A hotel pool colored in Red, breaks the rules in the Cyclades!

Opening a hotel in a major and extremely popular destination builds the confidence that the hotel will be successful. However, the situation begins to become rather difficult, when you have to compete with a number of existing hotels that have already developed a strong positioning in the market, having also the advantage of the location. When a hotel is located in a popular area, is generally considered as a positive thing; however, when the destination has one or more ‘landmark’ spots with great demand, all other hotels that are not located in those areas, become the last options for travellers, regardless of their quality.

This Case Study will analyze the ways in which Ms. Alina Tsolakakis, Hotelier and Hotel Concept & Design Maker, has managed to create one of the most inspired and innovative hotel concepts, gaining the travellers’ attention, in a lesser-known destination.

Why does Location play a very significant role in the case of Art Hotel Santorini?

Santorini is definitely one of the most popular destinations in the world, as it is considered a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many travellers. The main reason is the area’s geology, with the steep cliffs created after the volcano eruption, as well as the magnificent caldera sunset views. The destination itself is linked to these breathtaking views, and all hotels built on the cliff are the first — and usually the only — choice for the travellers.

But what about the hotels that are not located in this privileged vantage? The truth is, that most of the times, these hotels are the last option for luxury travellers in Santorini. And this was the great challenge that Art Hotel Santorini had to face!

Can strategy, combined with Design, create a unique Hotel Concept?

Ms. Alina Tsolakakis has created some of the most successful hotels in Santorini. Most of them, had the strong advantage of being located in the impressive Caldera. In the case of Art Hotel Santorini, however, Ms. Tsolakakis had to encounter the challenge of a less famous destination, like Pyrgos Kallistis village. At the same time, she did not want, in any case, to discourage the audience she wished to target: the luxury travellers to Santorini!

While the high quality service and good aesthetics are the two main elements of her projects, she needed a much more inspired idea. Something that would make Art Hotel Santorini stand out from the competition. The concept of an ‘eccentric’ Design was the key to this situation!

Why is the impressive red pool a strategic advantage?

One of the main characteristics of Cycladic architecture is the small white houses with blue details. And this is exactly the picture that every traveller has in mind and expects to see when visiting a Cycladic island. The most common colour used is blue, while other colours like yellow and red, are also found.

A red pool though, is not something that you see everyday; and not only in Greece but all around the world. During the construction of Art Hotel Santorini, there were two main questions: what would make the travellers choose a hotel that is not on the Caldera, and how could the hotel be more easily spotted in the various distribution channels. The answer to both questions, was the Red Pool: First of all, it was certain that many travellers would want to live the ‘red pool’ experience. Moreover, an ‘eccentric’ hotel would more easily catch the travellers’ attention through the various booking platforms. The creation of such a unique hotel, proved that groundbreaking strategy can overcome even the most difficult factors, like the Hotel’s Location.

The design was not enough!

Even if the hotel’s owners were certain that the ‘red’ approach would be successful, they decided to extend the hotel’s concept to art, and boost the overall experience even more, housing art exhibitions and creating a well-developed artistic hotel concept. After all, the name of the Hotel derives from this ‘artsy’ approach!

In addition, the hotel’s Adults Only policy, combined with the dominating red colour, creates a romantic ambience that transforms Art Hotel Santorini into an ideal destination for honeymooners and couples in love.

Bottom line

While building a new hotel, the location must be taken into serious consideration, as well as the differentiated experience that will have to offer. Since the hotel’s sales are mainly determined by the Internet and the digital world, it is very important for a property to be photogenic. This will allow the hotel to showcase its uniqueness through the correct photo shoot and reach potential travellers more effectively. Art Hotel Santorini is a great example of this technique and we hope that it will inspire our Hotelier Academy readers!

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