Belvedere

Belvedere Hotel has been part of the Mykonos landscape since 1969, occupying a hillside position in the School of Fine Arts District along Agiou Ioannou, a short walk above Mykonos Town. It is a certified member of The Leading Hotels of the World, and at five stars it sits at the upper tier of the island's accommodation options — compact enough to feel personal, with 31 rooms, 9 suites, and a single Mansion, yet polished enough to carry the full weight of that classification.

What sets it apart from the larger resort complexes further out of town is position and proportion. The property is close enough to the Chora — the whitewashed labyrinth of the old town — that you can walk to dinner in the Little Venice waterfront quarter or to the port in under fifteen minutes. At the same time, the slight elevation and the hotel's garden create a separation from street noise that many properties at the water's edge cannot offer. The Belvedere also operates year-round in a "Winter House" format when the island quiets after peak season, which is unusual for Mykonos and worth noting if you are planning a shoulder-season or winter visit.

The on-site restaurant is a partnership with Nobu Matsuhisa, making it one of very few properties in the Greek islands to carry that name — the Nobu Mykonos is set alongside the Belvedere's pool. A separate Italian bistro associated with the hotel is positioned in the Little Venice area.

What to Expect

The Belvedere describes itself as a "petit Grand Hotel," and that phrase captures the balance it strikes. The property is not sprawling. The room count — 31 rooms, 9 suites, 1 Mansion — keeps the guest experience relatively intimate for a five-star property on an island that can attract very large resort crowds in high summer. Accommodation is divided across several categories: Main Hotel Rooms and Suites, Hilltop Rooms and Suites, Waterfront Villa and Suites, and Villa Next Door and Suites, suggesting that the property occupies more than a single building or structure on and around the hillside site.

The garden is a consistent feature in descriptions of the property — it frames the main building and gives the pool terrace a contained, greenery-backed quality that contrasts with the more exposed rooftop or clifftop pools found elsewhere on the island. Views from upper-floor and hilltop rooms take in the surrounding landscape of Mykonos Town and, depending on orientation, parts of the Aegean.

The hotel's design reflects the Cycladic vernacular — whitewashed surfaces, clean lines — updated with the kind of interior detail you would expect from a property that has been continuously refined over more than five decades. The tone is one of quiet luxury rather than scene-driven spectacle, though the presence of Nobu means the pool area does draw outside diners and visitors during the evening.

With a Google rating of 4.5 from 293 reviews, the property holds a strong reputation across a meaningful sample of guest experiences.

How to Get There

The hotel's address is on Agiou Ioannou in the School of Fine Arts District, Mykonos Town (Chora), postcode 846 00. From the port of Mykonos Town, where both the Old Port and the New Port ferries arrive, the hotel is reachable on foot in roughly 10–15 minutes depending on your exact starting point and how well you navigate the Chora's winding lanes. Taxis from the port are available but the walk is manageable with a single carry-on bag.

If you are arriving by ferry to the New Port (Tourlos), the main taxi rank and bus stop are directly outside. A short ride brings you to the Chora area, from where the hotel is a brief walk uphill. Driving into central Mykonos Town is heavily restricted in high season, and parking in the Chora itself is essentially unavailable for visitors. If you are renting a car, the hotel should be consulted directly about parking arrangements before arrival.

The hotel's phone number is +30 2289 025122, and bookings and directions can also be arranged through the official website at belvederehotel.com.

Best Time to Visit

Mykonos has a long high season running from late May through early October, with August representing peak crowds, peak prices, and the island's famously strong meltemi wind. The Belvedere, given its hillside position, is somewhat shielded from the worst of the street-level crowd pressure in the Chora below, but the surrounding area will be busy during July and August regardless.

For a more relaxed experience with lower rates and quieter streets, late May, early June, or September are the most practical windows. The Belvedere's Winter House operation means the property is also worth considering from late autumn through early spring — a period when Mykonos reverts to a genuine island pace, ferry connections thin out, and the harbour walks and landscape are at their most atmospheric. Not all on-site services may be available in winter, so confirm what is open before booking a cold-season stay.

Time of day matters at the pool: the Nobu restaurant and pool terrace attract non-resident diners in the evening, so if you want the pool area primarily to yourself, mornings are the quietest window.

Tips for Visiting

• Book directly through the hotel website (belvederehotel.com) to confirm which room category you are reserving — the spread across Main Hotel, Hilltop, Waterfront Villa, and Villa Next Door means the experience varies considerably depending on what you select.
• Clarify the room view before confirming. Not all rooms face the same direction, and the difference between a garden-side room and one with open Aegean orientation is significant.
• Reserve at Nobu Mykonos early. The restaurant draws outside guests as well as hotel residents, and in high season tables fill up well in advance. The hotel's reservation system handles both accommodation and dining.
• Plan your luggage accordingly. The Chora streets are paved in marble and some sections involve steps; large suitcases with wheels are difficult to maneuver. A porter or taxi drop-off close to the hotel entrance is the practical solution.
• Ask about the Winter House dates if you are considering a visit outside the main season. The hotel's seasonal operation is one of its distinguishing features on an island where most properties close entirely from October to April.
• Walking distances to key spots: Little Venice is roughly a 10-minute walk downhill; the main Chora shopping and dining streets are closer. The Windmills of Kato Myli are visible from parts of the hillside and reachable on foot.
• Contact the hotel about transport from the New Port (Tourlos) if you are arriving by high-speed ferry. The New Port is about 2 kilometres from the Chora and not walkable with luggage.
• Check the Italian bistro location. The associated Italian restaurant is described as being in the Little Venice area rather than on the main hotel site, so it requires a separate short walk.

Facilities and Location

The Belvedere's core facilities, as supported by the research bundle and website, include the pool, the Nobu Mykonos restaurant on-site, and the separate Italian bistro in Little Venice. The accommodation spread across multiple building types — main hotel, hilltop, waterfront, and villa categories — suggests that the property has expanded from its original 1969 footprint to encompass adjacent structures on the hillside.

The School of Fine Arts District address is a specific sub-quarter of Mykonos Town, historically associated with the island's arts community. It places the hotel just above the dense centre of the Chora but within easy reach of the main pedestrian routes. The garden that frames the property is notable in a town where outdoor space is at a premium — most Mykonos Town hotels work with rooftop terraces rather than ground-level gardens.

The hotel operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which is standard for a property of this classification and relevant if you are arriving on a late-night ferry.