Smarula Villa

This small hotel is certainly good value and the hosts are helpful. The view from our balcony was to the east but you are right by the main path that goes along the crater rim. Although the room was basic it had everything we wanted, a kettle, cups, plates, cutlery and glasses. It was spotlessly clean and the sheets were changed during the middle of our week’s stay. Even though the hotel is so near the busy thoroughfare our room was very quiet. Breakfast was provided every morning- it was HUGE!

Based on the other reviews, I think your mileage here may vary depending on which room you get. I do see that others who stayed in the same rooms (small, ground level, bedroom without door, only bathroom access through the second bedroom, etc.) also left poor reviews. The lodgings we had were sub par with old and broken furniture, extremely small and uncomfortable beds, external door which barely closed, and the constant overwhelming smell of sewage really made this a less than comfortable spot. There also is no TV if you care about that, but the wifi was excellent. There’s also zero view, which is a shame. Do not be swayed by the promise of a “hot tub.” It is an inflatable affair, and is not super clean. In addition, beware, there is a camera pointing right at it. The breakfast was good, but not a huge selling point for us. We ended up here as we booked rather last minute. Honestly, I really regret that, because considering the lack of comfort, lack of sleep because of the awful beds, the really horrid smell (I still think about that smell when I remember Santorini), and just the overall vibe of the place, it really detracted from the enjoyment of our vacation. In summary: The location is excellent, but the place is more than a little gross. In addition , the price wasn’t great for what we got. The moral of this story is book early, and look harder for better options.