The Authentic Village
An upgraded Authentic Cretan experience within a traditional Neighborhood in Sfakia village, Crete, close to nature and filled with the local culture.
Location
Sfakia, Crete
Year of Operation
2019
Official Website
Hotel Synopsis
The below text is a full description of the under development property, giving all the details regarding the hotel's story, concept, operation, and experiences, that will provide to its guests.
The main source of inspiration for this concept is the property itself, as well as, its location, that resembles an enclosed Cretan neighborhood or an internal private yard. That combined with the need to maintain the authentic sense of the destination, and the fact that the visitors of Sfakia have as their main goal to live an ultimate experience of resting and relaxation, while being close to nature, the “Authentic Cretan Yard” will be the area’s new point of interest.
Authentic
The element of "Authenticity" is essential for the visitor. The destination itself has retained many of the traditional elements of its character, but the existing touristic development does not meet the required degree. Therefore, the new hotel will offer an upgraded authentic experience in every aspect — from hospitality to food.
Cretan
Since it is located in one of the most traditional and virgin areas of the island, the character and presence of the Cretan element should be evident in all aspects of the property. The visitor will experience his stay at the property as an extension of his overall experience at the destination.
Neighborhood
The essence of "neighborhood" arises from the morphology and location of the property. As it is enclosed with buildings (which will be further enhanced by the building of the hotel), it inevitably creates a central "square" (with the main reference point being the big tree), in and around which will be developed every activity of the hotel.
Hotel Typology
The first stage of our Services, which includes the Research & the Typology Study, helped the Hotel Owners take their final decisions regarding the hotel's Typology (type of property, room types, grounds, etc) and its main Features and Facilities, aiming to increase the hotel's ADR as well as its sales potentials from its various departments and services.
Hotel Grounds
The Reception / Check-in desk
The neighborhood's Yard
Room Types
Sea View Rooms with Balcony
Garden View Rooms with Balcony
Garden View Room with Patio
Hotel Concept Development
During the Hotel Concept Development process, we specified the main idea and the narrative of the new hotel, which will allow it to stand out from the competition. At the same time, we specified all the new hotel's experiences, services, and operation model, in order to help the architectural and design teams to capture all the requirements for its final design.
Drawing inspiration by the destination and its culture itself, with this concept we aim to create the new point of interest in the area of Sfakia.
Sources of Inspiration
Cretan Neighborhood
Village lifestyle
Local architecture
Simple & quick homemade food
Signature Experiences
The experience of 'coffee and food under the trees'
Tasting of "spontaneous" dishes, cooked on the gas
Hotel Branding & Implementation
In order to have a fuller image of the Concept, we have created an initial branding for the new hotel that captures its feel and essence, and which must be taken into account during the design process. At the same time, we presented a series of indicative applications and implementations of the branding, in order to convey in a more tangible way the feeling that will be exuded during the hotel's visual communication.
Name Description
The two suggested names are closely related to the narrative we want to tell. As a first choice, we gave the "Big Tree", which is also the trademark of the hotel, alternatively, we suggested the "Authentic", already anticipating the title, for the authentic Cretan experience that the accommodation will offer.
Logo Description
The element of the big tree but also of the Cretan garden in general, can be the basic elements of the concept. This very strong element of the tree can even become the hotel's logo.
In addition to the clear connection with the property, the tree also refers to a property close to nature, where the visitor will relax and unwind - this is exactly what Sfakia represents as a destination and what we want to give (through a clearly upgraded tourist product) to travelers.
Alternatively, the main element of the design concept can be the traditional Cretan mustache.
Implementation Examples
Project Partners
For the completion of the project, Destsetters collaborates with the Architectural and Design teams, in the context of the thorough application of the concept to the overall experience, the correct specification of the anticipated operational needs, and the new hotel's commercial potentials. The Architectural & Design teams are selected by the investors/project owners and play an active part in the overall decisions regarding the development of the new property.
For this project, we collaborated with:
Architect: Antonis Disseakis