Let me 1st say that if it is at all possible, travel off-season. Prices and crowds are reduced. Santorini was our last stop on a month-long vacation in Greece. We decided to spend 6 days on one island rather than island-hopping; it was a good decision. After three weeks of touring in Greece, we needed to have some leisure time. Because of concerns for weather and possible strikes, we flew from Athens rather than take a ferry. As it turned out, the early May weather was beautiful and there were no strikes.

We stayed in Folia (Eagles Nest) in Ares Caves. It is a wonderful little hole in the rock. The only downside was the hundred or so steps to get to it. I am 71 and have arthritic knees so we made accommodations; we walked up once a day for lunch and touring, we bought stuff for a light dinner and breakfast then we walked back down once a day. There was no problem with our luggage because a really nice staff guy carried our bags for us. This was the free porter service provided by Ares Caves.

The owner, Christa, could not have been more helpful. She arranged a rental car to pick us up at the airport for considerably less than the car I had previously arranged to rent. She gave us advice about where to visit and where to eat. She even helped get our boarding passes for our flight back to Athens because I didn’t travel with a device that could access the internet.. Another bit of advice - with a perfect view of the Caldera from our private balcony we didn't have to pay high prices to see the Caldera while we ate lunch; ask Christa or other locals for suggestions.

The room itself, including the tiny kitchen, was well equipped. Coffee, napkins, paper towels, soap, etc. were replaced without our having to ask. From the photos it appears that other rooms have larger kitchens but our tiny kitchen was adequate for us. We had to use heat once and it worked just fine.

If you are planning to stay in Santorini more than a day, consider Ares Caves. The views are great and the staff is too.

This is our last day with Aris Caves, Gonia, and we have nothing but praise, praise and more praise for Aris caves and Christa!

Christa took care of our itinerary weeks before our arrival. She arranged for our rental car so that we could drive from airport to Aris Caves directly.

I have read many reviews about how Aris Caves is value for money, well furnished, and has beautiful views...

To me the magic of Aris Caves is Christa... Her servitude, warmth and attention to details is impeccable.

I strongly recommend Aris caves, in Oia for an unforgettable experience...

Cindy&KC

Amazing cliff-side location. Friendly service. Very clean. Well-supplied kitchen and bathroom facilities. Not very private, if you're seeking seclusion. And you need to like animals: a friendly dog and six nice cats will visit you regularly.

Aris Caves is on great location, just minutes from the bus stop and central to everything you'd wish to see in Oia. The studio is a few steps down from the main ground, facing south where its nicely sheltered from strong winds. You get a view of the middle island and the typical Santorini picturesque houses along the Caldera.

We stayed in the Gonia Room at the beginning of April - first customers for the year. We certainly received a very warm welcome from Christa but she is a very approachable, helpful and caring by nature! Christa took care of all our needs, she arranged a private bus from the Airport with an extra feel of 25 Euros per trip and a porter who carried our luggage down the steps to our room (no charge). She lives onsite during the summer gave us valuable information about excursions, restaurants and local cuisine. Overall, it is evident that she takes great care of her studios, like it’s her own. For this reason, Aris Caves sets themselves apart from other competitors.

Breakfast is not included but our kitchen is fully equipped. Everything was in new condition and there are 2-3 grocery markets just 2 minutes away. The room came with extra pillows, a warm blanket, 2 beach towels in a bag, umbrella, air conditioner/heater hair dryer, coffee and tea.

The Gonia Room doesn’t have windows but you can open to top half of the door which lets in a lot of light. The bathroom is just beside the bed and it’s really cute. It was quite a unique experience to live in a cave and I highly recommend staying here to get the full experience of what Santorini has to offer.

Thanks Christa, we had a very relaxing stay!