I made a reservation for my mother and I in the Falling Stars house - the owner Tony always replied promptly and thoughtfully. When we arrived, Tony was waiting for us and arranged for a donkey to carry our luggage to the house. He gave us an overview of the village layout and then generously upgraded us to two suites: the Venetian and Sailing suites which share a terrace with a glorious caldera view and a hallway with a cabinet of glasses and a fridge stocked with water, juice and beer. Upgrades are common in hotels, especially in the low season. However, we have never been upgraded from one room to two rooms and felt incredibly indulgent to have so much space. Both rooms are tastefully decorated with the most comfortable beds. The bathrooms are spacious, luxurious and spotlessly clean. When we told Tony we wanted to walk along the cliff from Oia to Fira (if you decide to walk in the morning, the views and lighting are better for photos going from Fira to Oia), he printed out a detailed trail map and wrote helpful notes in the margin. The house is located midway between the bus stop and the castle ruins for sunrise and sunset. After exploring many alleyways and paths to find the best photograph spots during our week long stay, we are confident the hotel's terrace commands one of the best views anywhere in Oia. Rent a car for a day and visit Thira ruins, the lighthouse and red sand beach in Akrotiri and the charming villages of Pyrgos and Megalochori. Otherwise the bus schedule in the off-season comes in handy.

My wife and I stayed at the 1864 The Sea Captain's House & Spa for her birthday in the sailing suite. She decided on this place after it was recommended by a friend who had stayed here previously. We had such an enjoyable time that we never left Oia. Tony and his team provided great service - the room was great, the breakfast on the private balcony was awesome and the views spectacular. Tony recommended great places to eat. The donkey picking up the luggage was a great touch. We were also able to keep in touch with home and business via free wireless. The transfers to/from the airport made it very convenient and saved us some Euros.

I cannot imagine more responsive outstanding service being provided by any other choice. Santornini has many fine places to stay and we only got to try out 1864 The Sea Captain's House & Spa - so, I can't really compare. But, what we experienced was simply amazing. From the initial reservation process to the final checkout - everything was first class service. We passed through Athens passport control in about 30 seconds, resulting in being able to take a flight to Santorini an hour and a half earlier. My wife went to the gate while I tried to use the free internet in the Athens airport to send Tony an email reporting that we would be arriving early. When we got to Santorini, Marcos was at the airport waiting on us. What service! And it continued throughout our stay. The internet was easy and flawless. The breakfast setting was nice - many people walking by to experience the unbelievable views that we got by just sitting on our patio eating breakfast. Any trip to Santorini is going to be memorable, but staying at the Sea Captain's House made ours more so!

This is the place to stay if you want the best of everything, service, views, convenience, etc. We spent 5 nights in the Sailing suite this past July (2011) and thoroughly enjoyed it. Tony is a gracious host (not cold as I have seen written) and is always there to help. Romi, the house keeper / breakfast magician is very accommodating and a sweet heart of a person. We miss them and hope they are both there when we return next year.