Designed and built between 1958 and 1963, this modern building on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue was designed by Emmanuel Vourekas, Prokopis Vasileiadis and Spyro Staikos.

Construction of the hotel caused quite a stir in post-war Athens, as it represented the first ‘visual upgrade’ the city had seen in years. It gave rise to architectural, urban-planning, cultural and even political disagreements. Its combination of classical and modern elements also irritated the purists.

Nevertheless, this majestic example of ‘prestige architecture’ marked Greece’s entrance into the upper echelon of the international tourist market. Its designers maintained a balance of cosmopolitan and traditional elements in the exterior, particularly in the reliefs by Giannis Moralis, who drew on Greek themes for the building’s façade.

At the start of this century, a new, six-floor wing was added on Ventiri Street, designed by Tobazis and Bougadelis.