Tzoumerka is known for its stone-building tradition, and the Rouista is no exception in this respect. Its architecture is simply stunning, reflecting all the traditional wisdom of the region’s builders to create a gem that sits in complete harmony with its amazing natural environment. The owning family’s grandfather, who was familiar with these ancient techniques, oversaw the building project!

What’s more, the hotel lies right next to the National Park of Tzoumerka, Peristeri and Arachthos Gorge with its outstanding beauty, in one of only two areas in Greece that are part of the EU-funded Europarc Federation (Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas).

Great local tastes

Wake up to the mountain air and come to enjoy a truly local Greek family breakfast, enriched with homemade savory pies (pitas in Greek), jams and preserves made with fruit from the garden, local cheeses, mountain yogurt, traditional “trahana” soup and much more, mostly prepared by the owning family’s Mom. Both the hotel’s little garden and the nearby family plot (complete with free-range chickens and sheep) boast fruit-bearing trees such as apricot, fig and prune, along with strawberry bushes, watermelon and honey melon. You’ll definitely see these home-grown sweet surprises on your breakfast table, according to the season.

The family guesthouse also offers home-cooked meals upon request, preparing rare local specialties such as stuffed zucchini flowers, veal in tomato sauce and rooster cooked in wine, in addition to favorites like stuffed vegetables and moussaka. Locally made specialty liqueurs (e.g. walnut liqueur), herbal mountain tea and locally produced fir-tree honey will also feature in your culinary experiences here. Ask the management to arrange a local cooking lesson if you want to see what real Mediterranean mountain food is like! Lastly, the resort’s giftshop will delight you with local edible goodies and fresh mountain herbs.

Secret guided hikes

The old hiking paths in the forests around the resort are known only to locals, and the Rouista family has played an important part in keeping these paths in shape. That’s why they’ll be more than happy to take you on some really great hiking trips that highlight attractions such as the waterfalls and historic landmarks. Along the way, the team will show you the area’s fauna and flora (trees, mushrooms, small animals, etc.). Most hiking paths begin at the hotel, and the management has even produced a hiker’s map so you can go and enjoy the hikes by yourself if you want. You’re going to love hiking to Rema Marks, also known as Rema tou Paradeisou (Stream of Paradise) and to Souda Waterfalls (16 km away). There’s even a “beach” that you can swim in right by the local river!

Eco-friendly philosophy

The Rouista Tzoumerka Resort is one of the first hotels in the area to adopt a recycling strategy! Since there’s no recycling in the area, it actually collects recyclable waste and disposes of it in the closest towns where there’s a recycling system. In parallel, the hotel team collects plastic bottle caps, the recycling of which helps contribute to buying wheelchairs for the physically challenged. Cooking oil is also disposed of in a responsible way. Using locally sourced products as much as possible and encouraging hiking right from the hotel contribute to decreasing the property’s environmental footprint. The natural Greek toiletries in the bathrooms by nature-led company Apivita represent the cherry on the cake.

On the tech front, the VRV boiler technology is used for heating and cooling when necessary, in addition to providing hot water. In parallel, winter sees the use of the multiple fire places which use responsibly sourced wood. Local bioclimatic architecture, LED lighting, energy-efficient appliances, double-glazed windows and a water-saving plan are all also part of the Rouista’s green philosophy. Last but not least, we admire the strict No Smoking regulation that the property enforces!

COMING SOON