The waters of the Aegean are glistening, rippled by the motion of the occasional yacht
Opening its doors to visitors for more than 40 years, the Myconian Collection was founded in 1979 by George Daktylides and his wife Eleftheria when they opened their first hotel closer to town, now named Kyma. Today the business is run by the pair’s four sons – Panos, Markos, Vangelis and Marios Daktylides – although word has it that George still does weekly rounds on the island with his truck loaded with farm eggs, local lamb, goats meat and Eleftheria’s home-made cheeses and cakes.
At Myconian Villa Collection, the infinity pool inevitably takes centre stage. Guests of all ages, including families with young children, are chilling on black and baby pink velvet day lounges, mesmerised by the views of mountain and sea, funky music, and food and drinks served from the Infinity Pool Bar & Restaurant.
Within the collection, some of the hotels are members of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Design Hotels, Relais & Chateaux, Leading Hotels of the World and Preferred Hotels & Resorts. Each has its own distinct style, personality and decor but a thread of design, relaxed luxury and generous hospitality weaves throughout each one. Each location has its own advantages
– at Mykonos town, Korali, Kyma and
Naia are just a 10-minute walk from the heart of Chora town, and you can see the windmills in the distance; the Myconian Ambassador hotel is only a three-minute flat stroll from the hip Platis Gialos beach with its waterfront bars and restaurants; while the Elia beach properties of Avaton, Imperial, Royal, Utopia and the Villa Collection are all tucked away with a true sense of being away from the bustle, but only a 20-minute bus ride from town.
I start each day at Nouveau restaurant, feasting on home-made Greek tarts, pastries and fresh yoghurt as I take in the impossibly pretty views over Elia. Guests at any of the group’s hotels can dine seamlessly at the sister properties (charging back to your room) – and with three Relais & Chateaux restaurants in its portfolio, an exceptional meal is virtually guaranteed. At Elia, Pavilion restaurant at Myconian Utopia is an elegant yet relaxed affair. The space is decorated with natural materials – centrepiece vases are covered in driftwood; small white ceramic farm animals line the cornices; and wines are served in some of the funkiest glassware I’ve ever seen by Sempre. A live saxophonist plays among the diners as the sun is setting over the Aegean and the internal lights of Utopia’s pool start to flicker. I try my first octopus since arriving on the island and as I savour the soft and fleshy tentacles with a delicate charred flavour, balanced by fresh bursts from tiny red peppers, I’m aware I may well be spoiled if I attempt another octopus dish elsewhere on the island. At Myconian Kyma hotel, Noa Greek restaurant serves a crunchy fried calamari with white lemon sauce and capers that melts in the mouth, followed by traditional walnut cake. Poolside at Myconian Ambassador, bring your sunnies as you dine at another Relais & Chateaux restaurant, Efisia. Here, the lamb and pork has been reared by the group’s founder himself, George Daktylides; and salt is sourced from nearby Delos island.
A trip to Mykonos is not complete without a visit to Delos, one of the largest archaeological sites in the world and UNESCO World Heritage-listed. Myconian Collection staff can organise your visit by private luxury yacht charter where you will be guided throughout the ruins and learn more about the mythological birth place of ancient Greek gods Apollo and Artemis. My guide invited our small group to sit in silence on the front row of 2,300-year-old theatre seats, soaking in the sacred atmosphere and imagining life here in ancient Greek times.
I return from Delos back to the modern world at Mykonos, arriving at Myconian Villa Collection in the early evening. The moon is full and heavy in the sky, casting a pathway of light stretching across the water like carpet. Stars are flickering and I can hear the laughter of guests at restaurants, and the chinking of glasses. There’s a little bit of magic in Mykonos.