I booked my stay at the Black Sands Apartments based on the TripAdvisor reviews. Since I was traveling solo, they put me into the Black Sands Hotel which is about 80 meters away from the apartments. The hotel is not really a hotel, but just a bunch or rooms above a beach front gift shop. You must check in/out at the apartments and you get to use the apartment amenities such as the pool, breakfast, bar which are all clean and quite nice.

However, the rooms in the hotel were clean, small and sparse. It had A/C and a fridge, but the toilet kept breaking and the bed was the most uncomfortable bed I have ever been on in a hotel. You could feel the boards holding up the "mattress." It was VERY uncomfortable.

If you don't mind a sleepless night and are looking for cheap accomodations, then stay at the black sands hotel.

My next trip to Santorini will having me look for accomodations elsewhere.

Just returned from Greece and by far the best place the we stayed was the Black Sands Apartments. Our apartment slept the 4 of us and was the same in price as the tiny box rooms in some more shady hotels on the mainland. The hotel was very clean and secure, quiet and peaceful with a nice pool and a good location. However, what made the Black Sands such a wonderful place to stay was Stefanos the owner. He went above and beyond to make our stay enjoyable - so much so, that one night at midnight he was driving down the street and noticed my three companions standing at the bus stop to go to Fira and instead drove them himself - to another town, at midnight. We will definitely return.

fantastic hotel. and great apartment. We have stayed twice now and going back this summer. The location have uninterrupted views over the mountains. Fun owner, overall rating would have to be great!!!!