ISLE GO
How to do two Greek islands in one holiday – with little-known discounts, swim up bars and private-pool room
After visiting an ultra-lavish Mykonos resort, I couldn’t wait to see what the sister resort in Santorini had in store…
TRYING to choose one of the 6,000 Greek islands for a holiday can be a tricky decision to make.
So, why not visit two in one trip while you're already traveling?
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The islands are so close in proximity that hotel groups like Kivotos often have incentives in the form of discounts and private transfers so you can save yourself cash and tick off two places in one hit.
And after a brief stint in the hotel brand’s ultra-lavish Mykonos resort, I couldn’t wait to see what the sister resort in Santorini had in store.
The Mykonos property was one of the first boutique resorts to open on the island and was inspired by the nearby sacred island of Delos, which is said to be the birthplace of Greek gods Apollo & Artemis.
And you can tell from the moment you step into the lobby. The interior blends classic Greek architecture — think marble floors and bright-white walls — with modern art in the shape of pop-style busts and multicoloured glass lighting.
It’s a short walk from the popular Ornos Beach, but I opted to spend my day at the hotel’s private rocky beach, which was a secluded haven away from the crowds.
A short staircase took me down to the pebbles, where I plonked myself on a sunlounger at the edge of the ocean so I could let the warm waves lap my feet.
If you’re not much of a beach fan, the hotel has its own swimming pool, complete with in-water loungers, cabana beds, and even a swim-up Del Mar bar serving classic cocktails on ice.
If you’re a fly-and-flopper you won’t be disappointed by the poolside setting, with jazz music softly playing from the speakers while staff dish out ice lollies.
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But I spent most of my time in my own suite, one of 40 at the hotel, the majority of which have their own swimming pool.
The beaming sun shone through the massive windows, bouncing off the pristine white walls and lighting up the whole room.
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I made the most of the in-room espresso machine every morning before dipping my toes into my private pool and eyeing up the yachts moored in the cove.
The only thing that could tear me away from the tranquillity was the promise of a delicious breakfast at the rooftop La Meduse restaurant.
I became obsessed with Strapatsada, a scrambled egg dish mixed with tomato paste and feta, which I slathered on my toast every morning.
I always ordered it alongside fresh fruit platters and pastries — it’s safe to say the waiters knew what I wanted by day three.
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As with many new hotels, there were a few teething problems at the resort.
I arrived just days after it opened for the season, which resulted in the only on-site restaurant Namah having very few options available on its extensive menu.
This was the same for their lunchtime menu with the hotel app struggling to compute our room service order.
You won’t be short of food options though, as the main town of Mykonos is just a short taxi ride away, full of winding white alleys and bright blue-doored shops.
One of the most popular tavernas for lunch is Nikos. It’s unfussy with red and white check table covers, but has a long list of Greek and Italian dishes including the juiciest chicken souvlaki I’ve ever had.
Cave-like rooms
It’s worth staying in town for the sunset too, best seen from one of the many restaurants lining the colourful Little Venice.
The sunsets are just as gorgeous on the neighbouring island of Santorini, where I was heading next.
It took us just two hours by ferry to reach Kivotos Santorini from the Mykonos resort. It’s one of the more unique hotels on the island, forgoing the usual white and blue architecture for black colouring throughout – designed to imitate the volcanic land.
Each of the 30 cave-like rooms are different with indoor hot tubs or outdoor pools, along with ensuites that have rainfall showers and fancy Bvlgari toiletries.
However the star of the hotel is the rooftop Mavro restaurant, which has unobstructed views of the sunset. It was pure magic on our second night, with the bright red sun fading out as I sipped my drink in awed silence.
An island known for its wine, I was won over by the Artemis Karamolegos 34, a crisp white made at one of Santorini’s largest vineyards.
I was also won over by the exceptional food. The in-house chef, Dimitris Katrivesis, serves up exceptional tasting menus.
Dishes include red shrimp ceviche with melon molasses and the island’s unique white aubergine seasoned with cinnamon and miso.
And you will be well fed at breakfast, too, with huge platters of food including shakshuka, French toast tiramisu and acai bowls.
Thankfully, Santorini's hilly nature made walking it all off easy, and Fira, the island's capital, is just a short taxi from the hotel.
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Less romantic than the pretty Mykonos streets, it was the perfect place to fill my pockets with tacky fridge magnets, followed by gelato from the many shops selling towering piles of ice cream.
The only question left of the holiday, which Greek island next?