official for your entire plane? Settle in and be prepared to wait. Did your boat drop you at the wrong port with no explanation of how to get back to your hotel? Luckily you have a phone! Be prepared for a few hiccups when out and about in Santorini.