Review: Santa Marina, A Luxury Collection Resort, Mykonos
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Santa Marina, a Luxury Collection resort, is a haven of peace nestled on the enchanting island of Mykonos, offering breathtaking views of Ornos Bay from its infinity pools and private sandy beach. The elegant suites and villas scattered around the estate guarantee a luxurious and comfortable stay, ideal for memorable celebrations such as a wedding anniversary.
Booking
Thanks to my Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card (issued by American Express in the U.S.), I received two annual Free Night Award certificates for 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, which I used to book our stay at the Santa Marina. I didn’t have to shell out any extra points, as the basic room was listed at 84,000 points per night on the coveted travel dates, which is very close to the floor price of 80,000 points for a category 9 hotel.
With the base room costing around 600 euros per night during our stay, the value obtained for these certificates isn’t the best, yet it’s still worthwhile. I applied two « Nightly Upgrade Awards » earned by reaching Platinum status in the Marriott Bonvoy program to this reservation, hoping to get a villa; however, I was unsuccessful.
Arrival
Location
Santa Marina, a The Luxury Collection resort, offers a shuttle service between the hotel and the (new) port or the airport, and vice versa. Upon our arrival at the port, the driver quickly took care of our luggage. He acted as a tour guide during the fifteen-minute drive from the port to the hotel, pointing out various points of interest on the island of Mykonos along the way.
Santa Marina, a Luxury Collection resort, consists of a series of buildings set into the cliffside. Reception is in the main building, where the regular rooms are located. A significant number of the hotel’s rooms are suites or villas, scattered around the main building.
Check-In and Lobby
At the check-in counter, the agent confirmed the details of the reservation and thanked me for my loyalty to the hotel chain. When I was selecting my welcome gift, he explained that the hotel would be closing for the off-season on October 14th and that the buffet food offerings would be limited, so he graciously offered complimentary breakfasts. He then offered a choice between 1,000 bonus points or a makeup box with the hotel’s embroidered logo, which my wife would choose. The agent announced an upgrade to a suite and asked his bellman colleague to escort us there!
A quick glance around the entrance hall reveals several works of art and simple solid wood furniture. This hall also serves as a jewelry store, with various displays.
Room
The room we were assigned was suite number 141. It’s conveniently located in the lively heart of the hotel, close to the restaurants, pools and beach. The entrance to the room opens onto a long corridor. To the right is the bathroom, which features a bathtub and stand-up shower, as well as two sinks. It’s rather beige … Then there’s a large closet.
At the end of the corridor, we found the room featuring an impressive king-size four-poster bed with a television in a wooden cabinet at its foot. Large bedside tables were situated on either side, and the walls were adorned with beach-themed photos.
Next is the lounge/office area, where a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket has been left as a gift. This space can be isolated from the bedroom by means of large solid wood doors. Finally, the highlight of the show: the terrace and its magnificent private pool!
Restaurant
Elais
Breakfast, complimentary for Marriott Bonvoy members with Platinum status or higher, is served at the Elais restaurant, which features a stunning terrace overlooking Ornos Bay, adorned with wooden furniture and large umbrellas. In addition to the buffet, a short à la carte menu is available.
As mentioned at check-in, the buffet offerings were significantly reduced due to the hotel’s imminent closure, mainly featuring American specialties: scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, and hash browns. From the à la carte menu, my wife chose an avocado toast topped with a poached egg, while I was tempted by the shakshuka, which unfortunately arrived lukewarm.
To sum up, we found the breakfasts to be decent, but no more than that; a far cry from what we’re used to in some of Europe’s luxury hotels.
For lunch and dinner, the Elais restaurant offers Greek specialties at high prices.
Buddha-Bar Beach
Santa Marina, a The Luxury Collection resort, is recognized as the first to host the Buddha-Bar Beach concept, featuring fusion cuisine blending Asian and European styles. Food is offered at stratospheric prices, as is the alcohol. Despite its interesting decor and ambiance, we opted to skip this supper club. Greece has a rich gastronomic culture that we really appreciate, so far be it from us to dine on overpriced sushi…
Pool Bar and Beach Bar
The Pool Bar was closed at the time of our visit, given the hotel’s low occupancy levels. As for the Beach Bar, you can order food and drinks directly from the bar or from your deckchair on the beach! Here again, prices are high…
Other Services
Private Beach
Santa Marina, a The Luxury Collection resort, features a truly private beach, isolated on one side by a cliff and on the other by a barrier leading to a jetty with a small lighthouse. Furniture is installed all along this jetty, which serves as an extension of the beach.
The beach is quite narrow, but has fine blonde sand. The water of the Aegean Sea is crystal-clear, even in high winds, and swimming is very pleasant, even in mid-October. As we were the only guests still on site, given the hotel’s imminent closure, we had the beach to ourselves, while the staff busied themselves putting the furniture away. They did, however, leave us two deckchairs, an umbrella and a small table.
Pools
Three pools are available to all hotel guests: a central infinity pool with breathtaking views over Ornos Bay, surrounded by rest areas and swings; a pool with sun loungers and whirlpool near the Elias restaurant; and a pool inside a children’s play area, where a lifeguard is on duty during opening hours. Villas and some suites have private pools.
Gym
The hotel features a modestly sized workout room, but equipped with state-of-the-art Technogym machines. A separate room is equipped with a pilates machine.
Spa
Santa Marina, a The Luxury Collection resort, boasts an imposing spa, Ginkgo Spa, which uses only natural products and specializes in thalassotherapy treatments.
Other Curiosities
Other sights include a lighthouse, a helipad, an artificial turf tennis court, a beachwear store, a jewelry store, a windmill and a cottage with traditional Mykonian architecture equipped as villas and two small Orthodox Christian chapels, Saint George, which can be used for weddings, and Santa Marina, which inspired the hotel’s name.
The hotel also offers guests a collection of six boats, three traditional sailboats and three speedboats, which can be rented by the hour or by direction, for trips to the islands of Delos or Rhenia, or to the most popular beaches and beach clubs on Mykonos, for example.
Around the Hotel
Less than 15 minutes’ walk from the hotel is the public beach of Ornos Bay, near which there is a bus stop. The bus is definitely the best way to get around Mykonos cheaply, as there are only around 30 cabs and a few Uber drivers on the whole island.
Otherwise, Ornos Bay is bustling with bars and restaurants; we particularly enjoyed the traditional Greek grills at Lefteris Grill House. There are also two grocery stores, mainly aimed at tourists: Ornos Market and AB Food Market. At the time of our visit, their shelves were practically empty as the tourist season drew to a close.
Overall Impression
Santa Marina, a Luxury Collection resort, doesn’t offer an authentically Greek experience, as evidenced by the Buddha statues placed all around the hotel.
On the other hand, the hotel’s amenities, including its private beach, make it an excellent choice for a luxurious experience on the island of Mykonos at low cost thanks to Marriott Bonvoy points.
Earning Marriott Bonvoy Points
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- $600
- Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months
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