Regular OMAAT readers will likely remember my four hour stay at Marriott’s Aegon Mykonos last year, which was at the time a new hotel. Well, a reader with an upcoming stay emailed me to point out something odd going on with the hotel’s reservations system, which I figured others might find to be interesting.
Continue reading: Bizarre: Is Aegon Mykonos Leaving Marriott?
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
As someone who grew up in Greece and has been to a fair share of Greek islands, I've got to say that Mykonos is one of the least naturally beautiful and most inconvenient. It is fairly close to the mainland and the architecture is nice. However, it is so windy all through the summer, the land is dry and there's no greenery, it is rocky and unpleasant to walk around, and it's full of touristy hotels that lack charm and grace. Not to mention that type of Cycladic architecture can be found on most islands in that part of the Aegean. I can't see why anyone would go to Mykonos when Naxos, Syros, Paros and Icaria are right there, or even better, Skiathos, Rhodes, Zakynthos and Corfu. And if you really want something special there's Lefkada, Kythera, Skopelos, Milos and Lesbos, albeit harder to get to.
Enjoying my best Mykonos week in my Memory.
Buddha Bar last night , and Mykonos town packed with Energy
Asking €70 per person consumption at Little Venice.
Knowing the prior history of this hotel… I bet they are behind on their fees due to MAR. The big Brands can typically turn off the res systems if the hotel is in default of the agreements (i.e. not paying the $ they owe).
It was reported last time that the GM took a "particular" interest in you. Might be a good time to reconnect and see what he has to say for this story!
Love this hotel, I hope everything is ok. All the staff have such positive energy.
Ben, your obsession with this hotel needs to end. There could be many reasons for the glitch, and your tabloid like reporting of your calls to the hotel don't do you or your website credit.
Call Marriott if you're serious about finding out. That said, would you be so obsessed if it was another hotel with the same glitch? I doubt it.
Let it go. It's embarrassing for you.
Another Marriott Design branded property nearby the Mykonos Theoxenia has also blocked out all dates, just a theory but could there be some Russian ownership connections as Marriott is pulling out of Russia and unpicking hotels that are owned in anyway by Russian entities.
Weren’t you the one recently writing about someone being vindictive and smiling with glee at your misfortune?
To be fair to Ben, the hotel did treat him badly and never made up for it, so while it may be a bit petty it's not unjustified. On the other hand the lounge agent's job was to provide good service and be helpful, but instead acted with vindictiveness and glee towards Ben the customer when he didn't do anything wrong besides having an unusual request.
I’m Greek too and completely agree with you. The only reason people go to Mykonos is to show and tell everyone else that they have been there. I like to think of Mykonos like a Gucci handbag. Everyone thinks both are the epitome of high class. In reality the people who go there and wear them are more often than not so ridiculously trashy.
Joe Chivas, long time, no see!
Feared COVID had claimed you.
Let the good times troll!
Absolutely agree with this. Would like to know if there would be any posts regarding the hotel if it was something positive happening.
The hotel seems to be selling rooms on its own website, on aegonmykonos.com (go to Retreat/Revive, then click Book now)... suggests as others have said, maybe there are some issues with Russian ownership or something along those lines (maybe they had more service issues and Marriott had had enough!?). Seems like a break with Marriott rather than an outright halting of reservations.
Interestingly there's also absolutely no mention of Marriott on their own website.
Ben, I think this requires an in-person investigation and live stream. We need to see the reactions of the GM & owner when you show up at the property again.
Stop using a blog to smear individuals (your recent take down of a poorly trained lounge agent) and now a hotel that by all accounts continues to function. This blog long ago stopped being about love travel and has become a platform for settling personal grievances. That is not what your credit card handlers paid for.
Interesting! Looking at wayback machine logos and mention of Autograph collection were present till June 6th.
Would seem issue with Marriott rather than Amex.
You are too funny Lucky. I can’t believe you actually spend the time to call them three times! While I feel like to burst out and sing “let it go! Let it go!”, I also feel like to get a bag of popcorn and follow this Mykonos saga.
Seems as if Marriott was doing this and refusing reservations on the platform until the property cleaned up its act that they would just remove them temporarily from searches. But it still comes up for Mykonos and is indeed "Sold Out" for the rest of the available calendar. I'm also not sure if the property can do that from their end either (for whatever reason) without triggering some sort of immediate removal from the Autograph label.
As to those comparing this to the LH Milan lounge person, it's a completely different situation as I remember. I don't recall anyone but the GM being called out by name (which is fair given his title and the fact that it's public information). As well, the situation was so egregious and deceptive as to their property description (and the response) that it deserved a warning to other travelers. Far different than calling out a lone employee in a lounge that you had a small disagreement with, this hotel was clearly involved in deceptive trade practices that warranted exposure.
I can't see this "smiling with glee" from Ben..it is just curiosity. I'm curious too, but my guess is that the hotel thinks it will do better without the obligations of partnering with Marriott. Bit like Brexit but on a tiny scale. I think you are suggesting that Ben thinks they are failing and he is happy about that... but there is no indication that they are failing at all, just that their presence on the Marriott website is missing in action.
If a fast-food restaurant changed their sign or some items on their menu, would you contact the corporate headquarters to ask for an explanation?
I disagree completely and am glad you keep following up! It's sad they still use heavily photoshopped pictures -- I feel awful for people who booked this hotel based on the hotel's website. Thank you for keeping them honest.
Fully agree. I stayed at this property for 7 nights last year and witnessed for myself how mismanaged it is (my review can be found on Flyertalk). I look forward to learning what the outcome is with respect to its Marriott Bonvoy affiliation. Keep up the good work Lucky! Shaddy properties and management deserve to be called out!
I can not understand why people here say to stop bothering with it. If anything now is the time to take a first class award flight to the island and meet up with GM Pavlos to walk the property in a livestream and talk about what is going on. So much potential here, don't let it go to waste!
Is this really bizarre though? Hotels leave hotel groups all the time and most of the time they aren't covered here. I don't agree with people saying that you're being petty or shouldn't cover it, but it's also certainly not bizarre, it's a pretty normal occurrence.
Made a booking with points through Marriott back in May for a stay in August.
I guess Marriott should have contacted us in case they will no longer partner with Aegon.
But I am now worried what would happen with our reservation if they break away.
That's what Tripadvisor is for.
Ben has a personal grudge. That's ok, but it cheapens the credibility of his blog when he voices that personal grudge. The page should be renamed One Grudge At A Time if these personal attacks continue.
The better approach would be to take it up with Marriott and report back - If he wants his site to have credibility. Same with the Milan LH rant.
I am here now , and all the new kids are “ Turbos “ .
They Meet every request with a Smile . Zoe , George , Giannis , Nikos , Gilley .
Is it because I am Greek American, or friendly and not condescending ?
@Ben, don’t listen to Alexf1. I’ve personally found this to be one of the most interesting/fascinating stories you’ve posted over the last few years.
Also, everyone should keep in mind that is is not TPG but rather a personal blog. The purpose of your blog is to dig into some of the topics you’d complain / geek out to a fellow traveler about at the airport lounge part, not just write bland articles like one would find on TPG.
I am so glad you posted this. I guess it is click-bait. I clicked on it just to see what was the latest on this season's "My Big Fat Greek Holiday." I have been going to Greece for the summer for close to 25 years. I love Mykonos, but there is so much more to Greece than one scam hotel in Mykonos. YAWN. A story on some great family-run places in Mykonos or other parts of Greece would be great! It really is a great county. I can think of no other place I would spend the summer. I love this blog for the latest. However, if I wanted drama, I would watch "Days of Our Lives."
If both a bank and Marriott are taking action simultaneously im going to assume there is some sanctions related issue here with the ownership structure. That would cause an abrupt vault to business as it would not be in an industry likely to get an exemption license from treasury
I wouldn't write a click-bait article about it either. I guess Ben is getting his clicks.
But my personal respect for his judgment is waning after this post.
It's weird that people feel like they are able to demand what Ben should write about or not. I mean no one is forcing you to click on these stories. If it cheapens his blog then so be it. Too bad for you. I find this saga very interesting and would love to know how everything went down.
That's what is great about choice. You have the freedom not to read and he has the freedom to write what he wants to.
I'm sorry but I don't understand all of the comments about this hotel being bad or been having a bad time here may I ask what happened perhaps I missed it I don't know but I've seen it on the website when I was thinking about going it looks like a beautiful hotel with great service and great people
Sometimes I think Ben takes things out of proportion perhaps that is from being coddled too long and always having to have the most expensive or the best of things just like I have suggested many times for him to fly coach overseas and not once as he said he will do it it's only 12 14 hours out of your life and he's Young and he still will not fly coach not one time together report to me that speaks of entitlement
This isn't about keeping the Aegon Mykonos honest - it's about a tabloid report on his blog speculating why the hotel isn't accepting bookings on the Marriott website.
Marriott has over 8,000 properties and Ben suddenly decides to focus on this one with 76 rooms in Mykonos (again). Coincidence?
The Aegon may have many problems, but this is a vendetta of Ben's, not credible reporting.
We get it. We get it. We really do!
You don't like this crummy hotel. Now let it go, man.
He could fly coach overseas, which takes 12-14 hours, but it's weird coming from a guy who wouldn't take 2 seconds to run a search and inform himself of what happened, yet feels the need to type such a long-winded response.
It’s disappointing to read articles like this Ben, not the content but the tone. If this is the direction you are choosing then that’s your prerogative of course. However from a long time reader it seems as though the content has lost its way somewhat. Credit Card hustling and the Four Seasons recent love in don’t help. Hope you get back to being impartial. Don’t believe your own hype in the nicest possible way...
As the first to agree that Ben can come across as entitled at times, the issues with this hotel and his posts last year were legitimate as to some pretty egregious practices of deception. Yes, the pictures look good to you, they did to Ben as well. They do to everyone. But when arriving you find that most photos are photoshopped, services are NOT as promoted. and the owners/management are more than unprofessional in their response. I suggest you actually go read the easily found posts here. This was not a case of entitled whining.
I would wager that after a disasterous summer season due to incompetent (being nice here...) management, this property will by next year be sold, and a totally new crew installed.
Nothing less than a complete reset can save this place.
Wow. Such a disconnect with Reality
According to everyone here , biz and future reservations are at a High and hopefully I will be here again next year
Myconos is a € 200 + a night and a
Minimum € 50 for 2 beach chairs and an Umbrella Island .
It’s Buddha bar , Solymar , Nammos , Scorpios and other Grand Beach Bar restaurant experiences
Then for the young it’s inexpensive rooms anywhere , and a late night party drinking .
If you don’t fall into either of these category’s , go to some other Island . I think that is the mistake many are making .
Stay away to ensure my future upgrades
Hi all. Since Ben's tabloidy and obsessive (re)expose on this hotel, there has been lots of speculation here on the cause. Few facts and lots of theories and lots of slandering of Greek hotel owners.
Yeah, this hotel may have its issues and is clearly far from perfect and clearly something is wrong.
Has it occurred to Ben or others the kind of damage this speculation is causing the hotel? Nobody has reached out to Marriott to actually get the facts as this is a Marriott issue. I expect this nastiness on Tripadvisor, but not here.
Has this property closed entirely or reopened under a new name? Website seems to be down entirely and Instagram hasn't been updated