More than five decades ago, Makryammos, formerly one of the historic Xenia hotels, offered just 70 rooms. Yannis Sarantis saw this as an opportunity to expand the hotel into a holiday resort and actualize his vision of making Thasos a more accessible tourism destination. Inspired by the exceptional atmosphere of the location, he was able to make the most of it. Professionally he was a contractor, and was able to build a jetty with Thassian marbles, making the beach more welcoming while still retaining its wild side.

The trees in the gardens were planted in such a way that not a single bungalow could be seen from the sea, and not one tree disrupted the beautiful view. Mr Sarantis was a host, never a hotelier and when the hotel opened and guests arrived and after their stay they did not want to leave the serenity of this place. When the summer was over, they would return the next year with their children and then the children returned with theirs.

Today, the third generation runs the hotel which continues to grow and develop, always retaining the exceptional sense of place offered by Makryammos.