One-Minute Hotel / Santa Marina, Mykonos
As if the perfect party hotel with the chicest private beach on the whole island wasn’t enough, they then added Jason Atherton…
So, where are we?
On Ornos Bay, the bit that doesn’t get the wind (just over the way, it’s all kite surfing, the wind is so reliable). Ten minutes or so from the airport, around the same from town but you’d never know as you’re in your own little bay surrounded by sea and hills and pretty tropical gardens.
And where we’re staying...?
Santa Marina, perhaps the most sociable hotel in the whole of this very sociable island. With its own history - see below - the whole place was redone to make it more fun, if that was possible. The pool has its own scene, with little sunken seating areas right out into the water and swinging raffia chairs, while in the Ginko spa you go to your treatments over little stepping stones.
What’s the style?
With lots of the newer hotels going for rustic and natural and calming, this is classic glamour. It has all the stone and the raffia and tropical planting you need for a glamorous beach hotel but we’re not pretending to be in a village here. We’re going upmarket with a restaurant that comes over all Chiltern Firehouse with quirky, almost campy 70s flourishes and bamboo furniture and retro fabrics while the lighting - so important! - is absolutely spot on, whether it’s the little beach cabanas after dark, or the orange glow behind the beach bar. Dark is good, designer people, use it wisely.
And the rooms?
Sheer elegance. The bigger suites have their own fairly substantial pool, overlooking the sea while inside the decor is seaside grand style: four posters in black bamboo, black bamboo screens, huge marine photographs, a chair that looks like it could be in the posh bit of Chanel, where they give you a glass of champagne. A walk-in wardrobe and a huge bathroom with jacuzzi-bath (and Acqua di Parma products!) complete what works equally for the hot young celebrities who come here and the wealthy types that have been coming for years.
Is there a story?
The land was bought back in the day by - who else? - a wealthy Greek shipping magnate who knew his way around a party and knew that Mykonos was going to be it, especially when he started inviting his friends who happened to be Hollywood movie stars. They would party in town then he would invite everyone back to his villa on this bit of land at 3am to carry on. You can still feel the spirit of those parties to this day, where, in the evening, a dressed-up crowd packs out the Buddha Bar, right on the beach - a private beach with the best sea-swimming we can think of anywhere: so protected, such beautiful sand, so calm - and then heads up to Mykonos Social.
And to eat?
Mykonos Social is hands down the biggest restaurant story in Mykonos since Nobu set down at the Belvedere in town (it’s gone now). Headed up by Michelin-starry Jason Atherton - who put in a little video call to us to make sure we were being looked after, that’s how nice he is - it’s the go-to for relaxed special occasions and his first foray into the Med, with a menu that mixes up Greek and Mediterranean, with some great vegan options like quirky takes on gazpacho and a delicious green grain risotto. At lunchtime you can order seafood and Asian specialities from the amazing menu at Buddha Bar Beach (eat on the beach or at the cute little bar) or sushi and salads from Oasis Pool & Lounge.
So, to sum up...
It’s places like this that make you realise why there is so much affection for Mykonos. Stylish and fun and easy and beautiful… and with that private beach that would give anywhere in the Caribbean a run for its money, it’s what makes Mykonos Mykonos. So good we said it twice.
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