Barefoot Bliss at the San Giorgio Mykonos Hotel – part 1

When you drive up towards the San Giorgio Hotel on the Greek island Mykonos, and enter the gate, it doesn’t feel like you are arriving at a hotel. Instead, it feels like you are arriving at a friend’s villa. The bright white blocks are surrounded by rustic stone walls that blend in with the typical Greek surroundings. In front of the property a few sheep are grazing in the field. As you enter the reception area you are welcomed by a gorgeous looking Greek lady who helps us with the familiar Greek friendliness and hospitality I already got used to in Athens.  But let’s talk design! Amidst the space there are 3 suspending egg chairs dangling above a coco rug to accommodate guests who have to wait.

Adjacent to the reception area you are drawn into the living room where you can read a book, gather with friends or make use of the computer. The interior design is simplistic, ethnic, and bohemian chic with little touches of colour but mostly with neutral tones and a laidback atmosphere. While I was staying at the hotel, I was fortunate enough to meet and pick the brain of the interior designer of the San Giorgio Mykonos: Annabell Kutucu.

Annabell and her business partner Michael Schickinger, redesigned what was once a dilapidated site. The desired outcome? A place that felt like coming home away from home. Annabell explains: “When I talked the concept through with the owners we agreed that it had to be a hotel like no other hotel. We envisioned a carefree, laissez faire atmosphere where friends retreat and meet like-minded from across the globe. It had to be a place where guests feel they can walk around barefoot with only a towel or tunic and feel comfortable”.

“Sharing was also a word that led to the final design of the hotel, which you can see translated in the many communal tables in the living room and outdoor restaurant. The design was to be ethnic chic but without any overtly or explicit cultural dominance or loud colours.  It had to resonate with all international guests no matter where they are from. Therefore we chose neutral tones, natural and rough materials, and furniture from across the globe, so each guest recognizes something and feels right at home”, says Annabell.

The furniture and accessories are a mix of vintage and contemporary pieces Annabell personally handpicked and collected from flea markets, travels to Bali and Spain and her own collection. The wooden shutters behind the reception desk for instance, are old shutters from houses in Athens. Annabell: “The hotel design is a homage to Bohemian carefree living. It is kept simple, blissful and with neutrals because we envision the guests to bring in the colour.”

Throughout the hotel you will recognize Annabell’s signature style: a combination of old and new design pieces, worldly treasures, and objects with a heritage and a story. The communal tables are lived in with blemishes, the rug is real artisan work, and the wooden stools are mismatched in size.

Bedrooms

The hotel counts 33 rooms including 2 suites. Annabell designed them in two different styles: a modern style with more grey hues, and the Greek inspired rooms with concrete walls.  The room interior is a collection of Arcadian treasures and organic materials, all carefully handpicked. All rooms have a balcony or terrace with seats or hammock and a view on the Aegean sea. To create a community, all guests are offered a straw hat, beach bag and hammam towels in the room for use during their stay.

What makes an interior design effortlessly perfect, like this hotel, I asked Annabell to wrap up the interview. Annabell: ” Try to use large items as focal points and play the rest down. Less is more. Also, use one statement colour to create coherence and rest. I would advise everyone to go to flea markets to find affordable and lived in pieces. And last but not least, buy objects with a heritage to make your interior interesting and to tell a story”.

For more information and bookings, visit the San Giorgio Mykonos Hotel website here. Stay tuned for another post where I will take you around the property and to the pool area!

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