7 minute read
LAAS is More | Building the Greek Dream
Jenny Papadimitriou and her mother Eleni joined our Eco Resort Network event in Montenegro in May. We catch up with Jenny to find out more about their project LAAS, a spectacular glamping project situated near the 7th Century town of Kavala, Greece, which is due to open in 2025.
Pitch Perfection
LAAS is a dream glamping project – the location includes a 300m shoreline of fine sandy beach and over 75,000 m2 of pristine grounds, landscaped with local planting and thriving with biodiversity. It is an ambitious endeavour, including around 50 free-standing tents that are intimately connected to the sounds, scents and temperatures of the outdoors, and incorporating private and shared swimming pools. The resort will also include a holistic spa, four restaurants, a beach bar, and a rooftop sunset lounge.
“LAAS has a unique perspective on the beauty of the Aegean, nestled among fragrant pines in a private bay with fine sand and azure waters,” says Jenny. “We have magnificent hiking and mountain biking trails along the coast, and to nearby Mount Pangaion, famous for its scenic forest, waterfalls and monasteries. The town of Kavala nearby is one of the most picturesque in Greece. Fishermen mingle in its lively port with the international sailing community, and its nightlife and tavernas attract locals, island hoppers and cruise guests alike. The international airports of Megas Alexandros and of Thessaloniki are only 30 and 90 minutes by car, respectively.”
Jenny’s family purchased the land, which was being used as a campsite, back in 2004. She returned to work for the family business in 2013, having graduated from hospitality school in Switzerland and honed her craft in several countries around the world, including Spain, UK and the USA. “It was always my dream to come back to Greece and when I returned, I started to work on the existing property where we are now located, organising the camping F&B and doing the event planning,” she says.
After a few years around 2017, Jenny and her mother started to look at ways in which they could extend the season on the campsite and the idea to introduce glamping was born.
“This place holds a big place in my heart,” says Jenny, “It is more than a business idea – we are creating a way of living with LAAS. It is quite simply paradise. LAAS is a feeling, a spirit - a sense of escape from everything, and yet a return to something deep within. It’s about slow living. A way of life, flowing between the comforts of tented interiors and the wild nature at your doorstep. Between the joys of privacy and community, rest and recreation for all ages. A time for both self-reflection and mindful engagement.”
However, the process of achieving this dream has not always been a smooth one. Greece did not introduce legislation to allow for glamping until 2021 and this was a challenge for the project. In addition, work was slowed considerably by the pandemic. Jenny was further hampered by the distance of many of the team members. “We have quite a large team working on the project and while we are based in Kavala, most of the other team members were based in Athens and Thessaloniki,” Jenny explains. “The LAAS teams including architect and interior designer Gian Paolo Vinier from Studio Otto in Milan, Helli Pangalou Landscape Architects, branding and marketing teams, engineers, lighting specialists, soundproof and acoustic experts, surveyors and tent construction specialists.
Jenny oversees the project as general manager and her mother, who has a background in construction – deals with this aspect and the financial planning.
This is a challenge in itself – the accommodation will be available in three different styles, with sophisticated interiors ranging from 34-70m2 and different veranda spaces designed to suit the unique landscape of each. Jenny and Eleni dealt with several tent suppliers before settling on a domestic tent specialist based in Athens. “We already had one of their tents on site and it has required no maintenance for more than 20 years, so we knew the quality of the work they do,” says Jenny.
“With some other suppliers we tried, we found the quality was lacking or it was difficult to get an idea of the detail of the whole tent we required – we had specific ideas on the bathrooms that were important to us, but we are very satisfied with our choice of supplier now.”
It is clear that Jenny and Eleni have very exacting standards for LAAS and require every detail to be perfect, but given Jenny’s young age – and undoubtedly the fact that she is a woman – it has not always been easy to steer the project.
“It has been difficult sometimes to be a young woman leading a team that is more experienced and older for a project which is quite different to anything that has been done before in Greece,” she says with a smile. “I have learned to stick to my vision and while it is important to listen to other people – I know to filter the information and prioritise the project over anything else,” she says.
As for working with family, this is not a problem. “My mother and I have different roles and it is very clear who does what,” says Jenny, who plans to oversee the general operations of the resort once it opens in 2025. “I will supervise the guest experience, ensure that they are happy and feed back to ensure the resort runs smoothly,” she says.
Once phase one of LAAS is up and running, there are further phases of the project planned to allow for future expansion. However, the main priority now is to get phase one open in 2025 and to ensure the processes and guest experience are firmly embedded and everything is running smoothly. Activities on site abound and will include cooking classes, creative workshops, cultural tours and connecting with the local community. Various sporting activities including diving in the sea and canoeing in the nearby Nestos river will also be available. Everything – from the food grown in the LAAS GREENS orchard, to the use of local suppliers is of crucial importance to the project, which puts sustainability at its heart.
“We will reduce and recycle waste, draw on spring water as well as solar power, and our composting completes a virtuous cycle with the earth,” says Jenny. “Transport within the property is electrically powered and EV charging stations are provided. We will source seasonal and organic produce from regional farmers, and our support of local artisans extends to young Greek designers whose clothing and interior designs, organic textiles, children’s toys and essential oils are curated with care in our LAAS shop.”
Jenny and Eleni were inspired by the many stories they heard at the Eco Resort Network event in May. “Attending the conference was very valuable to us. It allowed us to see where we stand globally and it made us rethink some aspects of our project and make some changes. It allowed us to get in touch with others and exchange opinions with them, which is really important,” she adds.
Find out more about LAAS at laas-glamping.gr.
