The inauguration of NIKO Seaside Resort – MGallery took place on Monday, June 27th 2022 in Agios Nikolaos, Crete. The commemorative ribbon cutting celebration of Accor’s second property in Greece, was attended by Mrs. Maud Bailly, CEO of Accor Southern Europe, Mr. Xavier Grange, Senior Vice President, Head of Development Accor Southern Europe, Mr. Paul Gomopoulos, Senior Managing Director of Hines Greece and Mr. Giannis and Mrs. Tina Daskalantonakis of Y&T Daskalantonakis Knossian Group. The newly renovated NIKO Seaside Resort – MGallery came to fruition through a partnership between Accor, Hines, Greece, Henderson Park and the Y&T Daskalantonakis Knossian Group.
Distinguished guests and selected figures from the business and tourism sectors, including among others, Mr. Giannis Plakiotakis, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Mr. Michael Topham, Hines Europe, Founder, Senior Advisor – Development, Mr. Jérôme Lassara, Vice President of Development Accor South Europe and Mr. Antonis Zervos, Mayor of Agios Nikolaos, were in attendance and expressed the importance of the hotel, marking its opening as the opening of a new landmark in Agios Nikolaos. NIKO Seaside Resort – MGallery is the second MGallery hotel in Greece, and the first to open its doors on a Greek island. As a result, the adults-only destination represents the new era for Cretan hospitality, as the country’s location makes it an increasingly recognised strategic site for global interest and investments.
Mrs. Maud Bailly, CEO of Accor Southern Europe, commented: “In the past two years Accor has doubled its presence in Greece. By 2025 we plan to double our footprint in the country in a respectful way. I am convinced that the hospitality of tomorrow will be sustainable or won’t be. For Greece, embodying sustainability means less mass tourism, more lifestyle, premium and luxury properties, being rooted in actions and committed to Environmental Social Governance (ESG) standards. All of us here share a passion for hospitality, a passion for Greece. The richness and diversity of the Greek islands is a massive playground for Accor. Wellness, disconnecting, detox, being in harmony with nature are important and especially after COVID, it is something clients are looking for.”
Mr. Paul Gomopoulos, Senior Managing Director of Hines Greece, stated: “For us at Hines Greece it has been quite a journey and there is something very special about hospitality. We now own seven hotels in Greece but NIKO Seaside Resort is special for us as it is located at the origin of Greek tourism, where it all began a few decades ago, in Agios Nikolaos. We had the opportunity to take a very central, historically important hotel and give it a new life. This is, of course, very much linked with MGallery and we thank Accor for trusting us with the brand.”
Mr. Xavier Grange, Senior Vice President, Head of Development Accor Southern Europe said: “We currently have 1.400 rooms in Greece and our target is to double this number in the next three years. Our philosophy is based on three pillars. The first is luxury: we want to develop more luxury hotels and premium, lifestyle hotels. Second, we want to be more local and work with people who know the markets better than us. Lastly, we are basing this on franchise contracts with local operators. We have great brands that we wish to develop in this beautiful country and I think Greece will be an amazing region for us to develop our new all-inclusive platform.”
Mr. Giannis Daskalantonakis of Y&T Daskalantonakis Knossian Group, said: “Luxury is MGallery, luxury is Accor, luxury is NIKO Seaside Resort. Investing in our resort was a bold decision on the part of Hines Greece and Mr. Gomopoulos as NIKO Seaside Resort is the first resort hotel in the company’s portfolio globally. Hines was successful in delivering the project on time, within budget and according to MGallery’s chief architect. The hotel is already loved by guests, showcasing a 90% occupancy rate which is unheard of for a hotel so recently launched. Knossian manages ten hotels with a tradition in the management of branded properties, which we will keep doing so long as we enjoy the support of key brands.”
