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.

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