As we prepare for this issue in the summer when tourism season peaks, the Greek Islands face the perennial challenge of balancing visitor influx with environmental preservation. Amid this dynamic, a particular island hotel stands out for its ambitious commitment to offering luxury without compromising eco-friendliness. But how is such balance achieved? From architectural design to guest engagement, this establishment challenges the norm, seeking a symbiotic relationship with its natural surroundings. So, we ask: can sustainability coexist with high-end hospitality?Nausika Georgiadou’s journey to founding Skinopi Lodge is a tale of passion, discovery, and an unwavering commitment to preserving Milos's natural and historical heritage. Nestled in the heart of the Cycladic islands, Skinopi Lodge offers an experience that is both intimate and transformative, merging eco-luxury with the rugged beauty of the Greek landscape.Işıl İlkter: Your journey to founding Skinopi Lodge is undoubtedly unique. Could you describe the personal experiences and moments of realization that underscored the importance of creating a retreat that showcases Milos's natural beauty and fosters a deep sense of discovery among its visitors? Nausika Georgiadou: Milos has been my happy place since I first discovered it when I was 18. I am also a passionate traveler and hotel lover, so I have always had this romantic notion of having my hotel here. Over the years of coming to Milos with various friends, I realized that what people wanted was my Milos and what I would do with my day here, so that is what we offer on a very personal level to each guest. This is possible as we are tiny with just seven villas, and we intend to stay that way in the face of the threat of mass development and large hotels on the islands.Iİ: The Cyclades are celebrated for their stunning landscapes and historical depth. What about Milos, specifically, captivated you and led to the decision to establish Skinopi Lodge there? What unique qualities of the island influenced your vision?NG: Milos and its archipelago, including the island of Kimolos and the desert island of Polyegos, have one of Greece's most beautiful and varied coastlines. At the same time, Milos has been a significant island since prehistoric times, so it has amazingly deep layers of history. I love nature, particularly the sea, and I am constantly exploring wherever I go, so Milos offers both of these qualities to me.Iİ: Your collaboration with local artisans and architects in designing Skinopi Lodge’s stone villas is particularly noteworthy. Could you elaborate on the creative process behind this collaboration? What were the main challenges, and how did you ensure the architecture harmonized with the landscape and resonated with the rich Cycladic heritage?NG: I collaborated with Kokkinou-Kourkoulas Architects, a great Athenian office. The brief was to create just a cover in nature, buildings that do not try to compete with the beauty of the natural landscape, just to provide shelter and honor the island's traditions as well as the Greek summer way of life, with the indoor-outdoor experience. The architects created stone structures, and we sourced the stones locally so the buildings would blend in. We incorporated outdoor kitchens and showers to encourage guests to live outdoors, and all villas have been designed with cross ventilation to cool naturally and minimize air conditioning. The syrmata inspired the design, the beautiful houses that adorn the fishing villages of Milos, and, of course, our own village of Skinopi just below the Lodge.Iİ: The balance between privacy and engagement with nature is finely tuned at Skinopi Lodge. How did you conceptualize and realize an environment that offers both secluded tranquility and a gateway to the adventurous essence of the island?NG: Privacy and connection to Nature are the essence of Skinopi Lodge, and we ensured that basically by building only 7 villas on nine acres of private land, covering only a tiny percentage and leaving the rest wild and pristine. It was a conscious decision, which I am incredibly proud of. It is the gateway to the adventurous side of the island in the sense that guests experience a different island when staying with us, away from noise, tourism, and the usual large hotel experience, and are personally guided to seeing the best the island has to offer.Iİ: Islands like Milos face unique sustainability challenges due to their isolated nature and limited resources. How does Skinopi Lodge address these challenges in its daily operations and long-term planning?NG: The Cyclades are very small in scale, and the environment is very fragile here, so the current massive trend of tourism flowing to Greece poses a huge threat to our tiny islands. In Skinopi, at least, it always feels the same, whether in May or August, as the land is large, and there is absolute peace and blissful quiet. We intend to keep it that way by not building any more villas, just safeguarding this beautiful land we are privileged to be the guardians of.Iİ: What are the ecological priorities on the island, and what can the tourism industry and hotels do to address these issues?NG: Milos has been a mining island forever, but production volumes have significantly increased in recent years. This threat, combined with the threat of tourism, is really worrisome. We, in the tourism industry, can lead by example. Show the locals and the government that there is another way forward to be more profitable in the long run. The way to small-scale, luxury tourism, which respects the environment, fights climate change, and safeguards the beauty of our islands for our children.Iİ: The concept of “eco-luxury" is becoming increasingly popular in the hospitality industry. How does Skinopi Lodge define and practice eco-luxury?NG: There is a lot of greenwashing out there, and people are getting so used to reading about the eco properties of various hotels that the word has become hollow. In the dry Cyclades, one cannot be eco-conscious and have a swimming pool in every room or have rooms that can only be lived in with air conditioning. We strive to be utterly faithful to our word and sustainable by being plastic-free, having no pools, and having our beautiful sea as a seafront property. Also, our design and state-of-the-art insulation materials ensure minimal energy consumption.<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">Editor’s note: The full story is in Soli’s first print issue.

Soli

With Nausika Georgiadou, founder of Skinopi Lodge, we explore how to sustain tourism in harmony with nature on islands overrun by mass tourism: Has the concept of luxury in tourism truly changed? What does it really mean for hotels to be designed in sync with nature?

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