For the tail end of my trip on Santorini, I stayed at the Vedema hotel, a property by my favorite, the Luxury Collection. Located in the medieval village of Megalohori, the Vedema is a sprawling resort that maintains the charm of the village and the classic Cycladic style architecture.
Where do I start with The Vedema? First of all, it is one of the most beautiful resorts I've ever had the privilege of staying at. Not only am I smitten with the polka dot walls, but there is a 400-year old wine cellar at the hotel - and if you know anything about me, you know wine is the key to my heart.
For the second half of my stay in Santorini, I moved to a hotel closer to Thera and Οία. Before I checked in at my next hotel, I made plans to have lunch at Mystique, The Luxury Collection's Οία property.
Mystique is exactly what you think of when you imagine a Santorini hotel. The various pockets of Mystique's property are nestled among the cliffs of Οία's coast with views of the bluest ocean as far as the eye can see. I settled in at the pool restaurant to try their menu of fresh seafood, fruity cocktails, and decadent desserts.
I pictured my first trip to Greece to be an idyllic island getaway for as long as I can remember. I mean, who would expect their first trip to the Cyclades to be anything less, you know? Anyway. As a clinical over-planner, I had big dreams and really needed this trip to deliver. Luckily, I was able to stay at two stunning hotels on either coast of Santorini and they both really set the mood for the trip. The first hotel - the Istoria.
The Istoria is a brand new hotel from Design Hotels. The gorgeous property, a former stable, maintains the equestrian history while mixing in the Greek vibes of the surrounding area. Located in the Perivolos Beach area, the hotel is the perfect respite from the busy Thira and Oia on the other side of the island.
I love Nantucket in the off-season. While extremely beautiful in the summer, the population grows 3x during the warmer months and can make the small island feel crowded. Don't get me wrong, I love a summer getaway to the Grey Lady, but you really get a feel for the charming Massachusetts island during the spring or fall. When I had the chance to visit The Nantucket Hotel, I jumped at the chance to go in April. Right before the peak season starts, the restaurants and shops are opening back up but you don't have to deal with any crowds - and reservations are very easy to come by.
Admittedly this post is a bit of a shift in my normal content, but clean beauty and transparent brands are such a big part of my life that it felt weird to not talk about it.Shockingly enough, beauty in the US hasn't been regulated in 80 years. That's right 8-0. So since 1938, corporations have been able to sneak in toxic chemicals and a whole bunch of other shit into our makeup, skincare, and sunscreen. Luckily brands like Follain and Credo Beauty are making it easier to find clean beauty products and to educate ourselves on how to make better choices.
