Apr 21, 2019, 4:05 am
Mystique - Santorini, Greece [Master Thread]
May 22, 2007, 9:56 am
#32
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 256
Well I didn't stay at there, but I did see it. I was in Santorini from May 14-17, in a cave house overlooking the Mystique. The resort opened on the 15th. They were working frantically to get it done until the last minute. We sat on our deck watching the construction action the day before, sure that they wouldn't be ready. But they did have people check in on the 15th.
It is located just outside of the pedestrian area, near the Canaves resort. There are quite a few very steep steps between the resort and the road, which I am sure they will be getting complaints about - but there is nothing to be done about that. I understand that it is not an entirely new resort, but a renovation of an older hotel (I am not sure which one).
I walked through the property (a public path goes through the resort, but it would rarely be used by anyone but guests as it only leads to a couple of small residences), and was pretty unimpressed. The whole place is very bland and unsantorini-ish. The buildings are all a cream colour (not white), as are the doors and window frames. No blue doors here. Even all the furnishings are white and neutral. I suppose you could say it is subtle and subdued, but that really doesn't suit the island. There seems to be a huge number of staff for the few rooms, so I assume service is good, but there is a lot of competition from excellent properties in the area. The patios are small and not very private, compared to the adjacent properties. The pool is small and there is a small dining area.
It just doesn't feel like a Luxury collection property - something is missing. The location has a great caldera view, but isn't ideal due to the public path passing through it (no real security or privacy from curious onlookers like me!), and the steep steps before you even reach reception. The whole place had a very sterile feel which really turned me off, it has none of the spirit of the island. I wouldn't spend my $ or points here, there are too may other options in Oia, which offer a more authentic, and equally luxurious experience.
I am eager to hear what someone who has actually stayed has to stay about it!
It is located just outside of the pedestrian area, near the Canaves resort. There are quite a few very steep steps between the resort and the road, which I am sure they will be getting complaints about - but there is nothing to be done about that. I understand that it is not an entirely new resort, but a renovation of an older hotel (I am not sure which one).
I walked through the property (a public path goes through the resort, but it would rarely be used by anyone but guests as it only leads to a couple of small residences), and was pretty unimpressed. The whole place is very bland and unsantorini-ish. The buildings are all a cream colour (not white), as are the doors and window frames. No blue doors here. Even all the furnishings are white and neutral. I suppose you could say it is subtle and subdued, but that really doesn't suit the island. There seems to be a huge number of staff for the few rooms, so I assume service is good, but there is a lot of competition from excellent properties in the area. The patios are small and not very private, compared to the adjacent properties. The pool is small and there is a small dining area.
It just doesn't feel like a Luxury collection property - something is missing. The location has a great caldera view, but isn't ideal due to the public path passing through it (no real security or privacy from curious onlookers like me!), and the steep steps before you even reach reception. The whole place had a very sterile feel which really turned me off, it has none of the spirit of the island. I wouldn't spend my $ or points here, there are too may other options in Oia, which offer a more authentic, and equally luxurious experience.
I am eager to hear what someone who has actually stayed has to stay about it!
May 22, 2007, 7:55 pm
#33
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,359
BTW, thanks for the report. I might try to drop by there and check it out for myself if I make it up to Oia while I'm there.
May 26, 2007, 1:29 pm
#35
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 49
I am booked at Mystique in October, but am seriously considering changing hotels. Your review, plus one other negative review on Tripadvisor, has me on the verge of switching to Katikies or Kirini. At least those hotels have proven track records. I really do not want an uninspired hotel to start my honeymoon!
May 28, 2007, 7:02 pm
#36
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UAL:1K, DL:Plat, CO:Plat, HH:Diamond, SPG:Plat
Posts: 338
May 28, 2007, 8:26 pm
#37
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 49
Here is the review, its from tripadvisor:
Posted on: 3:34 am, May 22, 2007
Save Save
Hello directly from the Mystique!
My husband and I have been here for the last 2 days. We are Starwood Members and have always entrusted the Starwood "Luxury" collection as a guarantee of quality and luxury. Unfortunately we were sadly let down on our stay here. Granted it is their first week of operation, but aside from the shakey service, the property itself is a let down. Small pool (rubber ducky size), no public jacuzzi, rooms...unremarkable. We did visit the Katikies Hotel yesterday and were very impressed with its beauty and first class service. Your definite best bet is the Katikies! Best Wishes!
socal
Save Save
Hello directly from the Mystique!
My husband and I have been here for the last 2 days. We are Starwood Members and have always entrusted the Starwood "Luxury" collection as a guarantee of quality and luxury. Unfortunately we were sadly let down on our stay here. Granted it is their first week of operation, but aside from the shakey service, the property itself is a let down. Small pool (rubber ducky size), no public jacuzzi, rooms...unremarkable. We did visit the Katikies Hotel yesterday and were very impressed with its beauty and first class service. Your definite best bet is the Katikies! Best Wishes!
socal
May 29, 2007, 1:23 pm
#38
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,359
Here is the review, its from tripadvisor:
Posted on: 3:34 am, May 22, 2007
Save Save
Hello directly from the Mystique!
My husband and I have been here for the last 2 days. We are Starwood Members and have always entrusted the Starwood "Luxury" collection as a guarantee of quality and luxury. Unfortunately we were sadly let down on our stay here. Granted it is their first week of operation, but aside from the shakey service, the property itself is a let down. Small pool (rubber ducky size), no public jacuzzi, rooms...unremarkable. We did visit the Katikies Hotel yesterday and were very impressed with its beauty and first class service. Your definite best bet is the Katikies! Best Wishes!
socal
Posted on: 3:34 am, May 22, 2007
Save Save
Hello directly from the Mystique!
My husband and I have been here for the last 2 days. We are Starwood Members and have always entrusted the Starwood "Luxury" collection as a guarantee of quality and luxury. Unfortunately we were sadly let down on our stay here. Granted it is their first week of operation, but aside from the shakey service, the property itself is a let down. Small pool (rubber ducky size), no public jacuzzi, rooms...unremarkable. We did visit the Katikies Hotel yesterday and were very impressed with its beauty and first class service. Your definite best bet is the Katikies! Best Wishes!
socal
That's the problem with Tripadvisor. I trust FTers much more than I trust some random post on T.A. But I guess if there have been a couple bad reviews (including a FT lookthru), then they better think about lowering those prices and/or point requirements........
May 29, 2007, 2:19 pm
#40
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
Probably the GM of Katikies wrote that review. That's the problem with Tripadvisor. I trust FTers much more than I trust some random post on T.A. But I guess if there have been a couple bad reviews (including a FT lookthru), then they better think about lowering those prices and/or point requirements........
That's the problem with Tripadvisor. I trust FTers much more than I trust some random post on T.A. But I guess if there have been a couple bad reviews (including a FT lookthru), then they better think about lowering those prices and/or point requirements........I hope someone here posts a detailed trip report of Mystique.
MoCheex or nnn may be our guinea pigs
May 29, 2007, 3:12 pm
#41
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco
Programs: All-Around Kettle
Posts: 3,287
Jun 2, 2007, 3:22 am
#42
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UAL:1K, DL:Plat, CO:Plat, HH:Diamond, SPG:Plat
Posts: 338
MoCheex here, happy to be serving as your guinea pig at The Mystique in Oia, Santorini. I plan a full trip report (with pics) when I return from my honeymoon but thought I would give people in this forum some idea of what to expect from the Mystique.
The Mrs. and I arrived via Athens on Aegean Air (really quick 40 min flt and cheap) at 7:45pm on the 30th. We were greeted by a uniformed driver with a sign. The airport in Thira is small and baggage arrived quickly and we had no problem finding our driver. We were taken to the hotel via a Mercedes van with 4 leather opposite facing seats (2 facing each way). The van was brand new and emblazened with the Luxury Collection logo on each side. The driver was very friendly and served as a wonderful guide as we drove from the airport to Oia via Fira. The drive is about 25 minutes from the airport to the hotel along very narrow cliff roads. It is breathtakingly beautiful.
We arrived at the hotel and were greeted by a bell boy who carried our bags to the reception area. The cliffside has several hotels and the Mystique is the one closest to the water so there is a little bit of a walk down to the reception area. Once at reception we were given champagne and welcomed by the GM and the hostess/receptionist. We had booked the lowest level room (Vibrant suite) and were upgraded to an Allure suite. We thanked the GM and she said "you are both Starwood Golds!" So I am not sure if the upgrade was a result of it being our honeymoon or our "status". I actually think it was bc of our status. We were given a tour of the property by the receptionist as we drank our champagne. The property is only 18 suites and has little open/common area as the rooms are located in the cliffside. There is not very much privacy on the room balconies as a result of the intimacy of the property and nature of being on a cliffside. There is a main walkway that leads to each of the rooms but it is not a public walkway as previously described. The only people I have seen on the paths are guests and staff. The 2 overwater villas (Air of Secrecy and Air of Mystery) have the most privacy and cannot be seen from the other rooms or really and other part of the property. They too are in the cliffside but are located below the rest of the rooms and actually under the restaurant and pool. I have not seen them yet but will ask prior to departure.
There is a small veranda/patio that overlooks the property and is to serve as an area to have a (very) small wedding or cocktail reception. It has not been used by us or others since we arrived but we were told that is its intended purpose. In fact, as I am writing we just got a note delivered to the room informing us that there will be a wedding today at 6pm…so we will find out what it looks like! We were then taken to our suite. We were in Suite 12.
Patio
As an Allure suite we had a visibly larger balcony/patio than the Vibrant suites. We have 2 lounge chairs, 2 regular chairs, a table and a bench seat. The patio is spacious. I call it a patio bc it is not elevated and located on the ground level. It has spectacular views of the caldera but no different than if you were walking along the path. To me, a balcony implies a raised patio or deck.
Suite
We entered the suite with no idea what to expect as it is located in the Cliffside and unlike anything else we have seen. You enter into the living room area with the bedroom directly in front of you.
The living area has a cabinet which has a 30inch LCD television on the top, a small refrigerator (wet mini bar) and dry mini bar underneath. The TV is brand new and a flat panel which is pretty nice. The mini bar is FULL of drinks and the dry bar has a nice selection of chips etc. There is a couch opposite the TV cabinet. The couch is more of an extended bench seat with 2 separate cushions serving as the back rest and the actual seat. It is not the most comfortable couch in the world but serves it purpose. We have not watched much TV or spent a lot of time inside. There is a small modern coffee table that had an apricot liquor welcome gift and a fresh fruit plate (kiwis, apples, oranges, bananas etc.). Next to the front door is a window that looks out onto the patio.
Bedroom
The bedroom is visible from the living room through the arched doorway and 2 arched windows. The suite is minimally decorated and had no art on the wall or carpets. The Mrs. Thinks it could use a shag throw rug and some fresh flowers to liven it up. I would agree. The bedroom has a large and very comfortable king bed. On either side there is a bedside table with light switches for the room. There is also a humidifier as it can get dry in the room. The room has a lot of well positioned and discreet lights as it can otherwise get pretty dark in the “cave”. The bedroom is not much larger than the bed and probably about 130 sq ft. The living room is probably about 250 sq ft. Off the living room is a hallway the leads to the bathroom. In the hallway are 2 nice sized closets and a full length mirror. There is a safe in one of the closets as well as 2 mystique logoed bathrobes.
Bathroom
As you enter the bathroom directly in front of you are his and her sinks with modern finishes. To the left is another room that has the toilet and shower. The shower is fairly open and separated only by a glass wall. The water pressure is very nice and the showerhead is located directly above you in the ceiling and has a rainspout. Returning to the area where the sinks are located is a HUGE whirlpool/Jacuzzi. This is where things get interesting. The tub could easily fit 6 people (which is great) and feels really cozy as it is in its own little area. The problems with the tub are plentiful. There is only 1 faucet from which to fill the sink and it is essentially the same thing you would have on a standard tub at home. The other issue with the faucet is that it is located on the far side of the tub, so in order to turn it on or off you need to get in the tub. This is inconvenient. The other issue is that bc it is a standard faucet and the tub is so large it takes AT LEAST an hour to fill. By the time you have filled it up the water temperature is not much above very warm and would be a stretch to say the temperature is hot. The other issue is the there are only 5 jets in the tub. 3 on one side and 2 on the other. They are strangely positioned and we could never seem to get completely comfortable with how we were sitting. There is a window in the tub area that overlooks the caldera and this is quite romantic. The problem is that the window is located on the main walkway so if the shade is open others can see directly into the tub. Potentially not a big issue but as someone on his honeymoon…I don’t want others seeing into the tub area. Getting in an out of the tub is also a little treacherous. I would imagine there will be a slip&fall lawsuit within the first 3 months that will lead them to changing the way you get in and out and potentially refinishing the bathroom floor. When the area outside the shower gets wet it also is VERY slippery.
The bathroom looks great and the idea is wonderful and romantic…the execution however was not great. It is still a nice bathroom, but not what it could have been.
Pool
The pool has an incredible infinity edge overlooking the caldera. It is fairly hidden from room views but is located between the restaurant (restaurant is on the far left of the hotel looking from the top) and the pool deck so it is not uber private. It is small but so is every hotel pool in Santorini. It is refreshing and serves it purpose. Sitting in the pool having the cocktail of your choice is highly recommended. I have never seen more than 1 couple in the pool at a time (which may or may not be a result of the size). The pool deck has about 20 lounge chairs and 6 very large umbreallas. They play beautiful background music on the pool deck and it has a great view and infinity edge as well.
Restaurant
The Mrs. and I ate dinner here after our day of travel from SFO as we were very hungry and did not want to go anywhere. The views are spectacular from the restaurant and it has an outdoor patio with about 15 tables and an indoor area (separated by a glass sliding door) with about 5 tables. We had tuna tartar appetizer, crabcake appetizer and 2 salads with shrimp. The tuna was OK but tasted a little more fishy than others I have had. The crab cake was excellent. The salads were interesting. The greens tasted like pine needles and there was another green I could not identify. The shrimp was great but overall the salad was average. We had bottled water with our meal and no alcohol. The dinner was over 120 euros! I thought the restaurant would be expensive, but that seemed a little pricey to me.
Breakfast was included in our room rate (Taste of Luxury pkg) and this has been wonderful. You can order whatever you would like off the menu and as much of it as you would like. If you are paying for it you can do the same as it is a price fix of 55 Euro per person. The crossaints are excellent (the Mrs. recommends the chocolate) as is the Muesli and poached eggs. The fresh fruit is plentiful and the fresh smoothies and lattes are memorable. I am not sure it is worth 55 Euros per person but since it is included we have been enjoying it every morning. You can also get breakfast delivered to your room but it is not difficult or inconvenient to get to the restaurant so we have not tried this yet.
Staff
The staff is incredibly friendly, attentive and helpful. As soon as you arrive at breakfast the cleaning staff goes to your room to clean and they are finished by the time you return. The wait staff is efficient and friendly. The reception staff and GM have gone out of their way to make our stay great. I needed a power converter and they sent a driver to town to purchase one for me (they paid for it). There seems to be a lot of staff for an 18 room property although they are definitely not overbearing or too present.
Services
Daily fresh fruit and water delivered to the room is excellent. It is much better than I have seen from other *wood properties. There is also free encrypted wireless that works in all parts of the property. Once you have the password it is valid for your entire stay. This is an unexpected perk. There are DVDs at the front desk that you can check out and watch in the room. The selection is sparce and movies I have never heard off but again a nice perk.
Location
The hotel is perfectly located on the edge of Oia. It is a 30 second walk into town and a 10 minute walk to the famous sunset vantage point. Being out of town a little creates more privacy and a very quiet and peaceful stay. The town is a little more crowded, noisy and touristy. Katikies is located in the edge of town and is a 30 second walk on the road from Mystique. The bus (the easiest and cheapest way to get to Fira and other towns) stops right in front of the hotel (you have to walk up to the street to catch it and cannot hear it from the hotel). There is also very easy access to the trail to Fira. This is a 5 mile hike that is HIGHLY recommended. It is not easy and after an aggressive decision to do a roundtrip hike the Mrs. and I were excited to get back to the hotel to dip our tired feet in the pool. The Mystique being the property the furthest down the cliff is ideal…more privacy and much more quiet.
Overall
The hotel is not the typical white and blue of almost every other property. It is more of a cream color. It looks very nice and not out of place. However the hotel could use some splashes of color. It is cream and almost everything else is white. The clean lines and colors is really nice but just seems a little plain to me. It would be nice if there was more contrast.
About 75% of the guests are speaking English. We ran into 1 other couple on their honeymoon but in general the crowd seems to be a little older (we are 29 and 30 yrs old) and definitely couples. Several groups we spoke to were coming/going to Mykonos as part of their trip and staying at the Santa Marina. Because the hotel is so small you get to know the other guests and everyone is very friendly and relaxed. Most other guests seems to be SPG veterans although no FTers.
We are on the Taste of Luxury package (free b’fast, airport transfers, 4th night free in May/Oct) and paying 378 Euro per night. I would say that seems about right. I saw some prices on the website after I booked our trip that seemed outrageous. There are a lot of boutique properties in Oia that look beautiful but it is hard to say whether they are nicer or a better choice. Katikies looks beautiful and is larger. It is located in Oia, a little more expensive and has a great reputation. Not having stayed there it is tough for me to be a judge. There are also some spectacular looking hotels between Oia and Fira that are very private, secluded and serene. Although it is important to note that really nowhere in Santorini can you have 100% privacy…other guests at the property are located too close to you for that to happen.
I like the Mystique and have enjoyed our stay very much. It is unique and the rooms/caves are unlike anything I have seen. Some guests seem to really like it and others do not. I am more in the middle. The location is amazing. Removing the location from the evaluation process and judging the Mystique based upon the actual property, amenities and service I would say it is a lower end luxury collection property. The property does not feel completely finished. I cannot tell if that is on purpose or not but the rooms need more decorations and contrast. The amenities are nice but there is no spa They can call in a masseuse etc to your room) or gym. This is more a function of the small number of rooms and lack of scale and space. The service is a 8 out of 10 whereas I give something like the Montage Laguna Beach or Ritz Carlton San Francisco a 9.5. I don’t think I would long to return to this specific property like I do the Montage Laguna Beach, BonTon in Langkawi, Four Seasons Bali, Oberoi Amarvillas, Orchid Hawaii (b4 it was a Fairmont), but love Oia and would not rule out returning to the Mystique.
I will post a full trip report when we return and update this forum as our stay concludes. Feel free to ask questions or PM me with specific questions.
The Mrs. and I arrived via Athens on Aegean Air (really quick 40 min flt and cheap) at 7:45pm on the 30th. We were greeted by a uniformed driver with a sign. The airport in Thira is small and baggage arrived quickly and we had no problem finding our driver. We were taken to the hotel via a Mercedes van with 4 leather opposite facing seats (2 facing each way). The van was brand new and emblazened with the Luxury Collection logo on each side. The driver was very friendly and served as a wonderful guide as we drove from the airport to Oia via Fira. The drive is about 25 minutes from the airport to the hotel along very narrow cliff roads. It is breathtakingly beautiful.
We arrived at the hotel and were greeted by a bell boy who carried our bags to the reception area. The cliffside has several hotels and the Mystique is the one closest to the water so there is a little bit of a walk down to the reception area. Once at reception we were given champagne and welcomed by the GM and the hostess/receptionist. We had booked the lowest level room (Vibrant suite) and were upgraded to an Allure suite. We thanked the GM and she said "you are both Starwood Golds!" So I am not sure if the upgrade was a result of it being our honeymoon or our "status". I actually think it was bc of our status. We were given a tour of the property by the receptionist as we drank our champagne. The property is only 18 suites and has little open/common area as the rooms are located in the cliffside. There is not very much privacy on the room balconies as a result of the intimacy of the property and nature of being on a cliffside. There is a main walkway that leads to each of the rooms but it is not a public walkway as previously described. The only people I have seen on the paths are guests and staff. The 2 overwater villas (Air of Secrecy and Air of Mystery) have the most privacy and cannot be seen from the other rooms or really and other part of the property. They too are in the cliffside but are located below the rest of the rooms and actually under the restaurant and pool. I have not seen them yet but will ask prior to departure.
There is a small veranda/patio that overlooks the property and is to serve as an area to have a (very) small wedding or cocktail reception. It has not been used by us or others since we arrived but we were told that is its intended purpose. In fact, as I am writing we just got a note delivered to the room informing us that there will be a wedding today at 6pm…so we will find out what it looks like! We were then taken to our suite. We were in Suite 12.
Patio
As an Allure suite we had a visibly larger balcony/patio than the Vibrant suites. We have 2 lounge chairs, 2 regular chairs, a table and a bench seat. The patio is spacious. I call it a patio bc it is not elevated and located on the ground level. It has spectacular views of the caldera but no different than if you were walking along the path. To me, a balcony implies a raised patio or deck.
Suite
We entered the suite with no idea what to expect as it is located in the Cliffside and unlike anything else we have seen. You enter into the living room area with the bedroom directly in front of you.
The living area has a cabinet which has a 30inch LCD television on the top, a small refrigerator (wet mini bar) and dry mini bar underneath. The TV is brand new and a flat panel which is pretty nice. The mini bar is FULL of drinks and the dry bar has a nice selection of chips etc. There is a couch opposite the TV cabinet. The couch is more of an extended bench seat with 2 separate cushions serving as the back rest and the actual seat. It is not the most comfortable couch in the world but serves it purpose. We have not watched much TV or spent a lot of time inside. There is a small modern coffee table that had an apricot liquor welcome gift and a fresh fruit plate (kiwis, apples, oranges, bananas etc.). Next to the front door is a window that looks out onto the patio.
Bedroom
The bedroom is visible from the living room through the arched doorway and 2 arched windows. The suite is minimally decorated and had no art on the wall or carpets. The Mrs. Thinks it could use a shag throw rug and some fresh flowers to liven it up. I would agree. The bedroom has a large and very comfortable king bed. On either side there is a bedside table with light switches for the room. There is also a humidifier as it can get dry in the room. The room has a lot of well positioned and discreet lights as it can otherwise get pretty dark in the “cave”. The bedroom is not much larger than the bed and probably about 130 sq ft. The living room is probably about 250 sq ft. Off the living room is a hallway the leads to the bathroom. In the hallway are 2 nice sized closets and a full length mirror. There is a safe in one of the closets as well as 2 mystique logoed bathrobes.
Bathroom
As you enter the bathroom directly in front of you are his and her sinks with modern finishes. To the left is another room that has the toilet and shower. The shower is fairly open and separated only by a glass wall. The water pressure is very nice and the showerhead is located directly above you in the ceiling and has a rainspout. Returning to the area where the sinks are located is a HUGE whirlpool/Jacuzzi. This is where things get interesting. The tub could easily fit 6 people (which is great) and feels really cozy as it is in its own little area. The problems with the tub are plentiful. There is only 1 faucet from which to fill the sink and it is essentially the same thing you would have on a standard tub at home. The other issue with the faucet is that it is located on the far side of the tub, so in order to turn it on or off you need to get in the tub. This is inconvenient. The other issue is that bc it is a standard faucet and the tub is so large it takes AT LEAST an hour to fill. By the time you have filled it up the water temperature is not much above very warm and would be a stretch to say the temperature is hot. The other issue is the there are only 5 jets in the tub. 3 on one side and 2 on the other. They are strangely positioned and we could never seem to get completely comfortable with how we were sitting. There is a window in the tub area that overlooks the caldera and this is quite romantic. The problem is that the window is located on the main walkway so if the shade is open others can see directly into the tub. Potentially not a big issue but as someone on his honeymoon…I don’t want others seeing into the tub area. Getting in an out of the tub is also a little treacherous. I would imagine there will be a slip&fall lawsuit within the first 3 months that will lead them to changing the way you get in and out and potentially refinishing the bathroom floor. When the area outside the shower gets wet it also is VERY slippery.
The bathroom looks great and the idea is wonderful and romantic…the execution however was not great. It is still a nice bathroom, but not what it could have been.
Pool
The pool has an incredible infinity edge overlooking the caldera. It is fairly hidden from room views but is located between the restaurant (restaurant is on the far left of the hotel looking from the top) and the pool deck so it is not uber private. It is small but so is every hotel pool in Santorini. It is refreshing and serves it purpose. Sitting in the pool having the cocktail of your choice is highly recommended. I have never seen more than 1 couple in the pool at a time (which may or may not be a result of the size). The pool deck has about 20 lounge chairs and 6 very large umbreallas. They play beautiful background music on the pool deck and it has a great view and infinity edge as well.
Restaurant
The Mrs. and I ate dinner here after our day of travel from SFO as we were very hungry and did not want to go anywhere. The views are spectacular from the restaurant and it has an outdoor patio with about 15 tables and an indoor area (separated by a glass sliding door) with about 5 tables. We had tuna tartar appetizer, crabcake appetizer and 2 salads with shrimp. The tuna was OK but tasted a little more fishy than others I have had. The crab cake was excellent. The salads were interesting. The greens tasted like pine needles and there was another green I could not identify. The shrimp was great but overall the salad was average. We had bottled water with our meal and no alcohol. The dinner was over 120 euros! I thought the restaurant would be expensive, but that seemed a little pricey to me.
Breakfast was included in our room rate (Taste of Luxury pkg) and this has been wonderful. You can order whatever you would like off the menu and as much of it as you would like. If you are paying for it you can do the same as it is a price fix of 55 Euro per person. The crossaints are excellent (the Mrs. recommends the chocolate) as is the Muesli and poached eggs. The fresh fruit is plentiful and the fresh smoothies and lattes are memorable. I am not sure it is worth 55 Euros per person but since it is included we have been enjoying it every morning. You can also get breakfast delivered to your room but it is not difficult or inconvenient to get to the restaurant so we have not tried this yet.
Staff
The staff is incredibly friendly, attentive and helpful. As soon as you arrive at breakfast the cleaning staff goes to your room to clean and they are finished by the time you return. The wait staff is efficient and friendly. The reception staff and GM have gone out of their way to make our stay great. I needed a power converter and they sent a driver to town to purchase one for me (they paid for it). There seems to be a lot of staff for an 18 room property although they are definitely not overbearing or too present.
Services
Daily fresh fruit and water delivered to the room is excellent. It is much better than I have seen from other *wood properties. There is also free encrypted wireless that works in all parts of the property. Once you have the password it is valid for your entire stay. This is an unexpected perk. There are DVDs at the front desk that you can check out and watch in the room. The selection is sparce and movies I have never heard off but again a nice perk.
Location
The hotel is perfectly located on the edge of Oia. It is a 30 second walk into town and a 10 minute walk to the famous sunset vantage point. Being out of town a little creates more privacy and a very quiet and peaceful stay. The town is a little more crowded, noisy and touristy. Katikies is located in the edge of town and is a 30 second walk on the road from Mystique. The bus (the easiest and cheapest way to get to Fira and other towns) stops right in front of the hotel (you have to walk up to the street to catch it and cannot hear it from the hotel). There is also very easy access to the trail to Fira. This is a 5 mile hike that is HIGHLY recommended. It is not easy and after an aggressive decision to do a roundtrip hike the Mrs. and I were excited to get back to the hotel to dip our tired feet in the pool. The Mystique being the property the furthest down the cliff is ideal…more privacy and much more quiet.
Overall
The hotel is not the typical white and blue of almost every other property. It is more of a cream color. It looks very nice and not out of place. However the hotel could use some splashes of color. It is cream and almost everything else is white. The clean lines and colors is really nice but just seems a little plain to me. It would be nice if there was more contrast.
About 75% of the guests are speaking English. We ran into 1 other couple on their honeymoon but in general the crowd seems to be a little older (we are 29 and 30 yrs old) and definitely couples. Several groups we spoke to were coming/going to Mykonos as part of their trip and staying at the Santa Marina. Because the hotel is so small you get to know the other guests and everyone is very friendly and relaxed. Most other guests seems to be SPG veterans although no FTers.
We are on the Taste of Luxury package (free b’fast, airport transfers, 4th night free in May/Oct) and paying 378 Euro per night. I would say that seems about right. I saw some prices on the website after I booked our trip that seemed outrageous. There are a lot of boutique properties in Oia that look beautiful but it is hard to say whether they are nicer or a better choice. Katikies looks beautiful and is larger. It is located in Oia, a little more expensive and has a great reputation. Not having stayed there it is tough for me to be a judge. There are also some spectacular looking hotels between Oia and Fira that are very private, secluded and serene. Although it is important to note that really nowhere in Santorini can you have 100% privacy…other guests at the property are located too close to you for that to happen.
I like the Mystique and have enjoyed our stay very much. It is unique and the rooms/caves are unlike anything I have seen. Some guests seem to really like it and others do not. I am more in the middle. The location is amazing. Removing the location from the evaluation process and judging the Mystique based upon the actual property, amenities and service I would say it is a lower end luxury collection property. The property does not feel completely finished. I cannot tell if that is on purpose or not but the rooms need more decorations and contrast. The amenities are nice but there is no spa They can call in a masseuse etc to your room) or gym. This is more a function of the small number of rooms and lack of scale and space. The service is a 8 out of 10 whereas I give something like the Montage Laguna Beach or Ritz Carlton San Francisco a 9.5. I don’t think I would long to return to this specific property like I do the Montage Laguna Beach, BonTon in Langkawi, Four Seasons Bali, Oberoi Amarvillas, Orchid Hawaii (b4 it was a Fairmont), but love Oia and would not rule out returning to the Mystique.
I will post a full trip report when we return and update this forum as our stay concludes. Feel free to ask questions or PM me with specific questions.
Jun 2, 2007, 9:56 am
#43
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco
Programs: All-Around Kettle
Posts: 3,287
Wow, thanks for the great report! I'm debating between Mystique and Katikies myself. I would have to pay about 100 euro per night more to stay at Katikies, and I'm wondering if it's worth it.
Thanks again, and please do post again if you have more information (with all due respect to the Mrs. on your honeymoon, of course
).
And if any of those other properties you see around you look great, please let us know.
Have a great rest of the trip.
Thanks again, and please do post again if you have more information (with all due respect to the Mrs. on your honeymoon, of course
).And if any of those other properties you see around you look great, please let us know.
Have a great rest of the trip.
Jun 2, 2007, 10:05 am
#44
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 49
Wow! Great review. We are booked for our honeymoon in October with the Taste of Luxury package. We are considering changing to Katikies or Kirini. Given that this is our honeymoon, money is a lower tiered factor. We would rather have the complete experience.
From your review, the hotel sounds "nice", but not drop dead amazing.
If you are still there and have a chance to visit Katikies, I would appreciate a quick review. So far in my short travel life, the best hotel I have stayed at is Las Ventanas in Cabo. A friend of mine who stayed at Las Ventanas and Katikies said that Katikies is just as good as Las Ventanas. So with that high praise, Katikies sounds great. However, they do not offer a Taste of Luxury package, so we will have to pay for our fourth night and our breakfast!
Thanks again for the review!
From your review, the hotel sounds "nice", but not drop dead amazing.
If you are still there and have a chance to visit Katikies, I would appreciate a quick review. So far in my short travel life, the best hotel I have stayed at is Las Ventanas in Cabo. A friend of mine who stayed at Las Ventanas and Katikies said that Katikies is just as good as Las Ventanas. So with that high praise, Katikies sounds great. However, they do not offer a Taste of Luxury package, so we will have to pay for our fourth night and our breakfast!
Thanks again for the review!
Jun 2, 2007, 10:34 am
#45
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco
Programs: All-Around Kettle
Posts: 3,287