For more than three decades, Empiria Group founders Antonis Eliopoulos and Kalia Konstantinidou have thoughtfully redefined luxury hospitality across the Greek Islands with properties that seem to grow from the unique landscapes they inhabit.
Kalia Konstantinidou sits down with Travel Weekly to unpack why a genuine sense of identity, authentic emotional and cultural connection and thoughtful growth matter now more than ever.
Empiria Group doesn’t seem to follow the traditional luxury hotel formula. How would you describe the philosophy behind the brand, and what sets it apart from other luxury hospitality groups?
I believe luxury is undergoing a profound shift. Today, people are travelling not to consume a destination, but to understand it. They seek places with a genuine sense of identity, where design, culture and human connection come together in a way that feels natural rather than manufactured.
That belief has shaped Empiria Group from the very beginning. We have never set out to build a collection of hotels with a recognisable formula. Instead, we allow each destination to lead.
This is also why we introduced PHOS, our new experiential platform. It moves beyond the traditional idea of a hotel stay, bringing together culture, wellbeing and dialogue through experiences that celebrate contemporary Greece.
I believe the future of hospitality lies in creating this kind of lasting emotional and cultural connection and not just simply offering another beautiful place to stay.
Every Empiria property has its own personality rather than feeling like part of a standard hotel chain. How do you maintain that individuality while still creating a recognisable brand?
Every island has its own history, landscape, rhythm and emotional character, and our role is to reveal that predefined identity.
Eréma could only belong in Milos, shaped by its volcanic landscape and mineral palette, while Vedema reflects the authenticity of a Cycladic village and Parīlio captures the slow island rhythms of Paros. Each tells its own story. What connects them, though, is a shared philosophy.
Across every property, you will find the same commitment to thoughtful hospitality, genuine human connection and a deep respect for local culture. I often say that our hotels speak different dialects of the same language. They each have their own personality, yet they are united by the values that define Empiria Group.
You began with Vedema in Santorini more than 30 years ago. When you look at the portfolio today, what are you most proud of, and what lessons have shaped the company’s growth?
When I look back, I am not most proud of the number of hotels we have created, but of the fact that each one has remained true to its destination. We have never pursued growth for its own sake.
Every new project has come from a genuine connection with a place and a belief that we could contribute something meaningful to it.
The greatest lesson has been that authenticity can never be compromised. Trends come and go, but places with a strong identity endure.
We have also learned that hospitality is ultimately about people. Beautiful architecture and thoughtful design create the setting, but it is genuine human care that transforms a stay into a lasting memory.
I think our growth has been shaped by patience, curiosity and respect, for the destinations we choose, for the communities we become part of and for the guests who place their trust in us.
Empiria recently expanded into Milos with Eréma. What attracts you to a destination, and what has to be in place before you decide it’s the right location for your next hotel?
For Empiria Group, it always begins with an emotional connection to the destination. We look for places with a strong sense of identity, where the landscape, history and local culture naturally inspire the experience we want to create.
Milos captivated us because of its extraordinary volcanic geology. The island’s minerals, textures and ever-changing light have shaped its identity.
With Eréma, we wanted to create a hotel that could only exist there. From the architecture to the interiors, every element responds to the island itself. Most of the furniture was designed exclusively for the project and handcrafted by local artisans, with forms inspired by the softness of the landscape and the timeless geometry of Cycladic architecture.
Ultimately, this is what we look for in every destination, somewhere with a story strong enough to shape the hotel, and not the other way around.
Luxury travellers today have more choice than ever before. What do you think they value most, and how has that changed over the past decade?
I think we are witnessing the transition from aspirational luxury to intentional and experiential luxury.
Guests are asking different questions. They want to know who designed the space, where the ingredients come from, who crafted the ceramics, how a hotel contributes to its community and whether sustainability is embedded into everyday life. This is a much more sophisticated traveller.
They understand that true luxury is access to culture, to local knowledge, and perhaps most importantly to genuine human connection. I believe the next chapter of luxury hospitality will belong to brands that understand this shift.
The Greek islands have become some of the world’s most sought-after destinations. How do you balance tourism growth with preserving the authenticity and character that people come to experience?
We need to move beyond measuring tourism by visitor numbers alone and start measuring it by the value it creates for local communities, the environment and the destination.
Hospitality has a responsibility to protect what makes a place special. That means supporting local producers and artisans, investing in cultural initiatives, creating opportunities for local talent and encouraging guests to engage more deeply with the destination rather than simply passing through.
At Empiria Group, this philosophy is reflected in everything we do, from partnerships with NGO’s such as the Cycladic Identity initiative, which helps preserve and promote Cycladic heritage, and the Cyclades Preservation Fund, dedicated to protecting the islands’ natural environment, to initiatives like Kinship, our family experience concept rooted in local culture.
Preserving authenticity is about ensuring that growth happens thoughtfully, so that the places people fall in love with today remain just as inspiring for generations to come.
Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunities for Empiria Group? Are there new destinations, new concepts or new traveller expectations that excite you most?
What excites me most is not simply opening new hotels, but continuing to create experiences that allow people to engage more deeply with Greece.
PHOS is a wonderful example of this direction. It reflects our belief that hospitality can become a platform for culture, dialogue and wellbeing, creating experiences that extend beyond accommodation itself.
Whether that means discovering new places or deepening our presence in the destinations we already call home, our ambition remains the same: to create spaces for joy that celebrate the unique identity of each place and leave guests with memories that endure long after they return home.
If someone could only stay at one Empiria property for their first visit to Greece, where would you send them and why?
That’s almost impossible to answer because each property tells a different story about Greece. If someone dreams of the timeless beauty of Santorini, Vedema offers a very authentic perspective of the island, immersed within the historic village of Megalochori and surrounded by vineyards rather than crowds.
If they are looking for a slower rhythm and contemporary Cycladic design, I would suggest Parīlio in Paros. And if they want to discover a Greece that still feels wonderfully unspoilt, then Eréma in Milos offers an experience unlike anywhere else.
In many ways, I hope guests don’t choose just one. I hope they discover that Greece is not a single destination but a collection of very different places, each with its own history, culture and spirit.
