Exploring Elegance: An Inside Look at Makedonia Palace Hotel with GM Alkis Sotiriou

In a recent interview, we had the privilege of speaking with Mr. Alkis Sotiriou, the General Manager of Makedonia Palace Hotel in Thessaloniki, Greece, a distinguished member of WorldHotels Luxury. Mr. Sotiriou shared insights into what makes this Thessaloniki treasure truly exceptional—from the exquisite Greek and Mediterranean dishes served at Salonika Restaurant to the impeccable personalized service and comprehensive wellness offerings. Join us on this journey to explore the heart and soul of Makedonia Palace.

Gastronomy

WorldHotels: Congratulations on winning the recent award for your cuisine! Can you share with us what sets your culinary experience apart from others?

Mr. Alkis Sotiriou: The dining experience at Salonika restaurant of Makedonia Palace Hotel is unique due to the expertise of the restaurant’s team. Our main cuisine includes Greek and Mediterranean flavors, and we focus on fresh and seasonal ingredients. This, along with excellent customer service, results in a memorable, enjoyable, and tailored-to-your-preferences experience.

WH: How do you ensure that each dining experience at the hotel is memorable and unique for guests?

Mr. Alkis Sotiriou: We like to treat our guests in a unique way. As a hotel restaurant, there is nothing we cannot offer to them. Warm hospitality is alpha and omega. From the unique tastes of our traditional dishes to the pampering of our guests, we offer an experience that makes them want to visit again and again.

WH: Can you tell us about any signature dishes or culinary experiences that guests rave about?

Mr. Alkis Sotiriou: At Salonika Restaurant, the flavors of Greece come to life in every dish. We offer an anthem of flavors where fresh ingredients and traditional flavors are perfectly combined to create an unforgettable experience.

WH: How do you incorporate local flavors and ingredients into your menus?

Mr. Alkis Sotiriou: We have created a small garden at Makedonia Palace to grow our own herbs. Additionally, we emphasize using local ingredients and strictly seasonal. We care deeply about the raw materials.

Modern Luxury Approach

WH: Your hotel is known for its modern luxury approach. How do you define modern luxury, and how does it reflect in the guest experience?

Mr. Alkis Sotiriou: Modern luxury at Makedonia Palace is defined by a combination of personalized experiences, advanced customer services, sustainability, and a focus on keeping guest satisfaction to very high levels. Modern luxury is something very personal and it involves tailored services that cater to individual preferences and needs. Times and trends change, we now live in the era of discreet elegance, which is about elegance that is recognized by those who understand it and appreciate it. Also, technology is especially important, and it plays a role in modern luxury, in improving comfort and efficiency. We have found a great balance between technology and live performance, as we believe in the human factor. Regarding sustainability, we are aware that customers appreciate brands that are environmentally friendly and promote fair trade and ethical labor practices and we are very proud that we have been working on those issues.

WH: How do you ensure that guests feel a sense of exclusivity and personalized attention during their stay?

Mr. Alkis Sotiriou: Our staff makes sure they get to know our guests. To understand their preferences and needs. It is important in the hospitality industry to welcome and treat them as guests and not as simple room numbers. Our front desk, our hotel and guest relations managers, our entire staff is involved in making our guests feel at home.

WH: How do your personality and leadership styles contribute to the hotel’s unique identity?

Mr. Alkis Sotiriou: I am proud to say that the success of our hotel is due to teamwork. We have created a culture between management and staff, where professionalism meets friendship, and everyone is happy to work with each other. We are a human-centered corporation, and I don’t believe that it could work otherwise, especially since we are a hospitality company. I believe in leaders and not bosses. Our company culture runs deep and generates successful results, which is evident to the guest, and they deeply appreciate it!

Wellness

WH: Wellness is a significant aspect of your hotel, particularly with your Hamam treatments. How do you ensure that guests feel rejuvenated and pampered during their stay?

Mr. Alkis Sotiriou: The hammam baths at Makedonia Palace is the largest hammam in Greece. Hammam is the othomam tradition of Turkish baths with rejuvenating steam baths in combination with relaxing massages. All hammam services take place in the warm area of the hammam and include a rejuvenating steam bath, deep exfoliation and an invigorating and luxurious massage creating a silky-smooth skin and a refreshing feeling that harmonically rebalance our spirit and soul.

Inspiring Meeting Spaces

WH: How do you ensure that meetings and events held at the hotel are both productive and memorable?

Mr. Alkis Sotiriou: To ensure meetings held in Makedonia Palace are productive and memorable, we pay meticulous attention to every small detail.? Our dedicated event planning team works closely with clients to understand their specific needs and tailor services accordingly, from custom room layouts to special dietary requirements for catering.

Our culinary team creates bespoke menus featuring high-quality, locally sourced ingredients, ensuring meals are both delicious and memorable.

By combining advanced facilities, personalized services, and unique experiences, we ensure that every event at our hotel is both highly productive and unforgettable.

WH: Can you share any success stories or memorable moments from events hosted at your unique meeting spaces?

Mr. Alkis Sotiriou: We have recently hosted a very demanding event from Belgium. This event required, public space licensing, the orchestration of multiple third party providers, and a very high quality catering offering. The guest have experienced top quality services and left the place with the best of memories.