Page 92 - MYCONIAN COLLECTION MAG 2018

heritage
the family’s dedication to giving back to the island finds
expression in environmental conservation initiatives, local
sourcing and consistent support to the cycladic communities.
their way to view the magnificent ancient ruins of delos.
onassis and Jackie o were followed by Princess soraya,
grace Kelly, Brando and Liz Taylor, to mention but a few,
and Christian dior famously crowned the town’s tailor,
Josef salachas ‘le roi du pantalon’ (‘the king of trousers’),
inspiring givenchy to collaborate on a couture collection.
The secret was out, and close on its heels came the boho
chic of the seventies.
george daktylides was a handsome young man in a hurry
when he married the beautiful young eleftheria from
delos. on completing his military duty, he had returned
home with big dreams. He drove a bus that carried men
and materials from town to the barite mines, and soon
convinced his brothers to invest with him in a vehicle
of their own. Before long, they were operating the only
public transport on the island, with a fleet of twenty-five
buses on which the four boys cut their commercial milk
teeth. “as kids, we sold tickets on our dad’s buses, which
THere Is soMeTHIng about a family business was a little boy’s dream”, says Markos.
and its unique synthesis of heritage, loyalty and emotion Concurrently, george started trading in cement, bricks
which captures the essence of luxury and accounts for and sand that he was hauling to the mines and construction
the strength of some of the world’s greatest portfolios. sites, and for ten years mixed concrete and brought in
This quality is at the heart of the Myconian Collection’s coils of rebar used for structural reinforcement. “I can still
success. “My brothers and I are as proud of our roots remember the ringing sound of both of my grandfathers
as we are of our growth”, says Vangelis, about his hammering to uncoil the steel just below our house.
parents george and eleftheria daktylides, founders everything was done by hand.”
of the Collection that today counts nine of the leading Tourist accommodation on the island had grown modestly
luxury hotels on Mykonos, three of which are members with the state-funded construction and informal room and
of Relais & Ch�teaux. board offers, but demand from visitors drawn to experience
Mykonos during george daktylides’ youth was very the warm hearts, rich culture and exceptional hospitality
different from that of today. The island ran a barter of the locals continued to grow. It was not uncommon for
economy well into the Fifties. “My mother, along with cash-strapped backpackers in the eighties to be invited
everyone else who lived off the land, will tell you that to open up their sleeping bags on private terraces under
they traded their cheese, sausages, cured fish and the stars. so, with his burgeoning contacts in trading and
produce with the townsfolk for imports such as sugar, construction, george decided to undertake a development
flour, rice, coffee and spaghetti, not to mention the all- of his own, seeing an opportunity to build the first hotel
important cigarettes, sold individually from a big box”, on Mykonos outside of town. Marios recounts: “He came
Panos explains. Besides visitors to a few private villas, home one day on a Caterpillar that he’d picked up second-
the island was a well-guarded secret before the yachts hand, and it remained his favourite set of wheels long
and cruise ships of the sixties began to drop anchor on after he could have any car he wanted.” The well-worn
kohiLi, the First privAte hoteL oN MykoNos outsiDe ChorA
Set high above town and looking directly onto the seven famous 16th century windmills, the charming little hotel was an instant hit,
followed by Korali a year later to double the room count.
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the personal touch and attention to detail that to this
day defines the Myconian collection, inspired a loyal
clientele and a reputation that spread by word of mouth.
but solid 920 four-cylinder diesel loader went on to dig to gleam as brightly as the broad swathe of fine sand on
the foundations of his first four hotels, starting with the the south side of the island. so, in securing the most scenic
25-room Kohili in 1979. set high above town and looking cliffs and gentle slope of fields that joined them with the
directly onto the seven famous 16th century windmills, ocean, the family acquired the perfect setting for the new
the charming little hotel commanded sweeping views of stars in the Myconian Collection’s luxury constellation: the
the aegean by day and the glittering spectacle of the town 5-star royal in 2000 and the Imperial in 2002, followed
by night. Kohili was the first private hotel on Mykonos by the Villas, utopia and avaton.
outside Chora, and an instant hit, followed by Korali a Throughout this time, the Collection never lost the sense
year later to double the room count. of family and organic growth. Informed by the family’s
Their success was built on the back of hard work. managerial and operational philosophy, it pervades the
eleftheria made breakfast for all the guests and did the relationships between the daktylides family, the island and
housekeeping and laundry, as well as providing meals for the staff – and flows into guests’ experience of warm and
the 40 construction workers who were busy erecting the personalised service, as well as the privileged relationships
new hotel. she was also raising four sons, and somehow that discreetly open doors to the island’s best suppliers and
still found the time to take her boys for a daily swim. “I services. The family remains firmly rooted in Mykonos.
can still smell the cake she baked for the hotel in our Their children go to school on the island. and their
kitchen”, Vangelis recalls. “she gets emotional when dedication to give back to the island finds expression in
we talk about those times... My parents would sacrifice environmental conservation initiatives, local sourcing and
anything to create opportunities for us. dad worked from consistent support to the Cycladic communities: Waste is
morning to night and invested all the profits back into the recycled, worn linen is donated to old age homes, prisons
business. My mother had one good pair of sunday shoes and monasteries in the Cyclades, seawater is desalinated.
which she would only wear before walking into church”. even nowadays, five years after stepping down as Ceo,
The personal touch and attention to detail that to this george daktylides remains a busy man. His way of relaxing
day defines the Myconian Collection, inspired a loyal is getting involved in the new projects, as well as making
clientele and a reputation that spread by word of mouth. sure that all nine grandchildren have a steady supply of
six years later, Kyma and Kalypso joined Kohili and Korali “real” food. He does his rounds to every home once a
to form what became known as ‘K-Hotels’. In 1986, in week in a Toyota Hilux, with trays of farm eggs on the
anticipation of growing demand for luxury destinations, passenger seat and home-bred lamb and goat’s meat in the
george purchased a plot on the south coast, above the bay back, as well as cheese and cake made by eleftheria. “as
of Platys gialos and built the island’s first 5-star hotel, the you see, I’ve got my retirement sorted out”, says Vangelis.
Myconian Ambassador Relais & Ch�teaux. “and it’s a good thing that we are four brothers, because
“By then, my parents had realised that we needed an our parents’ shoes are very big to fill”.
education in international management”, says Vangelis. “someone once asked me what advice our parents gave us
all four sons attended in turn the premier establishment along the way. My answer was short: they led by example.
of its kind, the world-renowned hotel school in Lausanne. In French, I believe there is a term for it, “l’�ducation
“There was never a question in our minds whether this silencieuse”. We are each other’s most honest critic, and we
was what we wanted to do”. once all four brothers were are loyal allies. When we balance the pragmatic demands
back on the island, they were ready for a new challenge: of a competitive business with deeply rooted emotions,
the conquest of elia bay. If the seaside beaches around the we’re not just planning for the financial year, but also for
peninsula are the golden crown of Mykonos, few are said the next generation”.
Never Give up
Even nowadays, five years after stepping down as CEO, George Daktylides remains a busy man.
His way of relaxing is getting involved in new projects.
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