Hi All - I am having a dilemma choosing a hotel in Oia. In reading through some of your posts, I am now realizing there is a difference in "views" offered by hotels in this area. Can someone tell me if it is better to have a caldera view or a sunset view?? Also, is there a difference between a volcano view and a caldera view??

The view will be very important to me when choosing my hotel. I did notice that brotherlee love posted some affordably priced hotels with both sunset and caldera views. That may be ideal?? Not sure...

I am definitely looking for something affordable to moderately priced, but my budget may be a bit higher than the last poster who asked about it. I am willing to "splurge" a bit in Santorini - if you can call it that I am thinking no more than $300 (or low 300's USD) per night...

Any suggestions?? Also, any feedback on the best views or does it really matter?? I normally don't spend much time in my hotel when I travel, but in Santorini, I might do so a bit more...It would be nice to have a few drinks on my balcony, have a nice breakfast in the AM with a beautiful view, etc. I think it will be a bit more relaxed than some of my other vacations...

Thanks for your advice!!

Well, you have the caldera view all day, but the sunset for only a few minutes. I would go with the caldera view.

I agree with Heimdall.

Oia is small. Stay in a hotel with a caldera (volcano) view and walk to the end of the village to watch the sunset if you can't see it from your balcony. The view is spectacular from every hotel overlooking the caldera.

Check the Delfini Hotel, Aspa Villas, Strogili Houses, Volcano's Villas, Nostos Apartments, Kima Villas, Caldera Villas, Atrina, Chelidonia Villas, La Perla Suites, and Nikos Villas.

Esperas ! Fabulous sunsets.

We loved Esperas -- while you don't have a direct caldera view, you still have a beautiful view looking towards some islands and we thought it was wonderful. The sunset is perfect from Esperas.

We looooved the Volcano Villa...truly heaven on earth, gorgeous and soooo peaceful. Waaaay under your budget as well.

There are fancier places, but not many better views. Sunrise, sunset, all day was wonderful.

As Heimdall said you can have it all day or for a few minutes. Some hotels could give you both. I stayed at the Volcano Villas in 2004 and had views of both. The caldera view was out the back door and the sunset was out the front. I've kept some pictures posted at:
http://www3.telus.net/ve7mt/oia
to give people an idea of what to see from the hotel.
The hotel rates were quite reasonable as well.

Too bad about having to make a choice. One of the things I loved about Fira was that a caldera view IS a sunset view. The sun setting behind the caldera frankly is much more spectacular that the sun setting over open water in my opinion. After a couple nights of our sunset views from Fira, we went to see the sunset from Oia and couldn't figure out what the fuss was, since we thought it was better from Fira.

Well-said, NP. I agree wholeheartedly.

This posting has been refreshing, as I think, up to now Oia has a much better marketing department than Fira. The Oia sunset has been hyped as something spectacular.

As others here have exposed the truth, I am now free to say the myth of the great sunset at Oia is a bit exaggerated.

Oia overlooks the ocean. The sunset there will be spectacular, if there are clouds to create contrast. Without clouds ( and remember we go to Greece for the wonderful cloudless sunshine) you are better off staying in Fira and enjoying the spectacular caldara view all day and the very good sunset views in the evening.
There is land between Fira and the sunset which creates contrast and great sunset photos, without the great crowds in Oia which for me spoiled the whole experience.

In all fairness I have to confess my experience has been based on staying in Fira.

If you happen to have a hotel in Oia, then sitting on your balcony with the sunset and an ouzo will probably be a memory you will hold forever.

bc_canuck, your pictures are gorgeous.

I just prefer Oia...its stunning looking with all the white topped domes and a relaxed atmostphere. Fira to me was more commercialised and just overcrowded. Oia felt like a village. I stayed overlooking the caldera a few nights and we loved it sitting by the small pool and the lovely balcomy looking to the sea. We ate twice at the top of a r4estaurant and saw the sunset as iy curved around...lovely. Just go for any nice place you like with a view and enjoy!

Thanks so much for all of your comments and feedback. Based on your comments, Fira is no longer out of the question If I stayed in Fira, any recommendations on hotels??

Siobhan, it's funny you say that you PREFER Oia. I'm willing to bet a lot that you never stayed in Fira. My guess is your judgement of Fira is based on walking through the town itself. Staying on the caldera in Fira at one of the hillside places overlooking the same kind of white domes from your balcony seemingly a million miles away from anything in the commercial center of Fira is NO different really that staying on OIA. The scenes you describe staying on OIA are exactly like staying in a hillside hotel in Fira. The only difference is that if you want a choice of shops or restaurants, you go up the hill and into the town with a rather short walk and then you are there, rather than taking a bus or car.

Let's be fair here. If you're comparing staying in a downtown hotel in Fira (are there such things?) then yes, Oia would be a lot different. But the hillside hotels and villas of Fira are really not much different than those of Oia. Both seem remote with amazing views.

Imavolio, we were thrilled with our stay at Loucas in Fira, a complex that cascades down the side of the hill with private balconies and has a wonderful restaurant as well.

www.loucashotel-santorini.com/

On the website you'll see some sunset views from there showing the sun setting behind the outer reaches of the caldera creating dramatic silhouettes against the water.

We loved Santorini...both Fira and Oia ....as well as many other places like the beaches, museums,vineyards etc etc. It is a fun island to explore,so don't spend all your time in your room

We were there over a month and saw lots of beautiful sunsets ( and there is hype about the Oia sunsets....I have seen fantastic and average ones there and Fira).

Even the sunset from the Mexican restaurant near Fira can be fantastic ( and the food too!!!).

But MUCH depends on what time of year you are there. We loved it in early June, but could not wait to get out of there when we returned from Turkey in August. It was like visiting two totally different places.

One of the things I liked most about the Caldera views was the level of peacefulness. Make sure you are at a place where you can soak up the profound peace there....totally blissful. Not all places have that level of peace in Oia or Fira.....I have had friends that missed it.

The towns can be a madhouse even in June ( and I hear May too). As much as we loved it when we arrived it was soooo packed and hot by the time we left, we could not wait to get out of there. Stay away from the cruise ship crowds.

Timing is everything.

We were there in early June and loved it. It was amazing to me when I looked at the Loucas website, how the rates are so much lower in May and June, then skyrocket for July and August. I'd MUCH rather be there in May or June that in July or August!

That is a good thing, since I will be there in early-mid June!

We stayed at Aspaski in the Romeo and Juliet Suite and couldn't have been more pleased. We liked the "village" feel of Oia

In Fira check Scirocco Apartments, Hotel Kavalari, Enigma Apartments, Tzekos Villas, Pantelia Suites, Aigialos and Porto Fira Suites.

In Firostefani check Dana Villas, Blue Dolphins Apartments and Villa Ilias.

Sunsets sitting on your private balcony at Esperas will take your breath away.