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The Stunning Kivotos Hotel & Villas Santorini Opens For The Season Bringing Avant-garde Design and Sassy Luxury Living to the Aegean Sea Isle

Written by:
Caroline Holmberg
Photography:
Hotel & Villas Santorini

Conceived as an ark-like haven, Kivotos Santorini reinvents luxury hospitality by tapping into Santorini’s volcanic soul. Built high atop the cliffside in Imerovigli, the most exclusive spot on the caldera, Kivotos combines panoramic views with serenity and tranquility.

Eschewing tradition, the retreat stands out against the island’s white vernacular with its unique, all-black architecture – a bold and unconventional gesture inspired by Santorini’s volcanic geology as a proclamation of Kivotos’ one-of-a-kind brand of hospitality. Just as unique are the handcrafted interiors whose minimalist sophistication belies state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems that allow guests to set the mood of their choice. Combined with private pools and hot tubs, first-class amenities and personalised service, Kivotos constitutes a magical destination where you’ll discover that you’ll both lose and find yourself in equal measure.                                   

"If white is the statement of neutrality, then black is the one of unconstrained desire. The declaration of longing to absorb all the flavors of life without regrets. It is the color of the volcanic lava that carved this island confirming in the most experiential of ways that deconstruction comes first, in order to create something sublime," say the creators of Kivotos Santorini, the owners, the Michopoulos family, and the architect Haris Michael.

A sequel property of the very resonant Kivotos Mykonos on the Island of Winds, Kivotos Santorini keeps only the family title and the noble lineage in its name to articulate its unique holistic narrative in architecture, decoration and finally in the hosting experience itself.

Purposefully located in the Caldera of Imerovigli, Kivotos Santorini faces the impressive castle of Skaros claiming one of the best locations on the island for uninterrupted views of the famous Santorini sunset. The ebony shell that conjointly hides the 5 evocative cavernous suites and villas, the imposing communal pool, and "Mavro", the iconic restaurant of contemporary aesthetics and taste, jointly orchestrate an explosive hotel ensemble.

Subversive, daring, yet sensual and elegant, Kivotos Santorini takes from Kivotos Mykonos the legacy of inventing the term collectionism (collection + perfectionism) and brings it into the new era. Here, the aim is to collect powerful experiences.    

The 5 suites and villas – ranging from 40 to 350 sqm, are all furnished with a private pool or jacuzzi. The explosion-like illuminated slits in the interior walls and ceilings, alternate colors that abide to the visitor’s desires. Along with the Sonos audio systems and the floating-like beds, they ultimately lend an unsurpassed dramatic quality to the otherwise simple and modern Kivotos Santorini interiors.

"Mavro Restaurant"

Taking its name from Kivotos’ unorthodox colour scheme, MAVRO restaurant offers the perfect Santorini setting to enjoy creative Mediterranean dishes freshly made by our chefs, all complemented by a fine collection of prestigious cuvées. Delicacies full of flavour and aromas such as fava (split-pea dip), fried white aubergines, tomato balls, courgette balls, baked calamari, and sun-dried tomatoes are complemented by a magical backdrop centred on the island’s iconic volcano and world-famous sunset.

At the helm of its kitchen is award-winning chef Jean-Charles Metayer, acclaimed for his collaborations with distinguished, Michelin-starred and Gold Cap restaurants, such as Jacques Le Divellec in Paris, Varoulko in Athens, Premiere, Calypso and more.

At Mavro Metayer incorporates Mediterranean and Greek raw materials with French fine dining techniques: "Our aim is to offer visitors a gastronomic journey that starts from the Atlantic Ocean in France, where I took my first professional steps, and ends in the Mediterranean and Greece, my second home, where I have been living and working for the last 20 years." His favourite ingredients, such as Greek mullet and lamb, in addition to Santorini’s local products, are transformed into this summer's must-taste dishes. 

A few words about Kivotos Hotels
The story of the Kivotos Hotels group begins in 1993, when Art & Design graduate Spyros Michopoulos decided to create the first luxury boutique hotel in Mykonos, Kivotos Mykonos.

This consistently innovative, extraordinary Hotel instantly became not only the first Greek member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and the first Leading Hotel of the World in the Cyclades, but also the most important ambassador of a new era in the country’s hospitality philosophy.    

The Hotel's multiple accolades, as well as its select and eclectic clientele - from HSH Prince Albert to superstar Shakira - quickly built the legend of Kivotos Mykonos. 

Creator of "collectionism", a term deriving from the combination of the words collection and perfectionism, Kivotos Hotels continue their legacy by recently acquiring their new complex in Santorini. With the family’s younger generation, Philip and Jason Michopoulos, now fully integrated into the hotel business, the Group continues to pioneer the creation of new luxury hospitality experiences.


By Naser Nader Ibrahim

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