Perched on a hillside overlooking the sea, the hotel complex in Desa Alam is conceived as a serene retreat where landscape, architecture, and movement come together to create a layered spatial experience. Inspired by the atmosphere of Santorini Island and the Cyclades, the project does not aim to replicate a specific architectural style, but rather to reinterpret the deeper qualities that make these places timeless and memorable.
The local plantation, topography, and climatic conditions were fundamental parameters in shaping the design. Architecture responds carefully to the tropical environment through orientation, shading, materiality, and landscape integration, ensuring comfort while maintaining a strong connection to nature.
For us as architects, the key question was understanding what truly defines the appeal of Santorini and the Cycladic islands. Beyond their whitewashed architecture, it is the village layout itself that creates a sense of discovery. Narrow paths, changing levels, and unexpected openings invite visitors to wander, revealing new vistas, intimate moments, and framed views at every turn.
This principle of exploration became the foundation of the hotel’s layout. From the moment of arrival—through the parking area and reception entrance—the project unfolds gradually along the hillside. Circulation paths are designed as experiential routes rather than direct connections, guiding guests through a sequence of open and enclosed spaces, light and shadow, anticipation and reveal.
At the heart of the complex lies a shared social zone, featuring a common pool and a restaurant–bar that acts as the communal focal point. Surrounding this core, room suites with private pools and eight independent private villas are positioned in a stepped arrangement, following the natural slope of the land. Each unit enjoys privacy and uninterrupted sea views, while remaining part of a cohesive architectural “village.”
The result is a hotel environment that captures the essence of Cycladic island living, intimacy, movement, and discovery, translated into a contemporary tropical context. A place where architecture invites exploration, and every path leads to a new scenery, an unexpected view, or a quiet moment overlooking the sea.
Architectural Design: KKMK Architects
Design team: Karagianni Katerina, Karamali Marina, Myriam Kourouvani, Michalis Kokkinis