Leed Certification for Santo Mine Shines Light on Sustainability for Santorini
As the longtime General Manager of TUI Magic Life Candia Maris Resort in Crete and the recently appointed General Manager of Santo Collection on Santorini – both under Metaxa Hospitality Group, I’ve seen firsthand that no matter a hotelier’s reason for embracing sustainability, the rewards – for the property, our guests, and the broader community and culture – are well worth the effort.
Over the course of my career in hospitality, I’ve witnessed sustainability evolve from a niche concern into a defining pillar of excellence. In the early 2000s, it was rare for hoteliers to consider energy audits or measure carbon footprints; today, it’s expected – and rightly so. What’s changed most dramatically is the guest. Modern travelers are not only more informed, but also more purpose driven. They want more than a beautiful destination; they seek meaningful experiences that align with their values. Our job as hoteliers is to meet this moment with sincerity and innovation, ensuring that luxury and sustainability are not mutually exclusive but mutually reinforcing.
At Santo Mine Oia Suites, one of Santo Collection’s boutique luxury properties in Santorini, built into the site of a former stone mine just a five-minute walk to the iconic village of Oia, our commitment to environmental responsibility informs every design decision. We’re proud that this dedication has been recognized with LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Santo Mine is part of the wider Santo Collection, operated by Metaxa Hospitality Group, an independent, family-owned company that has placed environmental respect and support for local culture at the heart of its mission since 1975. What began as a vision to share authentic Greek hospitality has evolved into a model of sustainable luxury – and we’re just getting started.
This recognition is particularly meaningful because LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – is the world’s most widely adopted green building rating system and a recognized symbol of sustainability leadership. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) – a nonprofit founded in 1993 to promote sustainable building practices – in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council, LEED launched as a pilot in 1998 and officially rolled out in 2000.
Since its debut, LEED has undergone several major updates to reflect emerging technologies, evolving policies, and increasing demands for sustainability. Version 4, introduced in 2016, tightened requirements around carbon reduction, energy efficiency, water use, and indoor environmental quality. In April 2025 – marking LEED’s 25th anniversary – USGBC members approved version 5. This latest update provides a comprehensive framework for addressing today’s pressing environmental and social challenges, emphasizing decarbonization, public health, community resilience, and ecosystem restoration across all stages of a building’s life cycle.
In hospitality, the impact of LEED certification extends far beyond compliance. It helps properties establish operational consistency, benchmark performance, and continuously improve. It also fosters a culture of accountability and transparency – elements that build trust with today’s discerning guests. At Santo Mine, the LEED certification process served as both a validation and a learning opportunity. It challenged our team to reexamine every system, every supplier, and every square meter of space through a sustainability lens. The result is a hotel that not only offers comfort and beauty but also reflects a deeper purpose.
Santo Mine achieved LEED Gold certification in January 2025, recognizing the property’s commitment to sustainability through practical, measurable strategies embedded in its design from the outset. Inspired by the island’s traditional yposkafo – historic underground dwellings carved into Santorini’s coastal cliffs – the hotel’s guest suites are thoughtfully integrated into the natural landscape. The property’s amenities are equally intentional in their placement: from the signature restaurant Ālme and The Wine Cellar to the Pnoë Spa, Somma outdoor gym, each space is designed to immerse guests in the beauty of our island of Santorini, offering sweeping views of the sunset over Ammoudi Bay. Additionally, Ālme partners with a bioenergy company to convert organic waste into biogas, while onsite composting initiatives produce high-quality organic fertilizer for the hotel’s gardens, reinforcing Santo Mine’s holistic approach to sustainability.
At Santo Mine, sustainability is not a feature – it’s a philosophy woven into every aspect of the experience we provide to our guests. One of the defining elements of the hotel’s design is its seamless embrace of indoor-outdoor living, a hallmark of Mediterranean architecture. On an island as arid as Santorini – where summer temperatures soar and annual rainfall totals just 11 inches, comparable to California’s Central Valley – water conservation is essential. We’ve prioritized this through high-efficiency plumbing, minimal irrigation techniques, and the use of native, biodiversity-enhancing flora, including rooftop gardens that soften the architecture and strengthen the connection between built and natural environments.
Every detail at Santo Mine reflects our commitment to green building practices. From the use of locally sourced stone that anchors the property in its volcanic landscape to the reliance on renewable energy for daily operations, sustainability is integrated from the ground up. Expansive windows flood interiors with natural light, reducing the need for artificial illumination, while green roofs and light-colored surfaces mitigate heat absorption and further enhance energy performance.
The result is luxury hospitality elevated by intentional, environmentally conscious design – an expression of our deep respect, as both a hotel and as the Santo Collection, for the natural beauty and cultural heritage that draw travelers to our Greek Islands.
What does this mean for the guest experience? It means guests can enjoy the pleasures of Santorini – sun, sea, cuisine, culture – without the weight of compromise. At Santo Mine, sustainability enhances comfort. The temperature is regulated naturally through thoughtful design. Rooms are restful and acoustically insulated, thanks to subterranean construction. Dishes at Ālme are not only farm-fresh and flavorful but come with the satisfaction of knowing they support local farmers and reduce food miles. Even a walk through the gardens or a visit to the spa becomes part of a larger story – one where sustainability and serenity coexist. We believe this story resonates deeply with guests who are seeking experiences that matter, not just moments that pass.
Often described as “the supermodel of the Greek Islands,” Santorini’s iconic beauty draws millions of visitors each year. Approximately 3.4 million travelers arrive annually, flying into the international airport in Thira or docking at the island’s ports of Athinios and Skala by cruise ship or ferry. The tourism season stretches from early March through November, placing considerable pressure on this small, 30-square-mile island in the southern Aegean Sea, just 300 kilometers from Athens. In this context, sustainability is not just a priority – it’s a responsibility. As stewards of this extraordinary landscape, here at Santo Collection we are committed to minimizing our impact while helping shape a more sustainable future for Santorini.
Since opening the first property on Santorini in 2016, Santo Collection has embraced sustainability not as a trend, but as a guiding principle – one that grows stronger with each passing year. Today, all three of our local destinations – the flagship Santo Pure Oia Suites & Villas, and our two recently opened properties, Santo Mine Oia Suites and The Villas by Santo Collection – treat sustainability not only as a moral imperative, but as a way to ensure that the experiences we offer remain deeply aligned with both our guests’ evolving values and the well-being of our surrounding communities. As part of this commitment, each property actively advances climate stability initiatives.
From optimizing air conditioning settings to balance comfort with energy efficiency, to sourcing electricity from renewable providers and outfitting our spaces with 99% LED lighting, we strive to minimize our environmental footprint while maintaining the highest standard of luxury. Sustainability, for us, is not a compromise – it’s an enhancement of the hospitality we believe in.
Water stewardship is equally central to our sustainability efforts. Across Santo Collection, we’ve adopted efficient drip irrigation systems and schedule the automated watering of green spaces at night to reduce evaporation loss in the morning sun. Guests are encouraged to participate through our ‘wash on demand’ policy, allowing towels and linens to be reused at their discretion – small choices that collectively contribute to meaningful water conservation.
At Santo Pure, we’ve fully implemented a zero-waste-to-landfill philosophy. In 2023 alone, the property composted 500 kilograms of organic kitchen waste and successfully diverted 284 tonnes of waste from disposal. Our sustainability journey also extends to the soil itself: each of our Santorini properties practices sustainable farming through certified organic methods. Working closely with local food experts, our Executive Chefs source fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruits directly from the property’s onsite gardens. These gardens are seasonally planted with native varieties that require less water and minimal intervention, yielding an impressive 1,379 kilograms of produce from 32 plant categories in 2023.
Of course, sustainability extends beyond environmental impact – it’s also about community. That’s why our properties prioritize local sourcing, with products predominantly from Greece, and often directly from Santorini. This not only deepens the guest connection to place but also strengthens the local economy. Our commitment to hiring locally is equally strong, with more than 90% of our team members hailing from Greece, and over 10% being permanent residents of Santorini.
Today, more than 100,000 LEED projects around the world are advancing sustainability in the built environment – including a growing number in Greece. With Santo Mine now proudly among them, we’re honored to contribute to Santorini’s path toward a more sustainable future rooted in responsibility, respect, and a deep, enduring love for this extraordinary island we call home.
Reprinted from the Hotel Business Review with permission from www.HotelExecutive.com.
