Travel Guides

The Ultimate Luxury Mykonos Travel Guide

This storied Greek island is known for its gorgeous beaches, delectable seafood, extravagant hotels and villas, and its animated nightlife culture.

By 

Emily Singer

 |  January 24, 2022

Mykonos looks a lot like what many envision heaven to be: white-sand beaches, crystal-clear water, mouth-watering food…. The list goes on. With our recommendations, you will travel through Mykonos knowing the most luxurious stays, where to dine, and which activities and experiences are must-dos.

The Best Luxury Hotels in Mykonos

Bill & Coo Suites and Lounge 

Known for its excellent high-end services, Bill & Coo is located atop a peaceful hillside right outside Mykonos town. The boutique hotel is sophisticated and stylish, with a poolside restaurant and an attentive staff. The outdoor infinity pool is a quiet place to relax and admire the sea view, but you can also request a suite with a private plunge pool for a more intimate experience. 

The Valmont Spa is a chic and decadent venue that boasts incredible holistic treatments to rejuvenate the mind and body. The menu includes highlights like purifying, hydrating, and regenerating facials and soothing deep tissue and ancient Greek deep-pressure massages. After your treatments, the delightful staff encourage you to use the spa facilities and indulge in ultimate relaxation. A hot tub, sauna, steam bath, and a private plunge pool await you.

Gastronomy Project is Bill & Coo’s traditional Greek restaurant by celebrated chef Ntinos Fotinakis. The atmosphere is exquisite — seaside with cozy couches and elegant table seating. The food is as beautifully plated as it is tasty. Each plate is delicately and precisely designed with imaginatively prepared seafood and Meditteranean cuisine. Order any dish with the fresh sea urchin, and you won’t regret it. 

The hotel also boasts a modern seaside grill restaurant, Beefbar Mykonos — a casual, yet stylish, day-to-night beach bar. It serves fresh seafood and quality meats, like premium Japanese Kobe Beef, Black Angus steak from Argentina and the US, and Australian Wagyu. Afterward, head to the Sunset Lounge Bar for craft cocktails and an unforgettable view.

Santa Marina, a Luxury Collection Resort

Situated on a private white-sand beach, Santa Marina is a bohemian-style oasis with magical views of Ornos Bay. The resort offers 101 guest rooms and suites, as well as 13 villas. The hotel’s two infinity pools have stunning sea views. Looking for more privacy? Suites and villas come with private hot tubs or plunge pools. The room decor consists of white and neutral tones and has a relaxing, beachy aesthetic.

Ginkgo Spa features five treatment rooms, including a couples’ suite, a sauna, and a traditional mosaic-tiled Hammam, to provide further relaxation. The experienced staff use high-end products from Espa and 111Skin in all facial treatments and massages. The Hammam — or Turkish bath — is the only traditional Hammam in Mykonos. And it’s exceptional. The experience begins with a refreshing body scrub before a full-body foam massage. Next is a marine-mud body mask, which is full of sweet-smelling aromatic oils that ignite the senses. Lastly, your hair is washed and conditioned with a revitalizing scalp treatment. 

Santa Marina offers various dining options, but the biggest draw is Buddha-Bar Beach Mykonos, the Mykonos branch of the renowned Buddha-Bar brand. An exotic seaside restaurant, it serves Asian fusion cuisine, but with a Greek twist, of course. Most notable is the restaurant’s vibrant nightlife. Just as the sun starts to set, DJs from around the world perform sets, and the restaurant comes alive. The signature cocktails are inventively artistic. For instance, the Japan Old Fashioned with Japanese whisky, umeshu (a Japanese liquor made from plums), and cherry bitters is smoked with a cigar.

Kenshō Ornos

Sitting on Ornos beach, just a short drive from Mykonos town, Kenshō Ornos is a stylishly contemporary boutique hotel. It houses 10 suites and 25 luxury-rooms, all of which have a Cycladic-chic design. The deluxe rooms feature private plunge pools or whirlpool baths. Additionally, the bathrooms are stocked daily with Hermès toiletries. The hotel displays white-washed stones, rich woods, and neutral and white decor. The vibrant contrast of the airy décor and the view of the turquoise water in the nearby coves is picture-perfect. 

Kenshō offers luxury services such as personal trainers at its gym and outdoor TRX station and private transfer service, which is quite helpful as it can be challenging to get a taxi on the island. Cave Spa is a lovely place to revitalize yourself with a massage or facial treatment. The spa has two treatment rooms, a steam room, a private cave plunge pool, and a hair and beauty salon. The spa menu’s incredible treatment options all use products by Codage, an esteemed French cosmetics brand, to provide personalized skin-care treatments.

The Kenshō Ornos Restaurant is a fine-dining gastronomic experience — a modern take on Greek cuisine. Chef Nicos Constantinou prepares a fabulous 10-course tasting menu, as well as an all-day à la carte menu. Each plate takes inspiration from traditional Mediterranean and Greek fare with Asian and Latin influence. The menu offers many exotic dishes, such as octopus over hot coals with tomato gel, wild oregano, potato cream, and chlorophyll olive oil. Kenshō Ornos Sunset Lounge and Bar, with its tree-trunk bar stools and cozy couch seating, is an intimate setting for a pre-dinner cocktail with a view of the sunset.

Cavo Tagoo

Cavo Tagoo is a sophisticated, minimalist hotel on the cliffside overlooking the Aegean Sea. The hotel’s infinity saltwater pool with floating daybeds showcases a spectacular view of the island. The 80-room boutique hotel has plenty of spacious villas and suites to choose from, all with crisp white furnishings. Some rooms also have private plunge pools or indoor whirlpools. 

The hotel has a fitness center, sauna, and a spa with revitalizing treatments like the signature Thai massage and the holistic body and face massage, inspired by Indian practices. Therapists use antioxidant-rich ingredients from the sea as well as essential oils and herbs to loosen tension and detox the body. 

A contemporary Japanese fine-dining restaurant, Zuma at Cavo Tagoo offers a gastronomic alfresco dining experience. This upscale restaurant has been a hit since its opening in Mykonos in the summer of 2020. For a highly immersive experience, opt for the Zuma Omakase menu, which gives you a taste of the chef’s 10 signature plates. The à la carte menu features mouth-watering dishes— for example, the miso-marinated black cod and premium Australian wagyu tomahawk steaks with butter ponzu sauce, fresh wasabi, and black truffle.

Belvedere Mykonos 

If you’re looking to stay close to Mykonos town, consider Belvedere Mykonos, an enchanting hotel in old Mykonos. Surrounded by a lush garden, this intimate hotel has 35 luxury rooms, nine suites, and the Mansion, the largest accommodation on the property. It also has two villas and 26 hilltop rooms and suites separate from the main hotel complex. All of the accommodations have thoughtful design, as well as breathtaking views of the island.

The hotel has a popular pool club and wellness spa, as well as popular dining options, including Matsuhisa by Nobu. Discover total relaxation at the Six Senses Spa — an experience for the body, mind, and spirit. Upon arrival, you are warmly welcomed with homemade ginger tea infused with cinnamon, honey, and lime to stimulate the senses. The signature spa treatments offer a unique spa experience. A Tibetan singing bowl helps you to transcend the body and mind, while the trained staff perform incredible massages to relieve any tension and deeply relax the muscles. Lastly, it has holistic facial treatments to boost collagen and counteract signs of aging. 

Mykonos town offers a plethora of dining options, though the hotel won’t disappoint. Thea Estiatorio hovers above the Belvedere pool on a cozy terrace with dazzling city views. The menu is a modern take on authentic Greek fare. Afterward, head over to the Sunken Watermelon Cocktail Bar for a drink and a good time. The menu is a take on the classics — six cocktails, prepared by a skillful mixologist, use seasonal ingredients.

Rent a Luxury Villa on Mykonos

Villa Rental Company has many magnificent villas to choose from for a more intimate stay. Not only does the company book your accommodations, but it offers incredible amenities to make your stay as relaxing as possible. Services include concierge, unpacking, airport transfers, and butler and maid services, to name a few. Additionally, Villa Rental Company can even create a custom itinerary for your stay.

Charter a Yacht

If you’re planning on traveling to nearby Greek islands, take a look at IYC. It has a fleet of luxury yachts to choose from —Legend has room for up to 22 guests! Imagine traveling from island to island, stopping to snorkel and swim in the gorgeous turquoise waters, or lounging on the deck of your private yacht as the sun sets.

Restaurants to Try

Remezzo

Perched on top of Mykonos town, overlooking the water and the enchanting restaurants and shops, Remezzo is a lovely spot for dinner and drinks. The signature cocktails are thoughtfully prepared and artisanally garnished with fruits and spices. A twist on authentic Greek fare, the menu features dishes like a Greek moussaka and stuffed wine leaves with king crab.

Kiki’s Tavern 

Kiki’s Tavern is known for being off-the-grid. With no electricity, wifi, or air-conditioning, it’s the place to disconnect and enjoy the sea breeze. You may be coming for the view, but you’re coming back for the heaping plates of mouth-watering grilled octopus and Mediterranean salads.

Koursaros

Around the corner from Little Venice in Mykonos town, Koursaros is a fresh-catch restaurant sitting in a stylish courtyard. The decor includes chic white tables of different sizes and more casual bar-seating. The menu is a mix of seafood dishes and authentic Mediterranean fare. We suggest the fresh king oysters with green apple jelly and wasabi, as well as the honey-glazed grilled octopus with eggplant puree to start. For your main course, you can never go wrong with a whole fish in Mykonos. The desserts are also impressive, with highlights being the exotic caramel with chocolate caviar and the Loukoumades (Greek donuts) with ice cream.

Scorpios

A beach haven where glamorous crowds flock to eat, dance, and enjoy the clear Aegean Sea, Scorpios is the crown jewel of Mykonos. In homage to the ancient Greek agora, or gathering place, Scorpios is a one-of-a-kind beach club on the southern tip of the island. To enjoy all that Scorpios has to offer, reserve a sunbed for midday and stay past sundown to dance the night away. The food and drinks are superb, with whole deboned fresh fish, wood-fired vegetables, and delicious cocktails — you won’t want to leave.

Spilia 

Nestled into a cave at Agia Anna next to Kalafatis beach, Spilia is a romantic night spot with incredible traditional Mykonian cuisine. Sea-to-table fare is prepared in front of you while you admire the twinkling lights reflecting onto the sea. Some tables are so close to the water that you might even catch a glimpse of lobsters being caught. Reserve your own “cave experience” for a romantic evening like no other.

180° Sunset Bar

With a panoramic view of the city, 180° Sunset Bar is a gorgeous place at sunset for drinks and bites. Several seating areas range from bar seating to proper tables, all of which have a view of the vast Aegean Sea. Elegant lanterns and chandeliers hang from trees, and Moroccan cushions provide a plush and intimate setting. The cocktail menu boasts the classics and signature drinks — for instance, the smoky, salty margarita with a mix of premium mezcal and Herradura Reposado, agave, lime, and black Hawaiian sea salt.

Interni

If you’re looking to be seen and be in the scene, head to Interni. A courtyard garden restaurant with long, inviting tables, it’s a great spot for a night out with friends. Right in the heart of the city, Interni has earned a reputation for hosting dinners that go well into the night. Order the rigatoni with burrata and roasted tomato or the Chateaubriand and a bottle of Dom Pérignon. You don’t need an excuse to celebrate.

Matsuhisha by Nobu

Anytime there’s a Nobu restaurant in your vicinity, go. Like all of the Nobu restaurants and hotels worldwide, Matsuhisa in the Belvedere Hotel is designed beautifully, and the food is, as you’d expect, exquisite. The Aegean Sea provides freshly caught fish, and the skilled chefs at Matsuhisa create seafood dishes that burst in your mouth with delightfully complex flavors. It is the only Nobu restaurant with an open-air, outdoor sushi bar. Be sure to order the miso cod, salmon tacos, and whatever else your waiter suggests. They certainly know what they’re talking about.

Activities & Experiences to Check Out

Immerse yourself in the culture of Mykonos with an authentic Greek cooking class at a traditional farm estate. Taught by a personable and skilled culinary instructor, you’ll learn how to cook incredible local dishes using seasonal ingredients. Cook alongside the instructor while learning about the unique ingredients used in Greek cuisine. The best part is that you get to enjoy your homemade tzatziki, spanakopita, and stuffed tomatoes with peppers afterward, with a bottle of local wine and some ouzo, of course.

Mykonos town has many noteworthy jewelry stores, high-end designer boutiques, and eclectic art galleries to explore. Spend a day getting lost in the winding, narrow streets of the city and you’re bound to return with treasure-filled shopping bags.

Additionally, an excellent pastime in Mykonos is spending the day sunbathing on a yacht. If you’re traveling to Santorini or another island, why not travel in style? Mykonos Yacht Charter has many selections of various-sized yachts to take you beach hopping.

The most popular activity in Mykonos is to lounge — or party — at one of the many beach clubs. Each has its own flair and signature style. Scorpios (mentioned above) is a fan favorite, and rightly so. The expansive bohemian restaurant and beach club is beautiful and wildly fun. There’s truly nothing like getting out of the clear blue water, the sun kissing your skin while sipping on a glass of wine. Additionally, Nammos, Princepote, Jackie O’, and Kalua are beach clubs worth noting and require reservations in advance.

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