A small hotel in Agios Ioannis, Mykonos — a family journey shaped with care, love, and the people who stood by us along the way. This is our story.
I was born in Mykonos and grew up in Mykonos Town — in its little alleyways, among summer voices, rolling suitcases, folded maps, and people trying to find their way. Since I was a child, tourism was always part of my everyday life. Not as a “job”, but as a constant connection with something different: languages, habits, smiles, and stories.
There was always that feeling… that every summer, without ever leaving the island, I was travelling.
I still remember one day very clearly: I was playing outside when a young foreign visitor asked me something in English. I didn’t speak English back then — I only caught one word: “Fabrika”. I understood he was lost and trying to get to the bus station. I couldn’t explain directions, so with gestures I asked him to follow me… and I walked him there.
It wasn’t far, but if you don’t know how to get out of the “maze” of Mykonos Town, it can feel like a mountain. When we arrived, he thanked me so many times that I still remember his eyes — relief and joy all at once. In that moment, I felt something like a small “victory”: I had helped a person I didn’t even know. And without realising it, something was born inside me: the need to connect and communicate.
From then on, English became a goal. And every summer that followed confirmed what I already felt: I love people, I love their stories, and I love helping someone feel comfortable in a place they don’t know yet.
As I grew older, it became clear that tourism wouldn’t be just an option. It would be my path.
And this is where my parents come in: Spyros and Flora. My father — hardworking and creative — owned a piece of land in Agios Ioannis, land that had belonged to our family for generations. One day he said to me:
“Marios, here you should build a small hotel. This spot is very good.”
My mother, Flora, has always been the quiet strength of our family — with love, care, and a faith that never left my side.
And by my side throughout this whole journey is Marina, my wife. We have been together since we were 19, and she has known this dream since it was still only an idea. She supports me always, and we are truly companions — in life and at Lithos, where she is actively part of our everyday work, as a family and as a team.
I have known Agios Ioannis since I was a child. My mother used to bring us there for a swim, especially on the busiest days of summer, because it has always been one of the quiet corners of the island. And if the day lasted a little longer, we would watch the sunset from the sand. That image — the sun going down, the sea settling — has something magical about it. Something that gently brings you back to yourself.
The plot of land was not easy. It was steep, rocky, and sloped. But that’s also what made it special: the view from above, the feeling that you are slightly “away” from the noise, without actually being far from town. And maybe… something else plays a role too: many people believe that Delos, which lies just across the water, carries a unique energy. I can’t explain it. I only know that there, I felt calm.
That is how Lithos by Spyros & Flora was born. The word Lithos means “stone” in Greek — a small symbol of what we wanted to build: something simple, grounded, and made to last.
The name was not chosen by chance: my parents were part of this journey from the very beginning, and I wanted to honour them as they deserved. We built it step by step — with hard work, determination, and love.
In June 2012, we opened our doors and welcomed our very first guests. The first check-ins, the first breakfasts, the first questions: “How do we get to Mykonos Town?”, “Where should we eat?”, “Where can we watch the sunset?”. I still remember the feeling: that this place had already carved itself into my heart.
For me, the hotel is not simply a job. It is a way of life. It is everyday care. It is trying to think one step ahead. It is making someone feel that they are not just a guest in a room — but someone truly welcome.
The years go by, but the excitement of the season never leaves. Every summer is a new journey around the world — only this time, the world comes to us. And every person who passes through Lithos leaves something behind: a story, a smile, a memory.
If you come too, we hope you leave with the same feeling: that in Mykonos you can find the energy — but you can also find peace. And that in Agios Ioannis there is a “Lithos” waiting for you, the way you wait for a summer you have missed.
There was always that feeling… that every summer, without ever leaving the island, I was travelling.
I still remember one day very clearly: I was playing outside when a young foreign visitor asked me something in English. I didn’t speak English back then — I only caught one word: “Fabrika”. I understood he was lost and trying to get to the bus station. I couldn’t explain directions, so with gestures I asked him to follow me… and I walked him there.
It wasn’t far, but if you don’t know how to get out of the “maze” of Mykonos Town, it can feel like a mountain. When we arrived, he thanked me so many times that I still remember his eyes — relief and joy all at once. In that moment, I felt something like a small “victory”: I had helped a person I didn’t even know. And without realising it, something was born inside me: the need to connect and communicate.
From then on, English became a goal. And every summer that followed confirmed what I already felt: I love people, I love their stories, and I love helping someone feel comfortable in a place they don’t know yet.
As I grew older, it became clear that tourism wouldn’t be just an option. It would be my path.
And this is where my parents come in: Spyros and Flora. My father — hardworking and creative — owned a piece of land in Agios Ioannis, land that had belonged to our family for generations. One day he said to me:
“Marios, here you should build a small hotel. This spot is very good.”
My mother, Flora, has always been the quiet strength of our family — with love, care, and a faith that never left my side.
And by my side throughout this whole journey is Marina, my wife. We have been together since we were 19, and she has known this dream since it was still only an idea. She supports me always, and we are truly companions — in life and at Lithos, where she is actively part of our everyday work, as a family and as a team.
I have known Agios Ioannis since I was a child. My mother used to bring us there for a swim, especially on the busiest days of summer, because it has always been one of the quiet corners of the island. And if the day lasted a little longer, we would watch the sunset from the sand. That image — the sun going down, the sea settling — has something magical about it. Something that gently brings you back to yourself.
The plot of land was not easy. It was steep, rocky, and sloped. But that’s also what made it special: the view from above, the feeling that you are slightly “away” from the noise, without actually being far from town. And maybe… something else plays a role too: many people believe that Delos, which lies just across the water, carries a unique energy. I can’t explain it. I only know that there, I felt calm.
That is how Lithos by Spyros & Flora was born. The word Lithos means “stone” in Greek — a small symbol of what we wanted to build: something simple, grounded, and made to last.
The name was not chosen by chance: my parents were part of this journey from the very beginning, and I wanted to honour them as they deserved. We built it step by step — with hard work, determination, and love.
In June 2012, we opened our doors and welcomed our very first guests. The first check-ins, the first breakfasts, the first questions: “How do we get to Mykonos Town?”, “Where should we eat?”, “Where can we watch the sunset?”. I still remember the feeling: that this place had already carved itself into my heart.
For me, the hotel is not simply a job. It is a way of life. It is everyday care. It is trying to think one step ahead. It is making someone feel that they are not just a guest in a room — but someone truly welcome.
The years go by, but the excitement of the season never leaves. Every summer is a new journey around the world — only this time, the world comes to us. And every person who passes through Lithos leaves something behind: a story, a smile, a memory.
If you come too, we hope you leave with the same feeling: that in Mykonos you can find the energy — but you can also find peace. And that in Agios Ioannis there is a “Lithos” waiting for you, the way you wait for a summer you have missed.
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