Where to Stay in Oía, Santorini: Charisma Suites

When you Google "Oia, Greece", the image that pops up is the classic photo with a view of the village of Oía from the cliffside. At the top of the frame you will see the iconic Oía windmill. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would have the change to stay in that windmill. Yes, IN the windmill. How did it happen? Well, I knew I wanted to stay somewhere luxurious for my last two nights of my birthday trip. It was getting down to the wire, and I still hadn't booked anything yet. My options were slim, but there was one room left at one of my dream properties. So, YOLO. I booked the windmill suite at Charisma Suites.

The Windmill

The windmill is one of the oldest on the island. Just last year Charisma Suites renovated it and added it to their fleet. If you can believe it, there is an entrance area with seating, a semi-spiral staircase, a queen-sized bed, and a bathroom inside. There is also a jetted tub with incredible views just outside.

The Vibe

LUXURY. The vibe at Charisma Suites is definitely luxe. It is like a resort and a boutique hotel all in one. They bring you a bottle of wine and fresh fruit to your room on arrival. There is a pool and bar that look like they were just set up for a magazine shoot. The towels in the room are fluffy and luxurious along with the soaps and shampoos. The contrast of the white and blue was like a dream. When you think of Santorini, this is what you imagine.

I will admit that staying in the iconic windmill was a little awkward at times. Everyone will be taking your photo all day long. Especially at sunset. So, be prepared for that.

The Views

This was the most important part for me. While you’re googling Oía, type in “Oía sunset crowd.” You will see the mass amounts of people crowding around to get a great spot to watch the sunset. Oía is said to be one of the top places in the world to watch the sunset. I am 4 foot 11.5 inches tall. I was not going to see the sunset with unobstructed views. That is why it was so important for me to find a hotel that allowed me to have that by giving me my own private outdoor space that overlooked the water. On the side of the windmill there are two daybeds. Frances and I sat there, drank wine and watched the sunset without fighting to see it. It was perfect.

The Food

While we did not have lunch or dinner at the hotel, they do have that option with 24-hour room service. The breakfast is included in the cost of the room. If you know me, you know I love breakfast. So, I ordered the most. You can eat inside or outside, but why would you want to eat inside with views like this?

The Location

Another reason Charisma Suites stood out to me was the location. Charisma Suites is in walking distance to everything in Oía. This was a big bonus when we had little time on our last day, but wanted to visit the famous blue domes. We were also able to walk to dinner both nights that we stayed in Oía.

The Cost

It is important to remember that this is a luxe option and a very popular hotel, so the cost definitely reflects that. However, for me, this was one of those once in a lifetime moments. And the cost, is worth it. For two nights at Charisma Suites it was $1,140 a night before tax.