Title – Name
Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas
Scope / Sector / Industry
Rural accommodation business
Country / Region
Greece, Zagorochoria
Why is it good practice?
Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas is a good example of a rural accommodation business as it offers luxurious hospitality taking into account the sustainable development of the area it operates in.Environmental management and operation, supporting the local community and promoting cultural heritage and tradition are the key strategies it follows in order to offer a stay experience that is in harmony with the natural environment and local culture.
How is it applied?
Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas is a luxury resort in the village of Aristi in Zagori, which preserves the traditional architecture and local elements. It consists of 9 stone buildings, a glass greenhouse and an organic vegetable garden, where seasonal products are grown for use in the resort’s kitchen, a stone-built oven and an indoor and outdoor swimming pool.
The goal of the family that manages the resort is to make Aristi the ideal destination for those seeking authenticity in the Zagorochoria region. At the same time, as a resort, it seeks to offer luxurious accommodation services, highlighting the cultural tradition and heritage of the place.
In this context, it provides its guests with the following services:
- Accommodation: It offers luxurious rooms in stone buildings, based on traditional stone and wood architecture.
- Dining: It has a restaurant that serves traditional Greek cuisine with an emphasis on local and organic products. Raw materials such as cheeses and meats from the villages of Epirus, homemade pasta, olive oil and much more, as well as fresh organic vegetables from the resort’s farm are used to create seasonal menus.
- Activities: It offers services such as hiking, mountaineering, mountain biking on specially designed trails, 4×4 excursions, rafting, morning runs, canyoning (crossing canyons), horseback riding, paragliding, yoga and photography lessons, wine tastings, sheep wool processing and nature-loving experiences such as fishing and observation of the fauna and flora of the area. In addition, cooking classes are offered on the farm with the chef’s help, preparing a full meal of three traditional dishes of local cuisine, utilizing handmade fresh organic ingredients from the greenhouse, as well as local products.
- Spa and Wellness: It offers spa services (hydromassage, sauna and hammam), massages and personal care for a more luxurious stay experience.
- Special Events: Hosts corporate, social and cultural events such as corporate meetings, conferences, art exhibitions, film screenings, weddings, private parties and other occasions.
In addition to providing a variety of services to its guests, Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas makes a significant effort to ensure that the resort’s management has a sustainable impact on the environment and the local community. Sustainability is achieved through a series of strategies and practices, which are summarized below:
Use of local and natural materials: The resort was built using traditional methods and natural and local materials, such as stone and wood, were selected for its construction, which are in harmony with the landscape and reduce the need for importing unsustainable materials.
Energy saving: The resort implements energy saving technologies through energy-efficient systems, such as heat pump heating and LED lighting and aims to gradually reduce the use of oil.
Water Management: The resort has sought to reduce and recycle water consumption and has adopted modern wastewater treatment and purification systems, while water consumption is minimized by a pressure control system.
Recycling and Reuse: The resort implements recycling policies, reducing waste and encouraging guests to follow environmentally responsible practices during their stay.
Supporting the local community: Collaborates with local suppliers to procure products and food, thus supporting the local economy and reducing the environmental footprint of transporting goods. Specifically, it procures free-range meats, local wines and fresh produce from local farms.
It is also a co-founder of the Zagori Excellence Network, whose purpose is to promote sustainable tourism in the 46 villages of the region, the cooperation and the extroversion of the tourism businesses of the region. It is the first network in Greece of private businesses, founded in 2013 and plans a series of actions related to the promotion of the region in Greece and abroad, through participation in international exhibitions, joint promotion in mass media abroad, etc.
Promoting local heritage: The resort focuses on preserving cultural heritage and supporting local traditions by designing activities for guests that promote it. Traditional weaving techniques, photography workshops that highlight the natural and architectural beauty of the area are some examples.
Furthermore, as part of its actions, it created the “Aristi Cultural Initiative” in 2024, which aims to shape new communities and create a sustainable environment that highlights and strengthens the relationship between Fine Arts, Culture, History and Architecture, throughout the Zagori region, which is registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In this context, an exhibition program is taking place at the Atop multi-purpose venue at Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas, for the development of contemporary art, the promotion of the cultural heritage of the modern era and participation in local cultural life.
Sustainable tourism: The resort promotes ecological awareness among its guests and offers activities that encourage connection with nature, such as hiking, cycling, and tours in protected areas. In collaboration with an alternative tourism company, it offers a wide variety of activities in the wider area.
With these initiatives, Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas manages to offer a sustainable and responsible tourism experience, respecting the natural environment and the local community and contributing to protection and development respectively.
Finally, it is important to mention that in the context of promotional and visibility actions, in addition to the company’s action and presence in the Zagori Excellence Network, it also implements other promotional actions, such as hosting foreign journalists, agents and bloggers, responding to new trends and modern needs.
Where is it applied?
Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas is aimed at all those seeking a luxurious stay in a special natural environment such as that of Zagorochoria for relaxation but also adventure through a multitude of activity options.
When did it applied?
The construction of Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas began in 2004.
Results
Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas has won many awards and distinctions for its operation and the quality of its services. Initially, the resort is included, along with 60 other hotels, in the international portfolio of “Unique Lodges of the World”, which bears the seal of National Geographic. It has also won the title of “World’s Leading Eco-Lodge” for 6 consecutive years at the World Travel Awards, a recognition that rewards the resort’s commitment to sustainability, environmental awareness, and the high quality of its services.
It has also won the following distinctions:
- “The best traditional hotel in Greece” award in 2010, according to the votes of Conde Nast Traveler readers.
- “Luxury Hideaway Resort” Award – Europe, at the World Luxury Hotel Awards in 2015.
- “Mountain Resort” Gold Award in the “Hotels & Resorts” category at the Tourism Awards 2019.
- “Contemporary Greek Cuisine” Award – 1-star, at the FNL Best Restaurant Awards in the years 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024).
- “Customer Servive & Experience” Gold Award at the Excellence in Customer Service in Tourism Awards, of the Greek Tourism Ministry for 2014 and 2015. Finally, it is a member of:
- “Stay Beyond Green”, a network of hotels that are evaluated based on the United Nations goals for sustainable development,
- the “Greek breakfast” program of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels and
- the “Green Hotels” program with the distinction of implementing environmental management principles.
Other information
The official website of Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas is: https://www.aristi.eu/
