Party island. This dreamy Greece trip changed my mind
Saskia O’Donoghue
I have never been a party girl. When I was at university, you’d never find me out at student bars; instead, I’d be holed up in my accommodation, watching news analysis shows.
I like to think I’ve become rather more fun in the intervening decade but, still, I was a little nervous ahead of my visit to Mykonos.
I needn’t have worried.
Perhaps the world’s most famous party island, this Cycladian hotspot certainly boasts its fair share of wild parties and decadence both 18-year-old and 30-something-year-old me would baulk at – but my experience couldn’t have been more different.
Arriving at Kivotos Mykonos, set on the banks of the truly breathtaking Ornos Bay, I knew I was in for a treat.
One of the first boutique hotels on Mykonos, Kivotos opened its doors three decades ago. Today, it offers luxury I’d only dreamed of.
Thanks to its 30-plus years open, the hotel manages to pay tribute to the rich traditional heritage of Greece, while still having its finger firmly on the pulse.
As soon as I arrive in any hotel, the first thing I do is test the bed. At Kivotos Mykonos, it’s beyond comfortable with delectable sheets and the best pillows I’ve ever had the pleasure of laying my head on.
From that vantage point, I can take in the rest of my surroundings: all white, with Grecian architecture-inspired curves and nods to ancient history. Think: statues of Greek gods on shelves and in the bathroom, and – my personal favourite – a coffee table modelled after a Greek man – all in white, naturally.
Having settled in, it’s off to the resort’s in-house restaurant, Namah. I’d previously eaten at MAVRO, the glorious restaurant at Kivotos’ sister resort on Santorini, so I know I’m in for an incredible meal.
To start, the bread basket comes with a twist. On Namah’s menu, you’d be forgiven for being a little confused as to what is coming, as it reads: “reference to the manner of the Ancients about the sourdough bread, the figs and olive oil”.
In actual fact, that’s about as accurate a description as it’s possible to write. The sourdough comes in a bread tin, with a bed of grains and wheat sheaves as a garnish. Dipping it into the fig-infused olive oil, I’m convinced I’ve just tasted heaven.
My super friendly waiter insists I try Namah’s twist on the Greek salad – a truly excellent recommendation.
In my many years visiting Greece, I must have eaten hundreds of iterations of the famous dish – but this isn’t your standard green salad with perfunctory tomatoes and a block of feta plonked on top.
Instead, this salad – called Ancient Greece – is a sight to behold. Buckwheat, cherry tomatoes, cucumber spirals, caper leaves and oxymel – a mixture of honey and vinegar – give this stunning salad texture and punchy flavour. But the cheese is the true star of the show.
Namah’s chefs use a local Myconian kopanisti cheese mousse, just spicy and peppery enough to set off the other flavours perfectly.
When it comes to food, at least, I am not afraid of a little decadence – and my main course, the beautifully named Lobster Ark, is just that.
Arriving on a wonderfully creamy risotto base, it’s the juiciest, plumpest lobster I’ve ever been lucky enough to taste. Its flavour is complemented with apricot, cashew, red basil and spearmint gel, as well as a tart addition of citrus and Mykonian sour cheese snow. Topping it off is a generous helping of Ossetra caviar, one of the world’s most prized.
As much as I would like to sample a pudding, I’m simply too full, so I round off my meal with a Red Paloma cocktail instead.
Made with fresh watermelon, tequila blanco, agave, lime and cherry soda, it’s the perfect end to a truly perfect meal and helps me fall into a deep slumber in my beautiful suite.
