Review of Kivotos, by Jeroen Bergmans

With its glamorous clientele, charming staff and private yacht, it's little surprise that boutique hotel Kivotos is considered a home from home by the international jet-set when stopping off to enjoy a spot of sunshine in Mykonos.

Owner Mr Michopoulos originally bought the land overlooking Ornos Bay to build a spectacular holiday home in Mykonos for friends and family to enjoy. He christened it Kivotos, which means 'arc' in Greek, and filled it with his impressive collection of Greek antiques and modern art and a menagerie of pets. His dream luxury retreat soon became a boutique hotel which is still managed by the Michopoulous family.

As the number of rooms at Kivotos grew, so did the art collection and the menagerie of pets. Goldfish bowls can be found in the lobby, the restaurant and the spa, two fluffy white rabbits called Penelope and Arthur live in a Perspex box in the lounge and a pair of lovebirds serenade guests from an elaborate birdcage by the pool.

The facilities

The Prince de Neufchatel yacht is the pride of Kivotos. A replica of a nineteenth-century warship from the US navy, it has be modernised with two Rolls Royce engines. The yacht sleeps six in two stately bedrooms and a twin room, all with en-suites marble bathrooms. Guests of the boutique hotel can hire it for parties and private cruises.

Like all boutique hotels in Mykonos, the focus of Kivotos is the large pool. There is also a second pool on expansive terrace strewn with bougainvillea and decorated with mosaics and statues of lions which are copies of the famous, ancient ruins on the nearby island of Delos.

The rooms

All 40 rooms and suites at Kivotos have been individually-designed and display Mr Michopoulous' extraordinary attention to detail. Beamed ceilings, arched doorways, green window shutters and blue doors are a nod to traditional Mykonian architecture. Antique, Greek four-poster beds and original prints by Fasianos, a local artist considered the Picasso of Greece, add more local flavour. And Venetian mirrors, Murano glass chandeliers, Philippe Starck Ghost chairs and Florence Knoll daybeds give a contemporary, designer twist to the unique interiors.

Bathrooms at the boutique hotel have mosaic tiling, crackle-glaze glass doors and Hermes toiletries and some come with separate shower and Jacuzzi bathtubs.

Suite 130 is the most impressive as it has a small, mirrored bar, a domed glass skylight above the Jacuzzi bath and the biggest balcony with spectacular sea views.

Noah's Villa is the latest addition to Kivotos. It spans 90 sqm over three floors, sleeps three, has a kitchenette and private access to the boutique hotel's spa. Pictures windows look out onto the harbour and the sea and the glass floor has views down onto the villa's own private pool.

More replicas of ancient Greek statues adorn the boutique hotel's spa centre which has a blue and gold mosaiced hamam, a hydrotherapy shower, tubs for foot massage and a gym which is free for guests. There's even a fish tank below the massage bed.

Kivotos even has its own, traditional chapel which is popular for small, private weddings thanks to its original18th-century altar.

La Meduse restaurant has a menu of excellent international and French dishes for dinner and guests enjoy the best breakfast in Mykonos on its sunny terrace. Poolside restaurant Pirat offers guests light snacks and a lunchtime bbq of fish, fresh meat and pizza three times a week.