We had a fantastic week in this beautiful, peaceful and secluded corner of what is otherwise a very hectic island. Monolithos Beach, a 20-minute walk along the coast, was never too busy, has reasonably-priced sun loungers, nearby shops and restaurants and even a snorkelling spot. You have to walk past a power station to get there which might bother some people but didn't bother us.
The apartment is simple but had everything we needed, and the pool, garden and sea view from our bedroom and balcony were absolutely wonderful. We found the beach could get quite windy but the pool is a sheltered alternative.
In terms of exploring the island, we decided not to hire a car which meant either walking to Monolithos to get the bus (which was straightforward and connects to buses everywhere in the island via Fira), or going on an organised day trip (which again picked us up from Monolithos beach). Helen was really helpful in booking the day trip for us and providing us with bus timetables. We managed to explore the caldera, get over to the volcano, hot springs, the Akrotiri excavations and the inevitable Oia sunset.
Having seen how hectic and crowded the caldera side of the island gets (especially Oia at sunset!) we really appreciated having such a quiet place as our base, even if it meant a bit of walking to buy food (there is a well-stocked but expensive shop at Monolithos beach, or you can walk into Karterados which takes 30-40 minutes but has cheaper shops including bakeries and supermarkets).
We mainly self-catered and it was lovely to find fresh eggs and courgettes (zucchini) from George when we arrived. The kitchen is basic but has just enough equipment to make this possible. We also ate at the local Taverna which is just round the corner and it was fantastic, friendly and good value (big portions and cheap wine!).
The apartments are serviced every day - it was lovely to come back to a freshly-made bed, clean towels and a tidy kitchen every day.
It is very close to the airport so when planes do pass overhead they are very loud, but they weren't very frequent and didn't really bother us.
We'd definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a quiet base on Santorini, near a pleasant beach with very helpful hosts.