JC Stays: The Archipelagos Hotel, Mykonos - The Jewish Chronicle

It is Greece’s most famously stylish island; the whitewashed paradise in the heart of the Cyclades makes Mykonos an influencer’s dream. And the same goes for the Archipelagos Hotel, where every corner seems to have been curated for the perfect picture.

The boutique hotel overlooks the Aegean Sea, set around six miles away from the town and old port with its cobbled streets and buildings in those classic hues of white and blue.

A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection, the Archipelagos was renovated by the famous architect Dimitris Tsitsos in 2014. Decorated in cool contemporary colours, even the staff’s stylish linen clothes are something you’d want to wear yourself.

Built like an amphitheatre, the hotel blends into the landscape. The restaurant overlooks an outdoor pool, where luxuriously designed beach beds hang over the water’s edge. If you’ve run out of good books, the shelf in reception is filled with must-have summer reads, as well as a TV in the relaxed lounge.

Or if you prefer the seafront, the sparkling Aegean water of Kalo Livadi Beach is as tempting as the pool with a large sandy beach that’s perfect for water sports.

For those searching for more pampering, the hotel offers tailor-made spa treatments, although you do need to book in advance as there’s no in-house therapist during off-peak seasons. The gym is small and basic, but who needs to run on a treadmill when you can walk around the island?

Admittedly that’s not the preferred mode of transport for most visitors but taxis are hard to come by and if you don’t mind hills and some of the busier roads, it’s a great way to explore.

You can also rent bikes — or a car — although the hotel’s free daily shuttle into town is a less strenuous way to venture beyond the resort. Book in with the reception at the start of the day to ensure you can bag a lift in and back again.

Then cool down back in your air-conditioned room, with wonderful views across Kalo Livadi Bay from the balcony or terrace of sea-view rooms and suites. Light linen is cool on spacious beds and the bathrooms have everything you realistically need.

Complimentary water is provided at the start of the stay too, although you pay for a daily replacement.

There’s authentic Greek cuisine to be found in the hotel restaurant — as expensive as everything else in Mykonos, but the food is delicious and fresh.

The stand-out offerings at breakfast are freshly squeezed juices, homemade smoothies and little yoghurts in glass pots with fruit and oat toppings, alongside other hot and cold options.

The pool bar has its own simpler menu of burgers and light bites, perfect for a lazy day, while the bartenders will whip up any cocktails of your choosing.

Whether you choose to take your own Instagram-worthy snap right here, by the turquoise waters of the sea, or watching the sun set from your balcony, wine glass in hand, is entirely up to you.

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