Agapi Sbokou is the owner and co-CEO of the Sbokos Hotel Group, a leading, privately-owned company of six multi-award-winning resorts in Greece. Blue Palace Resort and Spa in Elounda, Crete, is the flagship property of the Sbokos Hotel Group.
Simon Wittenberg caught up with Agapi to find out more.
LM: You hold an MBA from the Cass Business School of City University and a BA in Law from the University of Athens, plus you can speak English, German, Italian and Greek. Have you always enjoyed studying languages?
AS: Growing up in Greece at a time when tourism was blooming, it was a given that I had to learn foreign languages. Having said that, I have always found languages fascinating myself. It is the surest and fastest way to another culture. My dream is to find some time in the future to learn French and Arabic.
None is an easy task if you want to learn it properly, so we will see!
LM: You previously worked in banking. What made you move into the hospitality sector?
AS: My father was adamant as my sister and I were growing up: “Find something that you like. Unless you love it, you will not be good at it”, he used to say. So, I went to law school and worked in investment banking to gain some experience outside of our own company. Until then, I was not at all sure about ending up in the hotel business.
It all became clear during my MBA. Product development made my heart tick. And what better platform to do that than with our own business? Hospitality was changing at the time because, with the internet, the competition was on an international level. This different benchmarking suddenly made it challenging enough.
So, when our father was about to start construction at the Blue Palace and called to ask if I would like to be part of this right from the beginning, I jumped on the opportunity!
LM: What are the unique selling points of properties within the Sbokos Hotel Group?
AS: My passion comes from the desire to create a brand that tells a great story. It is the thread that connects Crete’s culture of authentic, heartfelt hospitality, my father’s uncompromised dedication to warm, personalised service, and respect for the local community and our staff.
Our company also has a long-standing dedication to ecological responsiveness with our strong desire to offer our guests authentic memorable experiences that speak of a truer, more timeless Greece.
Each resort tells a different story, yet they all speak of the same values.
LM: What does Crete offer visitors looking for a luxurious experience?
AS: Crete offers some of the most breath-taking beaches in the whole of Europe, a cuisine with the richest tradition all over Greece and a significant cultural heritage: the Minoans, the first European Civilisation, the palace of Knossos, the myth of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur; the birthplace of Zeus; two towns with a Venetian built historical centres and a third with the longest Venetian walls existing today.
There are also buzzy island towns and some of the most unspoilt villages.
Crete speaks to the heart of the sophisticated traveller – to the ones who feel strongly about the luxury found in authentic experiences.
At Blue Palace, it is all about enjoying the perfectly mixed cocktail at a brilliantly-designed beach club; it is about having the freshest local langoustine right at the water’s edge; it is about waking up to unparalleled views of the island of Spinalonga, a few meters away; it is about sailing in our traditional boat and experiencing a Cretan wine tasting.
These are the stories that we want our guests to take back with them because these are the things we love sharing with our own friends.
LM: How is the Greek tourism sector doing after a difficult time for the economy?
AS: Greek tourism has proven itself to be extremely resilient during the crisis and has helped the country with a direct contribution of more than 10% of the GDP and by employing 17% of the workforce.
It is not by coincidence. Greece is a safe country. People love the sun and the beautiful sea, the islands, the food and the culture. It offers a unique combination of unique natural beauty, amazing places to stay and extremely varied experiences for those who want to discover more.
LM: What facilities does the Blue Palace provide to guests, and please tell us about its private beachfront location.
AS: Blue Palace is a sanctuary for all. Here, luxury is also about space and about the boutique experience. Three outdoor swimming pools offer a choice of sea and fresh water.
Our acclaimed Elounda Spa features three Thalassotherapy pools, 22 treatment rooms, two suites for couples, plus a 24/7 gym with views of the sea. Five restaurants and three bars are spread around so that each one of them feels as if it is not part of the resort.
There is a helipad and a private chapel by the sea, as well as our own private traditional boat.
There is no main building, but groups of bungalows spread around the cliff and 142 private infinity pools, which look as if they merge with the sea. This gives uninterrupted views of the beautiful cove and Spinalonga Island, as well as a sense of privacy.
Blue Palace is about embracing the great outdoors and being mesmerised by the vistas. For families, we have a kids club, and for older kids, there is a choice of activities ranging from water sports, biking, tennis and games arcade by the beach and one of the main pools.
Blue Palace’s private beach offers an unsurpassed experience. Our 200-metre beach allows most guests to sit right by the water while maintaining a sense of serenity and privacy. It is bordered by a sprawling wooden deck and expansive grass areas that lead to individual decks furnished with umbrellas, luxurious sunbeds and plush beach towels.
The Isola Beach Club offers excellent food and drinks on the beach, while a full range of water sports and diving are available.
A separate area, aptly named The Haven, offers more privacy, gazebos and an upgraded service to guests of Island Suites and Villas. There is such a sense of space and of unspoilt natural beauty, which makes you feel that this is the definition of summer luxury.
LM: What unique dining experiences does it offer?
AS: The Creative Consultant Chef, Athinagoras Kostakos, in collaboration with Blue Palace’s Executive Chef, Alexandros Lefkaditis, showcases their vision for quality food for one more season. With menus inspired by the unique characteristics of the surrounding area, they focus on purity, authenticity and freshness.
Blue Door Taverna is a culinary treasure featuring well-kept family recipes with a contemporary twist by Chef Kostakos right by the sea. It’s a labour of love! Flame features international dishes, with a focus on steaks cooked to perfection.
Highlighting Cretan producers, the menu features steaks and seafood from the area, cheese from local farms and herbs and vegetables from the resort’s own gardens.
Isola Restaurant offers a seasonal feast of vibrant summery salads, fresh seafood and contemporary dishes bursting with flavour, all shared in long leisurely lunches or dinners with postcard views amidst refreshing sea breezes.
Isola Beach Club grants a relaxed bohemian ambience paired with light and refreshing beachside dishes, also served in the privacy of your sunbed. Asia Deep Blue provides delicious gyozas, bao buns and classic sushi favourites.
Olea is the resort’s principal Mediterranean restaurant which features an impressive veranda with stunning views to the sea.
LM: How would you define luxury?
AS: Luxury is one of those overused words, and so I feel it needs a new definition. It means different things to different people. For me, luxury is found in the detail, in the unexpected little things that transform an experience into something that speaks to your heart.
It could be the architecture and design of a place that speaks of its past heritage with a modern take. It can be about the discrete yet warm and personalised service. It can be about the freshest produce; the scent of the well-groomed local trees or about the discovering the best room amenities.
If I had to choose, the greatest luxury is diving into crystal clear blue waters just a few meters away from a national monument, the island of Spinalonga, with ruins from the Romans, the Arabs, the Venetians and the Ottomans. How often can one experience such a thing in life?
LM: What are your biggest luxuries in life?
AS: In my personal life, probably the biggest luxury is to travel with my family. Being able to share with my husband and our kids experiences will form who they are. It is about what we see, what we eat at those places, the stories that we hear and the people that we meet.
It is mostly about the quality time that we share with them and how all the things we experience in those travels ignite wonderful conversations within the family.
LM: What’s next for the Blue Palace?
AS: Myself and Costantza, my sister, an architect by training, and my co-CEO, are now planning our next season. We get our inspiration from all sorts of things when we travel or when we talk to people and to our own guests.
But we remain passionate about our dedication to Crete: guests at Blue Palace should feel they have come to Crete, and they should experience the best our island can offer. It comes down to that.
LM: Thank you for your time.
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