The young businesswoman from Mykonos, who was enjoying these days diving in the Barbados Islands of the Caribbean, was not thinking about her island for a few days.
This season and until the month just entered, almost all Mykonians are traditionally absent from this Cycladic island that has become a benchmark in the international jet set for decades.
But even if they are vacationing from Dubai and Courchevel to the Maldives and the Caribbean, they can’t help but think about this season. Last year the “slap in the face” that the island took especially when it came to value for money customers who voted for Ibiza or Sardinia and the negative noise rang a bell.
The question is who heard it, since a few months before the season opens, a lot is being said and even more is being heard about this summer. A summer that will decide a lot, since the messages so far, are not the most encouraging for the windy island that wants to return to the seasons of previous years, such as the mythical 2019 and this one a year after the end of the pandemic.
Something that is only not easy on an island that, among other things, is sometimes torn by discord, disputes and peculiar rivalries that end up in the courtrooms.
Bagatelle: the French vindication and the hotelier
Bagatelle’s arrival on the Windward Island was not without its disadvantages, as its journey showed, since it was confronted from the start by the hotel located a few dozen metres away.
The French invested a sum of 3,000,000 euros building the most expensive garden in Greece, on a plot of land in the Vida area, a stone’s throw from Fabrica, with a breathtaking view of the sunset.
According to the documents presented by “THEMA”, the hotel complex filed not one, not two but a total of ten complaints – appeals against Bagatelle.
The internationally renowned brand and their Mykonian partner Florios Asimomitis, who had obtained all the necessary operating permits for the restaurant, won all the appeals from the family of Nikos Kusathanas and his sons George, Theodoros and Apostolos who are the owners of the hotel “Poseidon” according to the decisions taken by the Administrative and the Court of First Instance of Syros.
At the same time the complainants of Bagatelle, were found according to the Syros Town Planning Department to be breaking the law by making unauthorized extensions to buildings and premises of their hotel.
Following thorough checks by the relevant officials, fines of 790,912 euros were confirmed, while if the company does not comply there will be annual maintenance fines of 241,033 euros!
Bagatelle’s “war” has demonstrated the intensity but also the fierce competition that often prevails on the Windward Island, where almost everyone believes that their own business is a potential….Nammos.
Last year, however, with the exception of Omega’s glam party with George Clooney, and the arrival of Matt Damon along with Chris and Liam Hemsworth, high-income customers shunned the Windy Island.
They voted for Ibiza, Sardinia, Capri and the Côte d’Azur since Mykonos did not meet their requirements for safety and more.
The negative buzz about the Windward Island that made its way to the Guardian, the Telegraph and the New York Post clearly had an impact on previously loyal visitors who chose other destinations.
So international brands that came with expectations have this year suspended their operations despite having running leases and paying hefty rents.
The Spanish and the cursed beach
Perhaps the most telling example has to do with the arrival in Mykonos of the Spanish’ Pacha, which happens to be perhaps the most famous club in Ibiza and one of the top clubs in the world.
In fact, the Trilandic Europe group to which it belonged descended on the island in the summer of 2021 with three projects, since, in addition to Pacha, it set up the Lio in Chora and the Destino Hotel in Agios Stefanos.
The cherry on top of all this effort was undoubtedly the two trademark cherries of the famous club from Ibiza, set up in Ftelia.
Where until 2017 there was the most relaxed Mykonian beach, without sunbeds and umbrellas but with poufs and tables made of shutters, managed by Pavlos Yavis and Nektarios Nikolopoulos.
You drank your coffee in a plastic cup, ate nicely at human prices and most importantly listened to Greek, since Ftelia was the refuge of those who wanted to relax without deckchairs-beds and noisy parties.
When these two left, no one has since solidified on this particular beach, where Alexandros Varveris originally set up Interni.
It didn’t fare well and the Spaniards who took it over believed that with Pacha they would make a difference, setting up a very nice concept with a restaurant and large spaces, and booking powerful DJs.
In the end, with the exception of a few nights, the famous club failed to “capture” Mykonos and left, leaving room for new contenders, only there is one problem.
To give up Ftelia for the next three years the Spaniards are asking for 3,000,000 euros, a huge sum for a beach where when it blows – and it blows very often – only surfers are happy.
The Yavis-Nikolopoulos duo were and are interested but not at that price, while the Koutoumani and Haris Spyrou from Alemagou across the road came into the game for a while and when they heard the price they just left.
The “golden” Black Coffee and the grumbling
But there are also the constant values on the windy island, especially its iconic beach bars, the ones that launched its reputation and are still an attraction, especially for the haves.
Nammos this year will also have the addition of the first Nammos Hotel, which is expected to open in May, while Scorpios will launch with its usual momentum and with DJs like Valeron.
Alemagou in Ftelia also opens in early May and will follow the same pattern as last year, with its parties and that boho aesthetic, which is reminiscent of another Mykonos.
Principote is returning to Panormos with no further details of its return known, while in Agia Anna Santanna has booked the very Black Coffee for six shows.
According to reports, the famous DJ is expected to collect the sum of 800,000 euros for these events, with his accommodation expenses in a luxury villa also paid.
“Spilia” is expected to return with the momentum of recent years if all goes well, as is Solymar in Kalo Livadi, which also attracts the most Greeks.
When it comes to hotel bookings, the situation so far, according to executives in the industry, is not good, which is why large units are constantly changing the dates they will open.
Copernicus: The winter of 2023-2024 was the warmest ever in Greece – meteo maps
In fact, in private discussions the feeling that these executives have is that this season will be at the same level, maybe even a little worse than last year, while it seems that last minute bookings will dominate.
In terms of beach bar opening hours, it is strongly heard on the island that executives of the new Municipal Authority reportedly want to close before eleven at night or before twelve if they have been granted an extension.
Something that is strongly opposed by the businessmen, who are not going to accept it since they operate by the book and to the letter of the law.
They say that this will only harm the island, as Mykonos is identified with the parties on its beaches, the ones that largely make the difference.
The island’s new Municipal Authority has not yet given any tangible signs of what it intends to do to keep everyone happy, especially the businessmen in Chora.
It is not possible that a certain businessman was being told in a group the other day that he wishes the Lio not to operate, but that he is ‘banging out’ music until four and five in the morning in his own shop which is a stone’s throw from the premises of the famous Spanish club in Chora.
Where someone who is entitled to four or five tables has turned them into thirty, without the necessary permission from the municipality, on an island that will experience a season that is, so far, at least fickle this year.
