Smaragdi Hotel

We’ve been back to Smaragdi three times now, and it’s been great on every visit. The rooms are roomy and clean, the staff are really nice, and there’s a lovely swimming pool. Perivolos is just a two-minute walk away. We think it’s the best beach, with black volcanic sand, clear water, plenty of restaurants and sunbeds. If we return to Santorini, we’ll stay at Smaragdi again.

The staff made our honeymoon feel special. They congratulated us and surprised us with a complimentary room upgrade, and were happy to help with things like arranging a taxi or getting food at the hotel. They also had great recommendations. The hotel is beautiful and handily placed near the beach, restaurants, supermarkets, and car and motorcycle rental places. We had an unbeatable stay and highly recommend it.

The service was amazing, and they even let us use towels and a washroom and shower after checkout if we wanted to stay by the pool. There were plenty of towels in the room, plus a decent-sized fridge. The pool itself is nice, and having drinks available at the pool bar saves a ten-minute walk, even if the drinks aren’t anything special. The location sits between the main areas, with about a ten-minute walk in either direction and not many places right nearby. Wi-Fi was very weak in the room, the blanket was thin, and the shower made the washroom wet because there’s no curtain and not much space, though that seems common here. There were smokers around the pool, and cigarette ash was left on the tables and chairs. You can rent ATVs from the shop next door to get around.

I stayed for three nights in early August and found the hotel a lovely place to unwind. The room was clean and looked after, and the strong AC kept it comfortable. There’s ample private parking, plus the pool is stunning. It’s also an easy walk to the beach, restaurants, and a supermarket. The staff were especially helpful with recommendations and other assistance. I’d happily recommend it.