Recommendations for stay in Imerovigli

We hiked from oia to Fira and I am sure walked by this hotel. There is no way you are going to be walking easily to oia or Fira. It is a hike not a stroll. If you look at the reviews , the consensus is that it is a beautiful isolated place not easily walkable to other places but that there is a bus stop nearby.

There are hotels in this area built along the cliffs. They have beautiful views but are not necessarily near anything else. So it depends what you are looking for.

Beth

I would say that in general the Xenones Filotera Hotel is not in the best of locations for a pregnant woman who is looking to take easy walks, especially in the scorching August heat. It's a 4.5 mile hike to Oia over a black gravel/rock trail. It's not too long a walk to get to Imerovigli, and the rest of the way into Fira is mostly downhill, but returning will be all uphill.

I don't know where you read that but Imerovigli has a very limited choice of restaurants, although they are all high quality.

Use the filter system at www.booking.com to search for more hotels. You can read reviews there and on the TripAdvisor website.

Thanks Beth and Lee.I am looking out for another accomodation now , but I see that the one that is affordable for me is right next to this hotel , Gizis Exclusive ,so it isnt exactly comforting. Another option would be to stay at Firostefani , but I am keeping that as my last option really.

We walked through firostefani. It is certainly busier than where you are looking at hotels. But lots of options for eating right there. There was a one right on the water and more reasonably priced than what I saw in Fira. We didn’t stop because we wanted to go all the way to Fira before having lunch. You could walk to Fira from there although it is uphill on the way back. I would think it might work better for you than an isolated location.

It was where I had intended to stay because quieter than Fira (not the cruise crowds) but we ended up in Oia because I found an air Bnb for 6 of us there.

Beth

Thanks Beth ,Firostefani does look like a better option at the moment . I might just go ahead and book there since most of the places I liked at Imerovigli are already fully booked and whats available are pricey .

Anu I think Firostephani will work better for you.... if you had given your actual dates instead of just "in August", some of us might have been able to give actual availability info on recommended placement (why why janet laments are people hoping for specific advice while giving generalized info?? moan over). Firostephani has many hotels either directly on caldera view or only 50-100 yards away. Another advantage is that you can walk to Fira town in about 15 minutes, several ways: (1) Via the "rim path" going TO Fira -- it's downhill that way (2) via the main N-S road, level, with a sidewalk, and (3) a "hidden way" ... parallel to the main road, on he caldera side, between 2 rows of pvt residences, there's a level flagstone path, SO easy. Leaving Fira, this path begins right after the colonnade of a big church... it's level all the way.

For a quick look at hotels: Go to booking.com for Firostephani, put in your dates, and immediately click on MAP View -- you'll see "balloons" for all hotels on their list, with prices beside each; Balloons w. red centers are fully booked, with white centers, still have rooms. IMPORTANT -- the main N-S road runs right thru Firostephani ... lodgings direcly on that road either side are OK, but farther to RIGHT of that road are steeply downhill. Just be aware. Also be aware that AUG 15 is THE biggest holilday in Greece next to Easter, which intensifies the crowding... in fact between Aug 1 - 24, most of the Bkg.com hotels show fully booked, and the remainder seem to be between €500 - €1000 per night (!). I did a couple of "sample bookings" and did see that between Aug 1-5 one of my Fave small hotels, Sunset, had a room w. caldera view 3 nites for €726 or €765 refundable. Sunset can be accessed from street w. just a few steps, and has a very large caldera-view terrace with upholstered comfy chairs & couches. I enjoyed 2 sunsets thre w. friends I'd put in a room there. Another good one is Blue Dolphins... be aware that neither has a pool, and august is hot. But that's your time-frame choice. (I myself delivered babes in Sept, 2x, and in August didn't stir from my couch & the TV). Best wishes & good luck! PS: A budget hotel that DOES have a pool, and is just sllightly downhill from main N-S road, is Hotel Margarita... not fancy, but good location, and boy does that pool feel good after a few hours of sightseeing!!

Haha Janet , point noted. Trust me , August was not my first choice of travel , I had wanted to travel in May , but its been really one issue after another , which gives me only August now as my only window of travel before little one gets here. I so want a vacation from the chaos that I am really trying to make this work.
Back to the dates , I am flexible on dates between 4-10 August and definitely not thinking of spending August 15 here . So basically seeing any place that has a 3 night availability right now and the rest of the 3 nights I plan on staying in Athens. I am looking at Firostefani - Villa Maria Damigou and Cliff Side Suites are top contenders at the moment. I am hesitating on Cliff side Suites since there are way too many steps to reach the restaurant located way below and each time steps to climb up , but it has a Caldera view that I was after .
Also, thanks for the heads up for the level path suggestion , that will definitely be useful for me .

There are several restaurants near Cliffside Suites that will not require lots of step climbing.

Anu, did you go hunting on booking.com Firostephani?? I don't think for Aug 4 thru AM Aug 7 that there is anything with a caldera view for under €1200 or so .... Gaby Apts is a Great bargain, has a room with a SEA view (facing east), and if you could walk a few yards to the rimside you'd see the sunset. If this appeals you need to ACT NOW, TODAY, because there' 1 room left.

Frankly, the best Santorini sunsets I've enjoyed have been (1) book a rooftop table with FAB fiew at STANI taverna in Fira, http://www.stani.gr an easy walk.. and they DO honor reservations (tell them it's your baby celebration!) ... I've done that with newbies 3 times and they Looove it! Not an haut-cuisine place... authentic Greek food... great prices).... or else sty in Firostephani and walk a few hundred yards to the Oldest Taverna in Santorini (continuous since 1940s)... Aktaion... they have a "porch" with 2 tables about 20 feet frm the rimside, AND 2 tables right by the parapet. If you stop by early U explain & Reserve one of hte lattter (maybe with a crisp bill altho I never have offered €), and come Early -- 7 pm? you'll get one of these.

Ditto on Janet's recommendations for accomodations in Firostephani. We were there last September and can't imagine staying anywhere else in Santorini. Less crowds, Caldera views and walking distance to Fira. Stani was our favorite restaurant for the view & great meal.

I have a booking at Villa Maria and at Cliff Side Suites presently. I need to make a decision in 2 days to be able to do a free cancellation. Cliff Side I could only get 5-7 , rest of the days are booked through . So that means 4th I need to get somewhere else and switch hotels, which is a bummer. So I am debating if I should stay in Fira on the 4th, first night I think we will just pass out seeing as we should be tired and we would be late to get into Santorini .
I will keep an eye out for both these taverns for the sunset views :) Definitely need to post a new question on forum next about recommedations for greek food , which is what I am basically excited about . The last time I asked a question on Austria forum and I was able to get really good recommendations for places to eat.