Ammos Hotel
Ammos Hotel, a boutique hotel on the western side of Crete, combines luxury with family-friendly features. The shallow water, sandy beach, spa & restaurant make it its own island on an island.
How would you describe Apeiros Chora in a nutshell?
Apeiros Chora is a genuine Zagori mansion located in the heart of the Zagorochoria region graciously restored by the same family who has been running it for centuries.
What was the inspiration and story behind Apeiros Choras?
Apeiros Chora is a typical mansion of the region that was turned into a guesthouse. I am the 7th generation owner — our family first arrived here in the late 17th century — so we’re one of only a handful of homes in Greece with such long-established family ownership. But it needed extensive (and expensive) renovation work, so the only way to do that was to build something for the future and create a guesthouse.
Our family is originally from the Apeiros region but has ties to the city of Ioannina, which (under the Ottoman Empire) was the closest city to Europe. The region is historically rich. It was a major centre of the Greek Enlightenment and was considered separate from the Ottoman Empire. Many wealthy people built mansions here in the 17th century.
How would you describe the atmosphere and design at Apeiros Choras?
My wife is a designer, so she did all of the interiors, combining antique furnishings (such as original gunpowder barrels) with luxurious amenities. The house combines elements of the old and the new with slight Eastern influences, as the region once served as the gateway to the Ottoman Empire. We haven’t changed the layout of any of the rooms, they’re exactly as they were in the past, but they’ve been enhanced with modern amenities.
To you personally, what is so special about the farmhouse?
There’s something about it that makes guests feel at home. We are present, so there’s an opportunity to exchange views about the world and discuss opinions — this is all part of the travel experience. Apeiros Choras seems to attract people with high aesthetic expectations, so I think that is part of what makes it so special. The region is also incredibly beautiful and many travellers are starting to discover there is more to Greece besides the islands.
