Part One…
How I ended up in Greece
Greece was a dream vacation of mine since I was at least seven years old. I discovered Greek Mythology in elementary school during my infamous book-obsessed era and remain infatuated with all things related to gods and goddesses. Logan Lerman’s chasmic blue eyes aren’t the onlyyyyy reason I love Percy Jackson to this day. In times of frustration, I even tend to relate my circumstance(s) to Sisyphus’s fate. He’s the one who’s forced to push a rock all the way up the hill only for it to come crashing down again – stuck in a repetitive cycle of doom. The comparison is a bit dramatic but I wasn’t a musical theater student because of my monotonous personality. Melodrama is embedded in my soul.
Anyhow, today you can call me Ms. Valerie Fizzle because we’re going on the Magic School Bus and traveling to wondrous place. The destination… Greece! More specifically, one of the most serene hotels on the island of Santorini: Gold Suites. I finally checked off one of my dream getaways and am ready to spill all the deets.
Fun fact: during my trip to Greece, none of my hotels were booked until the day of. I ended up staying at three different places. Luckily, all of them are astounding. I thought about highlighting each hotel in a single post but there are too many incredible aspects to talk about without writing an essay. Therefore, each hotel shall get a dedicated post so you can easily navigate between them.
I won’t hold you in suspense any longer! Let’s get to the good stuff.
How I Found The Hotels In Greece
I booked all of my hotels through Priceline. This is mainly because it’s a trusted source in my family, though I know of a few other options that are viable as well. I can definitely do a separate post talking about my favorites if that would help you out. Let me know!
Booking the hotel on Priceline was quite simple. All you have to do is input your desired destination, the number of occupants and the dates of your stay. You can also narrow down the search results by only seeing hotels with a certain star rating, property theme (luxury, business, family friendly…) and even price points. Sometimes, if you book at the last minute and a hotel has available rooms you can get a really good discount. However, the anxiety-inducing feeling of not knowing where you’re going to stay in a foreign country that you’ve never been to is not worth it for most. I definitely recommend having your affairs in order beforehand. In this case, don’t follow in my footsteps.
Pro Tip: Unless you’re looking for elevated amenities, choosing “luxury” options for hotels in Greece is basically a moot point. Most of their hotels have incredible aesthetics and each makes you feel like you’re living in a fantasy land – like Once Upon a Time!
Getting To Your Hotel In Greece
Securing a room at Gold Suites was one of the luckiest parts of my trip. I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to Santorini. It was a little difficult to find at first because, apparently, there are two Gold Suites on opposite sides of the island? Every time I mentioned the hotel to a local they replied by asking “which one?” Just make sure you know which location you’re headed to. When I arrived, it was at nine o’clock (but looked like midnight) and I was so nervous about getting dropped off at the wrong hotel. Navigating around the island is not as easy as it is in a city. BTW, did anyone else know that the island is basically PITCH BLACK as soon as the sun sets? It feels like walking around a sensory deprivation tank. Imagine if the power went out. Oh wait. I don’t have to because I got to experience that too! *sigh* We’ll save that fun story for another time.
Pro Tip: Call and see if your hotel offers shuttle service. Eliminate unnecessary worry.
Arriving at Gold Suites
Luckily, I arrived at the correct Gold Suites and just steps beyond my hotel was (what looked like) a black abyss. The street lighting was minimal and I did my best to decipher what I was (or wasn’t) seeing before me. After about 30 seconds of squinting I identified the black abyss as being the ocean. Lots and lots of water. Completely surrounding the land like a mother cradling its baby. It’s beyond mesmerizing.
At the end of the street sits a lovely gift shop and a quaint (but lively) restaurant. The ground beneath my feet was rocky in a way I’d never experienced. Every single quirk just made me fall in love with this new atmosphere that I was seeing.
As soon as I entered Gold Suites I was surrounded by serenity that felt like a warm embrace. The hotel associate greeted me with wine and a welcoming smile. Mind you, I had never tried wine before this day, but you know they say: “when in Greece!” What better place to try it? I didn’t know what to expect when I entered my room, however, any expectations were immediately exceeded. “Suite” doesn’t do the room(s) justice. It feels like a cottage. The coolest part: having my own pool! Like…what!!?! I didn’t even know that was a thing.
The whole environment screams “coziness” and is designed impeccably. Despite having zero partitions to separate the space, each part of the suite feels so individuated. Also, in order to get to your room, you have to descend down a deep stairwell which leads to a lower level that makes you feel like you’re entering another dimension. It’s absolutely awesome.
Food Service
The food was so exquisitely made that it actually looks fake. However, it was very real and ranks as one of the most delectable meals I’ve ever consumed. Savory and rich with flavors that were both new and inviting. BTW: that was some seriously delicious dessert. I can’t remember what it’s called, but if you do, please help me jog my memory.
**To no surprise, the room service associates are incredibly sweet as well.
Safe to say, this atmosphere was unlike anything I’d ever experienced and is a place I’m very excited to go back to.
Don’t even get me started on breakfast. My table could hardly hold all of my pickings. Like Ariana says: “I want it, I got it.”
The Next Morning
As I said earlier, I arrived at Gold Suites quite late and was not interested in waking up early. Mentally: yes. Physically: no. However, I was lucky enough to have a huge private deck and thought it be a disservice to not experience a front row seat to the sunrise. At that point, I wasn’t even sure what I was going to see from my room. Let just say… sleeping in would’ve been the worst decision I’ve ever made. Do you see this???!!
The First and Last Day
My first day at Gold Suites was, unfortunately, also my last. There was only an available room for one night. On a positive note, I was able to securely leave my bags at the front desk and explore Santorini until the late late evening. My only complaint is that I wish I could’ve stayed longer! Though, that is at no fault of the hotel. Just me and my affliction for living on the edge and waiting ’til the last minute. My excursion for the day was going to Oia so I had a short taxi ride. **For reference, Gold Suites is located in Imerovigli.
The hotel called a taxi for me and it took about 40 minutes for a driver to arrive (they’re very busy during peak season). While I waited, I strolled down the main path in search of a working ATM (super hard to find one). As I walked around, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of antiquity surrounding me: the houses are so rustic and I felt like I was being pulled back in time. During my stroll, I stopped in a few gift shops and found some of my favorite jewelry pieces: a lava necklace from one of the Greek volcanoes and diamond evil eye ring. It’s a beautiful and scary thing to have one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces. On the one hand, I feel so unique but now I have to be extra careful not to lose them like I usually do!!
Onto The Next One
When you’re in Santorini, I hope you get to experience Gold Suites. You certainly won’t regret it.
Some *general* friendly travel advice:
- Don’t sleep too much on vacation. Greece is like a dream you won’t want to wake up from.
- The most beautiful moments are often the ones that sneak up on you.
- Soak in the sunrises and bask in the sunsets.
- Don’t try to be “cute” like me… BRING WALKING SHOES.
- If I had a dollar for every time I almost slipped, I could buy a shoe company.
- Pick up some jewelry! Some of my favorite pieces are from Greece.
- Don’t forget to drink water but DRINK WITH CAUTION. It’s quite difficult to find a restroom but the summer heat is beyond overwhelming so stay hydrated.
- Lastly: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. I’m the type of traveler that tries to see as much as possible but this can be a lot. Don’t ruin the moment by making yourself sick from curiosity. Pace yourself. Things don’t always go to plan on vacation, but that allows for unexpected happenstances. Embrace it!
Keep an eye out for my next Greece hotel pick (article coming soon). In the meantime, take a peek at my favorite dessert shops in London: http://chicipedia.com/fantastic-dessert-shops-in-london/
I’m also becoming more active on Pinterest and have cute short-form videos if you’d like to see more active content: https://www.pinterest.com/milagracefox/
Thank You
Thank you so much for taking the time to peruse around CHIC-ipedia. I see so many of you around the world coming to look at what I have to share and I’m beyond grateful. I hope you’re enjoying my long-winded rants haha! As always, if you have any suggestions, please share them. Feel free to DM me on social media if you’d like. I always appreciate feedback.
See you in my next post.
XOXO,
Mila Fox
