NOŪS Santorini

For most visitors to Santorini — and most of the island’s boutique hoteliers — the quintessential island experience involves a dramatic perch at the edge of the caldera. It’s not a new idea, which means real estate is at a premium. But there are other, more adventurous hoteliers who envision an alternative to the cliffside norm. In the case of NOŪS Santorini it’s Dakis Joannou, the industrialist and art collector who’s also responsible for Periscope, in Athens.

And in NOŪS he’s created a hotel that doesn’t need a caldera view to supply a visual identity. Here a village-like collection of modern minimalist buildings — clearly descended from, but not in imitation of, the local village vernacular — stands around the centerpiece of a man-made water feature, a 50-meter L-shaped infinity pool. The rooms, suites, and bungalows carry on inside in a similarly crisp contemporary style, with plenty of warmth in the form of organic materials and plush bedding; many units come with plunge pools or other outdoor lounge spaces.

There’s an elaborate spa which takes the hotel’s ultra-modern style to another level, as well as a number of dining and drinking venues; the Signature Restaurant & Bar, for high-end locally sourced modern Greek cuisine, is joined by a more casual poolside restaurant as well as a Vitamin Bar, for salads, juices, smoothies, and other light fare.