La Maltese

The location was amazing, near enough to the larger towns by taxi or walking. Great views of the sunset from our suite as you are positioned directly opposite with the caldera in view. There are two bars located above and below the suites that play loud music all day until late at night and this is clearly not listed in the room description on either their website which describes it as a peaceful and elegant stay, or on booking.com or expedia. I would not describe this location as peaceful unless you like crowds of people at sunset below your terrace or loud dance music throughout the day. the balcony/terrace is not private as stated in their listing, it is shared and a minimal wall separates them. There are 5 suites on the caldera side and the hot tube is visible to all. On arrival, we were met by Maria who was rude and unhelpful - she did not offer to help with the cases (what bell boy?!) meaning we had to drag a very heavy suitcase up a steep cobblestoned hill and down some slippy steps to the suites located away from the reception on the edge of the cliff. She spent a while trying to sell overpriced yacht experiences and did not give us any information about the area even after asking us if it was our first time in Santorini. She did not tell us about the amenities within the hotel like the breakfast and pool etc, just left us to get on with it ourselves. We contacted Maria by WhatsApp as advised by her with concerns about our suite (the noise and the air-conditioning unit leaking) at around 4pm, Maria did not reply and when my partner went to the reception, no-one was there and no staff were anywhere on the premises to talk to. The next morning, we attempted to have breakfast, this is shown as fresh fruit and a variety of different foods. This is a lie. There is no fresh fruit (apparently anywhere), there were options for an omelette, bread basket (which is mainly cake), yogurt and dried fruit (musli) and jam. very disappointing considering the photos and the 5 star rating - this is not a 5 star resort!! Maria tried to move us to a much smaller suite which was half the size of our booked suite as it had a 'private' balcony. I asked if the room was cheaper than the one we had booked and she said yes - I checked the website and it was a much cheaper room - another lie - so we decided to stay in the same room and asked her to get the air con fixed. The shower is our suite was dark and had black mould at the top which even with the great cleaner was not removable. the coffee machine was lukewarm and the water is undrinkable so we did not feel safe drinking the coffee. the Nespresso pods are not Nespresso - a cheap brand instead. There was no mini bar just a fridge with cheap bottled water (1 bottle) inside. Throughout the week, we met other members of staff that were very helpful and polite. John, who helped us with our bags to leave. Maria was replaced by a blonde lady who was very helpful and dealt with our check out smoothly. The female cleaner was great at cleaning the room and providing us with clean towels, toiletries and bedding. The hot tube was cleaned daily and serviced so we were very comfortable using it, the man that did this was helpful and tried to fix the air con for us. Overall I would say that Imerovigli is a beautiful place if you are staying on the caldera side - the paths to Fira are amazing for the restaurants and views. Imerovigli its self is small and has a few small shops. Confetti cafe is a really good place to have breakfast and brunch, the staff are really friendly and we enjoyed a few breakfasts there. The receptionist stated that the suites were reduced at the moment due to the current situation when we gave our concerns at checkout. This should not matter when the hotel is advertised as a 5 star resort with excellent service. I would not stay here again as it is overpriced for the service provided and the breakfast is shocking for any hotel. They should not call this luxury or elegant, as it is far from this. Warning, the first night after we arrived, we went for dinner at ANOGI where there had a great chicken souvlaki. this was unfortunately ruined by a wild dog that they allow to come to the tables whilst people are eating and they don't seem to care how unhygienic this is.

We booked a week at La Maltese Villa for our summer vacation, seeking the full Santorini experience. To make the most of it, we chose a Caldera View Suite with a private terrace and jacuzzi and while we had some initial doubts due to mixed reviews, we decided to give it a chance. Overall, it turned out to be quite a good stay. The hotel is located in Imerovigli, a peaceful and charming village about a 20-minute walk from Fira. The location is ideal, close enough to the action, but far enough to enjoy tranquility and the iconic Caldera views without the crowds. Within walking distance, you’ll find everything you need: supermarkets, great restaurants (both upscale and affordable), car rental agencies, a pharmacy, and a bus stop. It’s important to note that the Caldera View Suites are in a different building from the main hotel. This annex offers breathtaking views of the Caldera and magical sunsets—undeniably one of the highlights of our trip. However, the suite itself had some quirks. Ours was split-level, with the bedroom upstairs and the bathroom downstairs, which wasn’t the most convenient layout. The bathroom design also lacked privacy, featuring translucent glass on both a window and a French door, and the toilet had no door at all making it awkward if someone was in the living room area. The terrace, although beautiful, is semi-private, shared with guests from the other four suites in the building. Access to the rooms is via this shared space, so don’t expect complete seclusion. The jacuzzi was a simple inflatable unit that fits two people. It’s not luxurious, but it does the job, especially with a glass of wine at sunset. That said, when we first went to use it, the water was dirty and uninviting (floating debris, hair, insects). Thankfully, Sultan, a kind and very attentive staff member, changed the water the next morning after we insisted. Sultan was great, he welcomed us at 1:00 AM when we checked in and helped us throughout the stay, including providing fresh towels and assistance when needed. Breakfast is served at the main hotel building, about two blocks away, from 9:00 to 10:30. It’s fairly basic, not particularly memorable. The main swimming pool is also located at the main hotel, though we didn’t end up using it during our stay. Final thoughts: The location is excellent, and the views from the Caldera suites are absolutely unforgettable. The staff was genuinely friendly, especially Sultan, who really made a difference. However, the suite layout, bathroom privacy, and jacuzzi quality could be significantly improved. With a few upgrades, this could easily become one of the top spots in Imerovigli. Would we stay again? Possibly—if those improvements were made.

We’re honestly heartbroken with our experience at La Maltese Estate. We booked the Honeymoon Hot Tub Caldera View Room and were given a lower category Junior Suite instead which is clearly shown on their own website as a completely different (and much cheaper) room. When we told the staff, they just acted confused and surprised, pretending they had no idea what we were talking about. They never took responsibility or offered any real solution. We spent the first two days of our short holiday trying to get help, and only got a vague “we won’t refund you” response on day three. Breakfast was also misleading we chose it while booking but were charged extra on arrival, with no clear explanation. We didn’t even stay in the room they gave us because it was totally wrong for us uncomfortable layout, steep stairs, and not what we paid for. Still, they charged us full price and tourist tax. Honestly, we regret not reading the reviews before booking. This hotel is a scam hiding behind fancy pictures and empty promises. Not relaxing, not honest, and definitely not worth the price. We would never recommend it to anyone!