Where to even begin. I had the recommendation to stay at Rocabella Mykonos during our time in Greece from a longtime friend and travel blogger extraordinaire Phoebe, whom I know has impeccable taste. After a little more digging around on the web I also learned that the hotel had been styled by one of my favourite interior designers Tine Kjeldson, other projects of hers include Scorpios Mykonos (sadly closed during our visit to Greece) and Casa Cook, located in Rhodes and also opening soon in Kos. She creates a super relaxed, beachy vibe that exudes laid back luxury and I literally cannot get enough of it. I definitely had high expectations of Rocabella and I’m so happy to say that it didn’t disappoint in the slightest. From the moment we landed and were greeted at the airport by the lovely Georgio, to being welcomed at Rocabella with a glass of bubbly and all the local / hotel information we could need from the host with the most, Allen. Right through the cocktails, to the meals and the ever helpful and super friendly staff, Rocabella is a true gem.
Design and style aside, I have a huge thing for quality of service, nothing puts me off somewhere faster than rude or unhelpful staff and I have to say that I was blown away by everyone working at Rocabella. Each and every guest that walks through those pristine white doors, is treated like a VIP, a part of the Rocabella Mykonos family – and as we all know, the Greeks do ‘family’ very, very well.
Being the two Nana’s that we are, both Rory and myself opted out of the nightlife that Mykonos is known for and instead we reclined (fully robed up, of course) head first into the relaxing and luxurious hotel life. We enjoyed early nights and then slow mornings spent drinking coffee after coffee whilst watching the sun rise – a ritual to which I totally attribute the blissed out feeling I returned home with. We ate delicious meals in Rocabella’s restaurant, ReeZa (meaning ‘Root’ in Greek) – which despite only having half of it’s menu due the time of year (April 1st is the start of their Summer season), was filled with fresh ingredients making up everything we could need, or want! We actually ended up eating in their restaurant for about 80% of our meals, their breakfast buffet was spot on and I hear the offerings are even more extensive a little later on in the season.
Breakfast Tip – Forgo the usual filter coffee and ask for a traditional Greek Frappe, so good! The perfect little kick of caffeine.
Dinner tip – You have to try their homemade fries, they’re so good. Also, their pasta dishes, while simple are something that I still find myself craving now! Finally, if you’re a wine lover, their house red actually ended up being my favourite wine of the whole trip. Put simply, thanks to the beauty of simple, fresh ingredients prepared with love and an attention to detail, you can eat and drink like Kings and Queens at Rocabella and yet not spend a small fortune.
The rooms are just… ahhh…
As I mentioned above, we visited Rocabella at the beginning of April and whilst it wasn’t super hot I did manage to bag myself a pretty rad tan and yet it wasn’t so hot that you couldn’t work out or walk around comfortably. We actually managed to get in a couple of killer stairs workouts that also doubled as tanning sessions – winning.
If you do plan on going that early in the season though I would definitely recommend taking a few jumpers to throw over your outfits as and when needed. The hotel being a bit quieter suited me perfectly however when I go back I will probably try for a few weeks later so that A) you get a bit more heat and B) the restaurant is in full swing and the furniture by the pool etc is fully set up and functioning. (They have the best poolside sofas that we enjoyed on our last day, I’m seriously considering hunting them down for our future house / garden.)
Whilst you’re there you have to take advantage of the onsite masseuse, she is a wizard! Do it, then come back here and thank me for doing you a solid.
If you’re reading this and thinking that it sounds like I’m being a bit over the top with all my praise then I’m sorry but please know that I’m kinda hard to please with things like this (right, Dan?) and I wouldn’t be singing it’s praises, if it didn’t thoroughly deserve it.
Rocabella I’ll be back soon.
Expect to pay between 120 and 300 euros per night (including a fantastic breakfast). It really makes a difference price wise depending on when you go so if you’re on a budget and can be flexible with dates, be sure to look ahead and book well in advance to get the best deal.
Rocabella Mykonos is perfect for everyone! Young families will be taken care of and children made to feel welcome and fully catered for, meaning a holiday here can be as relaxing as possible, even with a child. Couples looking for a romantic getaway, or like us – friends looking for a fun catch-up trip. If you want something a bit livelier than we did then aim to head here in the thick of their Summer season as it will be much busier! I would also head back here early season to relax and get some work done in gorgeous surroundings, really there’s something for everyone.
Have you ever stayed at Rocabella Mykonos? Or are you planning a trip to the area?