Dear residents,
in order for all of you to get a better understanding on who does what at our resort, their responsibilities and future plans we decided to run a series of interviews with senior people at Aphrodite Hills Management, including CEO, Chief Project Engineer, GM of AH Holiday Residences, Head of Security Services, Food & Beverages manager, and Sports Activities manager.
Please find below our first interview with Mr. George Misirlis - CEO of Aphrodite Hills Management. As always, we do encourage your active participation in the discussion, please post your comments/questions on the website.
Dear Homeowners,
Thank you for giving us this opportunity to share important information about Aphrodite Hills Resort, the place we all call HOME.
Most of the members of our team have been with us for many years due a deep sense of loyalty and your involvement as valuable members of this place, is a proof of care and it is very reassuring knowing that you are all willing to join forces into making our Resort even greater.
George Misirlis
Chief Executive Officer / APHRODITE HILLS RESORT
Could you, please tell us a little about the history of the Resort?
There is a very interesting story behind Aphrodite Hills Resort (also known as the Randidi Forest), which travels us back to mythology. I can guarantee that this ancient Greek history will impress you. Please ask for your free copy of “Discovering Aphrodite” – by Anna G.Marangou, which you may pick up from the administration offices during office hours.
In the recent history, Evagoras Lanitis (Lanits Group of Companies) once had a vision, to turn the agricultural land that his father had bought at Kouklia in 1933, into a Golf Resort of international acclaim, one that could stand alone amongst the best in the world. He was introduced in the game of golf during his travels around the world. No one in Cyprus knew much about golf back then but the vision was vivid enough to be felt and shared by a group of excellent professionals who managed to join forces and making it real.
In 1999 the Lanitis Group began development on Aphrodite Hills Resort. And for those who remember, back in 2018 Aphrodite Hills Resort was voted and awarded as the European Golf Resort of the Year. The great vision of a great man has been successfully accomplished.
This was only one of the many awards we have received through the years. We have been honoured many times by various International organisations, travel experts, associations, and institutes though the environmental ones have always been valued the most. Though we cherish each one of our awards, the European Golf Resort of the Year had a more intense sense of accomplishment since it was directly connected to the very first beginning. Which means that now we have a new beginning ahead of us. A new vision and mission to be accomplished. More reasons to work harder and dream bigger.
We know that there will be new houses/apartments construction at the place of the Golf Academy course and other places throughout the resort. Please tell us what are the future development plans you have for Aphrodite Hills?
Since the “European Golf Resort of the Year 2018”, we have been working closely on becoming Europe’s Sports Destination. It seems that the greater the vision, the more creative and efficient we become as a team. With the highest certified Golf Course, 9 Tennis courts, 2 Padel courts, Horse Riding, Football, upcoming major sports events and tournaments, physiotherapy centre, wellness spa, coaching camps and new sports facilities, the future of our Resort seems brighter than ever.
Just recently our Tennis Academy has evolved with the creation of the first padel courts on the island and is now well known for having the best tennis facilities in Cyprus. Hosting the European Golf Tour a few months ago has given us a television reach and recognition of 735 million viewers around the world whilst 47 countries were constantly talking about us and searching on the internet for more information about our facilities. This was a great beginning for our future.
We would also like to announce the upcoming Cycling Station and shop at the Village Square which in addition to renting exceptional bikes, it will also provide training camps for cycling and triathlons, guided road bike tours and training sessions. The shop will begin its operations in April.
As most of you know, we will soon begin the construction of Dionysus Greens, Villas & Apartments along with a new 6-hole Golf Academy Course. The new development is going to be in a prime position at the centre of Aphrodite Hills Resort, surrounded by greens and with walking distance from the Village Square amenities.
The residents express their concern regarding the state of the roads, green areas, and the general cleanliness of the Resort. Please tell us who is responsible for the maintenance of those and what should be done to make improvements?
Aphrodite Hills Resort comes under the jurisdiction of Kouklia Community Council. After the title deeds were issued (23 December 2009), public roads and landscaping are the responsibility of Kouklia Council.
The main responsibilities of the Community Council are the maintenance of roads and street lighting, the collection of household garbage, the protection and improvement of the environment and the good appearance of the public areas, the construction, development, and maintenance of public gardens and parks and the protection of public health.
Indeed, there is a lot of room for improvement. Resort Management and AHRA should jointly pursue the matters that are not to our satisfaction, to Kouklia Council as well as the District Officer. We have created a stunning Resort and should keep it at its top.
A big question everyone has is when the restaurants could be reopened and whether it is possible to raise a level of food and services being offered? Also is it possible to arrange a delivery service in the Resort from the restaurants, starting, for example from a simple thing such as pizza?
2020 has been a very difficult year for all of us. Tourism is one of the sectors most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, impacting economies, livelihoods, public services, and opportunities on all continents. 2021 seems to be quite like the previous year. In general, the outlook for tourism economy recovery remains highly uncertain. Destinations that rely heavily on international, business and events tourism are particularly struggling. Domestic tourism will restart and will help to mitigate the impact on jobs and businesses in some destinations. However, real recovery will only be possible when international tourism returns.
We have been closely monitoring the measures and restriction announcements and we will soon be able to announce the reopening of the outlets though we strongly believe that we will be able to reopen by Easter.
Kindly be reminded that back in February 2020 we announced that awarded Chef Paul Polyviou was set to take over the Village Square Restaurants. Mr Polyviou has assessed the status of the Restaurants and proposed several changes while sharing his expertise and authenticity to raise the level of the food and services.
The new Chef oversees Golf Clubhouse, Anoi Pub, Zimi Trattoria, Beer Garden, Gate to India, Ladi & Rigani, Pithari Tavern, All VSQ banqueting events, Chef@Villa Services.
Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, Mr Polyviou did not get the chance to prove his professionalism though we managed to taste some of his new approach, and it was very impressive and promising. We look forward to enjoying the new era of our restaurants upon reopening. Your opinion highly matters, and we will be waiting for it.
We have been reviewing the possibility of operating a delivery service for quite a while now though the risk of operating a new service with low demand from our residents, is very high. We need the support of our residents to make this a successful reality. We have tried to provide take away service for all our Village Square Restaurants and the demand was way lower than we expected. We will soon update you with announcements on this matter.
The residents are very happy that the golf club and tennis courts resumed their operations, could you tell us when do you plan to reopen the SPA and the Hair salon?
The Retreat Spa also welcomed new members at its team. Mrs Areti Kontou, Village Square Restaurants and Spa Manager has recently joined our team and her professional approach has been very promising as well. The 3,000 square meters holistic spa has received some of the highest accolades in the spa industry. Only few days before the 2nd lockdown, we proudly announced that the Spa has won the “2020 World Luxury Spa Awards” for “Luxury Destination Spa”. Hundreds of visitors express their admiration towards the services of the spa though there is always room for improvement. We expect the Spa to be reopened by Easter.
As far as the hair salon is concerned, letting you know that is now operating 3 days a week (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday) with appointments though it can operate more days upon request. You may contact Mrs Despina on 96550065 for appointments.
I do hope after this interview many residents would have a better understanding of what Aphrodite Hills Management does. What can you tell them regarding accessibility of yourself and other Resort managers?
20 years at the Resort and no day has been like another. Coordination of everyday tasks and operations is a challenge, hard most of the times but usually enjoyable and fulfilling. Various issues are often easily resolved, others need more effort and more time, but rest assured that we never give up on the ones which seem the most complicated. We know about your concerns, we share them. None of your requests has ever been ignored. Increasing the value of your investment and taking care of your home and our community benefits both sides and it is very important for us to distribute this message to all homeowners. Office doors and mine more specifically, are always open. You can reach us and share your concerns at any time. All issues will be heard with great attention; most will be resolved either immediately or later and others might even be rejected but always with a justifiable explanation. Looking forward to welcoming your thoughts and suggestions.