Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection

Where the Caldera Becomes Architecture

The visual logic of Cycladic design has always been additive subtraction: pile whitewashed volumes on a cliff, cut openings toward the sea, and let the Aegean do the rest. Imerovigli sits at the highest point of Santorini's caldera rim, roughly 300 metres above sea level, and it is from this elevation that Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection operates its particular version of that formula. The approach from the village path reads less like a hotel arrival and more like walking through a tiered settlement, each level stepping down toward the water, the massed white surfaces dissolving into sky at the edges. That layered quality is not accidental: the building's stacked geometry is what creates the sense that the property holds more than its 23 rooms and suites actually contain.

Cycladic architecture in its vernacular form was never designed to impress from a distance; it was designed to disappear into its landscape, then reveal itself gradually. Grace works in this tradition. Balcony thresholds blur into bedroom interiors, so the boundary between inside and outside becomes a question of light and temperature rather than a wall. Ivory linens catch the same flat Mediterranean light that washes the exterior. The suites and rooms are individually configured rather than standardised, which at this scale is achievable without feeling arbitrary. For travellers who have stayed at the broader grid of caldera-facing properties in Fira or Oía, the distinction is in density: Imerovigli carries significantly less foot traffic, and Grace's position here translates directly into a quieter visual field from its terraces.

The Infrastructure of the View

The property's centrepiece is its 22-metre heated infinity pool, the largest such pool in Imerovigli village. That credential matters less as a trophy stat than as a practical description of scale: at 22 metres, the pool is long enough that its far edge genuinely meets the caldera horizon rather than merely suggesting it. The spatial effect this produces, swimming toward a waterline that connects seamlessly with the Aegean several hundred metres below, is the defining spatial experience of the property. Café service operates poolside, which keeps the transition between water and drink frictionless.

Many of the suites include private heated plunge pools on their terraces, which operates on a different logic from the main pool. The communal pool is about spectacle and scale; the terrace plunge pool is about time of day, privacy, and the specific pleasure of sitting at water level while looking at a caldera at dawn or after dark. Both formats serve different guest rhythms, and the property is sized (23 keys) to prevent either from feeling crowded. Comparable small-footprint design properties in the Aegean, such as Eréma in Milos or Gundari in Petousis, operate on similar principles of restricted inventory and design coherence over amenity breadth.

The Dining Program as Context

Santorini's restaurant scene sits at a curious intersection: the island draws enough international visitors to sustain genuinely ambitious kitchens, but the seasonal nature of that demand means that consistent, award-linked cooking is rarer than the volume of fine-dining signage would suggest. Varoulko Santorini addresses that gap through a direct institutional connection. The kitchen operates under Chef Lefteris Lazarou, whose Athens flagship Varoulko has held Michelin recognition, making Varoulko Santorini one of the few caldera-facing restaurant programs with a verifiable Michelin-starred lineage behind it. The menu works with locally sourced Greek produce within a Greek-Mediterranean frame. Dishes cited in inspector notes include squid with pesto Genovese, crayfish tartare with basil and yuzu, and sea bass with fennel risotto; the range suggests a kitchen comfortable with both Mediterranean classicism and controlled technical borrowing. The restaurant draws visitors from outside the hotel, which, at a property of 23 rooms, indicates a dining reputation that functions independently of room occupancy.

The adjacent 363 Bar extends the F&B; program into cocktail territory with direct caldera and sunset orientation. Sunset from Imerovigli occurs slightly earlier in the evening than from Oía (the more celebrated viewing point, 15 minutes north) but without the crowd density that Oía's reputation now generates. For guests who want the caldera light without queuing for it, the 363 Bar's position represents a practical trade of fame for access. Neighbouring properties in Imerovigli, including Iconic Santorini and Katikies Chromata, compete in a similar register, which means the bar program here needs to perform on its own terms rather than relying solely on the view. Our full Imerovigli restaurants guide maps the broader dining picture across the village.

Design Details and Sensory Touches

The marble-lined bathrooms are fitted with rain shower heads scaled for two, a detail that signals the property's primary market orientation without requiring much elaboration. Each room arrives with a diffuser and a menu of fragrance selections, which is an unusual move in a category where signature scent is typically a fixed brand decision rather than a guest-configurable option. It is the kind of detail that suggests the design team thought about individual preference over institutional coherence, a philosophy consistent with the individually styled rooms throughout. Luxury products from Greek skincare brand Apivita are standard across bathrooms, and in-room spa treatments can be arranged. The property also operates a yoga and pilates studio and a fitness centre, rounding out an amenity set that covers active recovery alongside passive rest.

Imerovigli as a Base, Not Just a View

Village sits between the noise of Fira to the south and the photo-traffic of Oía to the north, and this geography gives Imerovigli a different rhythm from either. The proximity to Santorini's other attractions is measured in minutes: Oía is a 15-minute drive; the Akrotiri Bronze Age ruins, one of the Aegean's most significant archaeological sites, are accessible by car; and the island's volcanic-pebble beaches, including the red and black sand stretches for which Santorini is known, sit below the caldera wall. Boat hire is widely available for Caldera circuit tours, and the caldera's crystalline water is the island's most consistent natural asset regardless of which village you base yourself in.

For travellers calibrating between different tiers of Greek luxury, the comparison set extends beyond Santorini. Amanzoe in Porto Heli operates at greater scale and more architectural ambition on the Peloponnese coast. Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens offers Athens as a base with beach access. Further afield in the islands, Amoudi Villas in Oia and Pegasus Suites in Fira represent Santorini-specific alternatives at different positions along the caldera. Grace's distinction within that competitive field is the Auberge Resorts Collection affiliation, which signals a specific operational standard, combined with a kitchen that has named Michelin-starred credentials and a pool infrastructure that no other Imerovigli property matches by size. La Liste's 2026 ranking of 93.5 points places it in documented company at the top tier of Greek hotels internationally, alongside properties such as Le Méridien Sissi Crete and Abaton Island Resort and Spa in Chersonisos at different price-to-scale positions.

Planning a visit means accounting for Santorini's seasonal demand pattern. The island's high season runs from June through September, with August bringing peak occupancy across caldera-facing properties. A 23-room property at this recognition level books quickly in that window, and Imerovigli's lower profile relative to Oía does not provide meaningful cover against advance planning requirements. Arriving via Santorini's Thira airport (roughly 10 kilometres from Imerovigli) is the standard approach; transfers to the village involve navigating the island's narrow caldera roads, and luggage handling is worth confirming at booking given the stepped nature of the property's village-style layout.

Frequently Asked Questions

What room category do guests prefer at Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection?

Given that the property is oriented around couples and romantic travel, suites with private terrace plunge pools tend to represent the core appeal: they combine the caldera view with privacy and the flexibility of on-demand water access at any hour. The individually styled configuration means no two rooms are identical, but those with plunge pools and direct caldera orientation are the most consistently requested. La Liste's 93.5-point 2026 ranking and the property's Google rating of 4.7 across 219 reviews both suggest the upper-tier room formats deliver against expectations.

Why do people go to Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection?

The combination of Imerovigli's caldera-rim position, a Michelin-starred kitchen program through Varoulko Santorini, and the Auberge Resorts Collection's operational standard draws travellers who want a credentialed property rather than just a view. Imerovigli's quieter character relative to Oía is itself a draw for guests who know Santorini well enough to prefer lower pedestrian density. La Liste's 2026 ranking documents this standing at an international level.

Do they take walk-ins at Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection?

With only 23 rooms and suites at a La Liste-ranked property in one of Greece's highest-demand destinations, walk-in availability during high season is not a realistic expectation. Santorini's caldera properties of this tier operate on advance bookings, and June through September requires the most lead time. The Varoulko Santorini restaurant draws outside visitors from across the island, so dining reservations, even for hotel guests, are worth securing before arrival.

Who tends to like Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection most?

If the primary goal is a small-format caldera property with a credentialed F&B; program and a design approach rooted in Cycladic architecture rather than resort scale, Grace is well-configured for that objective. Couples dominate the guest profile; the property's individually styled rooms, private plunge pools, and La Liste recognition at 93.5 points signal a positioning toward romantic travel at the premium end of Santorini's market. Travellers who have already done the Oía crowds and want comparable views with less infrastructure around them tend to find Imerovigli's elevation particularly appropriate.

What makes the dining at Varoulko Santorini different from other caldera-facing restaurants on the island?

Most fine-dining programs on the Santorini caldera operate without a documented Michelin-starred chef connection. Varoulko Santorini's link to Chef Lefteris Lazarou, whose Athens restaurant Varoulko holds Michelin recognition, places it in a specific tier: a kitchen with institutional culinary credentials operating in a setting that also competes on view. The menu draws on locally sourced Greek produce within a Greek-Mediterranean frame, and inspector notes reference technically specific dishes including crayfish tartare with yuzu and sea bass with fennel risotto, which signals a kitchen working at a different level of precision than the island's average resort restaurant.