Spyros Kokotos

General

Spyros Kokotos (Greek: Σπύρος Κοκοτός) is a Greek architect born in the city of Herakleion, Crete on October 30, 1933, to (father) Fotis (Greek: Φώτης) a.k.a. "Takis" (Greek: Τάκης) Kokotos and (mother) Anna Varouha (Greek: Αννα Βαρούχα).

Education

Spyros Kokotos spent his childhood in the village of Dafnais, approx. 15km south of the city of Herakleion, while attending secondary education at the "Lyceum Korais" (Greek: Λύκειον "Ο Κοραής"). He was admitted to the School of Architecture of the National Technical University of Athens in 1953.

Professional career

Even while still attending university, Spyros Kokotos worked as a junior architect on the Athens Hilton project, so since graduation he has been mainly involved with tourism projects, having built more than 40 hotels throughout Greece, particularly on the island of Rhodes, where he has designed more than 10 hotels, the first of which was the Rodos Bay hotel.

Personal Achievements

Spyros Kokotos is more widely recognised for and accredited with the creation of the luxurious hotels and resorts of Elounda in his native Crete. He has designed and built the following 5* hotels in the region: Elounda Beach (completed 1971, sold 1988), Elounda Bay (completed 1977, sold 1978), Elounda Mare (first operation 1981, owned to the present day), Porto Elounda (first operation 1993, owned to the present day), Elounda Peninsula (completed 2002, still being expanded, owned to the present day).

Spyros Kokotos is also one of the founding members and first president of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (Greek: Σύνδεσμος Ελληνικών Τουριστικών Επιχειρήσεων - ΣΕΤΕ, transliterated "SETE"), and the main driving force behind all its policies. SETE is now widely recognised as the main influence behind Greek tourism policy, acting as a preferred partner to the Greek government.

Family Status

Spyros Kokotos is married since 1973 with Eliana Kokotos (Greek: Ελιάνα Κοκοτού), born Sotirchou (Greek: Σωτήρχου) and has three children: Fotis Kokotos, born 14-June-1974, Elias (Greek: Ηλίας)Kokotos, born 9-October-1975, and Marina (Greek: Μαρίνα) Stratou-Kokotou (Greek: Στράτου - Κοκοτού), born 14-November-1980. He has one brother, George Kokotos (Greek: Γιώργος Κοκοτός).

____________________________________________________PHOTOGRAPH OF SPYROS KOKOTOS (JUNE 2007)____________________________________________________

External links

[1] [http://www.travelintelligence.com/travel-writing/2515/Europe/Greece/Crete/Crete/A-Discreet-Paradise.html Article about Elounda hotels and Spyros Kokotos on Travel Intelligence]

[2] [http://www.travelintelligence.com/travel-writing/1001012/Europe/Greece/Crete/Crete/Elounda-Mare-Hotel.html Article about Elounda Mare hotel and Spyros Kokotos on Travel Intelligence]

[3] [http://www.spafinder.fr/archive/article.jsp?id=270 Article about Six Senses Spa and Spyros Kokotos on Spa Finder]

[4] [http://travel.independent.co.uk/europe/article159736.ece Article about Elounda and Spyros Kokotos in the Independent daily British newspaper]

[5] [http://www.lesrestos.com/one_voyage~No~5~cat~allailleurs.htm Article in French website Les Restos about Elounda Mare hotel and Spyros Kokotos]

[6] [http://www.invgolf.com/golf_greece.htm Article in golf investment website Invgolf about the state of the sport in Greece and Spyros Kokotos's contribution]