Interview with Panagiotis Kolokathis, General Manager at Park Hotel&Spa

Gastronomy is magic. It is my pleasure to say that I have managed some of the best hotels in the region. Few to mention are “Kempinski” – Thessaloniki, “Grekotel”, “Domotel”, hotels in Cyprus and Bulgaria as well, says Panagiotis Kolokathis who is currently writing successful history at Park Hotel &Spa.

-I was particularly attracted by the fact that this complex has potential for developing the corporate business, which is why we have improved the cooperation with the biggest companies in the country and outside the country.

After only two years from its opening, Park Hotel &Spa Skopje has received many awards for successful work in the industry and has succeeded to be one of the top hotels in Macedonia. 

However, behind every success story, there is a team of employees and management who have vision and dedication to their work. At Park Hotel&Spa, General Manager is Panagiotis Kolokathis who has big experience in hotel management. In the interview for “Sloboden Pecat”, he talks about the big potential in the hotel business and “discovers” the recipe for successful management.

In our country you are presented as a man who has managed the most luxurious hotels in the region, and who is now the general manager at Park Hotel&Spa for more than a year. How did this cooperation happen?

-I have many friends and associates here with whom I actively work over the past 15 years, both personally and officially.  The contact with the owners of Park Hotel&Spa was by accident, after which I got an offer for cooperation. Knowing the place, combined with my positive experience in this country, it was very easy to say yes to an offer attractive as this one. I was particularly attracted by the fact that this complex has the potential for developing corporate business, which is why we have improved the cooperation with the biggest companies in the country and outside the country.

Where have you worked during your career?

-With my experience in hospitality, which is more than 30 years, it is my pleasure to say that I have managed some of the biggest hotels in the region. Few to mention are “Kempinski” – Thessaloniki, “Grekotel”, “Domotel”, hotels in Cyprus and Bulgaria as well.

With all your experience in mind, how do you position the hotel business in Macedonia?

– Even though the hotel business here has a lot of challenges, it has huge potential and bright future. Of course, the most important factor for this development is the government to support the industry, i.e. to invest in through tourism development and business connections in and outside the country.

It is known that last year Park Hotel & Spa received the award “Brand Leader” by the Tourism Association of Southeast Europe. At the time the hotel was open only one year. To what do you owe this success?

– Despite this award, Park Hotel&Spa during these two years has received many awards such as, “Most successful hotel 2017”, “Most successful city hotel 2018”, and the restaurant Four which is part of the hotel received the title Most successful restaurant for 2016 and 2017, as well as many other recognitions and awards in the hospitality industry. This success is a result of the serious and consistent approach and the way of work of all team members and management of the hotel. The owners have created a wonderful project that is a healthy foundation for improvement and success – complex that consists of a big specter of services – six conference halls, fitness and spa center, restaurants, bars and playground for the youngest. Everything that one guest might need from the business or personal activities is located at one place.

The “Spa” center is emphasized in the name of the hotel. What is the content of the Spa center, and what this type of content mean for the modern hotel business?

-The Spa Park center is one of the best and most contentful spa centers in the region. The physiotherapists that work in our spa center are exclusively certified therapists. The signature service in our spa center is Thai massage which is done by Thai therapists. Despite massages, in our spa center there is a pool with murano glass, sauna, Turkish bath and many body and facial treatments. We are following the world trends constantly, and example for that at the moment is the Madero therapy that is inserted in our offer. The goal of this center is to add extra value to the stay of our guests and visitors – perfect match of pleasure and business.

Who takes care of food preparation, are there any secret recipes and what kind of food is preferred?

– The food in our complex is prepared by our master Chef Eleftherios Dalagiorgos and his team who are all impeccable in their love towards culinary.  In every meal you can literally taste their beautiful energy and dedication to cooking. All culinary workers have secrets in cooking that they hide and cannot be discovered even if you monitor the while cooking. At our restaurant Mediterranean food is preferred. In October we had Italian kitchen menu, in November it was Serbian menu, and in December we invite you to try our new Greek traditional menu.

We are witnesses of true art in food decoration in the kitchens of the most luxurious restaurants, and that Park Hotel&Spa follows that trends. Where do you train the kitchen staff and how much they can experiment and fantasize?

-According to me, gastronomy is literary magic. Magic that cannot exist without fantasy, experiment, beautiful energy and dedication. I believe that the secret in the process of food preparation is not the recipe but the small details and the will in the preparation. Simply, it is art. There is a saying in Greece that says “the love comes through the stomach, there is not other way”. That is why the menu is our top priority and we constantly work on its improvement and upgrades in line with the modern world trends and offers.

Are you satisfied with the hotel occupancy?

-The growth and development of the hotel are indeed on a high level which is shown not only with the many awards but with the hotel occupancy that has exceeded our initial expectations. The true success has only one way that leads only up, and in this industry that way is only walked with happy customers and their positive experiences.

What are the development plans for Park Hotel&Spa?

-The development plans that we create together with the family Maliqi, are based on the high goals that until now are successfully reached.  You know, the enemy of the good is the best, therefore we aim to be the best and we will not accept anything less. We will continue to grow and improve in all aspects of the hotel business. Soon you will witness wonderful news in this area. The main focus that remains from the beginning is to exceed the expectations of our guests and visitors and to show that we are modern European capital.