Santorini's Balcony - Imerovigli Caldera

We were guests at a nearby apartment but we chanced upon Santorini's balcony who very kindly helped us with taxi services and even allowed us access to the pool. While we were not staying there we really wanted to extend a very warm thank you to Lucas and all other members of staff there and we would be happy to recommend your hotel to any friends planning a trip to Santorini! Isabelle & Hannah.

BEWARE- HOTEL NOT AS ADVERTISED! It started off as a decent experience upon checking in, the people that worked there were nice, but things quickly went downhill. We were brought to our room (junior suite with a jacuzzi) and were not impressed. The room came with a balcony that overlooked the pool and had a view, but the room itself was dark and only had a small window. It also had a small bathroom (the bathroom in the pictures online appeared larger). We asked if there was another room that we could be switched to. We were shown two other rooms. Out of the three rooms we were shown, we picked what we felt to be the best combination of room layout and view. Even after selecting our room, we still were not impressed with the place. We were staying here for our honeymoon, and this hotel was far from what you’d expect from a “4-star” property. The sheets and towels were old and dingy, and the windows in our room that gave us a “view” were so filthy you couldn’t even see out of them, and they were also broken so you couldn’t open them. The toilet seat was broken in the bathroom, and the jacuzzi had tons of dirt in it. Also, when we first got to our hotel room, it was very hot. The a/c had only been turned on when we got there, so we just figured it needed some time to cool the room down. My husband went down to talk with the hotel owner/manager about the issues we had with our room, and he said they would send someone up to clean up our room. We decided to walk to Imerovigli to grab some dinner, and when we came back a few hours later our room was STILL hot., nor had it been cleaned. So we had the hotel bartender, who I guess was also the night shift supervisor (that’s another thing about this hotel, it does not have an actual reception that you can call around the clock) come up to our room to inspect the a/c unit. At first, he told us that it appeared to not be working as strong as it should be. However, once he called the hotel owner he quickly changed his tune. He started telling us that it is not possible for the a/c to get colder than the outside temperature. Um, ok? I’m from Florida, and I know that this is not true. This is not how an air conditioner that is functioning properly ought to work. Otherwise, my house in FL would never get below 90 degrees. We told him that this is not true, that an air conditioner ought to be able to get colder than the outside temperature, but he just kept repeating what the hotel owner had told him to say. Also, during this entire encounter we had the front door to our room wide open to help cool the place down (the windows were broken and would not open), and the bartender had the audacity to tell us that he didn’t think the room felt too hot. That’s because we had the front door wide open! However, for our safety, we couldn't just sleep with the front door wide open all night! And we couldn’t open the windows! The bartender left our room and told us that the owner could take a look at the a/c in the morning, and that there was nothing that could be done until then. After a very long day of traveling, I decided I just wanted to take a shower. This was the final straw for me with this hotel. The shower was absolutely DISGUSTING!! (See pictures) I’m not sure when was the last time the shower had been cleaned properly, or if it ever had. The tracks for the shower door were covered in grime (I ran my finger across the track and the grime came off easily, indicating that this was just a result of poor cleaning), and there were brown hairs EVERYWHERE. I am blonde, so these were definitely not from me. At this point, we had had enough. It was already after midnight at this point, but regardless, we packed up our bags and relocated to a different hotel in Thira, which ended up being wonderful. Clean linens, clean shower, AND we had a properly working a/c unit at our new hotel, which was able to cool our room to a temperature below the outside temperature. Imagine that!

We stayed nearby and our accommodations did not offer a pool. Walking back from Fira (exhausted and hot) we noticed you can pay a day fee to hang out at the pool which is gorgeous!! We returned the following day to spend a wonderful day of relaxation with friendly and personable service from George. Lunch was fresh and tasty, this location is perfect and we thank George for making this day of relaxing special. Pool longe chairs are in the water and view of caldera is spectacular!

This hotel has potential but seems to need some deep cleaning. We booked this hotel for our honeymoon and had to switch hotels in the middle of the night. When we checked in to our room we immediately were underwhelmed with the room. The floors, windows, jacuzzi, and bathroom were filthy. My wife was crying so I went to the hotel manager to cancel my stay he assured me that everything could be cleaned up so we went to explore the near by town for a few hours in hopes they would do something. When we got back we found a hot room with no working AC. At this point this was the last straw but the night manager aka the bartender to see if he can help. The owner said because I was professional in my complaints that he would refund 1.5 nights but essentially when push came to shove the hotel didn’t and would not fix any of our concerns. The manager seemed to take my complaints personally and was telling my that I was wrong. I have never had a hotel argue with me and refuse to fix issues. It seems like they thrive off a location that when it’s busy you are stuck with whatever is available. This is sad because the location had potential. My guess is that it needs new ownership/management who has experience in hospitality. We decided to move to a Hotel in Fira and loved it there. If you are staying in Santorini there are plenty of nice hotels to choose from and if those are packed find an AirBnB do NOT stay here.

This hotel was absolutely phenomenal and I give it the highest recommendation. A few things - Location: This hotel is perfectly situated just north of the main city of Fira. It's walking distance into the city and it's perfectly placed on the island to allow quick access to shopping, beaches, hiking trails... basically, anything you need is right there. View: The view from the pool and deck area is absolutely breathtaking. You have a perfect view of the entire island and down into the caldera. Amenities: the hotel has a wonderful bar and menu and the staff do an incredible job of meeting all your needs. Room: our rooms was exceptional. The staff do a wonderful job ensuring that everything is orderly and we were able to sit in our jacuzzi and see all of the island. It was an incredible experience. Lastly, I'd like to comment on the staff. My wife and I had just come from another hotel and when we arrived here, we were immediately greeted and welcomed. We felt so cared for and the service was so personal, we can't say enough great things about everyone that works here. The hotel manager was exceptionally knowledgeable about everything on the island and helped arrange a number of different activities for us. The bartender Loukas is one of the best bartenders I have ever met. He makes exceptional cocktails and I honestly had the best Manhattan I've ever tasted in my life. Loukas is incredibly friendly and welcoming, I must say he made our experience at Santorini's Balcony an exceptional one. Thank you to everyone. We absolutely loved staying here.

Pros: - employees are very friendly - good breakfast - view is phenomenal Cons: - some things need to be re-done (the menu card) - random things are stored in the hallways between the apartments which makes it look a little messy

We were welcomed by Loukas who immediately put us at ease by offering us a drink and explaining for about fifteen minutes the good plans of the island. The room is very clean and offers a magnificent view of the sea as well as the volcano and the city of Oia which illuminates itself from the most beautiful sunset in the world. You can enjoy it from your jacuzzi or on the waterbeds of the pool with your Mojito freshly prepared by Loukas. Concerning the breakfast this one is made with love and you will have the choice between the different proposals of the hotel. The team is always available to help you or just chat with you. I highly recommend this hotel for its friendliness, its rooms as well as the view it offers. In short, we spent 4 days that we will never forget in this heavenly island

A worth while experience in Santorini’s Balcony, with our own pool, in a room with a stunning caldera view. Very friendly staff and opportunity to taste delicious food! Totally worth the money and highly recommended! Thank you people for making our vacation unforgettable, hope to see you again in the future!