Our trip: August 9–19, 2024 · Last updated: November 2, 2026
We stayed in three very different places: a caldera suite on Santorini, a walk-to-everything apartment in Naxos town, and a hilltop hotel with an infinity pool above Naousa on Paros. We’d book all three again.
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At a glance
| Island | Where | Area | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santorini | Avianto Suites | Imerovigli, on the caldera | Views, breakfast on your balcony |
| Naxos | Naxos DownTown Apartments & Suites | Chora (Naxos town) | Walking to beaches, dinner and bars |
| Paros | Villa Irini | Hill above Naousa | Pool, sunsets, a quiet base near town |
| Zurich (layover) | Hilton Zurich Airport | Airport | An easy overnight on points |
Santorini: Avianto Suites, Imerovigli
Imerovigli sits high on the caldera, a little quieter than Fira and Oia. Jet lag had us up before dawn, and the sunrise from here was one of the best moments of the trip.
- The breakfast: you pick what you want and they bring it right outside your door. Your front door basically opens onto the balcony, so you eat at your own table looking over the caldera.
- Parking: we had a rental car. If the hotel’s spots are full, there’s a public lot across the street with plenty of space.
- Getting around: the caldera is a drive from the beach towns like Kamari, so a car (or a lot of Ubers) makes sense from here.
Naxos: Naxos DownTown Apartments & Suites, Chora
Right in Chora, so everything was walkable: the town beach, the harbor, the old-town lanes and the bars on the seafront. We booked on Booking.com and paid €544.50 for three nights in a one-bedroom apartment in August 2024.
- Heads up: our apartment had one queen bed. When a friend joined us, we had to squeeze in for a night before we could move to a bigger room. If you’re traveling as a group, book the room size you need up front.
- The little touches: there was a lit display shelf with one empty spot, which is where Jake’s famous rock lived for three days.
Paros: Villa Irini, Naousa
This was magical. It’s at the top of the hill above Naousa, with views over a little cove on the other side from town.
- The pool: an infinity pool that looks straight out to the ocean
- The breakfast: a great buffet. The only catch (not the hotel’s fault) is the stray cats, who will jump on your food if you leave the table.
- The hill: it’s a short walk into Naousa, but the walk back up is STEEP. I ran it to get it over with; Jake zigzagged. Renting a moped helps a lot.
- Working: I had a work deadline, and there was a desk I could use.
- Sunsets: we had drinks overlooking the cove one night and a bottle of wine on our balcony the last night.
Zurich layover: Hilton Zurich Airport
Our flight home had an overnight in Zurich, and we covered it with Hilton points. It’s a couple of minutes from the terminal, but leave time for a taxi in the morning. Ours took a while, and we nearly missed our flight.
Tips for booking
- August is peak season on every island. Book early.
- Rates here are from August 2024. Check current prices and policies before booking.