Hideaway Houses

A pair of beautifully restored wine merchants' houses (sleeping 2-4 and 4-6), hidden away in one of Santorini's prettiest villages

At first, we were skeptical. Why come all the way to Santorini, famed for its breathtaking views over the sea-filled crater, only to stay inland among the vineyards? But then we unlatched the gate off one of Megalohori's car-free lanes, stepped inside, and were instantly converted. A quite unexpectedly pretty courtyard, laid with round volcanic pebbles and centred on an emerald green plunge pool, was fringed with potted pink geraniums. There were inviting sunbeds, a huge hammock, glimpses of whitewashed roofs; the only sounds were the trickle of water and the hourly peal from the blue-domed church.

Behind it, the ochre-coloured Sophie's house offered 4-metre-high rooms with thick walls and shuttered windows, cool even in midsummer (though there's A/C too, if you need it). The sitting room - once a storage vault for a 19th century wine merchant - combined antique dressers with flatscreen TV-DVD and a fully primed iPod. Off it lay a glorious master bedroom with vast four-poster, and a smaller room where our young son, when not splashing in the pool, slept. There was a chunky pebbled bathroom and a small but serviceable kitchen, too. But most of our time was spent outside: mornings in the courtyard, lunch at the bamboo-screened dining table, evenings at one of the 2 delightful open air tavernas a minute's walk away in the village square. We did (just) manage a panoramic stroll through Oia and a boat trip to the lava islands; but knowing that we could retreat here afterwards made us feel extra smug.

We also had a look round sister house Ciani, which sleeps 6 in three separate bedroom suites. It oozed the same dark-pebbled, pastel-painted style, with white-washed vaults, vast grape-vat baths, a similar plunge pool and no shortage of sheltered sit-outs. For anyone seeking a true hideaway on Santorini, away from the crowded caldera in one of its prettiest villages, either house would make an excellent choice.

Highs

• Sophie's house is perfect for a family with one or two children (or a honeymooning couple on a splurge), while Ciani would suit 3 couples travelling together (or 2 couples with children)
• The courtyard and plunge pool (each house has one) are a blissful refuge from wind, sun and clicking crowds
• The beds are supremely comfy, the rooms quiet and cool
• It's great having the option of self-catering or wandering down the lane for a lazy dinner at Raki, one of the island's loveliest tavernas
• Megalohori is a pretty little village: largely car-free, with just one resort and plenty of picturesque churches

Lows

• Service is minimal: after meet-and-greet, you’re left alone (with a concierge on call)
• There's no welcome hamper, so you'll have to stock up on arrival (there are shops nearby, including a late-opening baker and supermarket)
• The kitchen and bathroom in Sophie's house are a bit poky by comparison with the other rooms
• In Ciani, there's no real sitting room: it's a house for summer stays. Also, instead of a proper kitchen, Ciani has 2 in-suite kitchenettes, so it helps if all guests know each other well
• Like all Santorini accommodations, it's not cheap, but rates include a rental car