Bay View Santorini

We’ve just come back from 12 days at Bay View Residence Santorini, and I’ve been wishing I could return since Friday. It was fantastic and wonderfully peaceful. Akrotiri felt tidy, friendly, and calm. We had total quiet at the house, with nature, the sea from the bay below, and the occasional bird for company. Oia and Fira, by comparison, were mostly packed. Dozens of buses came through each day, and there were so many people everywhere. The house is spread across three levels and thoughtfully equipped: a kitchen with an oven, microwave, two hot plates, and no dishwasher; a Nespresso machine; four separately controlled air conditioning units; a gaming machine; several TVs, which we didn’t need with that view; a washing machine, tumble dryer, and clothes horse; weights, games like UNO and chess, books, yoga mats, a first aid kit, extra towels and bin bags, a vacuum, broom, and mop. They’d even thought of washing tabs. Everything was new and clean, and I loved the quality and look of the cups, plates, and other items. It all felt so carefully chosen. I looked forward to my morning coffee in the green cup. A larger chopping board and a peeler would be nice, though I know that’s a small complaint. George, the owner, was flexible about cleaning and changing the hand, shower, and pool towels. We could tell him when and how often we wanted it done, and he took care of it. He was always available, even in the evening when I asked whether the tap water was drinkable. It isn’t. A welcome basket had cake, wine, biscuits, aperitif snacks, Nespresso capsules, and other treats, plus six 1.5-litre bottles of mineral water. My worries about there being no cushions on the sun loungers, or not being able to see remarkable sunsets from the Akrotiri side, were unfounded. We saw the most fabulous sunsets, often sitting or lying on the comfortable loungers to watch the sun go down. I’ll miss the sunrise and sunset views and the private pool most. One practical thing to know: you definitely need a vehicle, as the unpaved gravel road from the main road to the residence is about 900 metres. The nearest beach is Kampia Beach, not the bay visible from the property. We’ll definitely be back. Thank you, George!