Aristide Family

Independent Minds: the Aristide Family, Aristide Hotel

This women-run hotel is putting Syros, Greece’s arts-and-crafts enclave, on the map for an off-beat creative crowd

Since publishing her literary thriller, celebrated author and economist Oana Aristide turned her multi-faceted mind to reviving a former shipowner’s neoclassical mansion on the Cycladic isle of Syros – one of the smallest and most often overlooked Greek islands, with an industrial-meets-artistic edge. With the help of her sister Jasmin, and mother Simona, Oana has put her art, heart, and sustainably-driven soul into Aristide Hotel – a nine-room restoration project with an art gallery, creative workshops, and artist-in-residency programmes.

Past-preserving yet forward-thinking, this plastic-free Considerate Collection member uses solar panels to heat its water, and runs a tree planting project in collaboration with the Cyclades Preservation Fund (to offset the carbon footprint of their guests’ travel to the island), alongside other eco-driven initiatives. Great care was taken during the non-invasive refurbishment – and as a nod to Greek cultural heritage, nine different kinds of Greek marble have been used throughout the interiors, which draw on the earthier tones of the island’s wilder, northern side rather than the typical Cycladic blue-and-white colour palette. Local textile factory tours, pottery workshops, vineyard visits, Cycladic cooking classes, and herb foraging expeditions with the hotel chef are just some of the many experiences on offer which immerse guests in the island’s natural beauty and creative community.

We prefer to see the odd creative mistakes than endless safe bets.

Do you have a vision for the future of the hotel?

The main development will be in the direction of being eco-conscious. It is simply impossible to carry on being wasteful, to have all those plastic bottles and packages, meat-heavy menus (the list goes on). Responsible luxury must become the norm. The other aspect that is changing is increasing demand for original experiences, for hotels that are their own place and are not trying to emulate anything else. One thing we have noticed is that there is a ‘typical’ Aristide Hotel guest. We don’t receive a random sample of luxury travellers – we are very happy with the guests we attract, and hope this continues.

Previous

In with the new: 7 boutique hotels to have on your radar

Next

Italy by train: a scenic rail itinerary for slow travellers

Latest stories

A deliberately slow, solo adventure through magical Bhutan

Several goblet-like lamps flicker within the colourful, ornate prayer hall at Gangtey Gonpa, a 17th century monastery on a mist-shrouded ridge overlooking Bhutan’s Phobjikha Valley. Filled with clarified yak butter, the lamps symbolise wisdom dispelling the darkness of ignorance (believed to be the root cause of human suffering in Tibetan

Where to stay in September: 6 boutique hotels to book now

Every seasoned traveller knows September is the month to move. Peak season has passed, but the beauty and warmth still linger — Kyoto’s sun-dappled temples, vineyards primed for Mendoza’s spring bud break, and shorelines still smouldering in Croatia — all revealed through a more authentic, crowd-free lens. It’s shoulder season

The ultimate Istanbul city guide

The call to prayer rising above the Bosphorus, the scent of spices drifting through centuries-old bazaars, the shimmer of mosaics inside Byzantine domes — Istanbul is a city that stirs the senses at every turn. Here, East and West meet not just in geography but in taste, texture, and rhythm,

From burnout to balance: how to incorporate Sophrology into your travels

In a world that never stops scrolling, flying, or striving, Dominique Antiglio is inviting us to pause. The founder of BeSophro and a pioneer of modern Sophrology — a mind-body practice often dubbed “meditation for people who can’t meditate”— Antiglio blends clinical expertise with the elegance of intuition. With over