Review: Nobu Hotel Santorini (Greece)

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

Late summer 2023, I traveled to Greece’s mainland and the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos. You can read my trip reports here:

Review: Four Seasons Hotel Astir Palace, Athens
Review: Nobu Hotel Santorini (today)
Review: Cavo Tagoo Mykonos

Today: Nobu Hotel Santorini (Greece)

Hotel website: Nobu Hotel Santorini
Location: Google maps

Situated on Santorini’s captivating northeast coast, Nobu Hotel Santorini is boutique hotel which offers panoramic views of both the caldera and Aegean Sea from its unique clifftop location. The property houses a signature Nobu Restaurant, fitness facility, dual-level infinity pool, 25 rooms & suites (including five pool villas). Just a 10-minute drive from the charming coastal town of Oia and 20 minutes from Santorini (Thira) International Airport, the hotel is well-positioned along the famed Oia-Fira hiking trail that runs between Oia and Fira, Santorini’s cosmopolitan capital. The property is managed by Nobu, the global lifestyle brand founded by Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro, and Meir Teper.

Have you ever stayed at Nobu Hotel Santorini? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.

In this review (more info and photos below my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

The Nobu Hotel is located in a secluded spot on Santorini’s majestic volcanic cliffs (caldera). The boutique hotel is set along a dirt road, which is essentially part of the famous hiking trail that connects Fira, the capital of Santorini, with Oia, the island’s most picturesque village. In fact, the hotel is currently the only development in this part of Santorini and its isolated yet central location is one of its main draws, offering the best of both worlds: it’s within a short distance from Santorini’s most famous towns and village (by taxi or on foot if you don’t mind some serious hiking along the caldera trail) but far enough away from the enormous tourist crowds that visit the island’s attractions each summer. The Nobu Hotel is also conveniently close to the airport (a 15 min drive) and the seaport (a 40 min drive).

The Nobu Hotel Santorini is located on the outskirts of Imerovigli village. Imerovigli is often dubbed “the balcony of the Aegean” due to its position at the highest point of Santorini’s caldera (300 m or 1000 ft above sea level). While the hotel’s setting is not as high as Imerovigli (and it’s quite an uphill hike getting to the village), the views from the property are just as stunning. The hotel’s communal areas (pool & restaurant) as well as several rooms boasts jaw-dropping views of the island’s caldera and the shimmering Aegean Sea. The property even looks out over the whitewashed village of Oia, which is world-famous for its Cycladic architecture and brilliant sunset views (attracting thousands of tourists each night), although the sunset views from the hotel are equally mesmerizing and crowd-free.

Opened in 2022, the Nobu Hotel Santorini was not built from the ground up, but is a sleek revamp of a former five-star property (Omma Hotel). The boutique property is designed in the traditional Cycladic style with a touch of Asian minimalism, resulting in an eclectic fusion of Greek architecture and Japanese interiors. The renovation of the existing hotel site – Nobu’s first venture in Greece – was overseen by Elastic Architects, an award-winning Greek company of talented architects and interior designers. At the center of the design is the hotel’s open-sided courtyard with swimming pool, which enjoys breathtaking caldera views. One side of the pool features a small outdoor reception area and a gym (on the ground floor) as well as the breakfast restaurant (on the first level) while the hotel’s signature Nobu Restaurant is situated on the other side of the pool.

The social hub of Nobu Hotel Santorini is the beautiful bi-level infinity pool, which sits at the heart of the property. The upper level is a rectangular lap pool running parallel to the street in front of the hotel and enjoying phenomenal caldera views, while the lower level is a square pool, situated directly behind the upper level pool and enjoying a more private ambiance away from the street. Most guests will start the day with a dip in the hotel’s dreamy infinity pool, before heading out to explore the island. Then, they’ll return to have lunch and to spend the afternoon lounging by the pool on plush sunbeds that ooze style and comfort, before watching the sun go down, with a fresh drink in hand and in the company of likeminded people. On selected days (Thursday to Sunday), the resident DJ plays a backdrop of chilled island beats during sunset.

Nobu Hotel Santorini is an intimate boutique property, featuring just 25 bedrooms. Accommodation options range from the first-floor Aozora suites (with caldera & sunset views) to the two-level villas featuring private gardens and swimming pools (the latter look out onto the other side of the island and come with sunrise views). During my holiday, I stayed in a Umi Suite on the hotel’s first floor, which was reached by a separate entrance from the street. Styled in a minimalistic design, the cave-house style room featured a king-sized bed (with a Simmons luxury mattress), a lounge chair, and an ensuite bathroom equipped with one wash basin, a toilet, and a shower. The suite’s highlight was its private terrace with Jacuzzi, which offered spectacular panoramic views of the Caldera. Room amenities included a Nespresso machine, LCD TV with satellite channels, and a Parlux hairdryer and Nature Bisse toiletries.

The hotel is home to the country’s first Nobu Restaurant. Set in a pergola besides the pool, the venue serves lunch and dinner. At lunch, guests can choose from a variety of Mediterranean dishes and rotating ‘off the menu specials’ (don’t forget to ask for the catch of the day) or opt for heartier options like Fried Umami Chicken Wings, Donburi and Wagyu Beef Sando. The signature Nobu experience is served at dinnertime and features dishes such as Nobu Tacos, Wagyu Dumplings, Rock Shrimps Tempura and Seafood & Beef Toban Yaki. The hotel’s breakfast – which is served until noon on a terrace above the reception area – features the popular Nobu-Style “Full English”, Scrambled Egg Donburi and Matsuhisa Benedict to sweeter Chia Pudding and local Kagianas, a simple combination of scrambled eggs, feta and tomato.

The boutique property is a member of the Nobu Hotel collection. Named one of the most innovative luxury brands by Robb Report, Nobu Hospitality is ranked among an elite selection of global lifestyle brands. Founded by Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro, and Meir Teper, with operations spanning five continents, the Nobu brand thrives in the world’s capitals as the ultimate destination lifestyle experience. Nobu Hotels blend modern cool luxury and minimal Japanese tradition into the concept of a lifestyle hotel. The first Nobu Hotel opened in 2013 in Las Vegas and since then an additional 35 hotels have been added both open and in development. Today Nobu hotels are open in the following locations: Manila, Miami Beach, Malibu, Shoreditch (London), Ibiza, Palo Alto, Marbella, Los Cabos, Barcelona, Warsaw, Chicago, Portman Square (London), Santorini, Atlanta, Marrakech and Seville.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Rooms at Nobu Hotel Santorini are fairly close together and do not always feel very private. For example, several rooms on the ground floor have terraces which look out right on the public pool deck. Although these rooms come with Jacuzzis, guests might not be inclined to use them due to a lack of privacy, since other guests are constantly passing by at close proximity. If privacy is a must for you, make sure to book a first floor room.

Nobu Hotel Santorini is located right next to a dirt road which is very popular among hikers (since it connects the island’s capital Thyra with Oia). During the day, dozens of hikers pass along the property and have a direct view of guests lounging around the upper pool (which is located on the street level). It might feel a bit awkward, but that said, most hotels in the Imerovigli area are located along this hiking trail with their pool areas exposed to passing trekkers. The good news is that there’s seldom motor traffic at Nobu Hotel Santorini and the fabulous views across the caldera more than make up for the lack of privacy.

Nobu Hotel Santorini calls all of its rooms “suites”, but in fact they feel more like rooms than true suites. For example, while my room – the Umi Suite – was absolutely gorgeous, it was not a real suite, at least not on the inside. Except for one armchair, there was no real sitting area (although the outdoor terrace was expansive). Also the villas at the hotel are not what I would call true villas: each villa is comprised of two bedrooms on top of each other, but there is no separate sitting area. Something to keep in mind is that the villas – which are great for families or a group of friends – don’t come with caldera views (they look out over Santorini’s opposite side)

The service at Nobu Hotel Santorini did not completely adhere to the standards I’d expect from a luxury property. This may be partly because the hotel is new – and they are working out the kinks – but I did encounter several service issues during my stay. For example, the check-in process was an extremely slow and inefficient affair which took approximately 30 minutes (and after I was finally on my way to the room, I was called back to the reception area since they forgot to serve me a welcome drink). Also, I received the wrong orders for breakfast on each morning of my two-night stay (which became a bit frustrating after a while), and the morning of my departure – when I had to catch my plane back home – it took 45 minutes to prepare my hot breakfast dish. Overall, the staff was very friendly but they seemed to be lacking some training in certain areas. I hope that the service will be more polished next season.

Nobu Hotel Santorini features a well-equipped gym, but it lack a wellness center. Currently, spa treatments are only available in-room although the hotel owners have plans to build a luxe spa in the future.

Nobu Hotel Santorini is proud of its sustainability policies but unfortunately, it still offers single-use bathroom toiletries (instead of refillable glass-only bottles).

Last summer, Nobu Hotel Santorini was one of the most expensive hotels on Santorini Island. During high season, the entry room rates were well above 1000 euros per night, which – in my humble opinion – was way too much, given the lack of privacy of the pool area and several rooms, as well the service issues I encountered. That said, I noticed that the room rates for the next 2024 summer season are more reasonably priced (starting at 681 euros per night in high season) and more in line with the product offered.

MY VERDICT

Location: 8/10
Design: 8/10
Pool: 9/10
Rooms: 8/10
Food: 8/10
Breakfast: 8/10
Spa: n/a (not available)
Service: 7/10
Wow factor: 8/10
Value for money: 7/10
Overall experience: 8/10 (very good)

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Save money: read here my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury hotel like Nobu Hotel Santorini (and/or receive many free perks).

Room tip: if complete privacy is a must for you, make sure to avoid the ground floor rooms and to book a first floor room instead.

Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The best time to visit Santorini is spring and fall when the weather’s warm and the crowds are few. Like all of the Cyclades, Santorini welcomes the most visitors during the summer, so you’ll need to make your reservations at least two months in advance to travel then.

HOW TO GET THERE

Nobu Hotel Santorini is located a 40 minute drive from Santorini’s ferry port and a 15 min drive from Santorini (Thira) National Airport. The airport is served by most European charters and some full-service and low-cost airlines in tourist season (click here for a direct link to their websites), but has no direct overseas connections.