Belvedere Hotel

The Belvedere Hotel sits on a hillside in Mykonos Town's School of Fine Arts District, on Agiou Ioannou street — close enough to the cobbled lanes of Chora that you can walk to dinner, but elevated enough above the port bustle to feel genuinely removed from it. Open since 1969, it has operated continuously as one of the island's benchmark addresses, and today holds membership in The Leading Hotels of the World.

With 31 rooms, 9 suites, and a Mansion spread across several accommodation categories — Main Hotel, Hilltop, Waterfront, and Villa Next Door — the property functions more like a compact grand hotel than a large resort. The garden, which frames the main building and pool area, is a rare feature on an island where outdoor space is usually sacrificed to density. Nobu Matsuhisa's signature Mykonos outpost operates here by the pool, which alone draws visitors who aren't even staying on site.

The hotel describes its own ethos as carrying "old Mykonos into the modern age," and the property has been running long enough that this isn't marketing language — the building has genuine history on an island where most luxury addresses are far newer.

What to Expect

Accommodation at the Belvedere is divided into several distinct zones, which means the experience varies considerably depending on which room category you book. The Main Hotel Rooms and Suites occupy the original building; Hilltop Rooms and Suites sit higher up for greater privacy and wider views; the Waterfront Villa and Suites category and the Villa Next Door category offer more independent-feeling stays with separate living space.

The property totals 31 rooms and 9 suites across those categories, plus the Mansion — making it small by global luxury standards, which keeps the atmosphere closer to a boutique hotel than an anonymous five-star operation. A verdant garden surrounds the main building, unusual on Mykonos where most hotels have little softscape beyond whitewashed terraces.

The pool is a focal point in summer — Nobu Mykonos operates here, so the deck tends to be genuinely animated rather than a quiet retreat during peak season. If you want stillness, the Hilltop suites or the Villa Next Door category are the better choice, as they sit farther from the pool's social energy.

During winter, the hotel operates as what it calls a "Winter House" — a lower-key mode suited to the island's quieter rhythm between roughly November and March, when Mykonos Town is walkable without the summer crowds and the harbour has an entirely different character.

The hotel holds a 4.5-star Google rating from 293 reviews, which is consistent with what Leading Hotels of the World membership typically demands in terms of service standards.

How to Get There

The Belvedere is on Agiou Ioannou in the School of Fine Arts District, which sits just above central Mykonos Town. From the main port (Old Port), the walk uphill takes roughly 10–15 minutes on foot through the lanes of Chora. From the New Port, where most large ferries and cruise tenders dock, a taxi or bus to Mykonos Town is the practical option.

Mykonos Town's bus station (Fabrika Square) is a short walk from the hotel's area, with KTEL buses running to most beaches and major villages on the island. Taxis in Mykonos operate from the main taxi stand on Manto Mavrogenous Square, a few minutes below the hotel on foot.

If you are arriving by car or rental vehicle, be aware that Mykonos Town's center is effectively off-limits to non-resident cars in peak season. The hotel's front desk can advise on the closest available parking. For arrivals from Mykonos Airport, the drive is roughly 4 kilometers; a taxi takes under 10 minutes outside peak hours.

The address — School of Fine Arts District, Agiou Ioannou, Mikonos 846 00 — is well-recognized by local taxi drivers, and the hotel appears clearly on Google Maps.

Best Time to Visit

Mykonos's high season runs from late June through August, when the Belvedere operates at full capacity and Nobu by the pool is at its most active. If your priority is the full hotel experience — pool, restaurant, summer energy — this is when the property is most animated, though room rates will be at their peak and availability tightest. Booking several months in advance is standard practice for Mykonos in July and August.

June and September are shoulder months that many repeat visitors to Mykonos prefer: the weather is warm and settled, the sea temperature is comfortable, and the island is noticeably less crowded than peak August. Room rates are typically lower, and the hotel is less pressured.

The Belvedere's "Winter House" operation opens the hotel to a quite different experience — Mykonos in winter is genuinely quiet, with the port cafes and local tavernas running on island time and no ferry crowds. This suits travelers who want to explore the island rather than be part of the summer scene. Verify the exact winter opening period directly with the hotel, as seasonal schedules can shift year to year.

For the School of Fine Arts District specifically, mornings are the best time to explore the surrounding lanes before the day-tripping crowds arrive from cruise ships at the port.

Tips for Visiting

• Book the room category carefully. The Belvedere's accommodation types have meaningfully different characters — Main Hotel rooms are closest to the pool and social areas, while Hilltop Suites and the Villa categories offer more seclusion. Decide which atmosphere you want before committing.
• Reserve Nobu in advance. Nobu Mykonos by the pool operates as a separate bookable restaurant and is popular with non-hotel guests as well. If dining there is part of your plan, reserve before you arrive on the island.
• Use the hillside location strategically. The hotel's position above Chora means you can walk downhill into town easily and take a taxi back uphill when you're carrying bags or it's late. Most of Mykonos Town's main attractions — Little Venice, the Windmills, the Paraportiani church — are within 10–15 minutes on foot.
• Ask about the Italian Bistro. The website excerpt references an Italian Bistro in Little Venice as another Belvedere food operation. Confirm with the hotel whether it is currently operating, as seasonal F&B venues in Mykonos can vary year to year.
• Contact the hotel directly for transfers. The concierge team at a Leading Hotels property typically arranges airport or port transfers; it's worth asking when you book, particularly given Mykonos Town's parking constraints.
• Check winter availability if traveling off-season. The hotel runs a defined Winter House season, but the exact open dates are worth confirming directly — call +30 2289 025122 or check the official website before booking flights.
• Pack for the hill. Agiou Ioannou has the typical Cycladic uneven-stone surface. Flat-soled shoes handle the terrain better than sandals with no grip, especially at night.
• Expect the pool area to be social. With Nobu operating poolside, the main pool terrace in summer is an active, often lively space. If you want a quiet swim, ask whether early morning access is available before the restaurant ramps up.

Facilities and Location

The Belvedere operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with round-the-clock front desk access — standard for a five-star property but worth noting for early-morning ferry arrivals or late-night returns from the island's clubs.

On-site dining includes the Nobu Matsuhisa restaurant by the pool, making the hotel one of the few addresses in Mykonos where a globally recognized chef's kitchen is steps from your room. The property also references an Italian Bistro in Little Venice, which would be a short walk or taxi from the hotel itself.

The garden setting and the hilltop positioning provide some separation from Mykonos Town's noise without sacrificing walkability. The School of Fine Arts District is a quieter residential-meets-boutique-hotel pocket of Chora, sitting above the main commercial lanes but below the hilltop windmills. The Belvedere has been operating from this address since 1969, which in Mykonos terms makes it one of the longer-established presences in the town.

For the Waterfront Villa category specifically, the name implies a different siting — verify the exact location with the hotel when booking, as "waterfront" on Mykonos can mean proximity to Little Venice or another coastal area depending on the property.