Tag: Platis Gialos (page 2 of 3)

What’s new at Mykonos beach bar/restaurant venues in 2016

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~ updated Friday August 26 2016 ~

 

Rakkan Mykonos beach bar restaurant

Rakkan Mykonos opened at Kalo Livadi beach on June 15 in the beachfront premises previously occupied by Monarch beach club…

 

Monarch beach bar restaurant Mykonos

… which has relocated to Platis Gialos beach for this year

 

Lia beach house Mykonos

Regular visitors will notice some big changes at Lia beach this year — like the new Lia Beach House, where guests can enjoy food and beverage service while relaxing on comfy sunbeds…

 

Liasti Beach Resort Mykonos

… and the completely renovated Liasti restaurant, which has been given a new look and has been rebranded as Liasti Mykonos, with fine dining and special DJ entertainment events

 

Sueno Village Beach Club Mykonos

Also sporting a new look and brand this year is Sueno Village Beach Club at Paraga beach ….

 

Panormos Beach Resort Mykonos photo by Titi Velopoulou

… while Panormos Beach Resort has also undergone a massive transformation for 2016. After major renovations to its restaurant, bar and beachfront, it has been re-branded as Principauté de Mykonos — Panormos

 

Jumeirah Mykonos beach club

Another new venue for summer 2016 is Jumeirah Mykonos Beach Resort at Agia Anna / Paraga

 

Beach bar news: The vibrant Mykonos beach bar & restaurant scene has grown bigger and even more exciting in 2016 with the arrival of brand-new drinking, dining and party establishments at Kalo Livadi, Lia, Platis Gialos and Agia Anna/Paraga.

Meanwhile, Panormos Beach Resort has unveiled significant changes to its bar, beachfront, and restaurant — enhancements that the resort says will take guests “to another level, offering a brand new decadent experience.” It also has changed its name, re-branding the resort with the moniker Principauté de Mykonos — Panormos. And two other restaurant / beach bar venues have been given new upmarket looks and branding — Liasti Beach Resort at Lia beach, and Sueno Village Beach Club at Paraga beach.

Please click on the link below to continue reading and view photos of all the new beach clubs.

 

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Mykonos set for 2015 season with over 100 new places to eat, drink, shop, sleep and party

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Cayenne Mykonos restaurant logo

Located at Tourlos, just a short walk from the New Port, Cayenne is among dozens of brand-new businesses on Mykonos this year. 

 

[Updated October 30 2015]

 “Crisis? What crisis?” That’s a question many regular visitors to Mykonos will probably ask when they see the more than 100 new and completely-renovated businesses that have opened on the island this year.

While Greece shudders through its sixth straight year of devastating economic turbulence,  Mykonos appears to be in a different world altogether, virtually unscathed from the recession that has ravaged the rest of the country.

Last year, the island enjoyed a record year for tourism — receiving more than 2 million visitors — and some longtime local residents told me they could not recall ever seeing the island as crowded and busy as it was during July and August. Hotels were filled to capacity, flotillas of luxury yachts were common sights at many beaches, and champagne flowed by the caseload at bars and restaurants across the island. As I reported in a July 16 2014 post, hotel rates reached higher levels, too, with the international online travel firm Trivago noting that prices had soared as much as 61% over the previous year.

 

 

International brands flocking to Mykonos

In anticipation that even more tourists with thick wallets will arrive in 2015, local and international companies have been pouring millions of Euros into the construction of new hotels, shops, bars, clubs and restaurants, as well as the renovation or upgrading of existing properties. Indeed, since late last autumn, Mykonos has been experiencing an unprecedented building boom as small armies of contractors swarmed around the island in a rush to finish dozens of projects. Global business brands flocked to the island in droves, scooping up any available real estate for their new Mykonos outlets.

With many of the new enterprises aimed at affluent travellers, Mykonos mayor Konstantinos Koukas has told local media he’s confident that the island is now well-poised to compete for a bigger share of the the world’s luxury travel market, and will successfully lure big spenders who usually flock to other Mediterranean hotspots like St Tropez, Monaco and Ibiza.

To see what’s new on Mykonos this year, please click on the convenient quick links below:

Click here for page 2 to read about new and newly-renovated restaurants in Mykonos Town,  Tourlos, and the Ano Mera area.

Click here for page 3, which describes  new and renovated beach restaurants, as well as the island’s two big new beach clubs, Monarch and Scorpios.

Click here for page 4, which highlights new and renovated nightlife venues in Mykonos Town, including bars, nightclubs, and shisha lounges; and

Click here for page 5, which introduces you to the island’s new spas, retail shopping establishments, and hotels.

 

Food Mall Mykonos image from the restaurants' Facebook page

More than two dozen new restaurants opened on Mykonos for 2015, and five of them can be found under one roof at the Food Mall Mykonos on the highway between Mykonos Town and Ano Mera.

 

Aerial view of Scorpios Mykonos

Widely recognized as the hippest new beach club on Mykonos for 2015, the Scorpios Beach Restaurant and Bar became one of the most popular places on the island within weeks of its opening in an “idyllic haven” on a peninsula between Paraga and Platis Gialos. 

 

Monarch Restaurant & Beach Club at Kalo Livadi Mykonos photo from its website

Another new beach club and restaurant is Monarch at Kalo Livadi, which boasts cuisine designed by a Michelin-starred chef, comfy beachfront lounge chairs, and occasional special events and big parties. 

 

Buddha-Bar Beach restaurant and bar at Santa Marina Resort Mykonos photo from the resort Facebook page

The world’s first Buddha-Bar Beach restaurant, bar and beach club opened on May 20 at the Santa Marina Resort at Ornos. 

 

Ling Ling Mykonos entrance

One of the most eagerly awaited new arrivals on Mykonos was Ling Ling, a Hakkasan-branded Cantonese fine dining restaurant and  uber-chic nightspot.  It opened in July in the premises that had been occupied for decades by the famous Philippi Garden Restaurant, which closed a few years ago after its owner died. 

 

Bonbonniere Mykonos nightclub

June 27 saw the launch of yet another new nightclub when Bonbonniere Mykonos threw its opening party in the ODE Mykonos club in the Tria Pigadia area of Mykonos Town. It’s a summer “pop up” version of the world-famous Bonbonniere club in London whose owner, Joe Fournier (wearing the white polo shirt) is pictured after signing a contract to bring Bonbonniere to the ODE space for the season.

 

Caprice Bar Mykonos photo from inmykonos dot com website

Mykonos residents and visitors weren’t just buzzing about new business openings this spring — people were also chatting about the abrupt closure of the enormously popular Caprice Bar (pictured above) and its surprise reopening a few weeks later as Caprice, a restaurant-bar located just a few doors down from its old place at Little Venice. 

 

Mykonos No 5 Villas luxury apartments photo from the hotel website

Mykonos No.5 Villas is one of the island’s newest hotels, offering a selection of seaview apartment residences, lofts and maisonettes in the Kanalia district 3.5 kilometers from Mykonos Town.

 

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New 4-star hotel set to open at Platis Gialos beach on Mykonos

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The George Hotel Mykonos

This photo, from The George Hotel’s Facebook page, shows the Platis Gialos hillside location of the soon-to-open accommodations

 

 Hillside hotel: Mykonos-bound travellers will have more accommodation choices at Platis Gialos once a brand-new hotel, The George, opens for the 2015 summer season on May 1.

The George Hotel only has a presence on Facebook so far, where it has billed itself as a 4-star property and posted several photos showing the hotel exterior, a sample room interior, and a typical hotel room view. But its website and online booking system should be up and running in early February. [Editor’s update: The website and booking page were operational as of January 29.]

The hotel is built into the side of the rocky hill that stands behind Platis Gialos beach, one of the most popular strands on the island. The George appears to be situated next door to the 5-star Myconian Ambassador Hotel, which just happens to be the first hotel we ever stayed at in Greece. It’s an excellent location: George Hotel guests will enjoy wonderful views of the Platis Gialos area while being just a 5-minute walk from the beach in one direction, and a similar walking distance from the nearest bus stop in the other.

Platis Gialos is one of the best resort areas to stay at on Mykonos, since it offers a good selection of restaurants right on the beach and close by, along with several convenience stores, and is walking distance from four nearby beaches — Psarou, Agia Anna, Paraga and Paradise. Moreover, it takes less than 15 minutes to get to Mykonos Town by regular bus service or by taxi.

The George is affiliated with the Acrogriali Hotel, which is one of several hotels fronting on Platis Gialos beach.

General manager Argyrios G. Theoharis told me The George will have three room types, all of which offer sea views: deluxe double; deluxe triple, and a 2-bedroom family room that can accommodate up to 5 guests. Room rates will be available once the website and online booking system are launched next month.

Below are several photos from The George Hotel Facebook page, where several more room and view pictures can be viewed.

See my August 23 2011 post for photos and information about Platis Gialos beach.

 The George Hotel Mykonos

I have circled The George Hotel location on this aerial photo of Platis Gialos

 The George Hotel Mykonos

From The George Hotel Facebook page, a view of the hotel exterior

 The George Hotel Mykonos

This is one of three room interior photos posted on the hotel Facebook page

The George Hotel  Mykonos

Guests of The George will enjoy views like this of the Platis Gialos area

Going to Mykonos this summer? Check hotels now for early booking discounts & special offers

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De.light Mykonos

The gorgeous seaview swimming pool at De.light Boutique Hotel looks oh-so-inviting in this photo from the hotel website. De.light is among numerous Mykonos resorts currently offering early booking deals for summer travel.

 

 

Reserve now: If you plan to visit Mykonos this summer, consider booking your accommodations as soon as possible to get a good deal on the price — and ensure you get to stay at the hotel of your choice.

On New Year’s Eve, a travel tip entitled 5 things smart travelers should do in January caught my eye on the Condé Nast Traveler magazine website.  Item #5 recommended reserving summer hotel rooms on Mykonos and Santorini now to take advantage of early-booking bargains.

The article quoted Leftheris Papageorgiou of St Paul Minnesota-based Hellenic Adventures as saying this is the time of year many hotels on the two hugely popular Cycladic islands offer special promotions. “Not only will you get your top pick of hotels, but you’ll get them at a reduced rate,” he said.

 

 

Mykonos popular on travel website searches

But there’s another good reason to reserve soon — rooms at your preferred hotel could sell out quickly. Mykonos recorded one of its best-ever years for tourism in 2014, and the island’s popularity could soar even higher this summer.

In fact, Mykonos ranked in the world’s top 5 travel destinations for 2015 in data analyzed by Skyscanner, one of the major travel search engines. Additionally, Skyscanner found that Mykonos was the #2 most-searched destination for Australians, and #3 for travellers in the United Kingdom. (People around the globe conduct more than 30 million searches per month on the travel site. Working with trend forecasting firms, Skyscanner studied its treasure trove of data to predict the top places in the world “to be and be seen in 2015.”)

And just a few days ago, The Huffington Post singled out Mykonos and Santorini when it ranked Greece #4 in its Top 15 International Destinations for 2015. “These magnificent islands are every bit as gorgeous, romantic, laid back, and fun as any place you can find on earth. There’s Mykonos for romance, Santorini for breathtaking beaches, Crete for natural wonders, and so much more to discover.” the Huffington Post explained.

 

 Mykonos Town

A view of Mykonos Town and its harbour area. The Skyscanner travel search website has predicted that Mykonos will be one of the world’s top 5 travel destinations in 2015.

 

Random search for bargains at Mykonos hotels

To see if early booking bargains are indeed available right now, I randomly checked websites for dozens of hotels on Mykonos (sorry, Santorini fans — I just didn’t have the time to check hotels on that island, too). I discovered that many sites don’t explicitly indicate if any special promotions are available at all, while several still advertise early booking deals for last year. Quite a few sites have banners or navigation menus promising “special offers,” but the links took me to blank pages or basic online booking forms that didn’t indicate rate reductions. Clearly, many hotels haven’t updated their webpages in a long time! But with tourist arrivals expected to be strong on Mykonos again this year, I’m sure many hotel proprietors won’t need to offer discounts to fill their rooms. Nevertheless, I did find deals for certain room categories or specific travel dates indicated on the websites for several popular hotels and resorts.

What follows is summary of promotions I discovered during my random survey, listed by island location. If you’re interested in a different resort on Mykonos or any other island, for that matter, carefully check their websites for mention of early booking bonuses. If you don’t see any deals advertised, email or telephone the hotel to inquire if any benefits are available if you book now. It never hurts to ask, and many Greek hotels will be pleased to provide discounts if you reserve directly with them rather than through one of the major online third-party booking agencies.

Please click on the link below to continue reading on page 2 of this post.

 

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Summer’s top drink on Mykonos: champagne

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Bubblesgallery Champagne-Cocktail bar

Just as this photo from the Bubblesgallery Champagne-Cocktail Bar Facebook page suggests, champagne is the top beverage choice for Mykonos visitors celebrating important occasions or special holiday moments …

 

 Super Paradise beach Mykonos

… but at some of the island’s notorious party beaches, champagne is meant to be shaken and sprayed, not drunk, as this photo from the Super Paradise Beach Facebook page illustrates

 

 Sip it or spray it: Seems like only yesterday that mojitos were all the rage on Mykonos.  Everywhere I went a couple of summers ago, whether in Mykonos Town or at one of the island’s world-famous beaches, I saw people sipping mojitos.  Dozens of different drinks are more in favour now, but social media postings show that the most popular alcoholic beverage on the island this summer isn’t a cocktail — it’s champagne.

I regularly follow Mykonos events on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and elsewhere, and have been astounded by the vast number of photos and videos of champagne that have been published so far this summer.

The images confirm that Mykonos tourists will drink thousands of cases of bubbly this travel season, but also suggest it’s possible that much of the sparkling French wine sold on the island won’t even touch people’s lips.

Many visitors will order bottles of bubbly to toast an important occasion or mark a special holiday moment, of course, but countless more will purchase champagne with absolutely no intention of ever taking a taste. For them, it’s only meant to be shaken and sprayed — at other people, especially sexy bikini-clad young ladies.

 

Bars at two of the island’s top party beaches — Paradise and Super Paradise — have been stocking champagne by the truckload this summer to supply revellers who want to shake things up and get wet, wild and sticky after spending their afternoon frolicking in the sun and sea.

While dowsing people with drinks sounds like something one might expect to see only at beaches where 18- to 35-year-old partygoers gather to get totally trashed, champagne showers have been recorded even at classy high-end Mykonos dining and drinking establishments, like Nammos Restaurant by the Sea at upscale Psarou beach.

If you’re travelling to Mykonos this season, turn to page 2 of this post to discover some of the best places to enjoy champagne — whether you prefer to sip it or spray it.

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Mykonos food and drink 2013: The island’s most popular beach tavernas and restaurants

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 The view from Kiki's taverna at Agios Sostis beach on Mykonos

This view of a calm cove and tranquil beach on Panormos Bay is a major element of the sublime setting and laid-back, relaxed ambience…

 

The tree- and vine-sheltered dining terrace at Kiki's taverna at Agios Sostis beach on Mykonos

… that continue to draw scores of diners to cozy Kiki’s Taverna near Agios Sostis beach on Mykonos. But the taverna’s superb salads and great grilled meat dishes are the main reasons why Kiki’s remains one of the most talked about beach restaurants on the island. Click on the photos to view full-size pictures.

 

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[This is the second in a series of reports about the Mykonos restaurant and bar scene this summer. The first highlighted restaurants in and near Mykonos Town that have been generating lots of buzz so far this season. This instalment profiles popular restaurants at a dozen different beach areas on the island.]

 

Best of the beaches: Mykonos is one of the most popular beach destinations in Greece, boasting more than two dozen major beaches plus countless coves and secret swimming spots off the beaten tourist path.

The good news for visitors who work up an appetite while enjoying the sun, sand and sea is that very good restaurants — some of which are considered to be among the best dining spots on the island — can be found on or near at least 16 of those beautiful beaches.

Here’s a look at the restaurants and tavernas at a dozen different beaches that travellers and locals alike have been talking about the most this summer. (I will provide a more comprehensive list of dining establishments at all beach areas in a separate post still to come.)

 

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2012 Greek holiday trip report: Mykonos Part 2

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Tourlos new port area of Mykonos

Mid-morning view from Hotel Tagoo of the Mykonos New Port at Tourlos …

 

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Norwegian Jade cruise ship

… where  the 2,400-passenger Norwegian Jade is docked for the day

 

 

 

 Here’s a videoclip showing the morning views from Hotel Tagoo

 

 

Wednesday May 16

 

I awoke to an absolutely gorgeous Mykonos morning. Sunny skies and warm temperatures promised perfect weather for a beach day. From the terrace outside the hotel breakfast room, I could see four cruise ships including the Norwegian Jade docked at the New Port and the Azamara Quest, Windstar Wind Spirit, and Seabourn Quest, all anchored near the Old Port. I made plans to hit the beach for the afternoon then spend the evening in Mykonos Town where, I assumed, the streets would be lively and teeming with tourists from the cruise ships.

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Top 6 memories of my Mykonos holiday in 2012 — #4: Surf, sand & sun at more than 20 beaches

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Paraga beach Mykonos

A view of Paraga beach in the foreground and Psarou beach in the distance at rear right. Not visible in between are Agia Anna and Platis Gialos beaches.

 

20 beaches: Locals tell me there are more than 60 beaches on Mykonos, some of which are situated in remote areas of the island that few tourists ever get to see. In all my visits to Mykonos to date, I have seen less than 30 beaches, which means there are still plenty more for me to discover on future holidays.

Last month, I got to see more than 20 different beaches, and actually spent awhile enjoying 17 of them.  I visited Kapari and Lia for the first time ever, and made return trips to several beaches I had not seen in a few years: Kalafatis, Elia, Super Paradise,  Psarou and Agios Stefanos.

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