SANTORINI, GREECE (Aug. 29, 2023) – Canaves Oia Managing Director, Markos Chaidemenos, was recognized by Virtuoso as its 2023 Hotelier of the Year at Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas last week.
“This recognition means a great deal to me personally, and I share this with my family and our team, who work tirelessly to provide the highest level of luxury and warm, personalized service for all of our guests,” says Markos Chaidemenos.
Canaves Oia is a family-owned-and-managed collection of luxury resorts in Santorini, Greece, each with its own unique dining concept and stunning views. When their first property opened in 1983 the Chaidemenos family were among the first families to introduce tourism to the fishing village of Oia, Santorini. It was then that Yiannis and Anna Chaidemenos transformed 17th-century caves, once used to store wine, into designer-chic luxury hotel rooms. The birth of the Canaves Oia brand, led by an all-white minimalistic concept, redefined the meaning of luxury accommodation in Santorini.
Markos, who began working in the family business as a front desk clerk at 16, stepped in to take over in 2010 at the tender age of 22, after graduating from Swiss Hotel Management School. At the time, the collection included two luxury hotel properties, Canaves Oia Boutique Hotel and Canaves Oia Suites (pictured above). His passion for travel and people made him a natural ambassador for the brand, which has always empowered its staff to authentically connect with guests.
Markos proved to be an ambitious Managing Director: In his 13 years leading Canaves Oia, he has grown the brand to include a collection of luxury villas and two more hotels, including one built from scratch in a new part of Oia. He also elevated the level of service and offerings and has plans for continued expansion in the coming years.
Today, the Canaves Oia collection includes five luxurious properties on Santorini: the 53-suite-and-villa Canaves Oia Epitome; the flagship, 41-pool-suite Canaves Oia Suites; 18-suite Canaves Oia Boutique Hotel; the 8-suite Canaves Oia Sunday Suites; and the 3-villa complex of Eden Villas; as well as the Sunset Oia yacht excursions and rentals company. The properties are members of Virtuoso, Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Select Hotels & Resorts, and J.MAK HOSPITALITY. The brand has been recognized multiple times with Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards and Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards.
Under Markos’ leadership, the Boutique Hotel and Suites properties underwent their second full renovations. In 2017, Canaves Oia Sunday Suites was launched. And in 2018, the brand introduced Canaves Oia Epitome, its first resort built from scratch, this one with earth tones and stone walls in place of the white-stucco aesthetic. That year, the three-villa complex of Eden Villas rounded out the portfolio with a complex ideal for small groups or families looking for the utmost privacy. Marko’s inquisitive spirit always seeks for new things so the hotels get updates and renovations every year in order to provide the best experience for guests.
Markos’s enthusiasm for the family business has kept the Canaves brand on the cutting edge, evolving into a luxury collection of five distinct boutique properties with regular recognition in top travel awards. He attributes this success in part to the concept of “philoxenia,” a love of strangers and eagerness to show hospitality that he says is part of his Greek DNA.
The Hotelier of the Year Award recognition was given to Markos during the 35th annual Virtuoso Travel Week, which took place August 12-18 in Las Vegas. He was honored among the network’s most esteemed travel agencies, advisors and preferred partners, who set the standard in their given category.
“To be selected by your peers, people with whom you’ve built lasting personal and professional relationships and who are choosing to recognize you for your contribution, is the ultimate honor,” said Matthew D. Upchurch, Chairman and CEO of Virtuoso. “These Virtuoso luminaries, legends and leaders, including Markos Chaidemenos, represent what is foundational to this network, and that is building something greater together than we could do on our own.”
Virtuoso’s Hotelier of the Year award recognizes an experienced hotel manager who demonstrates unparalleled leadership and vision, an unrelenting passion for the industry, an engaged commitment to the network of Virtuoso travel advisors and an astute appreciation for detail. Hotelier of the Year recipients are known throughout the Virtuoso network by advisors, members and their guests for their warmth, their professional standards and the way they make their property stand out in every way.
###
About Canaves Oia
Canaves Oia (www.canaves.com) is a family-owned-and-managed collection of luxury resorts on Santorini, Greece, each with its own unique dining concept and stunning views. When their first property opened in 1983 the Chaidemenos family were among the first families to introduce tourism to the fishing village of Oia, Santorini. It was then that Yiannis and Anna Chaidemenos transformed 17th-century caves, once used to store wine, into designer-chic luxury hotel rooms. The birth of the Canaves Oia brand, led by an all-white minimalistic concept, redefined the meaning of luxury accommodation in Santorini. Today, the Canaves Oia collection includes five luxurious properties on Santorini: the 53-suite-and-villa Canaves Oia Epitome; the 41-pool-suite Canaves Oia Suites; the flagship, 18-suite Canaves Oia Boutique Hotel; the 8-suite Canaves Oia Sunday Suites; and the 3-villa complex of Eden Villas. The properties are members of Virtuoso, Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Select Hotels & Resorts, and J.MAK HOSPITALITY. The brand has been recognized multiple times with Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards and Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards.
About J.MAK HOSPITALITY
J.MAK Hospitality (www.jmak.com) works alongside leading luxury hotels and travel services around the world to connect them with key travel agency partners and broader audiences who will impact their businesses and drive awareness. J.MAK focuses on hospitality brands with personality, helping each client articulate their individual flair, so they can authentically stand out. We harness our network to build relationships through in-person and virtual connection, as well as hefty marketing and social media engagement. We are passionate, experienced luxury travel experts disrupting the industry norm.
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
