Set on the Greek island of Paros, Parilio is the latest outpost of the Design Hotels group. Interior design studio Interior Design Laboratorium were inspired by the stripped splendour of Cycladic design, the purity of island life and Mediterranean sunlight for the beachside hotel. The name ‘Parilio’ means ‘the Sun’s aura’, the enchantment of which led the designers to create an experience that seems to decelerate time, invoking ultimate relaxation. 

The preexisting structure comprised 55 rooms distributed across six buildings that were designed in the ’80s. The new building now contains 33 suites, a reception area, pool and spa within the 7-acre plot of land. Construction was swift, beginning in January and completed in July. The new design takes lead from the traditional houses on Paros island and fortress-like monasteries. 

The first port of call, reception, is structured as a ‘modern sanctuary’ with narrow windows, oversized entrance and a series of impressive arches. Aiming to generate total calmness in visitors, Interior Design Laboratorium says, ‘These images create a sense of time travelling to past decades, when life on the Cycladic islands was as pure as light itself.’ The designers harmoniously combine old and new elements, using both modern and vintage materials and furniture made with traditional techniques such as knitting and pottery. Artisans from Morocco, Crete and Copenhagen created ceramics, jars and functional objects as a tribute to the hotel’s main view, the Koukounaries cliff, at the top of which an ancient and significant acropolis of the Aegean was discovered.

The Parilio colour palette encompasses the striking white of the traditional Paros houses as well as the colours of the cliff, with shades of brown, beige and faded yellow. The shades populate the hotel room interiors, making the suites feel in touch with the surrounding landscape. Custom furnishings use Cycladic marble and fabrics. Morroco-based folk art designer LRNCE created custom rugs that hand over the bed headboards in each suite. Yellow tents and umbrellas characterize external areas of the hotel, with balcony chairs and tables designed by Vincent Van Duysen. The pool is one of the hotels most distinctive moments, designed like a cross facing the cliff and the ancient Acropolis. Natural rocks emerge from the crystal blue waters.