Head-to-head · Altitude or the postcard
One sits so high on the Imerovigli caldera you’re sometimes literally above the fog line; the other holds the Oia real estate half the island’s postcards are made of. #07 and #10 in my Santorini ranking — here’s how I split them.
#07 and #10 in my Santorini ranking · both toured in person
Set way up on the Imerovigli caldera — on the right morning you’re literally above the fog line, a genuinely unique feeling. Bright, elegant white rooms, and dining from Michelin-starred chef Lefteris Lazarou, who personally visits tables.
The storied Oia terraces themselves — iconic white stairs and infinity pools that still deliver the postcard, with an expansive, genuinely impressive spa at Pelagos House behind them.
| Grace Hotel | Katikies | |
|---|---|---|
| My Santorini ranking | #07 | #10 |
| The perch | Imerovigli, high above the caldera — a perspective no Oia hotel can match | Oia — the terraced white postcard itself, across three Caldera properties |
| The rooms | Simple, white, surprisingly bright — many Santorini rooms run dark; these don’t | Beautiful bones, classic interiors — ready for their next chapter |
| The standout | The dining — Michelin-starred chef Lefteris Lazarou at your table, distinctly Greek yet modern | The spa at Pelagos House — the standout facility across the portfolio |
| The fine print | Some rooms sit along the Fira–Oia walking path — room selection really matters | No coverings over the patios — less shade and less privacy on your terrace |
| The honest math | At current rates, value is often stronger elsewhere — when pricing aligns, it belongs in the conversation | About $100–$200 more per night reaches my top five |
| Who it suits | Honeymooners comfortable outside Oia | Katikies loyalists — and everyone else after the refresh |
At Grace, I’d guide you to the outdoor plunge-pool rooms over the indoor hot tub suites, and I’ll make sure yours is one of the secluded ones off the walking path. Both hotels are worth weighing against my top five before committing — sometimes they win, and I’ll tell you when they do.
Grace is the one I wanted to love more than I did — but when pricing aligns and the room is right, the above-the-fog-line setting and that dining make it a genuinely special honeymoon pick for couples happy to trade Oia’s foot traffic for altitude and quiet.
Katikies is the opposite case: the location is beyond argument — it’s the interiors that are waiting on their next chapter. If the Oia postcard is the whole point of the trip, it delivers that like almost nothing else. Send me your dates and I’ll tell you which one wins them.
Tell me your dates and I’ll tell you which one has the room worth having — same rate you’d pay booking direct, sometimes better.
My full Santorini ranking →Grace Hotel Santorini review →Katikies review →Katikies or Mystique →The Santorini guide →