It’s not just a hotel. No. This place is an ode, a song, a love letter, a poem. It was written by an idealistic Greek American as a dedication to his Greek heritage and memories of childhood summers in Greece and how t here experiences shaped him.
It’s called Cali Mykonos and the story began to unfold the moment I stepped foot on the property. It’s quite a beautiful story that makes this place one of the finest hotels I’ve ever seen, not only on Mykonos, but in the world.
It was obvious to me that this wasn’t just a business venture for Kyriakos “Eric” Mourkakos, the young Greek American who undertook this massive project and brought it to fruition.
For me, a hotel needs to be about the complete experience. It’s not just the comfort of the bed and pillows, or the quality of room service. I need to feel the energy of the place and appreciate the story of its existence. Few hotels have moved or provoked me the way Cali Mykonos did.
Mourkakos, a late-twenty-something New Yorker is the brainchild behind the stunning 40+ suite property overlooking Kalafatis Beach that took almost seven years to complete. And every detail of the place has his involvement.
During a chat at the pool, I asked him to describe what the hotel means to him in three words.
SUSTAINABILITY, CULTURE AND COSMOPOLITAN.
The rooftops are planted with herbs and spices reminiscent of the smells during Eric’s summers in Greece, like fresh thyme, lavender and oregano.
The green rooftops also provide natural insulation and cooling to the buildings, reducing electricity usage and pressure on the island’s already-fragile power grid.
Every single stone that was excavated from the property was used in building the structures and walls of the sprawling hillside complex, named Cali after Mourkakos’ mom, Calliope. Even the stonework has a back story. Hailing from the Mani region of southern Peloponnese, Eric explained that he wanted stonework that resembled the stone towers of his family’s ancestral Mani.
And can we talk about that pool? It’s not just another hotel pool on a Greek island. In fact, it’s the longest infinity pool on Mykonos and one of the longest in all of Greece, spanning 130 meters (426 feet) along the perimeter of the hillside. But its size isn’t offensive. In fact, it blends and actually compliments the contour of the land.
Cali is comprised of 40 villas and suites of varying shapes and sizes. Many come with sprawling verandas and private seawater pools. The hotel’s version of a “presidential suite” is the stunning Villa Calliope, a three-bedroom 2,420 sq ft multi-tiered space built into the side of the mountain. The villa includes two infinity pools and comes with its own concierge. Three private terraces span a massive 6,190 sq ft, all overlooking the Aegean below.
Cali’s villas and suites are perched out of the hillside along a meandering path dotted with olive trees and prickly pear cactus. Electric golf carts whisk the guests up and down the various levels of the property from the reception, down to the pool level.
The design is accented with varieties of Greek marble and stone, all sustainably sourced. Greek-made furniture, abstract Greek art from local artists, handcrafted pottery and dried flowers– even the organic cotton mattresses are made in Greece.
Cali isn’t just a hotel, with a stunning pool and a private beach. It’s not the rooms with views and private pools. It’s much more behind the physical. It’s a beautiful story that Eric Mourkakos wrote… to Greece.
We need more story-tellers like Eric. We need more stories like Cali Mykonos.
