Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort launches its new spa retreat.

The Mykonos Grand is a unique resort on the beautiful island of Mykonos in Greece. It is barely three miles from Mykonos Town, which throngs with visitors during the summer months, but is in a world of its own, a peaceful enclave nestled in a hillside and tumbling down to a private beach, a place where the sunsets are glorious and both sea and landscapes are breathtaking. Now, Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, has launched its brand-new sanctuary of wellness, Althea Spa Retreat. Named after the goddess of healing, Althea welcomes hotel guests and local members alike in its exquisitely designed premises that exude a pure elegance, soothing colour symmetry and a genuine sense of serenity.

The resort is a collection of whitewashed, cube shaped buildings typical of Cycladic architecture which are linked by scenic pathways and terraces. Guests first arrive at the top of the resort and then drive down a steep road to reception and, below this, the spa. Althea Spa Retreat occupies 750 sqm of indoor & outdoor area and overlooks the sacred island of Delos, birthplace of the mythological god of light, Apollo, which is coincidentally one the sunniest places in the world. It is said that this sunshine blesses the area with a high concentration of cosmic energy, something that will undoubtedly heighten the experience of wellbeing for spa clientele.

Working in partnership with award-winning London designer, Maria Vafiadis, Founder & Managing Director of MKV Design, Mykonos Grand has created a spa that is elegantly balanced and where the traditional Mykonian palette of white and shades of blue is both innovatively applied and perfectly aligned with the Cycladic-inspired interior architecture. The design is pure, yet embracing; uplifting and restful.

The Spa’s unique design optimally utilizes the glorious natural light of the location as well as artificial lighting to mesmerizing effect. A combination of laser-like beams and soft lighting that washes the polished concrete walls and arches leads guests from reception through high corridors, eliciting a growing sense of peace as guests journey into the heart of the spa. In the treatment and relaxation rooms, lighting filters through specially designed ceiling panels to create a pattern of light spots and shadows like the dappled shade of large trees in the summer sunlight. Blue light seeps up the entrance doors to the relaxation room like the sea gently rolling in towards the island.

Amongst the treatment rooms, three are for couples and some benefit from a private, shaded courtyard; they all provide restorative interaction with nature and lovely views to the Aegean Sea. There is a semi-caved Thalasso pool – an extraordinary experience at any time of day but particularly in the evening when guests can soak in the therapeutic water in between a fire pit and the vivid setting sun – and there are tranquil treatment and relaxation areas placed in the
spa’s garden.  Other facilities include a sauna, hammam and hair & beauty salon.

The Althea Spa menu comprises a plethora of treatments designed to restore and revive mind, body and spirit. Therapies have all been meticulously designed, incorporating the latest trends in health and beauty, to offer maximum relaxation, rejuvenation and integrative wellness.

The resort’s other facilities include tennis courts, an impressive stone-built amphitheatre for inspiring meditation sessions, a 500sqm heated outdoor pool, a fitness centre and beach facilities on Ayios Yiannis beach. There are 96 bedrooms and suites, some of which enjoy private pools.

Project: Mykonos Grand Spa
Location: Mykonos, Greece
Design Studio: MKV Design
Website: mkvdesign.com