Architecture and contemporary hotel design return to the centre of the hospitality discussion at The Red Spot Stage, with three days of hotel case studies, design-focused panels and presentations on tourism investment and business planning.

Xenia 2026 returns to the Metropolitan Expo from 21 to 23 November 2026, bringing together professionals from across the hospitality sector. For another year, ek magazine undertakes the curation and coordination of the architectural presentations at The Red Spot Stage, located in Hall 2.

The programme brings architects, interior and landscape designers, lighting specialists, hotel owners, operators, developers and suppliers into a shared discussion around recently completed hospitality projects and the wider issues shaping the sector. The presentations are structured around three sections: Creating Synergies, Design and Business Planning and Design Trends.

Creating Synergies

The core of the programme is formed by multidisciplinary case studies of recent hospitality projects. Instead of presenting each project exclusively through the architect’s perspective, Creating Synergies brings together the different parties involved in its development and delivery, from architecture and interior or landscape design to hotel ownership, operations, construction and technical expertise.

This year’s case studies include The Revery in Elafonisi, Fouquet’s Mykonos, Ilianthos | Arcadia Guesthouse, Heromylos Resort & Spa, Seriphos Estate, Luura Cliff, Eréma Milos, Mosay All Suite Hotel Kos, Altera Cave Villas, Mirage City Resort, Gagos Suites and Cento Palme Rhodes.

Design and Business Planning

A parallel series of presentations focuses on the financial and strategic parameters behind tourism development. Across the three days, business and investment consultants will examine funding tools, new programmes and different approaches to structuring hospitality investments, from the initial business plan to implementation.

Design Trends

The Design Trends sessions expand the discussion beyond individual projects to current questions affecting hotel design and operation. The 2026 programme addresses experiential space design, automation and artificial intelligence in hotels, the relationship between gastronomy and design, the growing role of outdoor hospitality and outdoor kitchens, and the integration of wellness and wellbeing into hospitality environments.

 

Detailed programme

Saturday, 21 November

Design and Business Planning

11:45–12:30 | Tourism Investments: New Funding Programmes & Development Opportunities
Kostas Vamvakas | Managing Director & Founder, VK PREMIUM Business Development Consultants

Creating Synergies

12:30–13:15 | The Revery, Elafonisi
Irini Apostolaki | Architect, Archtify – architecture, construction, consulting
Agesilaos Katerinakis | CEO & Shareholder, The Revery
Sofia Vantaraki | Interior Designer, thingk interiors

13:15–14:00 | Fouquet’s Mykonos
Konstantinos Kydoniatis | Partner, Kydoniatis Architects
Nikolas Travasaros | Founding Partner, Divercity Architects
Haris Xanthis | Head of Development and Operations, ULTIMA COLLECTION

Design Trends

14:00–14:20 | Beyond Hospitality: Top Trends in Experiential Space Design
Natassa Lianou | Director, LC Architects
Ermis Chalvatzis | Director, LC Architects

14:20–15:05 | Automation and AI in Hotels
Nikolaos Gliatis | President, KNX Greece
Evangelos Vasilopoulos | Sales Engineer, Siemens – KNX Specialist Engineer
Penny Kokkinis | Product Application Engineer, Schneider Electric
Tryfonas Christofilakis | Sales Engineer, ABB EL – Building Automation

Creating Synergies

15:05–15:50 | Ilianthos | Arcadia Guesthouse
Tsampikos Petras | Founder & Lead Architect, PETRĀS Architecture
Panos Iliopoulos | General Manager, MARMYK Iliopoulos
Nikos Vasileiou | CEO, Bright Special Lighting

15:50–16:20 | Heromylos Resort & Spa
Vangelis Stylianidis | Lead Architect & Founder, Stylianidis Vaggelis Architects
Zoe Varelidi | Managing Director, Heromylos Resort & Spa

 

Sunday, 22 November

Design and Business Planning

11:45–12:30 | Investing in the Tourism of Tomorrow: From Funding Tools to Implementation
Christina Paraskevaidou | Director of Operational Planning & Development, Noisis

Creating Synergies

12:30–13:15 | Seriphos Estate
Ioli Chiotini | Interior Designer, IOLI CHIOTINI STUDIO
Giannis Solomozis | Designer, SØLØ
Giorgos Levitikos | Owner, Seriphos Estate

13:15–14:00 | Luura Cliff
Ilias Papanikolaou | Design Director and Senior Architect, Elastic Architects
Giannis Vossos | Hospitality Development Manager, The 750 Development
Karolos Khanikian | Architect & Founder, Greenways Landscape Architecture

Design Trends

14:00–14:45 | Gastronomy & Design in Hospitality
Dimitris Karampatakis | Architect, Co-Founder, K-Studio
Athinagoras Kostakos | Culinary Director, Scorpios / Noema / Lyra / Naia / Violi / Oris / Musa
Aimilios Kioulpapas | General Manager, XENEX
Grigoris Liasidis | Chief Operating Officer, LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels

Creating Synergies

14:45–15:30 | Eréma Milos
Kalia Konstantinidou | Co-Founder & Group Executive Officer, Empiria Group
Antonis Iliopoulos | Co-Founder & CEO, Empiria Group
Mara Papavasileiou | Co-Founder – Director, Micromega
Alexandros Zomas | Co-Founder – Director, Micromega

15:30–16:15 | Mosay All Suite Hotel Kos
Epameinondas Argyropoulos | Lead Architect, Tsolakis+Partners
Grigoris Konstantopoulos | Director of Research, Development & Product Promotion, Exalco
Ioannis Paterakis | Owner, Mosay All Suite Hotel
Stelios Papadias | Hotel Manager, Mosay All Suite Hotel

Design Trends

16:15–17:00 | The New Outdoor Hospitality: Design, Sustainability & the Rise of Outdoor Kitchens
Nikos Kyriakopoulos | CEO, KYSO SA

 

Monday, 23 November

Design and Business Planning

11:45–12:30 | Funding Methods for Investments in the Tourism Sector
Konstantinos Pantelis | CEO, Anodos Consulting – Business Consultant

Creating Synergies

12:30–13:15 | Altera Cave Villas
Botonis Botonakis | Co-Founder, BS Architects
Alexandra Michailidi | Interior Architect – Concept Development
Vasiliki Kyparissi | Brand Strategist & Creative Consultant

13:15–14:00 | Mirage City Resort
Christina Grympogianni | Architect, Co-Founder & Partner, De.Ar Architects
Panos Raptis | Architect, Partner, De.Ar Architects
Eva Papadimitriou | Landscape Architect, Outside Landscape Architecture
Nikos Stratis | Owner, Mirage City Resort

Design Trends

14:00–14:45 | Designing for Wellness & Wellbeing in Hospitality
Manolis Iliakis | Architect – Spatial Designer, yolkstudio.gr
Pantelis Kouzis | Co-Founder & Managing Director, WetRox Spa Consulting Engineers LLC
Kostas Athanasiou | Owner & CEO, IDOLO Group

Creating Synergies

14:45–15:15 | Gagos Suites
Kostas Gagos | CEO, Costas Gagos Architecture & Design – Interior Designer
Eirini Koutsaftouli | Head of Procurement, Costas Gagos Architecture & Design
Chara Arvaniti | Lead Architect, Costas Gagos Architecture & Design

15:15–16:00 | Cento Palme Rhodes
Stavros Christopoulos | Architect, Partner, Thymio Papayannis & Associates
Alexandros Magganiotis | Architect – Interior Designer, Thymio Papayannis & Associates
Katerina Partheniou | Architect & Lighting Designer, KP Architecture & Lighting

Design and Business Planning

16:00–16:45 | Funding Tools in Tourism: A Strategic Approach to Investment Planning
Vasilis Tsekeridis | Managing Director, planO2 Development