Words Vidula KotianImages Max Mair
Carved into the hills above Crete’s untamed western edge, Tella Thera reads like a quiet rebellion against how hotels are typically built. The first hospitality project by Loukas Tourkomanis and Chevon Low — a couple who met at Airbnb and left fast-paced tech careers in search of something more grounded — the hotel reflects his roots in generous Greek family hospitality and her Singapore upbringing, with a background in tourism, NGO work, and haze pollution prevention initiatives.
Chevon, whose long-standing commitment to sustainability shapes every layer of the project, approached the architecture as an act of restraint. Here, buildings follow the natural slope of the land, shaped by local stone, open courtyards, and the rhythm of the Aegean breeze — “every line, texture, and volume” designed to feel as though it has always belonged. Together with Loukas, she has created a place where hospitality is not imposed but gently embedded into its surroundings.
Here, we speak to the pair about Tella Thera as a lifelong dream shaped in the wake of COVID, their waste-nothing philosophy in the kitchen, and why sustainability, for them, is ultimately about responsibility to place, people, and future generations.
Loukas: Tella Thera has been a lifelong dream that took shape after COVID—a moment that made many of us rethink what truly matters. It was a chance to realign our lives around the values that define us: genuine hospitality, respect for the land, and sustainable living. The hotel is an expression of those beliefs: a place where people can slow down, reconnect with nature, and experience the authenticity that inspired us to build it.
Chevon: There’s a moment at sunset when light filters through the openings along our corridors, casting soft, shifting patterns on the textured walls. It’s fleeting but magical—architecture and landscape in quiet dialogue. Every time I see it, I’m reminded why we built Tella Thera this way: to create spaces that make you pause, feel grounded, and connect with the rhythm of the place.
Loukas Tourkomanis
Loukas: Our roasted celery root dish captures the essence of Tella Thera. It celebrates a humble ingredient in every form—roasted for depth, infused into a silky mayo, with trimmings turned into flakes and pickles for brightness. Served with local graviera cream and hazelnuts, it’s simple and plant-forward, yet layered in flavor and meaning.
Chevon: We believe sustainability is built through small, incremental steps over time. It’s not something achieved overnight—it requires research, patience, and resilience. Right now, we’re working towards carbon neutrality in collaboration with Agis Papadopoulos, a sustainability expert and President of the Electromechanical Engineering Department at the University of Thessaloniki. His guidance is helping us measure, reduce, and offset our emissions in a structured and meaningful way. It’s an ambitious goal, but one that feels closely aligned with Tella Thera’s philosophy—to create a hospitality model that actively respects and contributes to its environment.
Chevon: From the very beginning, Tella Thera has been a community effort. The hotel was built almost entirely by a local construction crew, and today around 80% of our team live nearby with their families. Almost everything in the kitchen is sourced within Chania and Kissamos. One of our closest collaborations is with a local ceramist who works entirely by hand—from collecting clay in the mountains to firing pieces using olive tree branches from their own land. The result is a collection of unique, functional ceramics that give the hotel its tactile, grounded character. We’ve also created a series of short films featuring these artisans, soon to launch on our website, as a way of sharing their stories and giving their work the visibility it deserves.
Loukas Tourkomanis
Loukas: There’s a wildness to western Crete that I’ve always loved. It really feels like the Wild West. Mountains drop straight into the sea, and microclimates shift so much that olive oil can taste different from one valley to the next.
One of my favorite moments in the year is the Rokka Festival, a classical music concert held during the first full moon of August in the ruins of an ancient village high in the mountains. Surrounded by olive trees and open sky, you hear an orchestra play under the moonlight, with wild herbs in the air and the natural acoustics of the landscape all around you. It’s surreal every time.
Loukas: Perfection. It’s an illusion that often gets in the way of authenticity. Imperfection—in people, nature, and design—is what gives things character and soul. Once you let go of perfection, you start noticing beauty everywhere.
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