The idea of checking into a villa with a group of my favourite people has always been so appealing, but what makes a holiday for me is the little luxuries that come with a hotel stay. Villa Aegean was the perfect compromise. It combined the best of both in a way that felt completely different to anywhere I’d been before. All with Santorini’s dramatic sunset as a backdrop. Had I arrived in heaven?
Villa Aegean is a Mandarin Oriental Exceptional Home, the 26th in its collection, and the second to open in Santorini. Our short but scenic drive from the airport followed winding roads dotted with tomato plumes, vineyards and a smattering of daisies, and as we passed the island’s unmistakable white-washed villages and blue-domed churches, I relaxed into our foray on the famous Greek island.
Etched into the Imerovigli Caldera, tucked down a narrow back street only accessible by foot, is Villa Aegean, and the place we would call home for the next few nights.
Anyone who checks in here has a dedicated concierge who knows the area well. Our go-to-guy Thomas had planned dinners and lunches at some of the best local eateries, paying special attention to dietary requirements and personal preferences. No request was too much. Transfers were sorted, activity recommendations were tailored, and he organised us a visit to a nearby vineyard before whisking us to a beach club for lunch on a black sand beach. Oh, to have a Thomas to help me organise my life in London…
Back at the villa, a private chef was on hand for all of our meals. If you’re thinking this might disrupt the flow of the house, think again. There’s an industrial kitchen hidden away in the property where the masters can work, leaving guests free reign of the open-plan kitchen and sociable dining space upstairs. You’ll not likely be pouring your own drinks too often, though. Evening dining comes with a waiter, who discreetly topped up our glasses with local wine and offered table service. Three courses of delicious twists on local cuisine later, and I started to wonder if I’d have space for breakfast – an impressive spread of cereals, yoghurt, cured meats and salad, alongside a choice of eggs, all laid out for us on waking.
The rooms at Villa Aegean are designed for socialising, with the first floor dedicated to communal dining and – put simply – chilling out. There are five bedrooms and six bathrooms, and the bedrooms are found on the third floor, far enough away from the buzz of chatter that anyone who wants to retire early can do so in peace. Interiors nod to Mandarin Oriental hotels and touches of luxury elevate each space. Marble sinks and bold but elegant furnishings, king size beds with cream woven head boards and matching sofas sit proud and welcoming in each room, decorated with crisp white bed linens and pillowcases monogrammed with our initials. It’s the little touches. There’s a private gym and a sauna on site, as well as a cinema room. But why watch screens when the sky's own artistry is this beautiful? In the evenings, we lounged by the pool, sampling local wines from the cellar below, soft music playing in the background as the sky transitioned from blue to pink, purple to black. This, I believe, is what they call one of life’s ‘peaks’.
