Accor’s independent boutique brand, MGallery, has opened Athens Capital Hotel, a 177-room property on Syntagma Square, with views of the Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill.
If the recent spate of hotel openings are anything to go by, Athens is certainly on the up. The city’s latest arrival comes courtesy of Accor’s luxury boutique collection, MGallery, and bears all the hallmarks of the brand’s characterful approach. We take a closer look.
Individual design, curated artwork and city views
The first MGallery property in Greece, Athens Capital Hotel sits right on Syntagma Square in the upscale shopping district of Kolonaki. The 177 guestrooms, which include 18 suites and the impressive 64 sq m Presidential Suite with spectacular views of Lycabettus Hill, feature a fresh, sophisticated palette. As such, walnut hues and sea-blue accents are highlighted with contemporary furnishings and subtle nods to the surroundings via Greek symbols and patterns.
The public spaces are also carefully curated, the highlight being the Mappemonde installation, a 3,000-piece display from Egyptian sculptor George Lappas’ 1988 collection. Principally found along the hotel’s atrium, which spans from the lobby all the way to the tenth floor, the most impressive part of the installation graces the Mappemonde Rooftop Pool Bar. Here, guests sip on specially created signature cocktails against sweeping views punctuated by the Acropolis.
Elsewhere, Galerie Café, the hotel’s lobby bar, is being billed as an urban meeting point. It’s also an ideal spot for guests to enjoy a preprandial cocktail before heading to MFlavors, the hotel’s in-house restaurant, where the chef turns out fresh Mediterranean fare from the open kitchen.
An Athenian hotel with a story
With storytelling an important part of the MGallery approach, Athens Capital Hotel – like all of the others in the collection – also has its own Iconic Object and Memorable Moment. The former is the ‘Akrokeramon’, a decorative element that graces the city’s neoclassical buildings, while its Memorable Moment is a visit to a workshop that crafts Komboloï, a string of beads strongly connected with the traditional habits of Athenians.
“From its unparalleled location on Syntagma Square, Athens Capital Hotel will come to be synonymous with the capital city itself, the one place where guests can experience the true meaning of Athens,” said Jean-Charles Delgado, chief operating officer of Accor Southern Europe.
“We are happy to have joined forces with a group whose core values we share, Lampsa Hellenic Hotels, in welcoming the MGallery philosophy to Athens and Greece. This significant partnership speaks to the hotel’s unique ambience and excellent services. We truly believe that the opening of this new hotel will bring a new era in Athenian hospitality.”
According to the TOPHOTELCONSTRUCTION online database, 21 hotel projects are currently in the pipeline in Greece:
MGallery is a collection of high-end hotels around the world. Each hotel showcases a unique personality and story, experienced by guests through its architecture, interior design and services.
