Wanderlust Design :: A Luxury Hotel in Syros

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Have you ever traveled somewhere and stayed in a hotel that made you feel design envy? Well, Elisabeth and I visited one such hotel during our Easter break in Syros: Xenon Apollonos. Mr. Stathopoulos, the owner, happens to be a civil engineer by profession but has also an intimate love and passion for interior design. He was kind enough to let us “record” our design envy for his hotel. Join me in this visual tour and just imagine what it would be like to stay there for a while…or forever!

The lobby’s balcony overlooking the Aegean Sea and the district of Vaporia. Now that’s what I call seaview!
The view to the right of the balcony.
The breathtaking view from the left side of the lobby’s narrow balcony of the district of Vaporia and the Aegean Sea.
Partial view of the exterior facade.

The hotel is one of the architectural gems in Hermoupolis, the main town of Syros. It is an old neoclassical stone building at the elegant district of Vaporia. That basically means that it’s rear external facade is literally on the island’s rocky shoreline on the Aegean Sea. Its lobby lounge has a breathtaking seaview and I assure you a very refreshing sea breeze; enough to awaken anyone’s senses.

This is a small hotel with only three rooms. Therefore, this really adds on to its homey vibe. It doesn’t have the typical layout that you’d expect with a big lobby and a big reception desk. That becomes quite evident from the minute you walk through the threshold. Instead, it has a long but really wide entry way paved with black and white marble tiles, an imposing high ceiling mural and an eye-catching antique pendant light that leads to a tiny atrium.

Along its stretch, several vignettes with outdoor furniture help create a cozy and homey atmosphere, even before one enters through the actual entrance door found at the side. Once inside, you’ll find yourself in another corridor that leads either to the breakfast room or to the main stairwell, the reception office, and finally to the sitting lobby with that amazing sea view.

The entryway. How gorgeous is that pendant light? And check out the parking of the bikes. 😉

The high ceilings with the incredible murals, the hardwood flooring, the neutral color scheme with ink and red wine accents, the wonderful artworks and the carefully curated decor by the owner, create a very eclectic and stylish atmosphere, capturing the essence of a cultural legacy. As a matter of fact, all the spaces have small, inviting vignettes that provide guests the opportunity to really experience the unpretentious urbanity vibe this mansion evokes.

One more vignette in the atrium just before the actual entrance to the hotel.
Once inside the hotel, the corridor leads to either the breakfast room or to the main sitting lounge (lobby). This is the view to the sitting lounge from the corridor. By the way, the black and white photo image gallery over this vignette is quite impressive.
A bookcase – showcase of precious vintage books and other memorabilia, found along the corridor just after the reception office.
Inside the sitting lounge with a ceiling mural and the imposing vignette between the door windows.
Comfortable sofas like that are ideal for reading.
Detail view of the old sideboard and its decor.
The breakfast room. Notice the ceiling murals and the statement wreath that adds a touch of exquisite elegance to this space. To be honest, this picture does not do justice to the space, and I can assure you that this wreath really upgrades the whole room.
The wonderful thing about this breakfast table was the reading nook. Elisabeth and I both fell in love with that nook. I thought that it was a lovely idea to be able to do some reading while the rest of the family might still be eating.
In the far corner of the wall near the ceiling, the original mural was preserved only to be slightly seen as a relic of a glorious era.
One of the breakfast tables with its linen tablecloth.
The three windows that shed plenty of natural light in this breakfast room, but made it a bit more difficult for me to take these photos while trying to avoid hard shadows and/or reflections.
Both Elisabeth and I adore boat models such as these two. They can be the perfect decor addition in a space when an image won’t cut it anymore.

These spaces have made a huge imprint on us. It was as traces of the island’s rich cultural heritage were found anywhere you looked. The decor and styling of these spaces was spot on. Nothing was overwhelming. Everything felt as a natural fit.

Believe me, we took a whole lot more photos of these gorgeous spaces. But then again, this post would run on endlessly. Therefore, we will share some of the other photos on our Instagram account – so do follow us there! Please note, that we didn’t style in any way the spaces. We wanted to present it to you in the most realistic way possible, just as we saw it ourselves. 🙂

Hope you enjoyed this tour, because we surely did! XO

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P.S. This is not a sponsored post.

5 comments
  • Μια λεξη μου ερχεται στο μυαλο για να περιγραψω αυτο το υπεροχο στυλατο ξενοδοχειο : αρχοντιά
    ???

    • Έχεις απόλυτο δίκιο! Έτσι ακριβώς, αρχοντιά! Thank you Nayia, xx

  • Really cozy and what a breathtaking view!!! Would love to stay there!!!

  • What a beautiful hotel! From your photos I think I know exactly where it’s located and it matches perfectly! Love everything about the breakfast room too!

    xxxx
    Angelina

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