Carpe Diem is built on the slopes of Pyrgos, a picturesque village with labyrinthine streets, fortified walls and hidden passages.
Nowadays it is one of the least spoiled by tourism on Santorini. The hotel is a 10 minute walk from the old village and is secluded and tranquil. The views over the whole island towards Fira and the open countryside are amazing and quite unique.
The 10 suites have very comfortable furnishings but are minimalistic in décor and have been designed so purely that it enables the guest to relax completely. Breakfast (until 1:00 pm) is served either in the suite or on the patio with light snacks and refreshments available throughout the rest of the day. Candlelit dinner by the main pool in the evening is ideal for that special celebration but as an alternative there are a number of restaurants in Pyrgos. Just ask George for his advice and recommendation.
If not relaxing then the central location of Carpe Diem makes it ideal for exploring Santorini. A 15 minute drive to Fira, the capital of Santorini, a 20 minute drive to some of the beaches or a 10 minute drive to a number of the island’s wineries to learn about ‘Vinsanto’, a sweet desert wine made from sun-dried grapes, a specialty of Santorini. Enjoy!!
I miss the
Carpe Diem already. This was our first time going to Santorini and it was great to have the hotel send a complimentary pick up to meet us at the ferry as the majority of other tourists coming of the boat had to compete with the rest of the crowds for taxis and buses. Meanwhile, the driver took our bags, gave us cold bottles of water and we were whisked away in a nice air-conditioned van. Less than 10 minutes later the gates to
Carpe Diem are closing behind us and Jason, the Manager, is welcoming us with complimentary glasses of champagne. We arrived early due to the ferry schedule but Jason still offered to check us into our suite early. And what a suite it was! All the rooms have spacious terraces with sun beds, plush chairs, shade and even a private plunge pool (which is actually larger then the term implies).
We decided to do nothing the first day but to just enjoy the view from our terrace (overlooking the northern part of the island), order some room service (try the Greek salad) and relax with a good book and bottle of local wine.
When making a booking it is worth taking some considerations into mind. First,
Carpe Diem’s 10 rooms are built on 2 levels. The suites on the ground level have bigger rooms and bigger terraces but the suites on the upper level offer more privacy. Second, check with the hotel on arrival to see which rooms get more or less sun throughout the day – as some rooms looked to be more exposed and others shaded. We stayed in room 2 on the upper floor that also had nice views of the sunset and sunrise (it’s worth waking-up for).
After a leisurely day of doing nothing it was time to head down to the lounge for an aperitif before heading to dinner. Standing near the edge of the infinity pool (lit up in a cool shade of blue at night) looking over the island of Santorini towards the lights of Fira while enjoying my cocktail in total peace and calm was a memorable experience.
Carpe Diem is not about exclusivity for sake of being elitist and snobby but to give you some peace, quiet and privacy you can de-stress on your vacation.
When you are finally ready to leave this beautiful property and explore the island ask Jason to arrange for a rental car or quad to be dropped off at the hotel so you don’t have to worry about taxis. Most people will tell you that Santorini does not have many beautiful beaches but I didn’t think that was the case at all. If you like unspoiled nature (e.g. no umbrellas and beach chairs) check out Monolithos if the winds are not too strong. Otherwise Perivolos is nice too if you are looking for something more organized.