Mitsis Norida

WATG has been collaborating with MITSIS to revitalise several of their resorts across Greece. All WATG service lines, including Wimberly Interiors, have been used during an in-depth refurbishment strategy for a cluster of the brand’s hotels on the island of Kos.

The 5-star Mitsis Norida is one of these properties, having reopened in 2019 after a series of renovations that have brought new life to the main pool area of the hotel. The renovation reimagined this aspect of the hotel to comprise of five separate, more intimate, experiential swimming pools, a new central pool bar to serve them, three new beachside restaurants and a beach bar to serve the beach.

As a result of WATG and Wimberly Interior’s design approach, Mitsis Norida now makes the most of its 180-degree sea views, while bringing in a more layered, thoughtful design – one which fully embraces the natural beauty of the island.

WATG and Wimberly Interiors were tasked with reimagining Mitsis Norida by breathing new life into all the spaces between the main hotel and the beachfront, including the pool area and various F&B offerings. The new design focused on elevating the property with a more luxurious set of amenities, thus transforming it into a contemporary Mediterranean resort paradise that responds to the desires of today’s guest.

One key goal of this renovation was to diversify the diversification of the pool experience, where the team transformed this area into something more intimate and experiential for guests.

It was equally important for the pool area to be better connected to the main hotel building, establishing a more seamless journey that flows from the main building down to the sea front.

Prior to the renovation, there was only one swimming pool, surrounded by 300 sun loungers with a substantial lawn encircling it, and a restaurant that hindered the sea views.

The original beachfront restaurant and terrace didn’t make the most of its siting as guests were unable to connect with the beach and sea, visually or physically, from the restaurant.

WATG approached the redesign with a focus on opening these spaces up and creating a visual and physical connection with the beach below and the sea beyond. This therefore elevates the al-fresco dining experience from each of these restaurants.

The main pool area is now comprised of not one but five pools on different levels, gently cascading towards the sea. The hotel can now offer more sun loungers that are spread out and clustered in groups of 16 to 20, improving the guest experience by creating more spacing and privacy. One of the pools is a zero-entry beach pool with a specific appeal to kids and families. To the rear of the pools is a series of hammocks which are nestled in amongst an existing palm grove, offering guests a more secluded luxury experience in the shade of these trees.

We have also introduced a pool bar, acting as a central gathering point for all five pools, and an outside performance space – just between the pools and lobby – that provides a place to host evening entertainment. At night, the pools light up to provide a striking backdrop to the entertainment, imitating a reflection of the night sky.

The repositioning of all these spaces now means that they are more strongly tied into the fabric of the resort, establishing a better connection to the hotel and its landscape.

As part of the F&B renovation, we demolished the two existing restaurants and have replaced these with a sunken restaurant level, comprised of three different dining experiences designed by Wimberly Interiors.

This structure boasts one large dining terrace in front of all three restaurants, where guests are treated to uninterrupted views of the Mediterranean Sea while sitting in the shade of the pergolas. These new feature dining spaces also give the hotel much more capacity – easing the pressure on the existing all-day dining restaurant at the hotel – as well as setting the scene for a more charming and memorable dining experience.

The rooftop of these restaurants has also been considered, with the inclusion of a planted green roof. This not only hides these restaurants below the views from the hotel, but it also adds a softer edge to the view corridor to the sea. As well as a place to rest and relax during the day, in the evening, guests will find an outdoor cinema beneath the stars with the sound of the sea in the background.  

Wimberly Interiors approached the new food and beverage offerings strategically – defining design direction, conceptual brand names and identities that create new dining destinations at Mitsis Norida.

From the cool teal and tactile materials at the Seafood restaurant, that celebrates the best of coastal Greek cuisine, to the bold Pan-Asian restaurant that showcases a rough granite counter and fine carpentry detailing – no two experiences are similar.

With fire as theatre, a large grill takes centre stage at the Wood-fired grill restaurant; a space with an industrial edge that strikes a balance between raw and refined materials. To activate the beach, a new beach lounge bar was created under the dining plaza, offering a relaxed experience to spend the day, ensuring that each food and beverage offering is a truly unique destination with a variety of experiences for guests over longer stays.