Introducing our new partner- Santorini View Studios

 http://www.santorini-view-studios.com/


Santorini View Studios is located at the Caldera of Santorini a quiet traditional settlement on the island of Santorini, just a 5 minute walk from the center of Fira.

Fira is the center of Santorini where one may find the most markets of the island. Cafe/bars may be found on the cliff, in the narrow streetwalks or even at the main square. Whilst Santorini View Studios is within walking distance from Fira the crowdy atmosphere is kept away letting you relax at the balconies of the studios.

The view from the studios is amazing. One may enjoy viewing the strangely shaped rocks and the village built onto them. The volcano during the sunset is colorized by the warm colors of the sun laying to the sea.

This affordable Santorini hotel offers inexpensive accommodation. Everything one may ask for is located within walking distance from the hotel: restaurants, travel agencies, mini markets, a traditional bakery, coffee shops, as well as car & bike rentals. Buses for all beaches and archaeological sites leave from the bus stop which is around the corner from our hotel.

You will not be disappointed by your choice of our friendly, family-run hotel.

Introducing our new partner-Oia suites

 www.oiasuites.gr

Oia is the jewel of Santorini. Oia is a gorgeous dorp, built on the rocks of Caldera, at the north side of Santorini, 12 kilometers distance from Fira, roughly 200 meters above the surface of sea.

Oia dorp is word famous for its Cycladic architectural polymorphism, with concaved houses in pale colors, small churhces with light blue cupolas and incomparable picturesque ness. Oia over all is world famous for its unique view of sunset. Hundreds of visitors are gathered every afternoon, in order to capture that unique moment when sun is hiding into the deep blue of sea, offering uncountable nuances of red colour.

That romantic dorp has an amazing foot walk with tens shops, with specially elegant decoration, well known restaurants of unique gastronomic proposals, atmospheric bars, splendid galleries, with work of art of famous artists, as well as a very beautiful bookshop.

In, busier, closely back streets visitor will meet old mansions, amazing litted up, quiet hotels and restaurants of multinational cooker. The walk afterwards nine o'clock at 9 of evening will be real enjoyment, after the village calms down from the crowds of visitors, that come in order to admire the gorgeous sunset.

Oia Suites hotel is built on the rocks of magic Oia village at Santorini. Oia Suites is a luxury hotel with unique design, decoration and atmosphere. Oia is globally famous for its traditional architectural with bright white concaved houses, clerical alleys, magic view to Caldera and fascinating sunset, which considered as one of the most romantic sunsets of the world.

Rooms

There are four (4) traditional apartments and two (2) luxury suites totally.

General

The breath taking view of volcanic islands of Caldera gives to this unique hotel an unearthly sensation. Oia Suites hotel combines Cycladic architectural with luxurious stay and unforgettable Aegean sea view. Visitors can access Oia Suites hotel into 20 minutes time only, as Oia village is located near Santorini's airport (12km) and harbor (22km).


The hospitable management and personnel of Oia Suites hotel in Oia Santorini offer visitors a variety of well organized installations and services, providing simultaneously comfort and logical prices for accommodation in its unique locality.

Benefits:

Reception office (operation: 07:00 - 23:00)
Reception hall
Private parking - free of charge

If you are planning to spend your vacation in Greece and especially in unique island of Santorini, Oia Suites hotel offers you comfortable, relaxing and unforgettable accommodation at Oia dorp.

Services:

Daily room cleaning
Fax machine *
Cars & bikes rental
Information & organization of excursions, cruises with small traditional boats in Caldera (tickets' purchase)
Travelling information
Service of transport to/by the airport and harbor*
Internet access from Reception office
Organisation of Marriages
Conducted tour in the island of Santorini with private car and motor coach*

Rental of recreation ships
Awakening service
Custody of Baggage
Strong box for precious items custody
Private conducted tour in Santorini (with boat and vehicle) and Coastal tickets

Read more about Santorini Hotels in www.yoursantorini.com

Become our partner- hotels-service/Mykonos/Santorini

Become our partner- hotels-service/Mykonos/Santorini

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Introducing our new partner ‘ Astarte Suites, Santorini’

Let us introduce you our new partner !

Astarte Suites in Santorini island is a luxurious 9-suite complex. Each suite has its own personal style. It has been built in one of the island's most beautiful areas, Akrotiri, with views over the Aegean sea and Santorini’s Volcano.  In our opinion, it is one of the most breathtaking leading boutique hotels in Greece.

All reviews online about the hotel are glowing with positive comments about the staff and the Moschotis family that runs Astarte.

We had the pleasure of receiving an email from George Moschotis who is the general manager at Astarte suites asking us to become our partner.

Needless, to say that when we saw the hotel we were taken aback by it’s beauty and the excellent service, friendly staff and hospitality offered at this place.

Straight away we thought that this hotel is a must have on our list of partners since it adds value to your stay on the island and makes for an unforgettable holiday.

We conducted a short interview with George Moschotis, general manager at the hotel and here is what he had to say:

Hello George and thank you for taking out some time to introduce us to your hotel.

     We are quite intrigued to find out, a bit more about the history of Astarte Suites. Would you give us a brief introduction to the history of the hotel?

Astarte Suites Boutique Hotel started its operation in 2005 in Santorini island, Greece. Even though it comprises only nine suites, it took six years to complete the project. The main reason was the location of the property.  Built in one of the islands most beautiful areas, Astarte Suites Boutique Hotel is set on a dramatic cliff, which made the use of heavy machinery impossible. Everything was made by hand, giving us the opportunity to focus in every detail of the construction. 

Santorini island is considered to be among the Top 10 Wedding and Honeymoon Destinations worldwide. Therefore, this family run business was named after goddess Astarte (Aphrodite) known throughout the Eastern Mediterranean from the Bronze Age to Classical times and connected with fertility and sexuality.

Even though the hotel operates for just five years, it has been featured as suggested place to stay in Financial Times, NY Times and Conde Nast Traveler, while on 2007 becomes member of Boutique Hotels & Resorts International. Every year the hotel welcomes its guests from all over the world. From politicians, domestic and international artists, famous athletes to honeymooners or people who just want to enjoy a high end romantic getaway. Moschotis family guarantees an unforgettable experience and million dollar views of the mythical Caldera.

 What is that makes Astarte different to all other hotels in the area?

Astarte Suites hotel is built far away of the touristic buzz, which makes us able to offer something that other hotels strive to offer. Privacy. You may find many good boutique hotels in Santorini but the main problem is that they are built one on top of the other. Imagine enjoying an outdoor Jacuzzi with your significant other and having hordes of tourists taking pictures just above your head, or the guest next door passing by your balcony, in order to get to his room.

Astarte Suites is amphitheatrically built, so no indiscreet eyes around you. Furthermore, being a family run business, it offers something that major hotel chains can not. A home away from home. We invest time to all of our guests, in order to fully understand their needs and help them plan their entire stay.

Everyone knows how difficult is to go to a foreign country and not to feel insecure. Our guests never have this problem and their reviews all over the internet are the solid evidence. 

 What was the idea behind decorating each suite in it’s own personal style? Which one is your favourite suite and why?

Santorini island has been influenced by several different civilizations that passed through time such as the Minoan civilization. Therefore, the idea was to represent these civilizations decor wise. All the suites represent something different, and is truly difficult to distinguish one.

 What other services do you offer to your guests beside accommodation?

Guest Services offered include Champagne and fresh fruits upon arrival, transfer for guests' arrival and departure. Assistance on our guests' life on the island, travel and excursion arrangements, car rental service, twice maid service, private jewelry show, fax service, in house laundry and pressing, massage parlour, and wedding services. Especially the last years, Astarte Suite Wedding Planners have organized several weddings on the premises.

The hotel is located in Akrotiri with amazing views. Could you tell us what activities, beaches etc are nearby?

Astarte Suites is located just minutes away from fabulous sunset views at the Lighthouse of the island, an area which is still not very touristic offering romantic moments to couples.

Leisure and cultural options abound nearby, such as in Akrotiri, an ancient city buried and preserved by volcanic ash—known as the Pompeii of the Greek islands—and at Red Beach and White Beach, the ultimate locales for a spectacular day of fun in the sun.

Probably the most important sightseeing of Santorini, the Akrotiri excavations, is located minutes away from Astarte Suites, and the important fact is that it reopens in May 2011 after almost 5years being closed.

What is your greatest challenge running one of Greece’s leading boutique hotels?

 Quality of service should be one of the main concerns of any business of the tourism industry and Astarte Suites takes it under great consideration. Starting from the staff of the hotel, which is highly trained and selected very carefully in order to achieve a very personalized service. We employ one person per suite, a proportion adequate to a five star hotel. We understand that every guest has his own needs and wishes, so all of us must adapt to them. We are giving careful thought to the linkages between particular service encounters and others in the service chain.

 What was the most bizarre request you received from a guest and how did   you respond?

Astarte Suites hotel has guests from all over the world, with different cultural backgrounds, and needs. Their requests vary, but we don’t mark them as bizarre, but as challenging to satisfy all sorts of needs. We don’t see problems, we offer solutions.

We are even more proud of our partnership with Astarte Hotels because it actively participates in our "gay friendly" Hotels programme offering unique services to the international LGBT community. 

For more information on how to book one of these breathtaking 9 suites, please visit: http://yoursantorini.com, sign in with facebook and receive your 20% discount code.

AKROTIRI IN SANTORINI - EXCAVATION SITE

Akrotiri is the name of an excavation site of a Minoan Bronze Age settlement on the Greek island of Santorini, associated with the Minoan civilization due to inscriptions in Linear A, and close similarities in artifact and fresco styles. The excavation is named for a modern Greek village situated on a hill nearby. The name of the site in antiquity is unknown. It was buried by the widespread Theran eruption in the middle of the second millennium BC (during the Late Minoan IA period); as a result, like the Roman ruins of Pompeii after it, it is remarkably well-preserved. Frescoes pottery, furniture, advanced drainage systems and three-story buildings have been discovered at the site, whose excavation was started in 1967 by Spyridon Marinatos. Certain historians hold this settlement, as well as the disaster that left it unknown to most of history, as the inspiration behind Plato's story of Atlantis, as mentioned in his dialogues Timaeus and Critias.

An ambitious modern roof structure, meant to protect the site, collapsed just prior to its completion in 2005, killing one visitor. No damages were recorded to the antiquities. As a result of this, the site is currently closed to visitors. The site is due to open this May 2011.

Excavated artifacts have been installed in a museum distant from the site (Museum of Prehistoric Thera), with many objects and artworks presented. Only a single gold object has been found, hidden beneath flooring, and no uninterred human skeletal remains have been found. This indicates that an orderly evacuation was performed with little or no loss of life.

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Kolumbo

Kolumbo is an active submarine volcano in the Aegean Sea, about 8 km northeast of Cape Kolumbo, Santorini island. The largest of a line of about twenty submarine volcanic cones extending to the northeast from Santorini,  it is about 3 km in diameter with a crater 1.5 km across. It was "discovered" when it breached the sea surface in 1649-50, but its explosion was not to be compared to the well-known Thera explosion and caldera collapse, currently dated ca. 1630 BCE, with its devastating consequences for Minoan civilization. The Smithsonian Institution's Glabal Volcanism Program treats it as part of the Santorini volcano.

The 1650 explosion, which occurred when the accumulating cone reached the surface, sent pyroclastic flows across the sea surface to the shores and slopes of Santorini, where about seventy people and many animals died. A small ring of white pumice that formed was rapidly eroded away by wave action. The volcano collapsed into its caldera, triggering a tsunami that caused damage on nearby islands up to 150 km distant.The highest parts of the crater rim are now about 10 m below sea level.
In 2006, sea floor pyroclastic deposits from the two Aegean explosions were explored, sampled and mapped by an expedition by NOAA Ocean Explorer, equipped with ROV robotics.
The crater floor, averaging about 505 m below the sea surface, is marked in its northeast area by a field of hydrothermal vents and covered by a thick bacterial community, the 2006 NOAA expedition discovered. Superheated (measured as hot as 224°C) metal-enriched water issuing from the vents has built chimneys of polymetallic sulfide/sulfates to a maximum height of 4 m, apparently accumulated since the 1650 event.

The 2006 expedition initiated new seismic air-gun techniques in order to determine the volume and distribution of the submarine volcanic deposit of pumice and ash on the sea floor around Santorini, which has been studied extensively since 1975. Revised, more accurate estimates of the total dense rock equivalent volume of the Minoan event(s), consisting of pyroclastic sea floor deposits, distal ash fallout and ignimbrites on the island of Santorini, is likely about 60 km³, a greatly increased estimate,comparable to the largest historic explosion, Mount Tambora 1815; the increased estimate affects the size of the ensuing tsunami as it has been widely modeled.

SANTORINI ISLAND!

The island is the remnant of a volcanic cone whose top was blown off. The inner coast around the caldera is a sheer precipice of more than 300 m drop at its highest, and exhibits the various layers of solidified lava on top of each other, and the main towns perched on the crest. The ground then slopes outwards and downwards towards the outer perimeter, and the outer beaches are smooth and shallow. Beach sand color depends on which geologic layer is exposed; there are beaches with sand or pebbles made of solidified lava of various colors: the Red Beach, the Black Beach, the White Beach, etc. The water at the darker colored beaches is significantly warmer because the lava acts as a heat absorber.

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