FROM ALPINETO MYKONOS

BY KEVIN CZERWINSKI

Kyriakos [Eric] Mourkakos never envisioned that he’d one day be working in the service industry let alone see his family own an establishment that prides itself on its service. Yet, the 28-year-old Alpine native is the face of Cali Mykonos, one of the newest and most luxurious resorts in the Cyclades Islands.

The Mourkakos family, led by patriarch Othon Mourkakos, has created a paradise within a paradise on the southeastern shore of Mykonos, an island in the Aegean Sea just about the midway point between Greece and Turkey. Cali Mykonos, a luxury hotel and resort which had a “soft opening”rience the island and its rich history without the hustle and bustle of traditional tourist spots on the Mykonos’ coasts that face Greece.

The resort, which is slated to have more of a “grand opening” this spring, features seaside villas and providing a level of privacy that can’t often be found in the more touristy spots on the island. The whole project sprung from an idea that Othon Mourkakos, who is Eric’s father and a native of Greece, had nearly a decade ago.

Eric Mourkakos, who is the property’s general manager, spends the majority of the year on the island and continues to oversee a large portion of the work, often pitching in wherever needed, from construction to cleanup to customer service. It’s a again, he never imagined his family owning a luxury resort.

Mourkakos graduated from Columbia University with a degree in mathematics before earning a master’s there in biotechnology. He spent several years working in a cancer research lab and now also owns his own company that focus on the digital side of healthcare [records, monitoring etc.]. That remains a venture in which he is actively involved.

His involvement with the resort, however, came about when his father couldn’t travel to Greece because of COVID so he “kind of stepped in and haven’t stopped since.” Mourkakos added that he always wanted to work with his father and be

Continued on page 78 involved to an extent but never imagined that he’d be living on Mykonos full-time from April to October as well as every two weeks during the winter.

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, though. Mourkakos said his father, who is 65 and has owned and worked in a variety of businesses, “has a motor that doesn’t stop.”

“All he does is work,” Mourkakos said. “It’s truly his passion. I think the hotel has given him a refreshed purpose. It drives him in a way that I haven’t seen. He’s the healthiest and the happiest he has ever been.”

That drive and passion was never more evident than which Cali Mykonos would someday sit. That was eight years ago when he visited Mykonos with his wife [Kally] on vacation. He and business partners Dr. Thomas Scilaris and Argyrios Mavrogiorgis then went to work.

“Growing up, I spent summers in Greece and eight years ago he saw how popular and populated the island is and that the number of visitors was increasing every year,” Eric Mourkakos said. “He recognized that there were no international or American-owned hotel. He found this property on the other end of the island where people don’t usually go to.

“This was a mountain before we bought but it had an intimate beach. He looked at other hotels on the island and this was unique both in size and because it was on the water. For him, he’s always been exceptional at looking ahead. He saw a mountain and pictured what could be. Everyone told him he was crazy, family, friends, architects. The whole thing was planned out after he saw the property.”

The property’s design drew inspiration from the traditional architecture of the Cyclades. Simple, small, white volumes rest atop stone walls while the contours and movements of the of the property’s raw terrain have been followed closely, resulting in very few accommodations being parallel or perpendicular to each other.

The name Cali draws its inspiration from the ancient Greek muse Calliope, which means “beautifully voiced.” Greek mythology tells of how she presided over poetry, song, arts and sciences and elements design with notes and pauses, white marble and stone walls.

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“Over eight years ago, togetherwith my family, I had a vision to create a transformative luxury hotel experience for travelers in Mykonos,” Othon Mourkakos said. “What started as a dream turned into a reality, with the help of an exceptional team of partners in design, architecture, food and beverage, and hospitality. I’m so proud to be on this journey with my family and my children, who all playa vital role in the success of Cali Mykonos; their commitment to deliver a hotel experience unlike anything else on the island is unmatched. We are thrilled with the positive guest response this past summer and look forwardto opening for the opportunity to view the incredible landscaping, which features olives, pomegranates, etc. that are drawn upon daily, providing ingredients in the property’s restaurant.

“It’s a hotel but we’re not selling hotel rooms,” Eric Mourkakos said. “We’re selling the experience. We have a private dock, three private yachts that will take you to UNESCO sites. This is an experience. We look for every aspect of your stay that we can twist in a unique way. Everything is unique.”

Town Title held their annual holiday party and celebrated their 20th anniversary at the Venetian. For more information, visit www.towntitle.us.

The Valley Health Auxiliary held their annual holiday boutique and luncheon at Seasons. For more information, visit www.valleyhealth.com/services/auxiliary.