Gelos House

This was my fourth year at Once, and it still feels like home. They’ve kept their high standards. The rooms are uncomplicated, clean, and roomy, and every one has a lovely view over ornus beach with gorgeous sunsets. There’s also a gym and a beautiful pool. Breakfast has plenty of variety, and if there’s something you’d like that isn’t on the buffet, they’re happy to make it for you. The location is great, close enough to old town, and the staff are very friendly and hospitable.

The location was good, everything was very clean, and the staff were warm and accommodating. We even extended our visit by a full week. The pool has a beautiful view, but it sits high up and the water was freezing, so it really needs some kind of heating. Two things spoiled our stay. On the last night, music from another room was blaring at 4 a.m., which made the lack of soundproofing obvious. Then on our final day there was no water, so we had to use another room to shower. The floor there was slippery, and even though staff were standing right there, nobody warned me or put up a sign. I slipped on the stairs, badly hurt my back, and got several bruises. I do take some responsibility for not wearing suitable shoes, but I think it could have happened anyway given the lack of safety awareness. I was lucky not to break my back. Management helped us a lot afterward. They removed all the charges for the last day, which I appreciated, and checked on how I was doing several times.

Maria from concierge was a big help with bookings and dinner reservations, and the staff were lovely throughout. They even collected my husband and me from the port. We stayed four nights, and it was a pleasant visit overall. The hotel is handy for getting around, about a 10-15 minute drive from the old town. There were a couple of serious problems, though. The bathroom flooded on night one, and our door wouldn’t lock for two days in a row. We raised the lock issue at check-in, but the temporary repair didn’t last, and I worried about our valuables. The hotel eventually moved us to a different room and upgraded us to make up for it. The soundproofing also wasn’t good. It was especially windy while we were there, and the noise kept me from sleeping well. I heard other guests at breakfast mention similar trouble. I appreciated the hospitality, but the security and noise issues affected my experience.

Breakfast had a wide selection of quality hot and cold food each morning. Bernadette was great in the mornings and deserves a special mention. The staff were all amazing from check-in to departure, and the manager was super friendly and helpful, though I’m sorry I can’t remember his name. We stayed in a spacious suite with two double rooms and stunning sea views. The infinity pool isn’t huge, but it’s plenty big enough and refreshingly cool in the heat. There could be more shade around the pool in the afternoon. We had a great stay and would highly recommend Once in Mykonons!