Mikonos

[Benjio]

I just returned from a three week trip to Barranquilla. My only source of income these days is the occasional music production or studio engineering gig so my plans to stay a year have been delayed. Amazingly, every time I go down there my clientele kicks up so I have to return in a hurry to make the money I need to go back...go figure.

My girlfriend and I patched things up a few months ago and our relationship is better than ever so I decided to treat her to something special. On a beautiful Sunday we took a taxi out to Playa Mendoza (about 30 minutes South of Barranquilla) to a Day Spa called Mikonos. There is a barrio there that reminds me of some of the neighborhoods outside of Houston. One of those really nice gated areas where the wealthy find refuge outside of the hustle and bustle of the big city. As all my fellow gringos know I hate to plug businesses on Gringos that don't contribute to the board but this place was really something special.

First I'll talk about the owner. Marina is an absolute delight to be around. A very well educated and vibrant lady who decided to make her home in Colombia after years of traveling the world. She speaks English, Spanish and French (and I wouldn't be surprised if she was fluent in other languages...but those three are the only ones I could test her on). She was very well versed in history and current events alike. She's what you'd call an upper class Colombian but was still very down to Earth. She actually told me that she couldn't hang out with other wealthy Colombians because they refuse to associate with people that were poorer (I didn’t have the address to Mikonos but the taxi driver actually personally knew Marina). My girlfriend also recognized her from a party she had gone to a few years prior and told me Marina spent the entire night dancing by herself. The best thing was her appreciation of music. I love jazz, classic and modern. But I've never had the opportunity to listen to the jazz from France. I'll just say I've bought three CD's since I've returned and am starting to learn French. While my girlfriend was being pampered with massages and all that good stuff, I really enjoyed speaking with Marina.

Mikonos Spa is actually a complex of three houses that Marina built from the ground up about 100 yards in front of Mendoza Beach. The place is absolutely gorgeous. It's like something from a movie. Every amenity you can think of. Marina personally prepared Mediterranean appetizers for my girlfriend and me before we sat down to a Thai lunch. Afterwards we had ice cream and fruit tea and sat out on the patio watching the waves pick up as the tides changed. We spent about 6 hours there but the time flew like the wind.

If you have a girlfriend in Barranquilla and you want to do something special Mikonos is definitely worth the trip and the cost. Even if you go by yourself you won't regret it.

http://www.mikonoscaribe.com/hires.html

[Whitey]

Great information Benjio - thanks alot for posting. I'm ready to take my 6th trip to Barranquilla, so am always looking for something new to do in the area. This is now on my must do list, although it's a little outside of my usual budget!

Did you happen to ask about the room rates when you were there? The rates posted on the web site are really high (although the place looks beautiful). I've noticed that hotels often post rates in US dollars, but you can very often get the same rate in pesos once you're there (i.e. half the cost). Any idea if they REALLY charge this much per night?

How much was the cab to get there?

If you want to try something in Barranquilla, here's some info on a spa I liked. It's a little cheaper, maybe not as nice, but still good.

Vishnu's Spa
Cl 57 # 36-43 Apto 1 El Recreo
Phone numbers are: 300-3114 and 300-839-5989 (cell)

The cost is $COP150.000 per person, and you have the whole place to yourself. 4-5 hours including various full body skin treatments, exfoliations, moisturizing, facial, massage, blower, nails.

After the treatments, there was a romantic plate of fruit (huge) and juice to share together at a little table in the courtyard


Glad to hear you're back with your novia and are doing well ...

Whitey

[Sailover]

For a woman who can't hang out with wealthy Colombians she sure has priced her facility for them.

[LastLion]

Seems reasonably priced, a nice upper end spa here is double or triple her prices. Seems more than reasonable. Although Honestly now SAILOVER, I cant imagine you taking a gal to the spa. Am I wrong?

Great pick Benj, thanks for positng it!

[Benjio]

Did you happen to ask about the room rates when you were there? The rates posted on the web site are really high (although the place looks beautiful). I've noticed that hotels often post rates in US dollars, but you can very often get the same rate in pesos once you're there (i.e. half the cost). Any idea if they REALLY charge this much per night?

Don't know....but business like those in Colombia are almost always willing to negotiate. I'm sure the prices on her website aren't etched in stone.

How much was the cab to get there?

The cab to go and return was 75.000 pesos

If you want to try something in Barranquilla, here's some info on a spa I liked. It's a little cheaper, maybe not as nice, but still good.

Vishnu's Spa
Cl 57 # 36-43 Apto 1 El Recreo
Phone numbers are: 300-3114 and 300-839-5989 (cell)

The cost is $COP150.000 per person, and you have the whole place to yourself. 4-5 hours including various full body skin treatments, exfoliations, moisturizing, facial, massage, blower, nails.

After the treatments, there was a romantic plate of fruit (huge) and juice to share together at a little table in the courtyard.

We'll have to check that one out when I go back in June.