We had such a fantastic stay with Deni. The hotel is run by her and her lovely family, complete with a beautiful and sweet white Alaskan Malumute. Deni contacted via whats-app the day before we travelled to Santorini and gave me instructions on how to get to the hotel from the Airport. When we arrived, she sent me detailed instructions on where find the local shops and bakeries, and where to get the bus from (the stop is literally 2 mins away). If you visit Santorini (or Greece in general), you notice there is large population of street cats, which can be upsetting for people such as myself that have pet cats at home. However, Deni and her family have very admirally taken responsibilty for a colony of around 20 cats and kittens, ensuring that they are fed, neutered/spayed and are in a healthy state. It really added to the charm of the hotel seeing a group of young cats running around playing or watching you curiously as you take a swim. If you are a cat lover and you are visiting Santorini, this is the place for you!
I came with my partner and my mother, and we found the Edelweiss room perfect for us. There is a large double bed, with a charming upstairs annex with 2 single mattresses laid out together. We had a private bathroom with a decent walk in shower and our own private balcony with a small table and 2 chairs that got the morning sun, which was so pleasant to sit and have a coffee in. This room did not include a breakfast option, but there was a full-sized fridge, kettle, Dolce Gusto coffee machine (with a full pack of espresso pods!), and basic kitchenware/cutlery so we were able to keep snacks and prepare basic meals.
The hotel has an excellent swimming pool, which is surprising large (and deep!) with plenty of sunbeds around it. As you get closer to Fira, you'll notice that even the high-end hotels/suites don't have this luxury! I found myself getting up early each morning to go for a relaxing swim and to read a book in the sun, an excellent way to start off the day. The younger girl with the red hair (I'm sorry I forgot her name!) brought us each a glass of red wine to the poolside when we were taking our first swim, which we found a really nice gesture. Around the other side of the building, there is a charming patio garden, with couches, chairs, tables, a fountain, and swing seat. It was a great place to sit and have a glass of wine before venturing into Fira for the evening.
Before we arrived, we were fearful that we might have been too far to walk to Fira. How wrong we were! The hotel is in Karterados, a 10-15 walk (at a stroll) from the very centre of Fira, and along the way are a great selection of restaurants, cafes and shops. There is a bus stop 2 minutes from the hotel that can take you to pretty much anywhere on island, and beside that was a supermarket that had everything we needed in it. If you stay here, I definitely recommend Katerina's restaurant around the corner, by far the best food we had in a the week that we were in Santorini.
Don't hesitate to book this hotel! The value for money is incredible, and the feeling of welcome even more so!