La Ponta Villas Hotel

Having a rental car made our stay much easier, and it let us see more of Santorini's varied scenery. Thira was under 20 minutes away by car, while even the far end of the island is at most about a 30-minute drive. La Ponta Villas is in Akrotiri, near the famous lighthouse, so it's a quiet, more secluded base rather than close to Thira or Oia. The resort is small, with villas and suites that were clean, comfortable, and well cared for. Ours had its own jacuzzi, so we didn't use the shared pool. The small staff was easy to reach on WhatsApp and always available, and breakfast was varied and served at the table in a relaxed setting. We couldn't have picked a better place for our Santorini vacation.

We came away feeling rested, and the lighthouse nearby is worth a visit. The villa was lovely and clean, and the beds were really comfortable. It's outside town, which suited us because it was quiet. The heated pool wasn't warm enough for us, but our villa had no jacuzzi and the host kindly let us use one for free. Matina and her team took such good care of us. She even arranged a surprise birthday dinner and cake for my friend, which was so thoughtful. I'd definitely recommend staying here.

Be sure to rent a scooter, ATV, or car at the property if you want to explore the island, you'll definitely need one. White Beach and Black Beach are within walking distance, and Akrotiri and the area around it are lovely. The villas look great and feel brand new, with a private pool for each one. The staff were super friendly. Since the place had only been open for a few weeks, service could use a little more training, though that's a pretty minor complaint.

We loved our stay in October 2023 and booked again for this year, but sadly this visit didn't match the first one. The setting is gorgeous if you're after seclusion and quiet, and the rustic accommodation has charm. Still, the service fell well short of what we'd expect from a five-star place. Last year the manager was always looking after us. This time reception was often empty; when we arrived the key had been left in the door, and we had to phone to say we wanted to check in. We were simply told our room number. Breakfast had been served in a charming little restaurant last year, with guests choosing the night before. The restaurant is now a makeshift gym, and breakfast was brought to our accommodation instead. I didn't mind that change, but there was no choice about the food: usually cold fried eggs, bread, sometimes a bit of unpleasant cheese, Greek yogurt, cereal, and so on. We asked for breakfast at 9:30, which worked on the first day, but it arrived earlier each day and at 8:30 on our last morning. The hot tub in our room was boiling on day one. The manager lowered the temperature, after which it was freezing. We asked her to fix it, but she never came, so we couldn't use it. It's such a shame, because this place could be fabulous if it were run properly. Unfortunately, we'll look for somewhere else next time we're in Santorini.