What Greek Hoteliers do in the Winter

Dual nationals, avid runners, hoteliers and entrepreneurs - meet Harrys & Bianca, their young family and Myki, the cute French Bulldog, who all enviably live between Athens (their new home), the Greek island of Sérifos in the Cyclades (Nōstos - their new hotel) and Switzerland (the place where they met). This fluid combination of urbanism, mountains, and island living helps the dynamic couple be more creative, adopt new ideas, and foster their ambitious plans to be commercially minded and ethical with a keen eye on real sustainability. 

When not playing host at their dinky design hotel (an heirloom property from the grandfather of Harrys, pappous Giorgos where he fondly spent countless summers as a child), the couple return to the mainland and home in the leafy Kiffisia district of Athina. We met them to see what they get up to in the winter months. 

"Once we close Nōstos in the Autumn for the season end, we set sail for Athens. It takes a while to get settled into the fast-track vibe of city life again; we are like children, excited by the buzz. During the winter months, we like to head off for some downtime to the Peloponnese, especially Nafplio, Costa Navarino, and Vytina - a beautiful mountain village in the Arcadia region. Exceptional food, nature and the Mainalon Trail are always good reasons to go, and the dramatic coastlines absorb you into an ancient world and give you a deep connection back to nature. This is precious time that we use to refine our ideas and thoughts for the coming season and, crucially, how we can do better in terms of the environment, our impact and how, as young people in the world of tourism, we can perhaps help turn back the clock. These days are random, with lots of outdoor running (a passion of Bianca and we like that - our thoughts rally around adding more crafted items into the hotel's interior design to a concept of a zero-emissions car rental service exclusively for hotel guests of Nōstos. Of course, when in Athens, culture is firmly on the agenda - and Athens never disappoints. Highlights include the Museum of Cycladic Art, which we support through its patrons' program and theatrical plays at Onassis Stegi. Other fave pitstops are the SNFCC (Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center), The Breeder Gallery, Dio Horia, the Benaki Museum, the National Gallery and the Acropolis Museum for Culture. As avid runners - we run almost every day to clear our minds and keep fit (we are foodies, so this helps keep everything in balance). We enjoy watching the Marathon runners crossing the finishing line every November at the Panathenaic Stadium (it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896). Otherwise, strolling the book, antique and boutique shops and galleries along the streets of Kolonaki and Plaka is the perfect excuse to indulge in the Greek obsession of savouring the city's coffee culture every single day. 

To give the kids the thrill of snow and the Alps, we take a trip back to Switzerland, too. These days are equally precious as I studied there, and it's the place where I met Bianca. Greece and Switzerland share a lot of DNA - where traditions continue, crafts thrive, and the importance of understanding the land is second nature - evident in building techniques, research, and the herbs that grow across the mountains. Centuries-old customs are essential in both cultures, and we want our children to feel these and understand why we need to preserve them. 

Topped up on a favourite humble dish called Soutzoukakia served with rice, Swiss fondues and culture, we slowly crave the pace of island life again, and as spring approaches, we gleefully catch the ferry back to our other home, the refuge of Nõstos on the beautiful island of Serifos, where my family spent generations doing precisely what I do now - hosting guests from across the globe."