Inside Katikies Cycladic House, Santorini's Most Design-Savvy Villa

Forbes

2 days ago

One of the most-visited Greek islands, Santorini's allure lies in its caldera views, whitewashed buildings that spill down the mountainside, and incredible sunsets. Travelers are also drawn to the island's unique cave hotels—a concept founded by one of the longest-running, independently owned boutique hotel groups on the island: Katikies.
Nearly 40 years after the group opened the doors to its first hotel, Katikies Santorini, it has remained one of the island's most beloved hotels. So much so that there are several boutique Katikies-branded hotels on Santorini, each in different locations that highlight the diversity of the island's topography, history, and beauty, plus one hotel and one private villa in Mykonos. The boutique hotel group prides itself on authentic Greek hospitality paired with elevated fine dining. The hotels offer varying experiences, design styles, and programming, yet are connected through common Cycladic style. For instance, Katikies Kirini has a robust wellness program with cutting-edge spa treatments and cave pools; Katikies Garden is housed within an ancient Catholic monastery in Fira and has an underground wine cellar; and Katikies Chromata, located at the highest point on the island's caldera side, has a vibrant, soulful ambience with energetic food and beverage concepts. Guests of Katikies have access to each property and the superior concierge can arrange anything from a private boat trip to a romantic dinner or private wine tasting.
Years after Katikies's most recent hotel launch (Katikies Mykonos opened in 2021), the brand launched one of its most ambitious properties to date, the Katikies Cycladic House, a residential-style villa available to those seeking more private stays. It's located on the grounds of Katikies Chromata, and guests have the benefit of a private home with access to the hotel's amenities.
Once envisioned as the personal retreat of the brand's owner, Katikies Cycladic House spans more than 7,500 square feet and has five bedrooms, three kitchens, multiple living and dining areas, a state-of-the-art gym, wine cave, entertainment lounge, and massage room. Savvas Psathas, the Cypriot designer who has worked with Katikies for more than 15 years, spearheaded the contemporary interior design.
"My vision was to create a calm and serene place that exuded luxury," Psathas tells Forbes. 'When you step outside the house and see the caldera, it's very bold. I needed something more tranquil inside, and I don't think the home has one rough or angular edge.'
Spread across three levels, Katikies Cycladic House merges modern design elements and high-end finishes with organic textures and soft lines. Psathas's design vernacular is present throughout the home, expressed via arched built-ins, organic plaster walls, matte marble surfaces, and soft neutral colors. Materials include handmade glazed terracotta floors, lime-based stucco on the walls, Greek and Italian marble, and rare onyx imported from the Middle East. Every detail of the residence provides a sense of place, like the hand-thrown ceramics from Santorini-based ateliers and the bespoke furnishings and light fixtures by Greek artisans. Other luxe amenities include Bulgari bathroom products.
Despite its significant size, the villa provides an intimate nature thanks to the cave-inspired rooms and indoor-outdoor layout. Discreet, modern systems, appliances, and technology are present within the home, however there are many nods tying the villa to its centuries-old past. The site dates back to 1710 and once housed one of Imerovigli's four original windmills and communal ovens for baking barley bread. Psathas restored the stone foundation from one of the windmills, which now surrounds the fireplace.
Psathas mentions that Katikies Cycladic House might signal the next generation and evolution of the award-winning Katikies brand. "The house is modern but still traditional, blended with natural, yet expensive, materials," he says. "It's a sanctuary, and it's a house designed with love."