Ikies Traditional Houses: A stunning Santorini cave hotel

Don’t think Santorini’s cave hotels are hobbity holes.

Some – like Ikies Traditional Houses – are favored by honeymooners looking for very modern comforts.

Ikies Traditional Houses

Yes, its 11 rooms and suites are carved out of pumice in the cliffs of the caldera (the front façades are covered by classic white-washed vaulted roofs).

And Ikies is modeled after the Greek island’s traditional cave dwellings (cheap accommodation for early fishermen).

But this Santorini cave hotel in Oia boasts A/C, free WiFi, flat screen satellite TVs, kitchenettes, luxurious Coco-Mat mattresses (made from sea grass and coconut) and spacious terraces with private outdoor Jacuzzis commanding heavenly views of the cerulean Aegean Sea.

There’s also a small hotel pool for cooling off during the summer heat – a welcome necessity, we know from first-hand experience.

Which suite to pick?

If you can, splurge on the most popular honeymoon suite, the Winemaker’s House.

Along with a king-size bed and steam room, it has an antique distillery vat in the center of the living room and grape vines growing over an outside trellis.

Then again, you might prefer the adorable Boatman’s Studio (one of the most requested rooms), with its pale blue décor and probably the most private terrace in all of Santorini.

Also delightful is the two-bedroom Antiquarian Suite – we stayed here and loved its beautiful Minoan wall frescoes and blue shuttered windows.

The Santorini Grace is another cave hotel we loved. Read our review next!

Breakfast at Ikies

Days at this boutique Santorini hotel start with a bountiful breakfast served on your terrace – thick Greek yogurt, croissant, spinach cheese pie, juicy strawberries and cappuccino.

Exploring Santorini

Interested in an easy five-minute stroll into Oia?

Oia is a fairytale town of white sugar-cube shops, cafés and houses, all interlaced with cobblestone paths.

It’s also the hot spot for photographers who gather in droves each evening to watch the legendary sunsets.

You can also step out for a longer hike along Santorini’s northern spine, past Cycladic churches and poppy fields, to the tourist hub of Fira.

Sunset views

Just be sure to save time for the pure pleasure of lounging on your cushioned double day bed outside on your terrace, sipping your welcome Ikies bottle of fine Santorini wine, and soaking in those eye-popping views.

Bottom line?

Ikies is one of the best of the Oia, Santorini, hotels. We’d have no hesitation staying here again.

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We stayed at Ikies Traditional Houses as media guests for review purposes – but as professional travel writers, we always write what we honestly think. (Photos that aren’t ours are courtesy Ikies.)

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