Hector Cave House

Faye made our stay in Santorini so special for our honeymoon. She was attentive and responsive, went out of her way to help, arranged a ride from the airport and greeted us when we arrived. Dimitri, the porter, also helped carry our bags from the drop-off point. The place was perfectly situated near the sunset boulevard. We’ll definitely book again. I can’t say enough good things about Faye and Dimitri.

We booked and paid for three nights in a luxury Cave, but when we arrived they took us to the Nest, which is about half the price. After the first night, we asked Manager Faye to move us to the room we’d booked. She said that wasn’t possible because she’d sold it to someone else. She called it a genuine mistake, and I understand mistakes happen. Faye said she’d call her boss, then offered us the first two nights free as soon as she hung up, as long as we moved to the correct room for the last night. It was stressful, disappointing and took up time, but we accepted. A few hours later the WhatsApp messages started coming, including a request to meet at 10 pm on a Saturday when my husband and I were just returning from dinner. She pressured us to cancel our booking so they wouldn’t have to pay commission to the booking site, then refunded one night’s accommodation. Very unprofessional. I can’t wait to go back to Oia and stay literally anywhere else!

The cave-style rooms were fully air-conditioned, with a private balcony and a mildly heated pool. The view looks out over the sea and volcanic mountains. It’s right beside the best sunset viewpoint overlooking the crescent-shaped volcanic mountains in all the Greek islands, an official statement, not mine, but it’s true.

The view is unbeatable, and the hosts, Anathesia and Dimitri, were great and helped carry our bags from the post office all the way to the cave. It’s about a 10-minute walk, which is really hard with kids and luggage. I’d say it’s worth staying a couple of nights, and the stay itself was great. The wind gets wild, though. We lost a day because we couldn’t do anything, and in the evening it gets cold and windy outside, making dinner and the pool tough with kids. I wish there’d been at least a microwave to heat food, water or milk for the kids in the middle of the night. Ola is a bit difficult for families and doesn’t feel very family-friendly. Thira would be a better choice, and that’s where we’ll stay next time.