Review: Santa Marina, a Luxury Collection Resort, Mykonos

Why book?

There are hotels you book because they align with your trip, and then there are hotels you plan your entire trip around. Santa Marina, a Luxury Collection Resort, Mykonos, is the latter—a true crown jewel of the Cyclades. This is a bucket-list-worthy resort in and of itself, where you’ll come to understand the type of traveler who never leaves their resort—and find yourself getting lost in the treasures of its dream-like location as much as its luxury.

Set the scene

Santa Marina is the only resort on Mykonos island with its own private stretch of sandy beach—and on calm and sought-after Ornos Bay, where you’re largely shielded from the almighty Cycladic winds. A Luxury Collection Resort, the property includes 101 rooms and suites (many with private plunge pools), plus a selection of sprawling villas, a cove-nestled beach club to watch the mega yachts roll in (one may even belong to a guest), and two infinity pool decks to mix up the lounging scenery. The heart of it all is the beach club, which stretches from the beachfront onto a boardwalk jetty that juts perpendicular into the ocean: It’s from here, on a pod-shaped, cushioned cabana, that so many post up for the incredible view of the property, the boats, the calm waves, and maybe a dolphin or two.

The swimming at Santa Marina is worth the reservation in itself, as it’s the only spot on Mykonos where you’ll get calm conditions and actually soft sand between your toes—there’s nary a pebble in sight, which is rare in the rocky Greek islands’ beach options. Seasoned travelers and yachters in everything from swim caps to kaftans swim the cove and dot the beachfront on chairs and under umbrellas. The occasional influencer can be seen taking advantage of the jetty or boat dock for a photo shoot with that famed view. And the beach is uncrowded, even in high season—considering this is a private one.

The backstory

The five-star property remains owned by the same local family that opened it four decades ago. The 20-acre lot, purchased by Greek businessman Elias Papageorgiou in 1979, has grown over time from a home estate—including a house, windmill, pigeon house, and tiny chapel named Santa Marina—into the current hillside of sea-view hotel rooms, two restaurants, Ginkgo spa, and many villas and suites with private-pool patios. The hotel has been renovated and become part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection since 2012, when Elias passed away and his daughter Christiana became the new hotelier. That familial love is ever-present around the property, which still has its original windmill and whitewashed chapel, worth finding on an exerting walk around the grounds—the latter of which can host wedding ceremonies for nuptials held on the property. From the warm service and taverna-inspired Greek food to the family-friendly air of the resort—think cottages and a kid-friendly pool area—it’s clear this place is a family operation.

The rooms

Options range from resort- and sea-view rooms to sprawling suites like the Family Retreat and two-bedroom offerings. For even more space, there are also 13 villas and cottages. Most rooms already have an ocean view, considering this is a hillside overlooking the ocean—but upgrading to a sea-view suite with a private pool is well worth it for an extremely private, green patio with sun beds and swimming options just outside your room and overlooking the water. Interiors are less minimalist than most luxury properties in Greece, and refreshingly so: Think natural-edge wood coffee tables, deep and oversized sleeper sofas, and nature-inspired details like bamboo four-poster bed frames and wood-and-stone double sinks in the bathroom. Suites come with both a rain shower and massive bathtub, plus a stocked mini-bar and Nespresso machine, and sprawling walk-in closets you could live in. For privacy and easy access to the gym and adults-only pool, request a room near the spa and away from the beachfront restaurant, which becomes a thrumming bar at night (this is Mykonos, after all).

Food and drink

The two main restaurants include a sleek beach bar and sushi spot, Buddha Bar, which turns into a club in the evenings, and Jason Atherton restaurant Mykonos Social. The former serves inventive sushi and Asian-fusion plates ranging from torched sushi rolls, hamachi crudos, and bright ceviches led by the Mediterranean's abundant fish—there’s also an inventive cocktail menu where passionate and knowledgeable bartenders can make you something delicious based on the spirit and flavors you like. At Atherton’s Mykonos Social it’s more taverna-style dishes, which can be surprisingly difficult to find on overcrowded Mykonos; don’t miss the slow-cooked lamb, sun-dried grilled octopus, classic horiatiki, and bread baskets served with traditional dips like taramosalata (roe puree) and htipiti (spicy whipped feta) for family-style Greek food that might be some of the best on the island. Owner Christiana Papageorgiou is passionate about Greek cuisine, and it shows in Mykonos Social’s menu—which has hands-down the best grilled octopus I’ve experienced in the Greek islands (of the three I’ve visited); it’s a surprising feat for a resort to deliver home cooking that’s as good as the truly old-school tavernas'.

If you’re unable to decide what to order, leave it up to the ardent servers—from the bar staff to the bus boys, they had spirited recommendations. A colorful and delicious breakfast buffet is served at Mykonos Social daily, and servers come around for coffee and egg orders. For something lighter during the day, there are poke bowls, salads, cheese plates, and classic snacks like olives and cheeses served to the beach bar and pool decks. Wine lists at every venue are impressively international, but focus on local producers where it counts (read: assyrtiko).

The spa

The hammam-inspired onsite spa’s aromatherapy-led massages, cryotherapy facials, and saunas are well worth breaking from the strong sun and harsh sand for an afternoon; massage therapists are attentive and customize the treatment to your body’s needs. There are also salon services like hair cuts and styling, hot shaves, and manicures—which come in handy if you’re in town for some R&R before a wedding or similar event.

The neighborhood/area

This corner of (otherwise crowded) Ornos Bay is perhaps the only place on oversaturated Mykonos where you’ll find both sprawling green lawns (thickly grown around your very own patio, in fact) and sand-perched beach cabanas. (Anyone who’s spent time on rocky, windy Mykonos knows how rare these comforts can be.) Beyond the resort, Mykonos town is a 15-minute car ride away, which can be arranged via hotel transport options. Catching an Uber entails heading for the resort’s vehicle entrance first, as the gate staff only allows guests or transportation for guests inside.

The service

Calmly fussy—especially at the beach club and pool decks, where there’s rarely a moment when you’ll find yourself calling for a server; they’ve already anticipated it might be time for another drink or bottle of water, brought along with an anticipatory food menu if it’s lunch time. The same goes for the front-desk concierge, who can speedily arrange for a ride into town or a fresh round of pool towels. They can also arrange a private boat ride (again, be warned this is one of the windiest Cyclades) or even a helicopter tour of the area.

For families

Aforementioned family suites are available, and villas and cottages have plenty of space. One of the two pool decks is adults-only, however.

Accessibility

There are elevators and ramps to most areas and guest rooms, but still many stairs and hills to navigate. While it’s more accessibility-friendly than hillside resorts like those in Santorini, this is one of the more spread out and stair-addled resorts on (otherwise largely flat) Mykonos, so ground-floor rooms are the best option for guests in wheelchairs.

Anything left to mention?

The real magic of Santa Marina is in the simple pleasures afforded by its fabled location—sipping a chilled glass of assyrtiko from a shady cabana here and watching the mega yachts go by, you’ll forget all about the island’s hard-partying reputation.