Can you give us a bit of background on the company and what it offers?
We are the oldest independent villa company in Greece. For over twenty years, we have led the way in bringing top villas onto the market, matching discerning clients to the most suitable villas and yachts and advising them on all matters to do with Greece. I think it is true to say that we are still considered the leaders in our field.
How and why was the company founded? What are its goals and core philosophies?
I founded Five Star Greece almost accidentally over twenty years ago when I was being my usual helpful self with a journalist staying at our extravagantly beautiful but impractical beach house on the island of Ithaca that we had just inherited and had to find a way of commercialising. She was so impressed that she said, “Find a good name, create a company, and I will write about you in Forbes.” And that is how Five Star Greece was born. Since then, we have specialised in very high-end private villas, often off-market, whose owners appreciate discreet and personalised service, offering wraparound service to our clients.
Our core philosophy is that guests have trusted us with their very precious holidays, and this is a huge responsibility that we take very seriously. In saying so, we place great value on accurate and thorough information, looking after the details, and giving truly honest advice. Our goal is to be known for arranging the happiest holidays for clients.
What are the key elements that make Five Star Greece’s service and properties stand out compared to other villa brokers?
On the service front, I would say that we are unusual in the amount of time we spend getting to know our clients and making their wishes happen! On the properties side, we have remained small, privately owned and independent in a world where the big players are swallowing up companies like ours. Instead of having commercial backers and obligations to meet revenue targets, we can focus exclusively on offering the best possible advice to clients and only accepting villas into our portfolio where we feel very comfortable that our client will have a great time and expectations will be met and if possible, exceeded.
What is Five Star Greece best known for in the industry?
Brutal honesty and high standards of behaviour, service and hospitality!
How does your experience in the industry give the company an upper hand?
The villa and yacht business is built on relationships and expertise. If you behave decently over many years, your love and knowledge of Greece are deep, and your advice is honest, you gain the trust and respect of a hugely precious network of quality suppliers who prioritise your clients and go the extra mile for you. It also means that we have the accumulated wisdom to understand what clients really want, think creatively, solve problems and offer those unexpected extras. I don’t think there is anyone who has been at this longer than me in Greece (I am sometimes called “the doyenne”, which makes me feel a hundred years old, but it does mean that people listen to me!)
What process do you go through when choosing villas to represent and what makes these villas worthy of the brand?
Sometimes we scout for villas via our network, sometimes villa owners approach us. We look for location above all else and then style. If the villa is interesting, the next step is a visit by the sales team to inspect the location, environment and the property and its amenities. Then we have in-depth meetings with the owner to make sure that we have the same views on how to serve high-end clients and brainstorm how to bring a property up to its full potential. We don’t focus too much on a particular type, but we want clients to feel that they are getting the best in any category, whatever the price range and style.
Tell us more about the locations of the villas and why these were chosen to be part of your portfolio?
The most frequent request from clients is “beach or waterfront, privacy, an authentic island, and easy access to a pretty village”. The next most frequent request is for a modern minimalist design with fabulous sea and sunset views, and after that is a historic place to stay within a village. So that is what we look for!
What does ‘luxury’ mean to you, and how is this reflected in the service provided by the company?
We hardly ever use the word luxury as it has practically lost all meaning. For some, luxury means having the highest possible specifications in furnishings, fixtures and technology; for others, it is being able to tumble out of bed and walk a few metres to the sea. It can even be a vast infinity pool with a drinks butler on hand or an exquisite design. We have had clients who want to be surrounded by staff 24/7, to have someone there every day to arrange trips and treats such as museum or archaeology tours, boats, BBQs and Greek dancing. Some want drivers and discreet security on Mykonos to make sure that twenty-something-year-olds on a wild night out don’t do anything too silly but still have fun, and then there are those who do not want anyone at all to disturb their peace. We cater for all these!
Tell us more about Greece through your eyes – it is already a popular tourist destination, but what are the truly special (possibly undiscovered) aspects of the country that make it a must-visit destination?
I fall in love with Greece and the Greeks every time I go. Greeks are exasperating, noisy, brave, clever, quick, chaotic, hospitable, soft-hearted, emotional, generous, funny, honourable, undisciplined, changeable, provocative, individualistic, talented, impatient, philosophical, chauvinistic, patriotic, generally bolshy, and totally irresistible.
The country is heartbreakingly beautiful – from the chestnut forests, lakes and high mountains to the white pebble beaches and translucent water, the village fiestas or panegyria with bouzoukia and dancing, white churches, goat bells, the scent of herbs, hiking paths, the light, the colourful boats, the storms, stars and full moons, and the sea everywhere. Each island has its own personality, and visitors often find “their” special island that becomes their own, to where they return again and again, which welcomes them as one of its children.
What are some of your favourite Greek islands and how does one go about choosing which one to go to?
Personally, I have soft spots for the small and quirky islands that often get overlooked – Serifos and Ithaca, for example. But then there are the beauties like Milos, Santorini and Amorgos, the grand old ladies like Hydra and Syros, the glamourous ones like Corfu, Mykonos and Spetses. The islands divide into two clear types – windy, barren and glittering with white cubic houses and windmills, or calm, lush and green with pastel, neo-classical houses framed with cypresses. Each has its devotees, but people tend to go for one or the other, like preferring blondes or brunettes.
We ask if guests want a glitzy social life, plenty of sports and activities, or to be immersed in a local village atmosphere. We ask if shopping and dining ( Greece has some real gastronomic temples) are important, or if guests prefer laid-back and slow where children can roam free-range. Off-season, the southern and eastern islands have the better weather, whereas in the high season, the wind there can be too much for some people. Couples do not always agree as you might imagine, so we also offer marriage counselling…
What itinerary would you suggest for guests wanting to spend a month in Greece?
Unless one takes a yacht, which is sometimes the best way to visit multiple places and coast-hug or island-hop, we suggest guests base themselves on one or two islands from where they can do day trips by boat to explore, or to combine a yacht cruise with a villa stay, “surf ‘n’ turf” we call it. The mainland and the Peloponnese also offer some great villas from which clients can visit islands by boat and enjoy a huge variety of sightseeing and activities by car.
How has the company adapted as a result of the pandemic?
COVID changed the way people travel. The hassle and stress of international travel mean that people choose to stay abroad longer – somewhere more expensive than they might previously have selected, to make it worthwhile. The days when visitors would fly to Greece for one week have gone. The “work from home” concept also means that people could spend longer away from an office, so there has been a great demand for larger properties to host extended families and groups of friends for a month to make up for the separation of lockdown. The challenge for us is securing the availability of these top properties to satisfy demand. Early booking has become more important than ever.
What impression do you hope the company will leave on clients?
I am touched by how many of our clients consider us to have become their friends and stay in touch even after they have returned home. We get to know people, their families, their likes and dislikes, what makes them happy, how to solve their problems, and I think clients just enjoy the feeling that they have us as friends who can look after them and give them honest advice.
You have many repeat clients – why do you think guests keep coming back to Five Star Greece?
Well, our team of six are almost like a close family and totally dedicated to making sure that our guests experience Greece in the best possible way for their individual taste and needs, and our guests appreciate our very personal approach. We are fast, responsive, detail-oriented, imaginative and pay close attention to what our guests tell us.
The team offers complementary skills, so there is always an expert on hand to advise on any villa, yacht or destination, and even cast a guest’s horoscope. Meanwhile, on the logistics side, our unsung heroes in the office liaise seamlessly with our local concierges to ensure guests get to their villas, track lost luggage, arrange wine deliveries, book taxis and tables, deal with health emergencies, arrange special requests and solve problems as fast as possible. In the end, it is simple – if we have succeeded in creating a wonderful holiday full of memories and have been a pleasure to deal with, people stay loyal!
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To find out more, visit Five Star Greece’s website.