Alkyon Hotel

Alkyon Hotel is situated on a hill overlooking the Aegean Sea, the harbor, and the iconic white buildings of Mykonos Town. The hotel is housed in a white three-floor building, situated on grounds with pine trees, shrubs, and bushes. The lobby is done in rustic-yet-refined white, beige, and light blue color scheme -- characteristic of the area -- and features finely upholstered chairs and sofas, a chandelier, and ornate silver-framed mirrors plus a flat-screen TV. There's also an open-air veranda with sea and town views. The hotel draws leisure travelers and couples with its spacious rooms, free breakfast, pool, and quiet hilltop location not too far from town. When the hotel shuttle or cabs aren't available, guests make a strenuous walk back up the hill to the hotel, so a stay here may not be ideal for those with mobility issues (the same can be said about the lack of an elevator). 

The hotel sits on a hilltop overlooking the Aegean Sea, a 10-minute walk from Mykonos Town and on one of the three main roads connecting Mykonos Town to Ano Mera, the beaches, and outer Mykonos attractions. A bus stopping outside the hotel runs to many of the beaches and attractions on Mykonos. The historic Mykonos Windmills are a five-minute drive or 15-minute walk from the hotel. A three-minute walk north of the windmills is the area with the Old Port, the 17th-century Church of Panagia Paraportiani, and Little Venice, with its historic homes built right over the water. In this area are numerous shops, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. The Archaeological Museum of Mykonos is a little over a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Paradise Beach is considered by many as the best beach on Mykonos -- it's a 15-minute drive. The Mykonos ferry terminal is an eight-minute drive and the airport is a five-minute drive from the Alkyon Hotel. The hotel runs a shuttle to the ferry port and will drop guests off in town en route, but the shuttle doesn't run frequently and taxis are sometimes hard to come by. The walk back from town is strenuous and uphill on a rocky path. 

The 30 rooms and suites at the Alkyon have a white-and-beige color palette, with some adding dashes of red or blue. The rooms have simple, light-wood furnishings and walls that are largely bare save for a few pieces of whimsical landscape art. They lack the exuberance of the decor downstairs in the common areas, and while they are clean and in good condition, the look is a touch dated and somewhat bland. Rooms are spacious, with most over 300 square feet (28 square meters) in size; suites start at 377 square feet (35 square meters) but some are larger. All rooms come with air-conditioning, desks, slippers, safes, minibars, and smallish flat-screen TVs with some English channels. However, they lack electric kettles for tea or coffee. Some rooms have furnished balconies or verandas with views of Mykonos town or the sea, while suites have sitting areas with sofas. Bathrooms are clean, bright, and spacious, with hairdryers and plenty of counter space around the sinks. Some look less modern than others, with tan linoleum tiling, though certain rooms have nice white marble vanities. Shower/tub combos are standard. Both smoking and non-smoking rooms are available, and the hotel allows up to one small pet per room with prior notice (fees and restrictions may apply). The hotel has no elevator but baggage assistance is available. 

Alkyon Hotel serves a free, decent-quality breakfast buffet of scrambled eggs, meats, and baked goods, but there's no restaurant for lunch and dinner -- there are views of sea on offer over breakfast. A cocktail bar is in the lobby and a second seasonal poolside bar also serves light snacks. The outdoor pool is large enough to swim laps, and features a deck with views of Mykonos Town and the sea. Its west-facing position make it a good spot to watch the sunset. The 24-hour front desk offers helpful sightseeing assistance and can arrange tours, excursions, and car and ATV rentals. Limited free parking is available on-site, and the hotel runs a free airport and ferry port shuttle with prior notice. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.