Hotel Snapshot
Most people come to Mykonos for the noise. The beach clubs, the late nights, the general performance of being somewhere that wants very much to be seen. The Wild by Interni is an argument staunchly in the other direction. It sits on the southeast coast of the island, roughly twenty minutes from Mykonos Town, tucked into a natural amphitheatre of cliff and rock above a private cove that fishermen used to keep their boats in. There isn’t music pumping from speakers; the property’s soundtrack is wind and the sea.
The hotel was opened in 2019 and is run by Alex and Philip Varveris, whose family has been shaping Greece's design and hospitality landscape since their father Nikos founded Moda Bagno in the early seventies. The Interni restaurant in Mykonos Town—considered one of the island's best tables—came first, followed by the hotel as the next chapter. It’s quite poetic that the instinct behind the Wild is a philosophical opposite to the Interni restaurant’s M.O.: that Mykonos has another identity beneath the party reputation, one that belongs to the bohemians who found the island before it became famous, and that this version of the island is worth preserving.
Design & Character
The Wild is built in Cycladic architecture—whitewashed plaster, local stone—and sits so naturally in the island’s hillside. The palette throughout is earthy and restrained: taupe, muted grey, terracotta, naked pink-hued walls, with natural materials layered throughout—untreated blonde wood, rattan, woven linens, handcrafted floors and fine tiles, artisanal objects and antique accents. Bougainvillea spills against stone. The fragrance of evening flowers drifts through the open areas. You can hear the sounds of the ocean lapping on the sand at night.
A recent collaboration with fashion duo RIANNA + NINA (known for their vivid patterns and commitment to traditional Greek craft) has introduced hand-woven linens by Peloponnesian artisans and hand-decorated ceramic plates from Crete to the pool loungers and restaurant table settings. The result adds warmth and colour without disturbing the overall quietness of the aesthetic. I thoroughly enjoyed it all.
The Rooms
39 rooms, suites, and villas arranged amphitheatrically down the hillside, each one facing the sea, each one slightly different in layout and character. The design language is consistent throughout, though: natural materials in earthy tones, high-end and artisanal furnishings in deliberate combination, handmade lamps, soft leathers and cottons, outdoor spaces. All rooms have sea views and walk-in showers equipped with Malin+Goetz toiletries; the larger suites and villas add plunge pools, private dining areas, and outdoor baths.
Food & Drink
The Varveris family were restaurateurs before they were hoteliers, and it shows in the food. The hotel runs two distinct dining concepts and both are worth your time.
Mezé is the all-day anchor: a casual, poolside space shaded by tamarisk trees, serving breakfast through to late evening. Mornings bring Mykonian sausage and cheeses, yogurt with honey, spinach pie, and made-to-order eggs—the Kagiana, scrambled with tomatoes, feta and oregano, is the correct choice. Through the day and into the evening, the menu runs Greek-Mediterranean: souvlaki, grilled sardines, burgers, garden salads, courgette linguini, the kinds of dishes that taste exactly right in this setting.
Taverna is another lovely option: an afternoon meal (between 1-6 p.m.) perched above the cove, where chef Haralampos Papathanasiou builds sharing menus around Aegean ingredients sourced locally and prepared with genuine simplicity. Smoked meats and fish from the grill, seasonal vegetables, everything rooted in what the island produces rather than what a tasting menu format demands.
Spa & Wellness
The spa is carved into the cliff at the far edge of the hotel—a small, cave-like hydrotherapy pool fed by a waterfall, two treatment rooms offering massages and therapies using local ingredients, and an intimacy that a larger facility would sacrifice. The full-body massage is excellent. (I fell asleep at the end of mine.) The open-air gym sits just below, equipped with a rower, exercise bike, free weights, and TRX—functional rather than comprehensive, but more than enough for a week on an island where the real exercise is the walk down to the beach and back.
The infinity pool runs the length of the hotel's main terrace, facing the Aegean, and is the centrepiece of any given afternoon. The private cove beach is a short climb down steep steps from the pool deck: sheltered by the cliffs from the meltemi winds, lined with thatched parasols and bamboo loungers, with crystal clear water. On an island where finding a quiet, private beach requires either early starts or local knowledge, having one at the hotel’s disposal (basically, since beaches technically can’t be private in Greece by law) is pretty sweet.
Amenities
The hotel's Guest Experience team handles a range of excursions and activities, and the private boat trip is the one worth building a day around. The boat takes you away from Mykonos entirely—either to Rhenia for swimming in untouched water, or Delos, the mythical birthplace of Apollo, where the archaeological site is extraordinary and the lack of permanent inhabitants means the silence is complete. I went on an excursion to the uninhabited islet of Tragonisi and it was the highlight of my visit to Greece. My favorite part was swimming out to explore the caves and coming back to a beautifully prepared lunch of grilled chicken, beef carpaccio, pasta, and chocolate mousse.
Other options include early morning fishing on a traditional kaiki with the catch cooked for dinner, cooking classes with the hotel chef, private beach dinners by candlelight, and pilates and yoga sessions by the sea. The concierge team is small and attentive, and they’ve got the connections to help you with whatever you want.
Location & Neighborhood Recs
The Wild is a twenty-to-thirty-minute drive from Mykonos Airport and Town, on roads that wind through the quieter side of the island. A hire car is the correct approach for guests who want to explore; without one, you are largely here, which isn’t a problem if here is what you came for.
Kalafatis beach is a ten-minute walk. Ano Mera, the island's small inland village with monasteries and local tavernas, is a short drive away. And Mykonos Town, with Interni restaurant and the full machinery of the island's nightlife, is available when you want it and easy enough to ignore when you don't.
The remoteness is the point. Every decision about where to site this hotel, and how to design it, and what to serve in the restaurants, is oriented around a version of Mykonos that most visitors never find. If you came for the beach clubs, there are better options. If you came because the island was once something else entirely and you want to understand what that felt like, The Wild is where you go.
Fast Facts
Location: Mykonos, Greece
Address: Kalafatis, Loulos, AG. Anna 846 00, Greece
Vibe: Bohemian-chic clifftop retreat on the quiet side of the island—the anti-Mykonos hotel for people who love Mykonos.
Rooms: 39
Pricing: From $311 a night
Dining & Cocktails: Mezé (dinner, sharing plates, Mediterranean), Taverna (all-day, Greek-Mediterranean, poolside)
Amenities & Services: Private cove beach, infinity pool, cliff spa with hydrotherapy pool, two treatment rooms, open-air gym, private boat excursions, cooking classes, fishing trips, pilates and yoga, concierge, free Wi-Fi, hotel transfer service
Nearest Airport: Mykonos Airport (JMK)
Mykonos, Greece
