How some of Greece's most historic buildings were transformed into ultra-luxury hotels By food journalist Dimitris Stathopoulos.
How some of Greece's most historic buildings were transformed into ultra-luxury hotels.
The experience of history, the feeling of living within shells of great architecture. One of the most beautiful and interesting experiences a traveler can have is staying in iconic buildings, in spaces where history has written many chapters. Buildings constructed by great minds and masterful hands.
Iconic spaces, often centuries old and significant landmarks, are transformed by inspired and determined people into magnificent hotels. Hospitality spaces where visitors dive into the past, tangibly touch history, and live a great experience. Enjoy them!
Manna Mainalon, Arcadia
An iconic building hidden in the Arcadian mountains, in Mainalon, among lakes, fir forests, and rivers, aspires to become the next quality tourism destination. The building, listed as protected, is a century old, constructed in mid-1925, when Paul Melas's sister, known as "Mana," wanted to create the largest sanatorium in the Balkans there. After remaining abandoned for several decades, following extensive renovation, it has been exemplarily transformed and will operate as a 5-star hotel with 32 rooms. Calm colors, minimalist decoration respecting the building's history, giving required space to the building's story, and allowing it to harmoniously converse with the surrounding nature.
Beyond nature lovers, it's expected to attract foodies' interest, as the restaurant menu is curated by acclaimed chef Athinagoras Kostakos, with international experience, emphasizing local production products, high nutritional value and PDO, as well as techniques that highlight flavor. The space will feature a wellness center with 2 treatment rooms, cave pool, sauna, hammam, and gym. The hotel, a member of Design Hotels, will be open year-round and is expected to open during summer. Magouliana, Arcadia, Tel: 2710309009, https://www.mannaarcadia.gr
Poseidonion Grand Hotel, Spetses
Dating back to 1914, the Poseidonion Grand Hotel of Spetses is Spetses' undisputed landmark and synonymous with high-standard hospitality. Its legendary veranda and every corner of the beautiful building is a meeting point, part of an experience. The Poseidonion is a place of mythical hospitality that gave cosmopolitan brilliance to Spetses and the entire Argosaronic Gulf, greatly contributing to establishing Greece as a tourist destination for the international jet set. Wealthy Athenians of the era, members of royal families, popular figures from across Europe and America tasted its hospitality, giving flesh and bones to the vision of the island's great benefactor, Anargyros. He created a true architectural diamond, with all the characteristics of neoclassicism of the era, decisively contributing to Spetses' development. The hotel in its current form has operated since 2009, when after extensive renovation with emphasis on details and preserving its original architectural design, it continues to be characterized as an island icon. Dapia, Spetses, www.poseidonion.com
Hydrama Grand Hotel, Drama
This is the historic Spierer Tobacco Warehouse from 1924, which belonged to Swiss-Jewish tobacco merchant Hermann Spierer and is today a protected building. After buying two large plots next to the Agia Barbara springs, he decided to build a huge tobacco warehouse which, due to its size, became known as the "Spierer skyscraper." The building is four stories in rectangular shape, has two entrances, and is an architectural creation by Austrian architect Konrad von Vilas covering approximately 7,000 square meters. It functions as a landmark and symbol for Drama city, carrying stories of prosperity and development from when both Drama and the wider region were tobacco production centers. On this building's eastern side, for which an elevator was provided from construction for transporting goods, is the company's office, smaller in volume and area. In early 1932, the building was bought by the "Austro-Hellenic Tobacco Company SA," which continued tobacco processing during the last Bulgarian occupation, as the company wasn't purely Greek. In 1974, tobacco processing stopped, as in almost all Drama tobacco warehouses, and the building was used only as tobacco storage. Since 2015 it has been transformed into a luxury hotel with detailed and careful planning by 3SK Stylianidis architectural office. It features 73 luxury rooms and suites. Specifically, it has 9 suites with the presidential reaching 105 square meters and 64 rooms from 26 to 33 square meters. Hydrama Grand Hotel, Agia Barbara Springs, Drama, Tel: 2521 033322, https://www.hydramagrandhotel.gr/
Grande Albergo Delle Rose, Rhodes
It's the "Hotel of Rhodes," a building of unique aesthetic and architectural value located in Rhodes, built by Italian governor Mario Lago in the early last century. Magnificent and aristocratic, it's a jewel of Byzantine, Arabic, and Venetian architecture, a reference point for decades in hospitality, not only for Rhodes but the entire Mediterranean. Located in Rhodes city, by the sea, a breath away from the Venetian Castle of the Knights and Rhodes Old Town. It's surrounded by a unique garden with roses and hibiscus and marked the beginning of the island's leaping tourist development. In its salons and rooms, it has hosted world-class personalities like Winston Churchill, Aristotle Onassis, Eleftherios Venizelos, Konstantinos Karamanlis, and many others. In 1949, the iconic Grande Albergo Delle Rose was the site where the Peace and Ceasefire Agreement of the Arab-Israeli war was signed. A historic moment that led to the creation of the State of Israel. After extensive renovation completed in 2002, it was transformed into a 5-star boutique hotel with 33 luxury suites, continuously renewed while maintaining its elegance and beauty and the high standards of Modus & Amplio.
Beyond 33 suites with sea or garden views, it features three restaurants, a pool, conference hall, and a unique aesthetic historic hammam & spa. It addresses demanding visitors seeking something beyond simple accommodation. It addresses travelers who want to enrich their vacation with special experiences, finding in this excellent accommodation with intense historical aura and discreet luxury the ideal choice. Geor. Papanikolaou 4, Rhodes, Tel: 22410 57700, www.gadr.gr
Monsieur Didot, Athens
An impressive 1880 neoclassical at the intersection of Sina and Didotou streets in central Athens. This building, over the decades, has hosted famous names, including John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Hand-painted ceilings, vintage mosaics, marble fireplaces, an imposing wooden staircase wink at natural materials in their most functional and modern version, in soft beds, modern bathrooms, and of course, selected artworks.
What dominates Monsieur Didot's 2 suites and 4 rooms is minimalist luxury, inspiration, and care for an accommodation experience with content. Secret doors, surprises, and above all, a balance that answers the "how" but mainly the "why" of hospitality. An inspired and fully balanced renovation managed to preserve and essentially strengthen the urban character of the residence and the aroma of old Athens that had imbued every corner. At the same time, it incorporated the core of modern trends in hospitality and design. Hand-painted ceilings, vintage mosaics, marble fireplaces, an imposing wooden staircase wink at natural materials in their most functional and modern version, in soft beds, modern bathrooms, and of course, selected artworks. The building's rooftop is a true ode to light, with the room "The Ode to the Light" standing out for its open-space and modern configuration. The large windows with metal frame and private terrace compose an urban scene that captivates visitors. The effort to renegotiate its neoclassical elements and a fertile dialogue with local history and the street's history succeeded. Sina 48, Athens, Tel: 210 3637625
Azade, Chania
The iconic building dates to 1640 and is located in Chania's old town, next to the historic Venetian walls and old harbor, while among its owners and residents was American poet and artist Charles Henri Ford and the Ottoman governor of Chania. Careful renovation transformed it into a luxury boutique hotel with 9 suites named Azade, which in Persian means "freedom" and "nobility." Most suites have impressive views of the Old Harbor and Chania Old Town, while the renovation lasting 4 years managed to unite Chania's two worlds, Venetian and Ottoman, in a unique aesthetic and architectural result. Zambeliou 69, Chania Old Town, Tel: 2821 101358, www.azade-chania.com
The Lynx Mountain Resort, Florina
Where the legendary Xenia of Florina once operated is today the luxurious Lynx Mountain Resort, a state-of-the-art mountain resort in the heart of nature with lush forests and mountains in a region that deservedly is one of Greece's most beloved destinations. The luxurious Florina resort becomes a base for countless activities and a refuge of hospitality and luxury, with 38 spacious rooms and suites, state-of-the-art amenities, and a vision of wellbeing in nature's heart.
The Six Lakes restaurant, named after six lakes in the area, becomes a meeting point. Flooded with natural light in the morning and city lights views at night, Six Lakes utilizes local products creating authentic Greek dishes for your breakfast, lunch, or dinner, always with panoramic views of beautiful Florina. Head Chef Dimitris Tsananas and his talented team create contemporary Greek food inspired by local traditional recipes and enriched with the best fresh ingredients. Agios Panteleimonas Hill, Florina, Tel: 23854 40900, www.thelynxresort.gr
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