Canaves Epitome

It feels like my sister and I are the last to visit Santorini, such is the extensive coverage I see of it on social media. So we longed to see the ‘little white houses’ (as my sister calls them), set against the beautiful velvety blue backdrop of the Aegean Sea, firsthand. And Oia, the picturesque town at the northern tip of the island, seemed destined to leave us with lasting memories. 

We arrive at boutique hotel Canaves Epitome in total darkness. It’s 6am, we’re tired, hungry and slightly dishevelled but full of anticipation and excitement at seeing the incredible hotel we’d peeked at online. We’re warmly greeted in the lobby by the front office staff, dressed head-to-toe in chic white uniforms, who inform us that check-in isn’t until 3pm and our room isn’t ready yet. Oh no. We had a good eight hours until we could see our room, and two hours before breakfast was to be served. So, in the meantime, we left our luggage at reception and set off to explore.

We found a courtyard, sheltered by rugged stone walls, where the aquamarine waters of the infinity pool and the bleached-white Cycladic architecture Santorini’s so famous for made a harmonious setting. Throughout the hotel’s luxuriously decorated with wood and wicker accents, marble floors and a soft-grey colour palette for the furnishings. The combination of earthy, natural materials with sleek modern furniture is exquisite and it's a look that makes the property feel peaceful. You can tell every single inch of the space has been designed to meet the guest’s needs. As we waited we witnessed one of Santorini’s lusted-after sunrises and a dazzling sea view unlike any we’ve seen before. Sunset promised to be even more spectacular. The hotel takes great pride in saying they’re the only hotel in Santorini where every room – not just the most expensive – has guaranteed sunset views.

Delightful staff member Maria notified us that we had been upgraded to a One-Bedroom Villa complete with a private pool. At this point, the euphoria we felt was real and not due to any lingering tiredness. Maria talked us through the amenities of the hotel, such as the spa, gym and restaurants, and ran us through recommendations for what to do and where to eat. She then very kindly provided us with an early-breakfast basket, full of fresh bread and pastries, the first of several free daily-changing, five-course breakfasts we would have delivered each day. She also offered us the opportunity to stay in an unoccupied room for a few hours until ours was ready, so we could catch up on some sleep. We politely declined so as not to be a nuisance to the hotel, but we greatly appreciated the thoughtfulness and generosity of the offer – things we’d become accustomed to over the remainder of our stay. We showered and freshened up in the gym’s changing rooms before returning to enjoy the rest of our breakfast. That first breakfast we spent in the open-plan dining room, watching other guests trickle in; our last breakfast we’d enjoy in the comfort of our villa while basking in the sun.

While planning our day we realised that we had starved our phones of charge and there was no way we could go out to the heart of Oia for the first time without taking at least a hundred photos – because if you don't take photos, were you really even there? Christina, the hotel's general manager, sensing the predicament we were in, approached us and offered us a fully-charged battery pack to use throughout our stay. Small details like this are what make a hotel stand out. Canaves Epitome stands out from the slew of honeymoon-ready hotels on the island for the attentiveness of its staff and the unmatchable hospitality – something I will always have fond memories of. We took Christina up on her kind offer and were whisked up the hills into the bustling centre of Oia via the hotel's free car service. Our charming chauffeur George said he would collect us later, whenever we wanted. Oia is everything we expected and more. Along every winding path and lengthy stairway is a more beautiful view than the next. You’ll never want to put your camera down, just in case you miss a photo opportunity – but, don’t worry, another will be along soon, and really, it’s nearly impossible to take a bad photo here. We enjoy a spectacular lunch, sitting outside on a terrace overlooking the deep-blue Aegean sea. ‘Surely we have to try the seafood’, I said. My sister, not the greatest of seafood lovers, stood firm and had spaghetti, while I opted for grilled octopus, which was divine. While sipping mojito mocktails we concocted a plan for tomorrow – sadly our last day – and decided we would visit Fira, the island's capital and most cosmopolitan settlement. But, more importantly, we had yet to see our villa…

We arrive back at the hotel and are guided to our villa; I say villa, but it's more akin to a mini palace. High ceilings, marble floors, clean crisp sheets: it's luxurious yet cosy. The outside dining area, with it's natural stone walls, plants and grand arch over the pool and terrace, is perhaps my favourite spot. But, well, the private pool is definitely a highlight: L-shaped, with  white mosaic-tiled stairs, it’s large enough for a fully extended swim. It’s also heated, so you can enjoy it in the evenings, which we duly did. There’s an alfresco shower, sunloungers and a sofa area to relax in as you gaze over the sea. 

We visited Fira on our final day and enjoyed a leisurely walk along the cliffside trails overlooking the volcanic islands of Thirassia, Palea Kameni and Nea Kameni. No amount of scrolling through Instagram can compare to seeing this in real life. There are myriad shades of blue, perfectly formed islands, glittering waters reflected and a cloudless sky overhead, it’s at times like this when you truly appreciate the Earth’s beauty. We gazed into the distance and watched as cruise ships went by, and aside from their slow movements it was almost as if time was standing still. Afterwards we fit in some shopping before heading back to the hotel to catch our last Santorini sunset. True to its name, the hotel is the epitome of luxury.