Canaves ENA

There are few better places to soak up the Aegean sunshine than the Canaves ENA on spellbinding Santorini. Located on one of the highest points of the island, the hotel was the first of the family-owned Canaves chain to open and offers stunning caldera views, pools tucked into caves in the cliffside, and gleaming white suites with private verandas.

There’s a lot to be said for being first through the door. Canaves ENA is the oldest of the Canaves properties to be built along the edge of Santorini’s caldera. As such it scooped one of the best locations, and to this day boasts one of the largest infinity pools of all the cliffside resorts on the island.

The 18 suites are all dazzlingly white and minimalist in décor, broken up occasionally by pieces of antique furniture. By far the most intriguing are the River Pool Suites, whose bathrooms have steps that lead into a narrow pool that winds between the walls before spilling into a plunge pool on the terrace.

Meals are enjoyed overlooking the caldera at the Infinity Bar Restaurant but can also be taken on the terrace of your suite. There’s a boutique gym and a small spa in a space that was formerly a 17th-century wine cave. Canaves, after all, was named for the kánaves, the medieval wine cellars dug into the rock walls of volcanic Santorini. Local wine tasting remains one of the most popular activities available at the hotel. Others include yoga classes, scuba diving and private yacht cruises.