Staying at Mystique hotel in Santorini is a dream. It is easily one of the best hotels I have ever stayed at, and it checks all the boxes as an irresistible, exclusive hideaway. It was refreshing after my earlier stay in Vedema, also located in Santorini, which, while lovely, didn’t give me the “wow” feeling I was after. Welcome to the best Marriott Luxury Hotel in Santorini, which offers not only breathtaking panoramic views over rugged Caldera cliffs but also a secret wine cave and private jacuzzis.
Location
Mystique Santorini, a Luxury Collection Resort, is located on the picturesque island of Santorini, Greece. It is specifically situated in the charming town of Oia, known for its stunning sunsets and whitewashed architecture that seems to blend into the natural world.
Perched on the cliffs of the Caldera, the hotel offers breathtaking views of clear blue crystalline waters of the Aegean Sea and the iconic Santorini landscape. The turquoise expanse of the Aegean Sea was just incredible to see, and I loved that as the lowest hotel on the cliffside, there was nothing obstructing our view.
It’s about a 30-minute drive from Santorini’s main town, Fira, and around 25 minutes from the Santorini airport. I loved how close it was to everything. It was a short trip into town (think…a 5 minute walk), and then once you returned to the property, you found a bit of privacy while being tucked away from the city.
Inside the property, you will find stunning, hand-crafted architecture that appears fully formed to the rocky cliffside underneath with a nature-inspired design. Cool tones cover the entirety of the property and tie it all together with a fresh and relaxing vibe.
You’ll find cobblestones everywhere you look on this part of the captivating island of Santorini, including on the stairs. Make sure to watch your footing! I would go as far as to say that this property is inaccessible to hotel guests with any sort of limited mobility. We had to climb quite a bit of stairs just to get in and out of the property, which got our heart rates up, so keep that in mind. Thankfully, the bellmen are more than happy to bring your luggage to and from your room. Remember to tip them well for those stairs!
Rooms
Unlike the Vedema Luxury Collection Hotel, I found the rooms to be a bit smaller in size but still quite comfortable. However, what they lacked in size, they more than made up for with their beauty and overall exclusive feel.
We stayed in two rooms over the course of our stay that both offered private terraces, one with a jacuzzi and the other with a jacuzzi and an outdoor infinity pool.
First, we stayed in one of their Wet Allure Suites. The Allure Suite has two room types: one with a jacuzzi (the Wet Allure Suite) and one without (simply the Allure Suite). We received an upgrade to the Wet Allure thanks to our Titanium Elite Membership with Marriott, and I was impressed. Marriott Points can get you this upgrade! As it was the end of the season, I was hoping for more than a one-category upgrade (which no hotel has any obligation to do but sometimes they will). Despite nearing the end of the season, Mystique was still quite full and we weren’t able to upgrade for the entirety of our stay. However, they did kindly upgrade us for part of our stay, once another room had become available.
The Wet Allure Suite itself kept to the main feel of the hotel, which offered a very calm and relaxing feel. It had a beautiful arched entryway that led into the main room. The room had a luxurious king-size bed, mini bar, plenty of closet space, a comfortable bathroom, and its own patio where the jacuzzi was located.
I found the bathroom to be up to par. However, it was smaller than the rooms we stayed in at Vedema. It offered a single sink, a beautiful shower, and a toilet. The toilet didn’t have its own door, which is usually something I appreciate, but I wouldn’t say it was enough for me to change my mind about recommending this hotel.
Heading outside the room, you will find yourself on a semi-private balcony. It has uninterrupted views of the sea and fantastic views, but it was fairly exposed to life going on outside of the room. The jacuzzi tub was a nice, relaxing addition to the room, and the patio also offered plenty of seating areas where you could easily enjoy a meal.
The second room we stayed in was the Air of Secrecy Villa. There are only a couple of rooms with a full-sized private outdoor pool, and we were lucky enough to experience one of them. Another would be the Air of Mystery Villa, another one-bedroom option, and the Holistic Villa which is the biggest of them all, with two bedrooms that accommodate four people. Our room was geared toward two people, and I think it was perfect.
The Air of Secrecy Villa offers a comfortable king-sized bed tucked away behind a half wall, which offers some nice separation from the rest of the spacious bedroom.
The bathroom was bigger and offered a jacuzzi tub and double sinks. It had a spa-like feeling, which we really enjoyed. The room even had a quality set of weights in it, which felt very luxe. The overall idea was that you could focus on wellness in this suite, with workout equipment, a pool and spa, and of course, some stunning views.
The room’s upsell is the private infinity pool, which is located on the private patio. The privacy of this room’s patio was much better than our Wet Allure Suite, with no one able to see the patio…except for one thing. People at the edge of the hotel’s infinity pool could look over the edge and onto our patio from above. Still, this didn’t detract from the amazing stay we had.
Our room was also under the hotel’s main restaurant, leading to some noisy evenings and mornings, but it wasn’t too bad. Keep that in mind if you are a light sleeper, though, as I am. The staff members would drag chairs and tables in for the night around 10 pm and back out in the morning around 6 am to start setting up for breakfast.
Dining
Speaking of dining, there are a few options around the hotel property. However, two of the main locations were closed during our October stay. We weren’t informed of this, but that might just be because it was the start of the off-season.
The main restaurant that we did enjoy was Charisma. The Charisma Restaurant offered a great breakfast with efficient service, and I was pleased by the food offerings, which had plenty of gluten-free options for my husband. Food was typical American options, with eggs, breakfast proteins, parfaits, baked goods, fresh fruit and more. They also serve lunch and à la carte dinner, but I was not a fan. I was underwhelmed by the food at lunch one of our days, especially for the price, and with that, I would rather eat out and about at some of the other great food spots in Santorini.
The pool restaurant was also a nice addition to our lounge time by the beautiful infinity pool open to the entire hotel. I believe they offered the same food as Charisma, but I could be mistaken. I did feel as though it was a better experience than Charisma for lunch. That could be simply because of the ease of enjoying lunch by the pool, but either way, I enjoyed it. Charisma is located right next to the pool restaurant, so you could easily choose to eat at either one if you are hanging by the pool.
The other two options that were closed include the Lure Bar and Captain’s Lounge. Both looked beautiful, but I can’t say anything about the service or food. They are perched at the top of the property, with amazing views of the hotel and the sea. Near Lure, there is an outcropping with a private dining table for 2 that looked like it could be a perfect, very romantic spot for a special dinner.
Amenities
I’d say the amenities were fairly typical for this style of resort. As I mentioned, they offered a main pool which was an infinity pool with stunning views, a second pool near the Captain’s Lounge (closed during my stay), a nice fitness center, a spa, and a beautiful 150-year-old wine cellar.
The gym was practical, but the view really sold it for my husband. It offered some of the best views on the entire property!
The spa was a nice retreat inside the property. My only complaint is that it was difficult to get through, as you had to walk through what seemed to be employee-only places, which felt uncomfortable. However, once you enter the spa, you are met with a lovely atmosphere and plenty of relaxation. We had a couples massage, and it was perfect when it comes to romantic escapes!
As for the ancient atmospheric wine cave and tasting, I’d say it lacked originality. It was nice, and the snacks offered with it were very filling, but we had already tried 3 out of 5 featured wines on previous tastings. The host graciously opened a few new bottles of wine for us to try, but I’d say keep your wine tours to a minimum because we found various wine tours of Santorini to be quite similar (and others to be more impressive, especially for the high price).
If I had to compare this wine tasting to Vedema’s, I’d choose Vedema. Their experience was very fun, and the host was impressively knowledgeable about the wines discussed.
Service
The service met the bar of what I would expect from a 5-star hotel. The hotel staff were quick and efficient, able to answer our questions, and attentive. Paired with the amazing property, I’d easily give them 5 stars for their exceptional service.
Who I Recommend Stay at Mystique
Keep in mind when booking that this is an adults-only hotel (kids 14 and over are allowed). If you plan a family holiday, I suggest choosing Vedema instead. From my own stay, they are fairly family-friendly, and I would recommend them for a family vacation. You can read my full review of Vedema for more details.
Mystique, though, would be the ultimate couples getaway. Think about it: luxe rooms, private infinity pools, couples massages, and incredible sea views. What more could you ask for in the romance department?
If you’re still not sure, check out my comparison of Vedema vs Mystique.
Anyone staying at Mystique (and frankly most places in Oia) does need to have a general level of fitness and an ability to traverse uneven, sometimes steep stairs. There are probably 2 full minutes of going down stairs to reach the front desk and entrance of Mystique, and then additional stairs (either up or down) to reach your room. There are stairs to all the restaurants and the pools, and when you plan to leave the property, you’re going straight up for several minutes. I’m not in terrible physical shape, but I did have to stop for a breather halfway up if I didn’t measure my pace properly at the start.
Overall Thoughts
All in all, I highly recommend Mystique Luxury Collection Hotel. They hit all of the marks, and I will definitely be back for another relaxing stay after this first time experiencing the hotel. Dare I say that this trip offered the most amazing hotel stay in a spectacular location, and it’s in my top 5 properties overall, especially for the price/point redemption value. I’m already dreaming of going back.
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