Blue Palace Enters Luxury Collection

The Sbokos family, owners of the new Blue Palace on Crete, with Roeland Vos (left), Starwood Hotels & Resort’s president for Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

The Blue Palace Resort & Spa at Elounda on Crete as of January entered the privileged club of distinctive hotels when it became a member of the Starwood Luxury Collection. The collection is classed as “the world’s most extraordinarily unique of hotels and resorts.” Blue Star is the fifth Greek unit to be accepted into the collection and Roeland Vos, Starwood Hotels & Resort’s president for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, says there is a possibility the more Greek units will enter the club.

During the official presentation, Yiannis Sbokos, managing director of Blue Palace, said he was proud his newest unit belongs to such a special group. “We had many interesting proposals from other hotel chains but we found that Starwood, with its Luxury Collection, fit our profile perfectly,” he said.

“The global recognition of the Luxury Collection and its steadfast relationship to the epitome of quality as understood by even the most demanding guest absolutely fits with Blue Palace.”

The five-star Blue Palace boasts 204 rooms, which include 165 bungalows, 36 suites and three villas, as well as a 2000-square-meter spa and thalasotherapy center. All complete with some of the most up-market amenities within the global lodging industry. It opened in June of 2003 and opens from April until November.

The Sbokos family owns four hotels on Crete, and a 50% share in another. The group also holds a 35% stake in the Macedonian Palace, Thessaloniki, which has completed major refurbishing.