The Wild Hotel

Greece

Find a tranquil corner to relax away from the buzz in Mykonos at a beachfront retreat where traditional island design meets Cycladic hospitality and comfort. Mykonos may be the go-to for beach clubs and late-night soirees, but you wouldn’t know it at The Wild. On the opposite (quieter) side of the island from Mykonos Town, this tasteful retreat is awash with Myconian glamour and laid-back Balearic flair.

Sitting atop a cliff close to Agia Anna Beach – with better-known Kalafatis just around the headland – it’s a haven built for relaxation. Early birds can watch the sun rise over a silvery horizon, or work up an appetite for breakfast with a couple lengths of the infinity pool. Daytime is all about tapping your toes to the poolside lounge’s low-tempo soundtrack while gazing across the Aegean to Naxos, or spending a few hours lulled by the gentle lapping of waves – follow a stone staircase down the cliff to the sands of an almost secret, private cove.
A bohemian approach to design is exemplified by bamboo loungers and palm-thatched parasols, with architecture dominated by white- painted plaster and bare stone and enhanced by touches of terracotta and woven seagrass. The 37 guestrooms and suites (all but one facing the sea) reference traditional pared-back Cycladic style, each leading to a terrace or garden bright with bougainvillea, and some larger suites offering private pools.

At the on-site taverna, wooden tables are positioned either poolside or on tiny terraces, where a light menu of salads, snacks and chicken souvlaki is served by day, with a wider selection in the evening. Meze might include zucchini fritters or a Greek salad sprinkled with Myconian rusks, followed by home-style moussaka or grilled octopus with fava. The icing on the cake is service that embodies the Greek philoxenia (‘love of strangers’).

Doubles from £415. 00 30 22 8907 2500, thewildhotel.com

Words by James Litston.

This review was taken from the July 2022 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.