Hotel Of The Week: Belvedere Hotel, Mykonos

A world away from the crowds on the beaches of Mykonos, the Belvedere Hotel is a calm and ultra-cool sanctuary where everything is fabulous - including the A-list clientele

The location

A handy 10 minutes by car from both Mykonos airport and the docks, the Belvedere is tucked discreetly off one of the skinniest lanes of the island (which is saying something in a destination famed for its maze of whitewashed alleyways). It is just up the hillside from the village-like town of Hora, so if you tire of the sweeping sea views it's only five minutes' walk down to the rails of DKNY and waterside bars and cafés that line the streets of "Little Venice".

The comfort factor

Built in 1995 around the frame of an existing 18th-century mansion, the Belvedere was designed to blend in with the surrounding Cycladic architecture. The resulting Jenga-like stack of cube-shaped rooms that spill out around the pool offers one of the most attractive settings on the island, a landscape peppered with sunny terraces, cosy alcoves and atmospheric nooks. It's also supremely elegant, with billowing sailcloth drapes and breezy seating areas setting a stylish scene outside. All-white Schrager-style décor rules within. Bookable only from April to October, the 45 individually- designed rooms and suites aren't the largest in the world, but each is comfortable and has its own terrace or balcony. (You pay more for a sea view.) Aroma- therapy massages and other treatments can be arranged, and there's also a small fitness studio on site.

The bathroom

Like the bedrooms, these aren't the roomiest spaces, but with their white marble washstands and sleek Korres toiletries, they look the part.

The food and drink

If you're not into stuffed vine leaves there's no need to panic. The Belvedere is home to the only Nobu restaurant in Greece. Set within the hotel's leafy courtyard, Japanese celeb chef Nobu Matsuhisa's Matsuhisa Mykonos is open from June to September. In April and October, a more Mediterranean-inspired menu is on offer. Upmarket bar snacks are also served at the Pool Bar and the Sunset Bar. Wine buffs, meanwhile, can sample some of the 5,000 bottles on offer.

The people

That this is the favourite hotel on Mykonos of the fashion designer Julien Macdonald says a lot about its clientele. You don't have to be tanned, toned and loaded to check in, but it helps.

The area

Mykonos is known for its picturesque windmills, party atmosphere and laid-back beaches. (Avoid August if you want sand and not bodies between your toes.) To get beyond Hora, make friends with a yachtie and get them to sail you over to neighbouring Delos for the day, or round to tiny Psarou beach for dinner at trendy N'Ammos taverna.

The access

Only ground-floor rooms are wheelchair accessible. Elsewhere, family rooms sleep four and come with home cinema systems and two bathrooms. Your pet may have a passport but they won't be able to use it here: animals are not allowed.

The damage

Doubles start at €160 (£110) a night, including breakfast.

The address

The Belvedere Hotel, School of Fine Arts District, Mykonos 84600, Greece (00 30 2289 025 122; belved erehotel.com). Reservations can also be made through Small Luxury Hotels (00 800 525 48000; slh.com).