This is not the Mykonos I was told about. It is my first time on the ‘party island’ and as the airport transfer draws close to the southeastern coast and I get my first glimpse of Cali, the island’s reputation for champagne-fueled hedonism couldn’t be further away. Before me is a white-washed hilltop resort capped with green roofs of lavender and oregano, surrounded by wild grass blowing in the warm sea air. “Is that a goat?,” someone in my travel party inquiries as the local herd has come to welcome us.
Cali was eight years in the making. A family-run affair, its driving force is 29-year-old Kyriakos ‘Eric’ Mourkakos. For the Greek New Yorker, who named the resort after his mother, you get the impression this is more than just a business venture. Mourkakos set out to show a more peaceful side to the Mykonos with Greek authenticity and high-level hospitality (Cali has a staff to guest ratio of 2:1) at its heart.
The young owner enlisted Athens studio SFTN Labs to deliver the hotel’s sleek architecture and interiors with a firm emphasis on hyperlocal materials and a low environmental impact. Clean-line structures of hand carved stone excavated from the hillside, traditional white plaster and glass flow along the rugged landscape. Enormous windows offer views of the resort’s private cove beach and curved 130m infinity pool (the longest in Mykonos). Neighboring Naxos island and nearby Kalafati beach – a long-time low-key favorite amongst those in the know – can be spotted in the distance.
It seems Mourkakos was on to a good thing. Since Cali opened in 2022, global luxury resort One&Only have purchased a plot nearby, also falling for the allure of this tranquil corner of Mykonos.
Stay
Cali’s 40 villas and suites stream out of the hillside along meandering paths peppered with olive trees and prickly pear cactus. Luxe minimalist interiors are adorned with varieties of Greek marble and stone. A neutral color palette is effortlessly curated with Greek-made furniture, abstract Greek artworks, local pottery and dried flowers – even the organic cotton mattresses are made in Greece. Many have their own heated seawater pool, those that don’t offer generous outdoor terraces.
There is no one size fits all approach here with 13 different suite and villa categories. For solo travelers and couples, our favorites are the Cali Suite or the one-of-a-kind Grand One-Bedroom Villa, a generous two story sanctuary with picture frame windows, separate living room and infinity pool.
This can be joined to the jewel in Cali’s crown: the three-bedroom 2,420 sq ft Villa Calliope. A multi-tiered space built into the mountainside, it features two dazzling infinity pools and comes with its own concierge. Its three private terraces span a gargantuan 6,190 sq ft, all overlooking the Aegean below.
Dine
Cali’s dining options are helmed by executive chef Thanos Karaolanis who hails from the Greek island of Lesbos. Karaolanis spent much of his culinary career in London with stints at Hakkasan and Nobu. This is most apparent at The Lounge, Cali’s newest cliffside addition offering precision rolled sushi and sashimi prepared with locally caught fish and paired with a creative list of cocktails and champagne. The shrimp tempura and tuna sashimi are particularly good.
For something altogether more Greek, head to The Restaurant for dinner which offers fresh meze (order the zucchini chips and the Cali spread selection with homemade pita). There is also a raw bar and main course options include whole lobster, Greek style lamb chops and spanakorizo – a Greek spinach risotto.
A lunch menu of Greek classics, comfort food and healthy but tasty salads is offered by the Pool Bar. The Greek salad is an obvious must, the feta is sourced by chef Karaolanis from Lesbos, said to be the home of the famed cheese.
Another lunchtime, we join the chef for a cooking lesson, preparing a feast of barbecued tuna skewers, sea bass ceviche and mouth-watering cod medallions cooked in lemon butter over flavorsome tomato fregola.
Relax
The spa will be unveiled for summer 2025, but that doesn’t mean missing out, with treatments delivered from the comfort of your suite or villa by genuinely skilled therapists (the deep tissue massage is superb).
The gym is sizable and features a reformer pilates and yoga studio, however the best way to practice yoga at Cali is with a private instructor by your pool. You can also book in with a personal trainer if you’ve over-indulged on the gyros.
After that, you might need some downtime and for this, Cali is graced with a truly private beach – a rarity in Mykonos. Follow the path down to the secluded cove where loungers, cocktails and crystal waters await.
Explore
With its own harbor, guests can charter one of the resort’s speed boats or a yacht for as little as a couple of hours, or for overnight excursions. Explore hidden coves, as well as neighboring islands such as the UNESCO World Heritage Delos – the birthplace of Apollo; or the uninhabited island of Rhenia, enjoying a chef-prepared picnic on a deserted beach. It is also an eye-catching way to make an entrance at Scorpios – Mykonos’s most coveted beach club.
On land, Cali has its own fleet of vans whether you want to head to the party (the concierge is on hand to assist with those sought after reservations), or the 25-minute ride to Mykonos Town (locally known as Chora) for dinner at the likes of Noema or Coya; shopping at Dior, Fendi and Chanel; or a harbourside coffee at ‘Little Venice’ overlooking the famous windmills.
For me, this is one of the most joyful things about a stay at Cali – you can dip your toe in the Mykonos buzz, knowing you will be returning to tranquility.
From approx. $800 per night, resort open from April – October, calimykonos.com
