Perivolas Santorini - dwell studio pillows reviews and guide
Costis Psychas loves digging. It all started some 30 years ago, when his parents began the restoration of several, centuries-old, ruined troglodyte houses and stables, on a plot of land they had bought in the late sixties, on the outskirts of Oia. They opened the tiny Hotel Perivolas, with just four houses, in 1981. When a few years later his father passed away, Costis moved to Santorini and decided to continue the restoration process. Every winter, after the hotel closed, he would work on another house, proving himself a tireless builder, a skilled architect and designer, and most of all, a gifted artist. The original dwellings were tiny inside, but Costis simply dug deeper into the rock wherever he wanted more space, designing on the spot, hand shaping every curve and every bend.
It was a process that took years, and while the digging continued, Perivolas became increasingly famous. It featured in one travel and lifestyle magazine after the other, and got nothing but rave reviews. Every writer passing by was instantly smitten by the supreme elegance of the immaculately minimalist interiors, the exhilarating caldera views, the dramatic infinity-edged pool (the first on the cliff side), the pleasantly informal, but ever so efficient service and the mesmerizing ambience pervading the place. And the thing is, that anyone who has been to Perivolas will confirm every word of praise that has ever been written about it.
It wasn't, however, a craving for fame that drove Costis, but a deep-rooted urge to create. Cringing over the hap hazardous way the new constructions were developing on the cliff, his yearning for perfection grew only stronger, and each house that was added became even more amazing than the previous. After the 17 h house was completed, there was a pause of a few years and for a moment it looked like Perivolas was 'finished', though en passant a little more digging happened, to make some space deep inside the cliff for a large kitchen.
But Costis had yet to produce his masterpiece the Perivolas Suite. At the far end of his property was an old (cave) winery that so far hadn't been touched at all. Carving by hand, day after day, for an entire winter, he created something that can only be described as a cave palace. Three areas spread over 140 sq m blend into each other, their arched ceilings reaching up to six metres high in places. From one of its highest points, natural light flows in through a shafted skylight. Further inside, at the back of the cave, there is a space centred around a large, sunk Jacuzzi, and tucked in niches are a shower and a hammam. The almost complete absence of straight lines gives an overwhelming sense of spaciousness. There are no corners, no ends, just soft stretches and smooth curves. The feeling of water is omnipresent, with a swimming pool starting in the bedroom and working its way through a tunnel to the end of the private terrace. I have seen quite a few impressive hotel rooms and suites, but believe me, this place is something else...
After the suite was completed, the digging continued. The next winter, a cave gym and spa room, a sauna and a hammam were added to the complex, and the 19" house was built. It did not turn out as enormous as the Perivolas Suite, but it is also hugely impressive, with a spa-bathroom as large as the bedroom itself. Was this the last one? That is unlikely And while many small hotels lose at least part of their charm when more rooms are added, in Perivolas "more" means more of everything, and you can only hope that Costis will never stop.
Where you'll sleep: First of all, let's get something straight: you don't sleep at Perivolas, you dream. Each house, whether you stay in the smallest studio (which isn't all that small anyway), or in the enormous Perivolas Suite, is breathtakingly beautiful. The stylishly minimalist interiors are white and bright, with pillows and hand woven bedspreads adding dashes of different shades of lavender, blue, and pink. It creates a calm and peaceful feeling, matching the overall atmosphere at Perivolas. Mod cons like televisions and CD players would be totally out of place in such an environment - a large shower, a kitchen corner and air conditioning is all you get and once you're there, you'll realise you wouldn't want it to be any different.
When you feel hungry: For breakfast you will find a well assorted buffet in the poolside bar (from 8.30 to 11.30). Lunch and dinner are also served here. (The restaurant became fully operational in 2004.) The combination of the stunning setting by the pool and the perfectly executed, sophisticated Mediterranean cuisine is absolutely unbeatable.
Bring the children? Youngsters from 16 years and up are welcome at Perivolas, but chances are that you will enjoy this magical place more if it is just you and your other half...
To see and do: You can't come to Santorini and not explore the island's cliff-hanging villages, its amazing volcanic beaches and the archaeological site of Akrotiri. However, you will also find that when you are staying in Perivolas, you won't feel the urge to go around and do things. The place in itself is so magical, that you might feel like spending all of your time in there. Life is full of hard choices...
Good to know Perivolas is open from early April until the end of October. Guest facilities are the outdoor pool, as well as a hammam, a sauna, an outdoor Jacuzzi and a gym. You can book massage treatments. It is unlikely that anyone has ever thought of checking in with a dog at Perivolas, but just for the record, they are not allowed. Credit cards are not accepted.
Getting there Perivolas is situated below the road at the beginning of Oia. Upon arrival guests are met at the airport or in the harbour.
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