On the island of Patmos, a location of outstanding natural beauty combined with a rich cultural and spiritual heritage, the Patmos Aktis Suites + Spa Hotel has opened its doors. The project was undertaken by the Kos based practice of ARC Ilias Mastrominas to renovate and incorporate the buildings which had accommodated the Xenia hotel, with a series of newly designed structures.

The pre-existing building differed greatly from the original style of the Xenia as designed by the late, great, Aris Konstantinidis, but in spite of this, every effort was made to retain the heritage of the historic building by limiting the renovations to its facade to the absolute minimum. The extension and rebuilding of the ground floor fulfilled the needs of its new status as a 5 star luxury hotel. The entire interior was gutted and the rooms were remodelled with a contemporary aesthetic, cool clean interiors in a neutral colour palette, with vast transparencies to allow the bright blue of the Aegean to visually enter the spaces as the only element of colour. Two distinct types of accommodation were designed, a group of individual rooms which enjoy a communal pool and a series of suites, each with its own private pool.

The newly completed complex is characterised by the breaking down of its volumes, allowing it to become part of the settlement by not encroaching on the rest of the community. The Patmos Aktis complex is accessed through an impressively theatrical entrance, the high walls suggesting a dynamic element of exclusivity and privacy, which leads to an interior road to direct the visitor to the main reception area and from there to the accommodation area for the guests who will have the good fortune to spend time in this beautifully designed idyllic vacation retreat.

CREDITS

Architects: ISV Architects, ARC Ilias Mastrominas and Associates
Associate Architect: Anargyros Mougiakos
Structural Study: Dimitris Sifonios
Engineer: Petros Hatzipetrou
Landscaping: Greenways
Construction Management: ARC Ilias Mastrominas and Associates