Saint Hotel
Santorini, Greece
Set on the edge of Oia, high above Santorini’s famous caldera, The Saint Hotel feels almost carved into the island itself. White walls, private terraces and pools follow the natural slope of the volcanic cliffs, with open views across the Aegean Sea and towards the volcano.
The hotel was designed by Kapsimalis Architects and completed in 2019. Rather than starting with an empty site, the architects worked with old buildings that were already part of the hillside. Former homes, storage spaces, barns and cellars were restored and joined with new cave-style rooms. The result is a hotel that feels modern while still keeping a strong link to the traditional architecture of Santorini.
The Saint is made up of 16 suites spread across six levels. A central outdoor staircase runs down through the property, connecting the rooms, restaurant, pool and wellness spaces. Many of the suites open onto private terraces with pools, allowing the sea and caldera views to become part of everyday life at the hotel.
The design inside is kept simple. Soft white surfaces, curved walls and carefully chosen furniture help create a calm feeling without taking attention away from the landscape. The natural shape of the old caves is still visible in parts of the hotel, giving some spaces a character that could not be created in a new building.
At the lower part of the property, guests find Trinity Restaurant beside the infinity pool, while the hotel also includes a spa and gym with massage rooms, a sauna and hammam. These spaces continue the same idea found throughout the property: quiet design, open views and a close connection to the island.
Contemporary outdoor furniture also forms part of this setting. Vondom records The Saint as one of its Santorini hotel projects in 2020, with pieces from the Lava, Stone, Studio Planters and Ulm collections used across the property. Their simple forms work naturally with the white architecture and outdoor terraces, without becoming the main focus of the space.
What makes The Saint memorable is not one single feature. It is the way the whole hotel follows the shape of the island. Old caves, new architecture, pools and terraces all seem to move down the cliff together, allowing the landscape of Santorini to remain at the centre of the experience.
