Kalesma Mykonos

Kalesma Mykonos

On a hillside in Aleomandra, three kilometres above Mykonos Town, Kalesma Mykonos catches the sunrise over the Aegean and the sunset behind the island of Delos, a rare double exposure built into the property since it opened in 2020. The 52 rooms and suites lean into that light: whitewashed walls, stone and linen, and in the upper categories a private heated pool set against open sea views, plus Nespresso machines, king Simmons beds and outdoor kitchens for anyone who'd rather cook than commute to dinner. Downstairs, Executive Chef Costas Tsingas runs Pere Ubu on Cycladic produce and restraint rather than spectacle, while Kuveda channels a village kafenion and Aloni turns golden hour into a standing appointment overlooking Delos. What sets Kalesma apart from the island's other design hotels is its collaboration with textile artist Faye Chatzi, whose seasonal weaving workshops give guests something to do with their hands besides hold a cocktail, alongside a fleet of electric vehicles for guest transfers and solar panels going in across the property. There's a spa, a 24-hour gym, a diving club and two pools beyond the private ones, so the days can be structured or not. This suits couples and solo travellers who want quiet design and a sea view without needing to be in Mykonos Town, and who don't mind arranging a taxi or the hotel's transfer, 60 euros each way, to reach the clubs and shops. It won't suit anyone chasing walk-to-everything convenience or a party scene at the door. Pets are welcome, which is unusual at this altitude of hotel. Check-in from 3pm, checkout at 11am, and a hill that keeps both ends of the day. A whitewashed hillside hotel above Mykonos Town, where suites open onto private heated pools and Delos fills the sunset, and a collaboration with a textile artist brings weaving workshops no other island hotel offers. Better for quiet, design-minded stays than for anyone wanting nightlife within walking distance.