Kensho Mykonos Hotel

Greece

The first thing you’ll notice about this bastion of Cycladic cool is the smell. A decadent mixture of sea salt and fig that lingers in the folds of the snowy bed linen and wafts out of the spa, which is housed in a cave. The second is the use of texture. Interior designers including Paola Navone and Il Laboratorio have collaborated to create a haven of hanging wicker chairs, ceilings studded with crystals, smooth stone furniture and aged wooden detailing, and the result is effortlessly stylish. This is a hotel you’ll fall in love with and want to linger in endlessly. By day the pool, which has views of Ornos Bay, is a zen place to soak up some early summer sun, while at night it is transformed with twinkling lights and gentle jazz, becoming a focal point where you can sip mezcal cocktails and soak up the general fabulousness all around. Chef George Stylianoudakis is on a mission to win Greece its first Michelin star outside of Athens by reimagining ancient culinary traditions in colourful, contemporary ways and the results are as surprising as they are delightful. Don’t miss his take on the kakavia (traditional sherman’s stew). Doubles from £370.