Santorini’s ‘Santo Collection’ Welcomes New Luxury Hotel & Villas, Offers Over 30 Experiences to Guests

Executives of Metaxa Hospitality Group at the Athens launch event of the Santo Collection Resorts & Villas. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

Metaxa Hospitality Group recently introduced the new properties included in its Santo Collection, a refined group of sustainable luxury hotels and private villas in Oia on Santorini.

The Santo Collection Resorts & Villas, which first made its debut with the Santo Pure hotel, this season welcomes its two newest members – Santo Mine and The Villas – and is ready to offer guests a combination of more than 30 unique experiences and top-notch services.

Wanting to share the official launch of the Santo Collection, executives of the Metaxa Hospitality Group held an event for travel agents in Athens and gave them a sneak preview of what their guests will discover this season.

“This is an important moment for us as we present the new and renewed collection of hotel experiences of accommodation, gastronomy and hospitality services we are offering in Oia,” Metaxa Hospitality Group Marketing & Sales Director Nikos Sfakianakis said when opening the event.

Investing in Santorini, Creating the Santo Collection

Active in hospitality on Crete since 1975, Metaxas Hospitality Group in 2016 invested in a new destination, Santorini, and soon opened the Santo Pure Oia Suites & Villas.

The first member of the Santo Collection, the Santo Pure property offers pure elegance of the Cyclades island group through its 83 suites and two villas.

“As a Group, since the beginning of our operations, we’ve had the tendency to try and shape the future and this is what we are doing today on Santorini as well,” Metaxa Hospitality Group Chief Operating Officer (COO) Manos Borboudakis said.

Metaxa Hospitality Group COO Manos Borboudakis. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

During his speech, Borboudakis said the Metaxa Hospitality Group has been connected to Santorini for over 35 years despite Crete being the company’s birthplace.

“We didn’t decide to invest in Santorini by chance… As a company we have business relations and activity in all sectors there, so the Group’s founder, Andreas Metaxas, from very early on wanted to carry out his vision and invest in the island’s tourism development… After opening the first member hotel in Oia in 2016, we are proud to announce today that we have completed our project on Santorini – the Santo Collection,” Borboudakis said.

Santo Collection General Manager Christos Seizis. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

With the additions of the curated properties of Santo Mine and The Villas, the Santo Collection brand officially kicks off from this tourism season.

While presenting the properties, Santo Collection General Manager Christos Seizis said the focus of the hotels is to provide the highest quality services of authentic Greek hospitality.

Santo Collection offers over 30 experiences, services

Among the main highlights of the Santo Collection are the authentic experiences on offer: a mix and match of over 30 indoor and outdoor experiences and services to discover the meaningful aspect of Santorini.

Santo Pure Oia Suites & Villas: Pure Cycladic Elegance

An elegant cluster of luxurious suites & villas in the heart of Santorini, Santo Pure is nestled on the outskirts of Oia village, within walking distance to the main town.

Reopening for the 2023 season with the addition of 20 new suites, the property will now include 83 suites and two villas that exude pure Cycladic charm.

Santo Pure resembles a Cycladic village divided into six large neighborhoods with gardens that feature an equal number of pools. Alongside the Luxury Villas, Santo Pure includes three suite types: Sunset, Cave and Sea-View.

All suites and villas of Santo Pure have heated jacuzzi and/or private pool. Facilities include the Allios Ilios restaurant and the Akratos poolside bar, the Anassa spa, a fitness center, private parking, business center and library. Santo Pure also offers tailor-made experiences.

Tip: Private Dining – Santo Pure gives guests the opportunity to transform their veranda into a five-star restaurant.

Santo Mine Oia Suites: Laid-back barefoot luxury

Opening its doors this month, the Santo Mine Oia Suites features 37 premium suites. Santo Mine is an adults-only resort, carved into the cliffs of Oia, right on the site of an old stone mine and just above the bay in Ammoudi.

Each of the resort’s luxury suites, which combine a minimalist design with the rugged Cycladic landscape, have a private swimming pool or jacuzzi overlooking the Aegean Sea. Facilities include the Alme Fine Fish Dining restaurant, the Rhoe Cocktail & Wine Bar, a wine cellar, a spa, an outdoor gym, private parking, business center and library. Tailor-made experiences are also offered.

Santo Mine’s suites are available in seven categories, accommodating from two to four guests. The largest of these is the Majestic Suite Sunset & Sea View (63 m2), which has a room with a separate bedroom and living room, as well as a private terrace with a stunning sea view.

Tip: Santo Pure and Santo Mine are connected by an underground passage, allowing guests to move between the two hotels safely and enjoy the entire Santo Collection experience.

The Villas: The ultimate in luxury living – Opening May 2024

The Santo Collection in May will launch two four-bedroom king-size (233-257 sq.m. with exterior space of 316-389 sq.m.) private villas, perched on a secluded cliff with panoramic sea views.

Located in the western part of the most scenic village on Santorini, the two villas – named “Icon” and “Lush” – are nestled in a secluded setting and are considered ideal for couples, groups of friends and families.

The properties of The Villas by Santo Collection feature large indoor and outdoor spaces with a modern design that matches the tone of the island.

Both villas include private pools, outdoor jacuzzis, BBQ area, fitness room and sauna.

The two villas are interconnected and can be combined to create an eight-bedroom luxury villa of 490 sq.m. interior space and 705 sq.m. exterior space, accommodating up to 16 guests.

Guests in the villas have access to bespoke services (at extra charge) including wellness experiences (spa therapies, yoga sessions) babysitting services, butler services, wedding & party services, and private yachting tours. A number of gastronomy experiences – such pre-ordering groceries and organic produce from local suppliers, hiring a chef for a private dinner/BBQ or a mixologist for a private cocktail experience – are also offered at extra charge.

A new era of luxury hospitality

Committed to preserving the environment and fostering a sustainable future for Santorini, all Santo Collection properties follow eco-friendly practices, from farm-to-table dining to zero-waste initiatives, aiming to ensure that each visitor’s stay is as responsible as it is luxurious.

“Our latest ventures, Santo Mine and The Villas by Santo Collection, mark a new era of luxury hospitality,” Metaxa Hospitality Group Marketing & PR Director Konstantinos Triantafillis told travel agents during the presentation.

Metaxa Hospitality Group Marketing & PR Director Konstantinos Triantafillis. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

According to Triantafillis, Metaxa Hospitality Group is dedicated and passionate about creating quality experiences of authentic hospitality, with the sustainable management of its units being its constant priority.

“What Metaxa Hospitality Group has done here is create a destination in the destination of Santorini,” he added.

The new investments on the island of Santorini are part of an overall investment plan of the Metaxa Hospitality Group, which is currently underway.

Active on Crete since 1975, the portfolio of the Metaxas Hospitality Group includes the renowned Creta Maris Resort and the TUI Magic Life Candia Maris hotel.