Domes Novo: The chic Santorini hotel where you'll feel surprisingly far from the tourist throngs
Yes, we know it’s hardly cliché-smashing to say that Santorini is a stunning destination for a holiday. But discovering an unspoilt pocket on a small island jam-packed full of ‘sights’ is rare in 2025. Which is where the recently-opened Domes Novos emerges.
Where?
Somehow finding complete tranquility just a five-minute cab ride from the Instagrammable cliffside citadel of Oia, the Domes group has conceived a boutique spa hotel with not a single hint of tourist-baiting tat.
TUI, easyJet, Norwegian, and British Airways Fly all fly direct to Santorini throughout the week in the summer months and the airport is 25 minutes from the hotel (the island is a very compact 11 miles in length, so entirely navigable with short cab rides).
Style
The design of the place is the epitome of the ‘so demure, so mindful’ trend, with its baked-looking, bare plaster walls and a serene plunge pool in front of every room. The sandy gardens are creeping into life having been newly planted in the last year.
The rooftop bar and restaurant and idyllic infinity pool in the hotel’s main building give it a sophisticated, modern feel, but still maintain the laid-back charm you anticipate with a Greek island jaunt.
Facilities
The staff at Domes could not be more understated and genuine, which when visiting a newly opened, high-end hotel with two small kids trailing behind, is no mean feat.
There is a cute boutique with beautiful monochrome pieces in case you forgot to pack your swimwear and cover up, although your bank balance might not thank you.
Although the hotel’s quietude might lean it more towards the couples and quieter friend breaks, the calm but welcoming kids’ club was the perfect pitstop for little ones to give you a couple of hours space to enjoy some solo sun time with a good book, or take in a treatment at the in-house spa (each guest receives a complimentary 30-minute treatment as part of their stay).
Extracurricular
While each villa-like room has its own serenity pool, those in search of a little more energy can head to the rooftop infinity pool, with its low-key bar and stretched out ocean vista. Our only drawback for the hotel, and indeed the island as a whole, is the separation from the sea. It turns out good beaches in Santorini are as rare as the black — and even red — sand that decorates them, meaning that the best ones are often packed in peak months, and not on your hotel doorstep, as they might be on neighbouring islands such as Crete.
The two best rated beaches on either side of Oia are pebbled coves (Katharos and Armeni), but luckily at Domes Novos, you’ll never feel the need to leave the serenity of the hotel’s ensconced peace, and if you did, the steep but stunning paths of Oia will keep you well-occupied for a day of wandering.
Food & drink
Domes’ food offering is elegantly realised, boasting Santorini fine dining at its restaurant Vatanee. The gastronomic tasting menu takes in sea and land, as devised by Chef Dionysios Anastopoulos who skews the classic meze with twists from his native Peloponnese using farm-to-table produce.
All of which seems a delight for an adult-only affair, but our five and one year old were fed like demigods too, which made the experience all the more relaxed.
Which room?
With 52 bungalows and villas to choose from, all imbued with beautifully textural Cycladic minimalism, it’s hard to pick a favourite. Larger families or groups would benefit from the space the stunning Novos Villa Sea View with Blissful Pool would give you, but at £818, for a maximum 5 people) while the simpler bungalows include family rooms.
We stayed in the Senses Bungalow Sea View with Zen Pool (£501 per night) which had plenty of space for our young family to run around, and the door out to the pool was more than secure to keep little feet away from taking an unguarded dip.
Best for…
Quiet luxury and service which makes you come away feeling as if you've made friends for life.
Details
An Echoes Retreat with Zen Pool starts at £296 per night. domesresorts.com
