Consciousness

Consciousness

We are proud of our philoxenia. The Greek word for hospitality, it translates as showing kindness to a guest. We work enthusiastically to ensure our philoxenia is also paying it forward. Our whole ethos is to show kindness to people and planet — conserving natural resources, doing good for community, being conscious custodians of Crete and hosting you for happy times.

The environment
Our Guests

Ethos hails from the word ‘character’ in Greek

— it’s a significant word to us as it represents our values and that we are proud of our Greek heritage, proud of our Cretan identity, yet we challenge the status quo, adapting and innovating as we develop our own nature-positive human-centric approach to hospitality.

We are deeply committed to environmental sustainability, rooted in our values of slow-living and reverence for the land. Our hotels actively minimize their footprint through comprehensive water, waste, and energy management strategies. We have a dedicated Sustainability Committee, set goals for real change, and engage in initiatives such as WWF’s Hotel Kitchen and the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative. Community empowerment is paramount, as seen in our Phāea Farmers Program, supporting local agronomists and promoting organic farming. We educate guests through recycling initiatives, clean-up projects, tree planting, garden tours, and bee-friendly initiatives, encouraging mindful habits even after departure.

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“For us, being sustainable is about a true love for our community, while seeking solutions to local and global challenges and sharing inspiring stories along the way.”
– Agapi & Costantza Sbokou

STAR PROJECTS

Phāea Farmers

Phāea Farmers

Phāea Farmers is all about respect: for the health of our guests, the provenance of the in-gredients, the agricultural heritage of local people and for the island. The Phāea Farmers Program is designed to support resort staff who also farm their land.

Phāea Olive Oil

Phāea Olive Oil

Our very own Phāea Olive-Oil, sourced to our kitchens and restaurants. It is a Superior category Olive Oil obtained directly from olives & solely by mechanical means, that has been produced according to self-assessed sustainable farming practices within the concept of EU Farm to Fork strategy.

Phāea Plan Bee

Phāea Plan Bee

Our apiculture initiative, Plan Bee, supports adami honeybees across nine hives, managed organically by our expert keeper, safeguarding these crucial pollinators responsible for one-third of our food.

Phāea Roofs

Phāea Roofs

Every flat space is a potential plant party destination, with our roofs doubling as solar-energy-generating photovoltaic hubs, and we’re thrilled to achieve our dream of installing living roofs to encourage biodiversity and enhance natural insulation.

Our Numbers Speak Volumes

ENERGY & WATER  MANAGEMENT

92%
of our total energy consumption derives from renewable sources
3,5%
decrease of the total water consumption compared to 2022
3,8%
decrease of the total energy consumption compared to 2022
Advanced electrolysis system
in our pools that uses natural chlorine from salt

SUSTAINABLE REFURBISHMENT

  • 1oo% Natural or Environmentally-certified Flooring
  • 1oo% Local Craftsmen or Environmentally-certified Suppliers for our Furniture
  • 1oo% Local Artists for our Artwork

WASTE MANAGEMENT

50%
decrease of waste to landfill compared to 2022
24 tones
of composted organic waste
100%
of plastic packaging or other items to be recyclable by 2025, according to our commitment to Global Tourism Plastic Initiative, is one of our main goals

SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE

  • 100% Free of Synthetic Pesticides & Herbicides
  • 2.568 m² of Certified Organic Gardens
  • 2.334 kg of production of seasonal vegetables and herbs

SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT

99%
of fruits is fresh
84%
of  vegetables is fresh
38%
of purchases comes directly from the producers
97%
of bottled water is locally produced & sourced
69%
of wine purchased is from Crete 
100%
paper consumed comes from recycled Fiberpack® beverage cartons
100%
cage free eggs

OUR COMMUNITY

  • €43 K money & in-kind donations
  • 5 NGOs supported
  • 5 local events supported

OUR PEOPLE

53%
Female Employees
47%
Male Employees
58%
Women in Managerial positions
10,4%
Annual Staff Turnover
84%
Local Staff
7.740 hours
in hard & soft skills trainings

Sustainable Hospitality Certifications & Awards

  • ISO 21401 Sustainability Management System for Accommodation Establishments, 2023 – 2026
    ISO 21401 specifies environmental, social and economic requirements to implement a sustainability management system in accommodation establishments in the tourism sector.
  • ISO 50001 Energy Management System, 2023 -2026
    ISO 50001 is an international standard for Energy Management providing the most robust framework for optimizing energy efficiency.
  • EFQM Model by the European Foundation for Quality Management, 2022 – 2025
    EFQM Model is a framework for organizational excellence and quality management developed by the European Foundation for Quality Management.
  • Green Key, 2010 – 2024
    Green Key certificate is a leading standard of excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism industry.
  • Best Sustainable Hotel, Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards, 2022
  • EHMA Sustainability Award by Diversey, European Hotel Managers Association, 2022
  • Cretan Taste Awards, for PHĀEA FARMERS, 2021
    The Phāea Farmers program has been awarded the Silver Award in the category: Actions to connect the agri-food and the tourism sector
  • Blue Flag Beach Award, Foundation for Environmental Education, 2004 – 2024
  • Environmental Management Certification ISO 14001, 2007-2026
    ISO 14001 maps out a framework that a company can follow to set up an effective environmental management system.
  • Travelife, Gold Certificate, 2014-2025
    Travelife is a leading training, management and certification initiative for tourism companies committed to reaching sustainability.