Channeling Earth, Wind, and Water at Pnoēs Tinos

Located in the lush valley of Lagkades, Pnoēs Tinos is defined by its natural surroundings. The three-villa property, marking the titular Cycladic island’s first true luxury design destination, was conceived by renowned architect Aristides Dallas to honor and reconnect guests with three essential elements: earth, wind, and water. With this in mind, “our goal is to be as organic as possible in every aspect,” the Original says. This sentiment manifests across all elements of the property, from the materials and colors of walls, where imprints of craftspeople can be seen, to the bath amenities to the produce grown in onsite gardens. Adhering to the Greek hospitality concept of philoxenia, which translates literally to “being friendly to a stranger,” guests are welcomed by the local staff, with knowledge of everything the island has to offer. 

Aristides and his studio, Aristides Dallas Architects (ADA), designed the property, inside and out, with earth, wind, and water as the guiding principles. Earth provided the inspiration for the master bedrooms, which are located on the lower levels of the villas: carved from stone, the rooms feature darker earth tones, establishing a cocooning cave-like ambiance, with specially designed lighting and 3D-printed sculptures designed by Aristides and his team. Wind is reflected in the light and airy, white-washed cubic shapes of the villas, which appear to float on water. And water itself surrounds all spaces, with the villas’ private pools aligning along the horizon with the Aegean Sea beyond.

Beyond the natural elements, Pnoēs Tinos was also created according to the motto of “learning from the past respectfully, designing for the present critically, and shaping the future responsibly.” Everything onsite was created by the team, based on the island and in Athens, in collaboration with locals. Décor was sourced exclusively from small upcoming Greek designers and artisans, notably Tinian artist Alexandra Papadimouli, founder of the brand The Round Button. Papadimouli, inspired by Pnoēs’s deep connection to the elements, produced a unique series of artworks found on the walls of each villa. The furniture and fixtures, meanwhile, were designed by ADA and then handmade by carpenters on the island. The villas themselves are made in part from locally quarried stone, with leftover stone repurposed as retaining walls and landscaping elements in the gardens. Typical of Cycladic architecture, the walls have lime-washed surfaces, while minimal steel and wood details, paired with broad airy openings, give them an undeniably contemporary feel. 

Each villa features 73 square meters of indoor space and 67 square meters of outdoor space, plus approximately 100 square meters of private gardens. Inside, there are two double bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms and a living area with a kitchenette and a fireplace. The bathrooms were inspired by the style of the hammam, with smooth and continuous surfaces enveloping the room and fostering a warm environment for relaxation and care. The master bathroom features a full soaking tub with a ceiling showerhead, and the second bathroom has an expansive shower area. Both are stocked with bath amenity giftboxes—featuring all-natural herbs, soaps, and loofahs—produced according to a zero-waste ethos in collaboration with the local brand Ena Karo. Outside, there is a sitting and dining area under a pergola, and a pool with two depths that includes a deeper section with a built-in Jacuzzi. Designed by Richard Gerritsen, a Dutch landscaper specialized in permaculture, each private garden grows Mediterranean fruits and vegetables, including melons, tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants, as well as herbs, for guests to harvest on their own in the summer months; the land then heals itself in the winter. 

For breakfast, Pnoēs Tinos prepares and delivers complimentary baskets filled with fresh local organic products, including bread, marmalade, thyme honey, eggs, and meats, to the villas. For other meals, guests are encouraged to explore their surroundings. Pnoēs’s General Manager Crystalia Basta and her partner, Alexandros Androvik, owner of the slow-food-focused business Tinos Farm to Table, also host workshops to educate visitors about the island’s cuisine and visits to farms near the property can be easily arranged. 

Sustainability

Pnoēs Tinos is committed to sourcing and producing everything from the breakfast baskets to the architectural materials and décor locally, thereby significantly reducing its carbon footprint. The hotel also purifies its own wastewater and reuses it for irrigation. The gardens and additional landscaping features have been designed specifically to regenerate the soil and enhance biodiversity, and a recycling system has also been implemented onsite. Although vehicles are often desirable to explore the island in its entirety, Pnoēs encourages guests to rent electric vehicles and will soon have electric charging stations at the property. 

Destination 

While Tinos was historically famous for religious pilgrimages to the sanctuary of Holy Mary, in recent years it has been developing as an all-encompassing destination, drawing visitors for its natural and historical features, as well as for its cultural and gastronomic heritage. One of the island’s award-winning restaurants, Marathia, is just a seven-minute walk from Pnoēs Tinos, which is located in a valley on the southern tip of the island. Tinos is also home to 46 traditional villages, which host annual festivals celebrating ingredients and products, such as artichokes or honey, that are native to the island. Tinos is reachable only via ferry: a journey by sea from Athens takes around two hours with a high-speed ferry running from May through October; a ride from Mykonos, where the nearest airport is located, is 30 minutes. Pnoēs Tinos is a 10-minute drive from the port.

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