Melidonia Suites Santorini

There’s perhaps more to unite than to divide the various caldera-facing hotels along the inner rim of Santorini’s crescent, but Melidonia Suites offers plenty to remember it by. The location, at the edge of the village of Akrotiri on the island’s southern arm, offers not just a dramatic view but proximity to a couple of unique places: the famous red beach and the Minoan archaeological site. And the hotel itself, though it shares the same concept in common with many of its neighbors, is so well executed as to leave little appetite for comparison shopping.

Though its buildings are modern, it’s laid out in the familiar local style, cascading down multiple terraced levels. And while its interiors take some cues from the cave-like construction of its historical counterparts, Melidonia’s suites and villas take their style in a modern, quasi-urban, almost loft-like direction. Private terraces, private pools, and direct sea views are universal, as are modern electronics and climate control. Massages and beauty treatments are available from a small spa, and the hotel’s kitchen prepares a lavish breakfast — one of the highlights of any Greek island stay — as well as modern Mediterranean fare for lunch and dinner.