Pilot Amphora Boutique Hotel is a 5-star classic hotel unit within the city plan of Georgioupolis, Chania, which consists of 30 luxurious rooms. The design rationale was based on the exemplary hospitality provided by the Pilot Beach Resort Group at its facilities, in a modern and elegant construction that will offer a variety of spaces and unique sensory experiences to every visitor. At the beginning of the construction, ancient floors were found paved with fragments of ceramics, part of a ceramic workshop that produced mainly commercial Roman amphorae in the 1st century BC. The genius loci and the enhancement of these antiquities determined the configuration of the final functional program, as well as the spaces and facades’ aesthetics.
The unit consists of four volumes, one of which houses on the ground floor the reception and dining areas and the rest contain the rooms. A large skylight is found above the double height lobby. The communication between the floors is served by an elaborate and comfortable metal staircase. Auxiliary spaces are based in the basement, as well as a parking space, a gym and an exhibition area with conference equipment infrastructure, in which, in addition to the two ancient floors that have been preserved in their place, copies of the excavation findings are exhibited. The four volumes form an open Π (Greek letter pi), enclosing an outdoor communal area with pool, shaded seating area and bar suitable for every activity the guests need. Out of the 30 state-of-the-art rooms, 9 feature a loft, 2 are comfortable luxury suites, and 5 out of 19 standard rooms have private pools. The room bathrooms are designed as an open space with separate WC.
The purity of the volumes, which acquire an earthy trait, is interspersed with structures attached to the facades, providing privacy to the users of the rooms. Cubic, metal frames lined with ceramic-colored cement are combined with abstract metal and glass elements, composing a dialogue between historicity and modern design. The green element and the attention to detail create a unique environment of serenity indoors, offering sound and visual protection, while creating a suitable microclimate for the exterior of the rooms.
The total area of the building is 2.400 sq.m. The project was designed in 2017 and the construction was completed in 2019, the costs amounted to 2.5 million euros.