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In the east of Crete, Minos Beach Art Hotel subtly sprawls across a landscape of rich greenery, vibrant flowers, rocky beaches, and twisting trees that tower over the sea. Between the whitewashed, low-lying bungalows, more than 70 sculptures from the G. & A. Mamidakis Foundation—the art foundation created by the Cretan family that owns the hotel—form an open-air museum that guests are encouraged to discover on foot. The hotel takes great measures to track and reduce its carbon footprint, monitoring energy use, reducing waste, and sourcing products and ingredients from local suppliers. In addition to its environmental initiatives, Minos Beach Art Hotel has been invested in the health of the local community since it was founded. “We believe that tourism and culture are inextricably connected,” the team tells us. The hotel works closely with the G. & A. Mamidakis Foundation to enhance the community through cultural initiatives. Its annual Art Prize, established in 2019, facilitates the production of new artworks every year, and its Residency Program brings creative people together in a collective learning experience.
To preserve the landscape, each renovation is carried out with the least construction possible and the utmost respect for the natural wealth of the area.
The hotel reduces waste at the source by using reusable materials and minimizing plastic in all processes. Plastic items that cannot be avoided are recycled. Recycling performance is monitored monthly.
Specially designated hydrometers monitor and record water consumption. Guests are also encouraged to preserve and respect water through simple means, such as not requesting daily linen changes.
The hotel showcases Cretan cuisine with dishes that feature local ingredients in a modern retelling of culinary traditions.
Working closely with the G. & A. Mamidakis Foundation, the hotel implements a variety of cultural initiatives. The annual Art Prize facilitates the production of new artworks every year.
Guests can explore the natural surroundings, participate in wellness and yoga sessions, use the hotel’s bicycles to explore the area, and stroll through the sculpture garden, featuring many local artworks.
The hotel strives to establish a positive and stimulating working environment where everyone is inspired and encouraged to take initiative, participate, and grow.
The hotel promotes its sustainability initiatives and encourages guests to participate via newsletters, social media, the hotel website, and in-room materials.
We spoke with the team behind Minos Beach Art Hotel to learn the latest on the hotel’s conscious journey.
At Minos Beach Art Hotel, we aim to be the most responsible version of ourselves. We are committed to making better choices every day to minimize our environmental impact and support the local community.
Our sustainability philosophy is based on the adoption of a new eco-culture and the enhancement of environmental awareness. We understand that to be successful over time, we need to strive for sustainable growth, care for our people and community, and inspire the next generation. Our day-to-day operations and actions take the big picture into account, considering the social, environmental, and economic angles.
For more than 50 years, our family business has actively participated and invested in the community. Early on, our leadership decided to invest in the local economy by prioritizing local recruitment. Today, the vast majority of our 450 employees are from the area. Over the years, we have also built and maintained a steady group of suppliers, 90 percent of whom are local. Our relationship with each supplier is characterized by trust, fair treatment, honesty, and consistency. We ask that all our suppliers demonstrate high standards of business ethics, reliability, and integrity, and we ensure absolute transparency in our dealings, thus maintaining the highest levels of trust on both sides. We also work to highlight exceptional local business initiatives to our guests. Some guests ask to visit our partners and learn more about their products first-hand, which brings opportunities to the local community.
One of the biggest challenges for hotels is reducing their carbon footprint, as the industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Minos Beach Art Hotel is combating these challenges by implementing energy-efficient technologies, such as LED lighting and programmable thermostats, to reduce energy consumption. We are also implementing water conservation measures and promoting recycling and composting programs to reduce waste. To promote sustainable transportation options to our guests, we offer electric vehicle charging stations and bikes. We also adopt sustainable procurement policies, promote local and organic food, and set environmental targets to reduce our footprint.
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