Sustainability is not something you jump on as it becomes a buzzword. There are hotel groups which have attempted to jump on the sustainability bandwagon much before it became a trending topic. These brands have gone on to become pioneers of green spaces – and have embedded sustainability into every facet of their business.
Embracing this in the Greek hospitality scene is Yes! Hotels. In a tete-a-tete with Stefania Flenga, Managing Director at YES! Hotels Group, she speaks about how the group is contributing to the evolution of green luxury hospitality in the post-Covid era in the country. Excerpts:
A Player in Greece’s Luxury Space
Yes! Hotels has passionately positioned themselves in the luxury space in Greece, following a gradual return to normalcy in hospitality after the COVID downturn. In a country with tourism as a major economic mainstay, its leading NEW Hotel has intensified services to redefine hospitality inspired by luxury and sustainability. Its artistic edifice created by Brazilian design duo, Humberto and Fernando Campana in conjunction with architectural students from the University of Thessaly will suffice.
Fusing art and architecture
While the rooms reflect three traditional Greek themes, particularly the mischievous but much-loved folklore character of Karagiozis, and the traditional form of “Evil Eye” motifs revisited on a psychedelic note with rear-lit LEDs, plus a wall collage of historic postcards to offer a glimpse of old Athens with a modern design twist.
Talking about its luxury offerings and contemporary hospitality approach, NEW Hotel, with its original and authentic design is now a leisure destination boasting luxury accommodation surrounded by an eco-friendly atmosphere that is the careful integration of art and architecture.
“Throughout the property, the brothers fuse old with the new, mixing modern design touches with themes from Athenian culture, as NEW Hotel strives to maintain links with the local neighborhood wherever possible,” Flenga said.
“We are situated in the former Olympic Palace Hotel. NEW Hotel encompasses the heritage of its past by using recycled parts of the old hotel and reinterpreted local materials to create a complete work of art …what may have been viewed as rubbish has been transformed into contemporary artwork.”
From stopover to stand-alone destination: Changing the face of Athens
Athens has until now been mostly a city-break destination or just a stopover destination where people would stop by and then take the ferry or flight to the islands for vacations. But leisure and business travel has now picked up big time, especially from the US.
According to Flenga, the US and overseas market has been the most important market. The UK is also important but considering we have direct flight to the islands, the UK is more of a seasonal market for the group.
“We suffered during the lockdowns as Greece was closed to many overseas markets. However, since 2022, in the post-pandemic period, we have witnessed a good increase in numbers in incoming business from all over the world. There was a big upsurge in digital nomads that chose to stay in Athens and the islands. This created a positive impact on our tourism. Additionally, Athens has developed a lot as the government has also contributed and supported with numerous actions in order to attract more travel. So not just the islands, but Athens has grown as a destination beyond the city-break,” she added.
Supporting indigenous artists
The group has been keen since the beginning to promote local economy through its innovative initiatives.
Throwing light on these measures, she remarked, “We have seen a rise in the homegrown brands to support local fashion and products. We were one of the first hotel groups to introduce Greek fashion to our travellers. We created an app to compile the works of all these owners of jewellery, handbags and art work during the lockdown.”
Sustainable tourism approach
According to the candid MD, Yes! Hotels Group’s latest sustainable measures are in line with the trend in the hospitality industry concerning green travel. There is a specific culture of sustainability through its water and waste policy that encourages visitors to favor the cause through its luxury.
“We have a ‘Wash on Demand Policy’ where the replacement of towels and bed linen takes place upon request. Informative material has been placed in all rooms, to engage guests to reduce water consumption. Water-saving equipment, complemented by using the latest technology to measure consumptions on energy and water ‘’ she added.
There is no gainsaying that in YES!Hotels group, sustainability is a culture.
