Our Boutique Hotel Story: Tinos Traditional Architecture Reborns
The Start: Our story begins in the 1960s, a decade of innocent, of carefree family outings, a time of self-definition, of cultural awareness, and of observing and realizing the comparative advantages of having your origins in the Greek countryside.
The Turning Point: During studies in Architecture came the reevaluation of the experiences of the vulnerable childhood years. The absorption of the concept of "aesthetics", a concept directly interwoven with the concept "culture", led to grasping the enormous worth of traditional architecture and viewing it: on the one hand, as a creation of the "anonymous" locals in order to fulfill their needs, their way of life, their interrelations, their land, and that land’s terrain; and, on the other, as a contribution to understanding the principles behind stewarding space as "tissue", be it structured or structure-free.
The Journey: In the 1980s, encounters with people at life's crossroads, combined with our shared ancestry, led us to the Cycladic Island of Tinos. The white, fortified houses of Tripotamos traditional village, the man-made landscapes, the local people, and their traditions and customs captivated us.
The Start, the Turning Point, and the Journey: all links of an invaluable chain for Crossroads Inn at Tripotamos, Tinos Island.
These experiences – the formative years, the architectural studies, and the Tinos discovery – formed an invaluable chain, inspiring us to breathe new life into four abandoned houses in Tripotamos. Acquired between 1993 and 2008, these houses, located within the listed Traditional Settlement of Tripotamos village, were in poor condition, with neglected surrounding area and declining sustainability, needing restoration and reconstruction.
Our goal was to enrich habitation and reactivate the fabric of this traditional Cycladic village. This vision became the driving force behind the restoration and reuse of these properties and the prerequisite for defining their new use: a countryside boutique hotel, in the ‘Traditional Accommodations’ category.
The restoration, which began in 2007 and was completed in 2017, was a labor of love. Everything was done by hand. We meticulously preserved the structures and strengthened them to ensure safety in the restored traditional buildings. We retained the traditional elements, recycling old Tinian schist stone where necessary. Our material choices were guided by compatibility with the existing older structures, durability for the new use we intended them for, longevity, and eco-friendliness. By respecting and retaining the building methods of the traditional Cycladic village, we succeeded in reinforcing their bio-climatic behavior, ensuring natural coolness in the summer and warmth in the winter.
The original buildings’ layouts had to be retained, according to the Greek restoration law, and proved adequate for the intended new use: a boutique hotel in traditional houses, offering comfortable stay in the heart of Tinos Island. We repaired the old furniture and incorporated it into the new designs, ensuring harmony between old and new. Handmade additions and new furniture, enthusiastically and masterfully crafted by local Tinian artisans, further enhance the authentic atmosphere.
The gradual restoration inevitably brought about the gradual opening of Crossroads Inn. Starting with two rooms, 7 beds in total, in 2009, we expanded to 20 beds by 2017, with the addition of four new accommodations.
How did we come up with the name Crossroads?
First of all, we wanted our boutique hotel’s name to reflect the interconnectedness of Tripotamos village life, the bond between and among the villagers in this small community on Tinos Island. We also wanted it to reflect the fact that everything at Tripotamos is actually a crossroad: from the labyrinthine, vaulted alleyways crisscrossing and the maze of white-washed houses that meet and part, to the village’s three small rivers which silently flow and converge beneath the village.
Since 2009, we have been committed to providing authentic Cycladic hospitality at Crossroads Inn, our boutique hotel in Tinos Island.
Our focus is on offering our guests an immersive experience, urging them to live like locals and become part of the village's captivating environment. We always value our guests' suggestions and recommendations, and continuously strive to improve our services, ensuring a memorable stay in our private, self-catering houses at the traditional village of Tripotamos.
