| Olympic Diary |
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| The new Athens hotels |
| A brand new hotel infrastrucrture |
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| The newly upgraded Astir Palace resort hotel in Vouliagmeni. |
In anticipation of the 2004 Games, many Athens hotels completed extensive renovations and upgrades. The city welcomed its guests in grand style, and the best accommodations left nothing to be desired, even compared with the best New York, London, and other top metropolitan areas have to offer.
Renovated in 2003-04, just in time for the Olympics, Astir Palace Vouliagmeni reclaimed its place as one of the top 3 hotels in Athens. The facility has been one of the favorite accommodations of royals, heads of state, and international VIPs who have visited the city in the last 35 years. Built on the most expensive piece of real estate in the whole country, Astir Palace, or "Asteras", as Greeks call it, features 3 separate hotels, Nafsika, Arion and Aphrodite, 31 suites and 75 bungalows, numerous swimming pools, a health club, numerous restaurants and bars, etc. The property also features a helipad. In the spring of 2006 the facility came under the management of the Starwood Hotels and Resorts corporation of the US, which already manages the Grande Bretagne hotel, in downtown Athens.
The city's landmark Grande Bretagne Hotel, in central Syntagma Square, across the street from the Parliament, re-opened in 2003, after 2.5 years of extensive renovations, under the management of Starwood Hotels and Resorts. The hotel, which has been at the center of Greece's political and social life for over 120 years, hadn't undergone any extensive renovation for many decades, and it showed. As an example, its Carrier central air conditioning system was installed in the 1930s, the first such amenity in any European hotel, and had remained the same for over 60 years.
The new Grande Bretagne is a luxury hotel, comparable with Pierre in New York, and George V in Paris. The building was gutted and rearranged, the furnishings are antique, the central cafe bar , behind the lobby, has been turned into an elegant escape from the hustle-and-bustle of downtwn Athens, the service is impeccable, and the refurbished GB Corner restaurant has regained its position among Athens' best, after a few years of decline. In addition, for the first time, the hotel features an indoor swimming pool and a spa, which is being completed.
Another city landmark, the Athens Hilton, was the biggest hotel in the country when it was built in 1963, and it impressed Athenians so much that the whole district around and behind it was just dubbed "Hilton", a prestigious address in those years. The time passed and the hotel, while managing to maintain an aura of luxury and comfort, was clearly outdated and not up to modern standards. Even its outdoor swimming pool, which, for years, had been a favorite upscale summer haunt for many Athenians, started losing its appeal.
All that changed, in an impressively big way, in late 2003, when the new Hilton opened its doors to Athens society. The building was gutted and its 527 rooms and suites were completely refurbished. The set up and the menus of its 6 restaurants and the pool bar were remodeled, the swimming pool was rebuilt, and its 14 conference centers, including the 2,000 capacity main ballroom, were upgraded with modern electronics. The hotel's Galaxy Bar, on the last floor, with its amazing views of the Acropolis, since its latest opening has become on of the city's favorite drinking holes. Finally, the Byzantinon restaurant, a favorite breakfast place for Athenians for decades, is jumping again, with a new light Mediterranean menu and a lot of ambience. The Hilton played host to the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee during the 2004 Games.
After an 18-month complete refurbishment, the Electra Palace Hotel, ideally located in the traditional old district of Plaka, a few steps away from central Syntagma Square, reopened its doors in summer 2003. The building's facade has been converted to a Greek neoclassical style, and the interior was completely remodeled in wooden and antique furniture. The hotel features an outdoor pool and a roof-top restaurant that opened in May 2004.
The elegant Electra Palace features 95 guestrooms and 7 suites, while 45 new rooms are expected to be added to this capacity within the next few months. For the first time, the hotel will offer a fitness center and a spa, that includes a heated, indoor swimming pool, a jacuzzi, a gym, a sauna, a steambath and a massage room. Finally, two new modern conference facilities, for 100 and for 300 conferees.
The 10 brand new and recently refurbished hotels in and around Athens are presented here, in no particular order. |
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Resort hotel: Astir Palace Vouliagmeni |
| 40 Apollonos Street, 166 71 Vouliagmeni |
| Renovated in 2003-04, just in time for the Olympics, Astir Palace Vouliagmeni reclaimed its place as one of the top 3 hotels in Athens.
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Hotel: Grande Bretagne |
| Vassileos Georgiou A Street, 105 63 Athens |
| An Athens landmark for more than 140 years, the Grande Bretagne is the epitomy of luxury, style and excellence.
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Hotel: Athens Hilton Hotel |
| Vassilissis Sophias Ave 46, 115 88 Athens |
| Very recently rennovated, Athens Hilton retained its 60's architectural style at the exterior, while adopting a much more minimal atmoshpere in the interior.
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Hotel: Electra Palace |
| 18-20 N. Nikodimou Street, 106 58 Athens |
| A luxurious, totally renovated hotel featuring refined decoration and excellent facilities, probably the best in the area of Plaka.
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Resort hotel: Grand Resort Lagonissi |
| 40 km Athens-Sounio Ave, 190 13 Lagonissi |
| One of the best resort hotels around Athens, featuring a variety of upscale facilities and amenities.
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Boutique hotel: Life Gallery Athens |
| 103 Thisseos Avenue, 145 65 Ekali |
| One of the best new hotels to open in Athens in the 2003-04 season, Life Gallery focuses on one thing: pampering you.
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Boutique hotel: Delphi Smartotel |
| 10 Agiou Konstantinou Street, 105 52 Athens |
| One of the new Athens boutique hotels that have sprung up all over the city just in time for the Olympics, Delphi is centrally located within walking distance from the business district and major shopping areas of Athens.
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Boutique hotel: Fresh Hotel |
| 26 Sofokleous Street and 2 Kleisthenous Street, 105 52 Athens |
| A brand new hotel that opened its doors in June 2004, Fresh is very well appointed and cozy and signifies a new era in Athens accommodations.
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Boutique hotel: Eridanus Hotel |
| 78 Pireos Street, 104 35 Athens |
| A brand new boutique hotel that opened its doors in June 2004 and offers classy accommmodations in the most up-and-coming area of downtown Athens.
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Hotel: Holiday Inn Attica Avenue |
| 40.2 km Attica Avenue, 190 02 Peania |
| One of the best business hotels in Athens, Holiday Inn Attica Avenue opened its doors in May 2004, and is conveniently located between the airport and downtown Athens, right on the new ring road.
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