With vital educational and career skills gained in such places as Miami, San Diego, Spain and Italy and across such disciplines as economics, management and design, Greek sisters Danae Orfanake and Konstantina Orfanaki returned to their native Crete to launch adult-only, wellness-oriented ACRO Suites and rebrand adjacent Seaside, a Lifestyle Resort.
They said they are filling a gap in the Greek hotel market for luxury hotels specializing in wellness, health and spa activities.
Both of their family-owned and family-operated hotels are near Agia Pelagia in North Central Crete and fall under the umbrella of Omicron Hotels, named for the Greek letter “O” and a reference to their family name, Orfanaki.
Luxury, design and wellness feature throughout the two hotels.
“We were involved in the entire process of launching [ACRO] from start to finish, and we worked with various collaborators to ensure our vision was finally brought to life in 2021.
“Since then, we finished rebranding Seaside and are currently working on renovating some parts of the property, which will feature a brand-new design that integrates marble, stone and wood elements,” Danae Orfanake said.
Sitting on and in a cliffside, ACRO Suites has panoramic views of the Cretan Sea and 49 suites and villas featuring private saltwater pools, sea views and muted, earthy tones.
Sustainability features in such offerings as custom-made wooden furniture, stone and natural elements, raw silk bed covers and a stable, pleasant temperature year-round requiring neither air conditioning nor heating.
Its Bath House spa has quickly become fashionable and contains an authentic Byzantine Hammam and daily yoga and meditation classes, the sisters said.
Konstantina Orfanaki said to get to this point, they had to overcome perception challenges, but yoga and spirituality helped there, too.
“We needed to demonstrate that our vision would be a successful business model, and back in 2016 when the idea of ACRO Suites started to flourish, wellness resorts were not a popular concept in Greece.
“The hospitality landscape was dominated by large all-inclusive hotels, so investing in a boutique wellness resort was not easy. We initially started the project by launching the Asana Yoga Shala [facility] where we hosted our first meditation retreat for a month. Seeing this gap in the market at the time is what allowed us to develop the ACRO Suites concept,” she said.
“The economic crisis affected our local communities, which is why we ensure that we collaborate with local architects, designers and craftspeople across all our projects by means of supporting local businesses and preserving the island’s culture and values,” she added.
Cretan Comfort
For both hotels, the two sisters wanted to ensure materials blended seamlessly with the area’s stunning natural surroundings.
“We sought out the best local Greek designers and craftsmen to collaborate with across the property for an authentic Cretan feel. Sustainability plays a large role in the hotel’s ethos, with natural materials sourced from Crete such as marble and wood. Sheets and fabrics are all made from organic materials, and food is sourced locally from small farms on the island, all from an organic kitchen with plentiful vegan and vegetarian menu options,” Konstantina Orfanaki said.
These design and sustainability considerations have come at a time, in Greece and internationally, in which guests increasingly ask for isolation and mindfulness.
“Wellness has always been important to travelers, [but] in recent years we have noticed that travelers are more discerning in the sense that a nice luxury hotel won’t be enough to satisfy their holiday needs anymore. They are looking for holistic wellness retreats where they can feel at peace with their inner self. They want to feel safe and comfortable and, most importantly, they want complete and utter relaxation,” Danae Orfanake said.
The Cave Spa at the 245-room Seaside offers a heated indoor pool, massage rooms, a steam room and even an ice fountain.
That resort will complete its full transformation next year.
Danae Orfanake said the two properties, despite containing similar elements and the same Aegean Sea location on Mononaftis Bay, are different in terms of brand personality but share the hospitality vision of Omicron Hotels.
“Our guests can explore the facilities of both resorts, including the additional dining options. and they have access to the Asana Yoga Shala,” she added.
The Family Orfanaki
Danae Orfanake and Konstantina Orfanaki grew up in a small hotel in Hersonissos that was owned by the Orfanaki family.
Their own firm, Omicron Hotels, developed Seaside, rebranded this year with its longer name; and opened ACRO Suites in the summer of 2021.
Plans for additional hotels are in the works.
“There are lots of exciting developments in the pipeline. We are currently working on a brand-new hotel concept. With this project, we will be looking at how we can integrate even more elements of sustainability,” Konstantina Orfanaki said.
The sisters each bring a variety of skills to the mix.
Danae Orfanake’s background is in economics and hospitality management. She studied in Spain and worked “in Miami for an established hospitality brand.”
“Wellness has always been a passion of mine. I practice yoga daily, and my dream has always been to create a place where like-minded people would gather, share experiences, grow and heal,” she said.
“While my sister and I often come together, we share different responsibilities in the business. I oversee all the marketing, digital activity and communications across our brands in collaboration with our stakeholders,” she added.
Konstantina Orfanaki said she shares a passion for wellness, having been a gymnast for more than 10 years. She studied interior design and then spent a year working in San Diego for The Keating Hotel Group.
“I oversee all day-to-day operational matters across our business and liaise with our management team to ensure that our hotels are running at the optimal level and we are achieving our operational objectives for each season,” she said.
Danae Orfanake said the hotels’ key feeder markets are the United Kingdom, France, the U.S., Austria, Germany, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.
There is staff aplenty to look after them.
“At ACRO Suites, for instance, the ratio of staff to guests is almost on par. That is because we wanted our staff to be able to dedicate their time to each guest as part of their wellness journey, and that is reflected in the feedback,” she added.