These articles were written about us as part of a spread done about us in a Greek magazine called: 'Inside: Spiti Kai Diascozmissi'. Roughly translated, this means: 'Inside Magazine: House and Decoration'.
We hope that this will give you a taste of what we have to offer:
The Cool Cat - the art of simplicity
Published in the July-August 2002 edition
"... and suddenly , as your feet are warmed by the hot sand, you look around and see the imposing rock that separate Perissa and Kamari and all around the ocean as far as the eye can see. Between a beach bar, restaurants, a coffee-house and bathers, there emerges from that overall view decorative plants, flower pots, red and black stones: welcome to 'The Cool Cat'.
At the door stands Vincent and a small moment after comes Franoise, in the midst of beautiful scenery. Behind them, one of the most well-kept and beautiful gardens of Santorini, a very personal work - their hotel with the name that already inspired Farniente : 'The Cool Cat'.
The Cool Cat is composed of three adjacent buildings built at the three corners of a tree-planted plot of land. Two of them are for their guests and the third one is their home . The stunning garden is beautifully kept, everywhere there are tables and seats that are not placed only in the rooms or the terraces but are scattered in the garden, inviting guests to sit together in an easy and happy communion - peaceful even during the holiday season.
Everything here is decorated in the personal good taste of Francoise and Vincent. Everywhere there are paintings, sculptures, reliefs, metallic cats, old chairs, writing tablets, big baked clay vases, and stones and pebbles typical of the island. This all creates a feeling of warmth and originality very different from the usual decor of big hotels which are sterile and overcrowded. Here the decor is elegant and easy and in a way,like a wonderland for adults. Nothing seems foreign, like the gleam of a pause in life or the quality of everyday existence. There is a proposition, a sweetness in time , a moment when everything reflects the hope of a serene pleasure .
The hotel doesn't belong to greeks but to a young belgian couple who arrived on the island, fell directly in love with it and decided to install themselves there. The buildings were in existence before and were kept as rooms to rent but under another name and unfortunately the garden was empty, without flowers or trees .
When these rooms didn't attracted tourists anymore, they were sold to this young belgian couple who saw there an opportunity for a better life. They loved the spot more than the autochtons and this you can see in their work and the way they created an environment with the volcanic stones, the wild plants and the natural vegetation. They also respect the wandering animals that come in the summer to beg a little bit of shade, water or food .
Inside this calm and restful oasis, 50 metres from one of the biggest and most beautiful beach in Greece, in a field that constitute essentially an exhibition of open-air art, one can spend delicious days in the company of Vincent and Francoise and also others passing time there.
It is a pleasure to drink the wonderful Santorinian wines in the evenings whilst spending some time in the beautiful garden where you can hear the music of the waves caressing the sand.....all of this is priceless.
These two young people have found their own way and made a space for themselves as Santorinians. They gave shape to a space that was when they found it barren and dry and have turned it into the house of their dreams.
Everyone who wants more than the usual hotel fare is invited to this little corner of paradise - come, enjoy!
This is the listing we have been given in Le Guide du Routard in 2003. We are very proud of this one too!:
"The Cool Cat: Count on 50 to 80 Euros for two depending on the season. Rooms with kitchen, fridge, coffee machine, AC and TV. A nice little hotel absolutely not standardized with a Cycladic style of architecture. Very welcoming with a garden where the guests can find tables, chairs and romantic benches to sit and enjoy quiet moments close to the beach. Francoise and Vincent the Belgian owners fell in love with the property as soon as they saw it, and we can understand why! They made a very welcoming hotel out of it , where one wants to stay a while and not just simply pass like the wind.
The clients come from all over Europe and abroad ( America , Australia , New-Zealand and Canada mainly) as together, Vincent and Francoise speak five languages; from English to French passing by Flemish and German and of course ... Greek!"
