BEGINNINGS OF THE AGORA HOTEL
We are driving up a twisting road, windows wide open and jazz blasting from the speakers when Aleks points out the window and says, “That’s it. That’s Lefkara!”. Perched between olive groves and mountaintops, the village overlooks the sea and rolling hills below. “It was the terrain that seduced me first," Aleks explains as we get closer. "Cyprus has the ability to completely transform every few miles, from stone beaches to desert-like hills and dense pine forests." Like a prophecy, his words turn into reality as we turn a corner and are met with lush greenery, leaving behind the dry brush and rocky hills. From here, the village looks like a medieval fortress; houses interlocked to create a maze zigzagging along the mountainside.
We turn off the main road and into beautifully preserved cobbled streets that snake their way through the blue doored village. Here and there, corners are dotted with potted cacti and citrus trees, touches of green holding the ever-present drought at bay. Once a favourite vacation spot of Venetian merchants and the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci, the architecture is reminiscent of an old-world. The Italian and Greek influences tickle a sense of familiarity. Yet, as you continue to weave your way between ancient stone houses, you realise that the village's spirit is uniquely its own. There is a lace or silver shop on every corner with its doors wide open, inviting you in to experience the world-famous folk craft honed in this place for generations going back to the 15th century. The Lefkaridians were travellers, selling their craft around the world and bringing stories and new ideas back to influence life in their tiny village. It is a place steeped in history.
…"i like to joke that the hotel life chose us, and not the other way around.”
"I came here for a friend's wedding and immediately recognised the atmosphere as something truly authentic. I'm a cyclist, and so my first morning, I woke up with the sun and went for a ride, and on my way back, I passed by the hotel, abandoned in the center of town." Aleks takes me back to his first meeting with the hotel, how an onlooker explained that the building had been empty for a decade but was now up for grabs. "I like to joke that the hotel life chose us, and not the other way around. I came across this building and immediately texted my partner. From there, the ball just started rolling."
However, the idea of going into hospitality has been present under the surface for a while. "I have worked in some amazing hotels, and Aleks has been at the very top of the food and beverage industry.” Em, Aleks’ partner both in life and business, joins in the conversation. “We have always loved connecting with people and creating an atmosphere where guests can really enjoy themselves, whether that be in our own home or through work.” Aleks chimes in with a story about deciding to help out a friend with an event at the last minute early in their relationship. Em had hosted with expertise, and Aleks made the drinks. "Looking back at that experience and the way we worked so effortlessly as a team, I knew that we were meant to do this together.”
…”we prefer to bring our everyday lifestyle with us when we go.”
The couple tells me of their travels around the world and how influential hotels have been in their relationship. They describe ski trips to Verbier, diving into the food scene in New York, mountaineering in Peru, and much more. What do all these trips have in common? A great adventure and a fantastic hotel! These trips serve as the inspiration for what the Agora will become.
“We love to travel and discover new things, but we prefer to bring our everyday lifestyle with us when we go. We live what we like to call a simple life by balancing good, whole foods, being active, working with something we love, and having fun with our friends and family. So often, this balance can become skewed when you travel. At the Agora we are creating a space to sustain your lifestyle while you are away from home. Whether you are coming from the other side of the world or from somewhere on the island, we encourage you to work when you need to in our library, go for a bike ride or hike to move your body, but also have a cocktail at the bar before dinner.”
Em explains that they are building the Agora for themselves as well as for the guests. “We are creating an atmosphere and sharing a lifestyle that to us leads to joy. “As we get deeper into the conversation it becomes clear that the couple’s strength is how different they are as individuals. Em brings to the table a feeling of home and a sense of ease, where Aleks describes himself as a disruptor. Their dynamic leaves little territory unexplored. In this way, the concept for the hotel has evolved from being centred on sports tourism to becoming the physical manifestation of the lifestyle that brought these two wildly different people together.
Back in the village, we are standing outside the hotel. The building used to be the central market or “Agora” of this mountain region, where people from the village and around would come to buy food and other goods. A sort of beating heart of society here. The old gate is all that remains of that time, but it still stands, serving as the entrance to the hotel (a portal to transport you from what is now into an ageless space). If you look up the meaning of the word "agora,” you find that it also can refer to a meeting place or a place of assembly. “As time went on and we got deeper into the project, we realized that Agora is really at the core of who we are. It's a place for people to gather and exchange ideas, to come together over food or shared interests.”
