Interview with George Sotiropoulos, Co-Founder of Hostlab Ltd., about Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes from Mykonos

Lifestyle - Interview

by Melisa Kaya

Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes is located in Platis Yialos, one of the most beautiful beaches in Mykonos. In Mykonos, it is possible to shop during the day, to stroll the island and to enjoy the beaches. But when the sun goes down, the darkness cannot dominate Mykonos, the vibrant nightlife is revealed. You have the opportunity to experience and enjoy what the island has to offer for 24 hours. Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes have been carefully designed to offer comfortable accommodation to its guests during their holiday. Run by Hostlab Ltd., Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes is managed by a different perspective and aims to make its guests feel at home. I talked to George Sotiropoulos, Co-Founder of Hostlab Ltd., to learn more about Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Home and their services.

George, before talking about Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes, could you tell us about your background and your career in Hostlab?

Hostlab Ltd. is a hospitality management company and, by running various properties at the islands of Mykonos and Corfu, tries to promote the ideal of Greek hospitality. My partner and I have invested 2 decades serving local tourism industry and several years ago the “Hospitality Lab” was born as a result of a personal need to create something fresh and as a distillate of years of passionate work. Hostlab has now become a well-tuned Hospitality Orchestra at each guest’s service.

Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes

Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes is located in Platis Yialos. Please tell us about Platis Yialos and advantages of being there.

Platis Yialos is a dream sandy beach in Mykonos, located at the south part of the island, truly picturesque and totally wind protected. Platis Yialos is a paradise on earth, as it combines the natural beauty of the island with the sandy beach and the clear waters of the Aegean Sea, while it is pretty near the town of Mykonos (Chora). Guests have the opportunity to relax on the beach, make water sports or just enjoy their coffee or meal at one of the beach bars & restaurants of Platis Yialos. We shouldn’t omit to mention the facility to visiting other - well known - beaches of Mykonos, such as Paragka, Super Paradise and Psarrou Beach, as one step of the beach guests can take the water taxis that make the itineraries to the beaches or even walk to nearby beaches through nice and smooth trekking paths with great views.

Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes

What do you enjoy most about the island of Mykonos?

Perhaps we wouldn’t exaggerate if we said that Mykonos is the most famous Greek island. Although the majority of people when hearing of Mykonos think of the vivid day & nightlife, the truth is that, when it comes to visiting the island, guests are stunned by its natural beauty, the wonderful beaches, the traditional Cycladic architecture that prevails in the whole island, from the houses and hotels to the shops and restaurants and, of course, its people and their genuine hospitality. What is really stunning is the history of the island; since antiquity, Mykonos was one of the most important economic and cultural centers of the Aegean Sea due to its proximity to the sacred island of Delos. Guests are amazed by the beauty, the light and the energy of the archeological site of Delos.

Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes

Could you tell us about Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes and the overall concept?

Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes is a member of a greater family of houses & holiday homes, all inspired, developed and run by Hostlab Ltd, and we are all very proud of it as it is a hybrid accommodation form and guests have embraced the concept and have asserted so through their reviews. What we thought that was really rare in Mykonos was to invest in the preservation of Tradition and genuine Greek hospitality. We created a complex of fully equipped Holiday Homes offering at the same time hotel services, personal concierge, contemporary amenities and facilities and an absolutely magical architectural environment with a well-maintained garden (hard to find in the Cyclades). So, a visit at Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes is a journey back in time, in the old Cyclades and our guests enjoy the warmth of the genuine Greek hospitality in their own home away from home, tastefully decorated, 2 minutes from a dream sandy beach and crystal clear waters. This combination is the reason that we have many repeat guests as it is the exact “feeling” that they need to regenerate again and again!

Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes

What kind of different suites and homes do you offer to your guests? Could you tell us about their features and design details?

As mentioned before, Bay Bees offers fully equipped houses, so we are not following the typical Hotel scheme. What we created is eight independent houses, all carefully designed, with respect to the Mykonian architecture and attached to the guests’ needs. In order to meet our guests’ requirements, we have opted to create houses of different capacity, adequate for any type of travel groups, either families or groups of friends. What is important is that everyone that visits will have a unique experience to remember for life. Large groups usually prefer our Three Bedroom or Two Bedroom Houses, depending on the number of guests, while smaller families are comfortably accommodated to our One Bedroom House. Last-but not least- we have our Bay BeeStudio, that follows the pattern of the other rooms; it is also fully equipped and it is a hidden nest for couples. All Houses have been totally refurbished in 2015 and are being renovated/updated ever since. Concluding, it is necessary to mention that each House is designed carefully in order to have its own terrace, with stunning views to the Aegean Sea, the Platis Yialos Bay and the wonderful colors of the Mykonian sunset.

Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes

What would you want to say about the gastronomic diversity of Greece? How could your guest live this experience in Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes and Mykonos?

As older people like to say, “Greece is a blessed country”. Greece offers a great variety of mountains, lowlands, and such a good climate, that every region has something exceptional to show as local products and local gastronomy. Mykonos, as every other region, has its traditional products and, as an island, has an extra advantage; the sea. Guests visiting Mykonos can taste fresh fish and seafood, sided by local products and accompanied by local drinks. In order to introduce our guests to the local gastronomy, an inseparable part of the complete greek experience we seek to offer them, we provide a welcome pack with local products. This way, guests have the chance to meet and taste local flavors and, then, to search for them and cook them in their kitchen. The scene of guests using herbs from the garden while cooking is very rewarding!

Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes

Could you tell us about the facilities, amenities & services? How could your guests spend time at Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes?

Many guests visit Greece in search of the triptych “sea, sun, sand” and that is part of what they find at Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes. Our property is less than 100m away from the beach, while all Houses are washed by the revitalizing light of the Cyclades, with great views to the sea from each terrace. All houses have a fully equipped kitchen, so guests can prepare their meals and enjoy them in their outdoor or indoor dining areas, all beautifully designed and furnished, with spacious and comfortable rooms and a separate living area. Terraces are equipped with comfortable exterior furniture, as we have noticed that guests love to take advantage of the great views and the Myconian sun and spend hours in their terraces relaxing over a glass of wine. Although each House is an independent apartment, our Host and all the members of Hostlab Ltd. are in guests’ disposal any time they want, for anything they may need!

What kind of additional services do you offer for the businessperson who can not leave their business life behind?

Our philosophy is to meet the need of any guest we have the pleasure to welcome, including, of course, guests that visit Mykonos for business. Except for the internet connection, that is free to all interior and exterior spaces of Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes, every guest has a parking space to our property.

Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes

Do you have any advantage packs or loyalty program that you offer to your regular and long-term guests?

Yes, we do reward guests that honor us with their repeat preference. This is not something standard though, as there is a more personal relationship with all repeat guests; they have now become friends and we welcome them in their home in Mykonos.

How can travelers make their individual or business/group reservations?

Guests can book from our website www.baybeesmykonoshotel.com and our booking engine https://baybeeshomesmykonos.reserve-online.net/or directly through Hostlab Ltd, by contacting via email at info@baybeesmykonoshotel.com or reservations@hostlab.gr. We are also listed and available through major online booking providers such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia.

Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes

What are the most famous attractions near you? What can your guests do in Mykonos?

Except for some of the most wonderful and famous beaches of Mykonos that are in a few minutes walking distance from our property, guests can reach Chora in a few minutes driving distance, where they can explore the endless, picturesque little streets, accessible only to pedestrians! A not-to-be-missed short trip is to Delos and the archeological site, while, for the sunset lovers, there are plenty of hideaways where they can enjoy the breathtaking colors of the Mykonian sunset. For people who wish to visit some of the “must-visit” beach clubs, both Scorpios and Nammos are extremely close (accessible even through trekking paths at a 15-20min walk).

If you have only one weekend in Mykonos as a first-time visitor, in this limited time, what are the best things to do?

A weekend is a sufficient time for guests to visit a couple of beautiful beaches and, of course, Chora. After all, it is an undeniable fact that anyone that visits Mykonos returns in the future to take a more in-depth taste of the island!

How do you describe Mykonos in one sentence?

Heaven on Earth.

Thank you George for your time.

For more information, please click here to visit the website of Bay Bees Sea View Suites & Homes

This interview was conducted in a Question-and-Answer format. The answers were checked for grammar and punctuation and published without any additional editing. Wednesday, February 27, 2019. All photos are the property of their respective owners.