Independent Minds: Agapi & Costantza Sbokou, Phāea Blue

—AGAPI This means embracing the freedom to create something unique — an experience that truly reflects the essence of our island, local culture, and values. It means infusing our hotels with the true spirit of Crete, ensuring that every aspect of the property — from the design to the services, and of course, our people — reflects the rich heritage and vibrant culture of the place we call home.

As a second-generation hotelier, my involvement comes as a choice and out of passion, with a clear vision to create a thread of properties that “celebrate a truer, more timeless Greece”; the side of Greece we locals love and enjoy. Being independently minded is about seeing the hotel as a platform to create something bigger. We believe in consciousness, community, and innovation. These are the guiding values in everything we do. Our focus is Greece and our island of Crete, preserving its beauty for future generations, sharing its best stories, experiences, places, and food with our guests, while contributing and strengthening the local communities.

At Phāea Blue, we had the opportunity to showcase independent minds in every aspect. We partnered with the prestigious Benaki Museum to curate our lobby area. The Benaki Museum is one of Greece’s most significant cultural institutions, showcasing over 120,000 items that represent Greek culture from prehistory to modern times. With multiple venues, it offers a comprehensive view of Greek history and art, while fostering a dialogue with world cultures, making it a key centre for cultural exchange in Greece. The work of numerous emerging Greek artists and artisans is showcased throughout the hotel, in an effort to preserve and celebrate local craftsmanship; we worked with Anthologist, a curator of soulful objects inspired by cultural preservation, authentic experiences, artisanal talents and one-of-a-kind places to style an area within Anthós Restaurant; alongside Zeus + Dione, a Greek luxury fashion brand inspired by Greek mythology and classical culture, to create a capsule summer collection for the hotel.

We commissioned local creatives to create a beautiful guide for eastern Crete to share with our guests and chose antique handwoven loom embroidery from our grandmother’s collection to showcase in the lobby. We feel very strongly about food sourcing and engage in various initiatives, but we are most passionate about our own organic gardens and the programme of Phāea Farmers. This offers ongoing support to staff and their families who farm by buying their produce at a premium to market price, thereby putting the most delicious, seasonal, organic produce on the table, as well as our own organic extra virgin olive oil and honey. This is all possible because we have that freedom.

We welcome opportunities to connect with people, personalise their stay with us, share our way of life, making their stay not just a visit, but a journey into the rich tapestry of our island’s culture and heritage — all in a ‘quiet luxury’ way. In essence, being independently minded means inviting guests into our home, not to a hotel, and welcoming them as our own personal guests.

—COSTANTZA Phāea Blue was my first project after completing my studies in the US. Stepping out of my hometown for the first time allowed me to acknowledge and appreciate certain values and qualities anew. The original inspiration came from the rich and diverse history of Crete. The island has long been a crossroads of civilizations, each leaving an indelible mark on the culture and architecture of this land. From the Minoan civilization of the Bronze Age to the much later Roman, Byzantine, Andalusian, Venetian and finally Ottoman empires, Crete’s heritage is a tapestry of influences.

We chose to draw inspiration mainly from the Venetian era, known for its sophisticated and elegant architecture that would best embed our vision for our luxury product. The Venetian castles, arsenals, and stonework, still found in Cretan cities, are a strong source of reference. The archaeological site of the isle of Spinalonga, which sits at the heart of the bay opposite the hotel, has also been an influence for our architecture. The human scale of its settlement together with the monumental Venetian building is a reference for our palace that integrates both the grand and the intimate.

Finally, the fishermen’s house that was discovered on the shore (which we transformed into the Blue Door Taverna), is a testament to authentic and timeless Greece. Phāea Blue highlights the essence of Cretan cultural heritage: a balance in colours, local stone, and earthy materials like kurasani, used in architecture in bold and modern ways.