La Residence Mykonos Hotel Suites ★★★★★

If you've heard anything of Mykonos it may be that it's the 'Island of Windmills', and that it's the island of night-life. Both are true, those iconic white windmills stand quietly overlooking some of Greece's most lively evenings, but Mykonos has a much wider appeal. Those who are not young, tanned and toned enough to be able to dance for a week, sustained merely on sunshine and cocktails, still find Mykonos alluring. While my friend's teenage daughters merged happily with the young and stylish crowd that adore Mykonos, thriving on very little sleep and dance music, we loved the pristine beaches, gorgeous towns, and breath-taking views. Mykonos hosted us all effortlessly. It gave us the quintessential Greek island, all white-washed stone villages, charming narrow streets, azure sparkling sea, and fantastic food

La Résidence Suites Hotel is a small boutique hotel, with an air of exclusive privacy and serenity. It's sumptuous, elegantly luxurious, and we were all blissfully content there. We arrived at La Résidence and were all immediately impressed. In minimalist white, with pillars and balconies, sweeping drapes, adorned by palm trees and surrounded by bright blue pools, it cut a striking façade. The lovely staff showed us to our large three-bedroom, two-bathroom suite, with our very own pool and spacious lounge/garden area.

“Oh it's gorgeous, we can hide in here while the girls are off having fun,” I joked with my friend, but there was an element of truth in it. Our suite had plenty of space and privacy, and the hotel had beautiful communal areas: a great bar and restaurant, pools and an amazing spa. I felt as though I didn't have to go anywhere else if I didn't want to. And, of course, there was the infinite azure of the Aegean sparkling all around.

We unpacked. I felt spoilt having a whole double bedroom to myself. It had a luxurious ambience, soft-lined, modern, and strewn with drapes that flowed seductively in the sea breeze. The bedspread was in sumptuous scarlet silk, and the colour was matched in the sitting area. The head rest had an ornate pattern embossed into it. These little extra touches of luxury were everywhere. My bathroom was perfect, bright - white, with blue mosaic features and a large walk-in shower. My French doors opened out onto our private pool area. We went to enjoy our complimentary glass of champagne in the hotel's bar and sat marvelling at the view. The girls were itching to explore Mykonos and, bolstered by the glass of bubbly, we said we'd join them.

Music floating out of beach-side bars; people dining al fresco; narrow, flower-covered streets between white cube houses; dashes of blue and red - everything was recognisably Greek, relaxed, friendly, and undeniably beautiful. We found a lovely taverna and ate together overlooking the sea, then the girls continued into the night and we headed back, content with a little night-cap in La Résidence's bar.

We had a wonderful time in Mykonos, and it certainly brought out the youth in us! We were enchanted by its vibrancy and beauty. We had a slightly different sleep pattern from the majority of visitors, so the beaches were quiet in the mornings, and we could appreciated the natural splendour of the island peacefully. The luxury of staying at La Résidence Suites Hotel was a fabulous world unto its own: it was the perfect place to unwind, to dine, and relax pool-side. Whatever you choose to do after dark, La Résidence provides the perfect luxurious getaway.