REVIEW | Mykonos Town Vencia Boutique Hotel & Karavaki Restaurant

Maspalomas on Gran Canaria. Sitges in Catalonia. Torremolinos in Andalusia. Mykonos in the Cyclades. These are arguably the main – and cliché – resort destinations for European gay beachgoers. But that’s not why Steve and I are going to Mykonos. We’re not beachgoers, we don’t have beach bodies, we don’t enjoy going out. No, we just want to visit the archeologic island of Delos. So making the best of coveted free time during the 2023 school summer holiday, we’re off to Greece!

We stumbled upon Mykonos Town Vencia Boutique Hotel on Booking. A four-star hotel with pool but no gym fit our bill. Five-star hotels were (are) too expensive and Vencia just looked really nice.

Location

When the hotel driver picked us up from the airport, it was only a short ride to the hotel, located on a busy road. But perception deceives. Vencia is on the edge of pedestrian Chora or Hora (Χώρα), way better known as Mykonos Town.

But the hotel has a little shortcut which allows you to bypass a whole loop of main road. And roads don’t have sidewalks so that’s a big plus. It also cuts walking time to the harbour. In less than 30 minutes on foot you’re everywhere in Mykonos Town.

Reception

The reception was smooth and friendly. All staff members speak a very decent English. Not only did we check in, but we got a welcome drink and an elaborate explanation on how things work at the hotel and in Mykonos.

A bell boy brought or luggage to the room. So nice!

The room

The room has a traditional lay-out with the bathroom on the right and the bedroom as main ‘dish’. Two separate beds as we asked for. There’s a lounge chair, a desk, a luggage holder, a television, some mirrors, a wardrobe. Not thre most practical one ever, but there is one.

Obviously there are bedside night tables. There are not too many power outlets but many light witches.

The room features a balcony with two chairs. We used it mostly to dry towels and clothes.

The air conditioning is easy to use and efficient. It’s not loud so you can easily sleep with the AC on.

The bathroom

One shower, one sink. Toiletries by Bienvenue Paris. No dispenser, but classic bottles of shower gel and shampoo.

You’re not allowed to throw toilet paper in the toilet as it may clog the pipes. A very nice feature is a window. A rarity in (hotel) bathrooms.

The shower is nice and practical. The bathroom could use a few improvements. More hooks and bars to dry the many towels provided. And the sink doesn’t drain the water well. It’s always wet. As in, if you throw your towel in there, it will be soaked.

The door is a glass door! But with a curtain. It also has a magnet system to keep it from slamming shut when there’s wind, but it means you can’t go discretely to the toilet at night.

Pool and pool bar

The pool is not large but substantial. Beware, it gets deeper when nearing the infinity edge townside. The pool offers a magnificent view on Mykonos Town, the bay and the Aegean Sea. There are quite a few sun beds and lounge chairs of different type.

The sun gets really burning so it’s important to choose a good spot. Vencia could have provided more shading possibilities.

The pool bar is staffed by two waiters who are proactive but never pushing or disturbing. They’re really good at ‘reading’ the guest. Kudos for that. The drinks menu is extensive.

You can also order food. Lunch items are available between noon at 6 PM. Sushi until 5 PM. The prices are acceptable for a hotel pool bar.

There is music at the pool. Not too loud. Easy-listening music, a lot of French songs and covers. We even heard some Adamo.

We heard a lot of Australian English, Spanish and some French and Austrian German. There were even Flemings (besides us).

Breakfast

Breakfast is served from 8 AM to 10 AM which a quite small window. There is a buffet but also a complimentary menu. The menu has warm dishes on offer: eggs in different styles, avocado toast, pancakes and such things.

Coffee and milk are brought at you table. So no annoying coffee machine.

The buffet offers the predictable bread options, cold cuts, (Greek and local) cheeses, yoghurts, salad items, fruit, juices and water. As Mykonos is in Greece, there are quite a few pastry options.

Noteworthy are the Greek rice pudding and the hearty snacks. Cheese bites, hearty puff pastry items, cheese sticks, sausages, vegetable rolls. Items you’d associate with street food or a fries place.

The breakfast has a nice offering, but in those four days little changed. More variation would be welcome.

Karavaki Restaurant

Karavaki (‘small boat’) is the fine dining restaurant at Vencia, open for guests and outsiders. It offers a magnificent vista over the Aegean and the sunset.

Karavaki is fine dining so it’s pricey, but the ‘Aegean Night Menu‘ is not. 85 euros, which is more than reasonable. There is no wine pairing.

“The view is breathtaking, whether you choose to visit Karavaki during the day or at night. If you wish to make the most out of a candlelit dinner in Mykonos, you are welcome to make reservations to this marvelous high-end restaurant. You will have the opportunity to taste Mediterranean cuisine, blended with Greek and local touches that add to the ultimate gourmand dishes”, the website says.

When you stay at Vencia, dine in one night. It’s certainly worth it.

So?

Mykonos Town Vencia Boutique Hotel is a great option to stay in Mykonos, near town, but not in it so just far enough from the madding crowd. Really friendly staff as well and decent facilities.

I get why there is no gym. It takes space and people are here to relax, but I missed it. Because it’s so close to town, you have really to make an effort to get your daily dose of steps!

But nevertheless I recommend Vencia.