Philoxenia Collection Villa Insolito offers guests an authentic and truly unique holiday experience. Located in the hillsides above the beautifully preserved Medieval village of Emporio, Villa Insolito captures the true essence of Santorini’s traditional way of life within a luxurious, private location where serenity and calm dominate the landscape.
Architecturally designed with a sleek, minimalistic style, Villa Insolitio features two separate living areas (a traditional house and cave) for one or two families or groups of up to eight people.
Sweeping sea views from the villa’s private terrace and a beautifully positioned infinity pool complete the setting. For those who love the sea, Santorini’s famous black beaches and crystal clear waters are just a 5 minute drive away.
Villa Insolito is now open for guests and we welcome you to come and enjoy a truly unique holiday experience.
About the property
Dating from the early 20th century, the property was originally a small house of two rooms with a wine production and storage area attached. The cave, with its year-round constant temperatures, was used to store produce. Following a complete architectural redesign, the property today takes full advantage of Santorini’s unique land formations to create a contemporary space that preserves and enhances the island’s original architecture.
Bioclimatic Architecture
Bioclimatic architecture and planning is a rapidly evolving architectural philosophy which brings together construction and design with natural ecology. Villa Insolito was architecturally designed to create energy efficient spaces and incorporate local building materials and techniques.
Pumice and black volcanic rock, which dominate the island, have inherit capabilities to store heat in the winter and lock in coolness in the summer which reduces the need for air conditioning and heating in the cave. The floors in both the villa and the cave are made using a traditional local cement which is applied by hand and smoothed over to give a natural matt finish.
Villa Insolito also has a large cistern which has been used for over 100 years. Today the cistern ensures a self-sufficient water supply for the swimming pool.
Accommodation
Villa Insolito is an entirely private villa meticulously re-designed and restored in 2014 -2015. Living areas are organised in a traditional Cycladic way with open, flexible interior spaces and comfortable outdoor living areas…for dining and relaxing by the infinity pool.
The house 80m2 – sleeps up to 4 people
The house includes a master bedroom, open kitchen area and a lounge area which can be converted for sleeping. All rooms have stunning sea views and plenty of natural light.
The bedroom is one of the property’s most romantic spaces with a queen size bed and large built in bath looking out over sea and sky.
The kitchen area opens out to the terrace and includes an island space for eating, cooking or just having a drink with friends. The kitchen is fully equipped with leading brand appliances including a Bosch oven and stove-top, Nespresso and filter coffee machines, a dishwasher and all other facilities to ensure a comfortable stay.
The with a large opening to the kitchen, the old winery space has been converted into a spacious living area with two large inbuilt sofas designed for both relaxing and sleeping.
The bathroom features a large shower, wash basin and toilet.
The cave 80m2: sleeps up to 4 people
The cave’s beautiful organic lines creates an open, peaceful space to relax and sleep.
The cave has two sleeping areas both with queen size beds. One bed, positioned at the back of the cave is adjoined by a shower and wash basin carved into wall. A curtain divider ensures privacy from the rest of the cave. The other sleeping space has been carved out of the wall looking over the lounge area and is next to another shower area and wash basin, as well as a toilet.
The cave also has a small wine cellar with a range of Santorini’s best wines (available for guests to purchase).
The cave benefits from plenty of natural sunlight and constant year-round temperatures. The cave also has automatic air ventilation system ensuring a constant circulation of air.
Outdoors
The outdoor area is a completely private space with views of the sea and hillsides. The infinity pool has been shaped around the caves belonging to the property below and reaches a depth of two meters. A deck to the side of the pool offers a lovely sheltered place to relax and enjoy the view.
Dining in Santorini is almost always outdoors. A large handmade table seating 8-10 can either be positioned under the shade of the hillside or in front of the house to enjoy interrupted views of the sea.
Location
Emporio is one of the largest settlements in Satorini and one of the island’s best-kept secrets. Located at the southern end of the island, Emporio offers a delightful rural setting with sweeping sea views and a beautifully preserved Medieval village. Emporio has been largely unchanged by tourism and offers a real escape from the every day.
Kastelli is the fortified preserved settlement of Emporio village built in at the time of the Venetian occupation to protect the island’s inhabitants from pirates. Kastelli today is a largely well-preserved labyrinth of small traditional houses, winding stairs and pretty courtyards. The centre is largely untouched by commerce, aside from two charming cafes, however shops, supermarkets and other conveniences can be found just minutes away.
INSOLITO VILLA
http://www.insolito-santorini.com/
