
The article was published on the site https://popaganda.gr/citylife/electra-metropolis-athens-hotel/
We entered the brand new Electra Metropolis Athens on Mitropoleos Street
The much-maligned building of the former Ministry of Education has been converted into a 5-star hotel that gives new life to the Syntagma area.
We’ve been waiting years for it. Since 2007 when the Ministry of Education abandoned the building on Mitropoleos Street and especially since 2014 when work began on Electra Metropolis Athens and everyone wondered what was behind the scaffolding.
Just on Monday the hotel went into a soft opening, meaning it started accepting people on a smaller scale than its capacity in order to measure its strengths. It has measured them and will officially and dynamically start on Friday 16 September, in the heart of Athens.
The imposing 10-storey building, the work of the great architect Patroclus Karantinos, one of the most important representatives of Greek modernism, was treated with respect by the management of Electra Metropolis Athens, the architectural office Paris Liakos & Associates and the interior designer Maria Katsarou-Vafiadis (MKV Design).
“It could not be a neoclassical building because the very line of Karantinos was actually pushing us towards modernism. We adopted a retro chic line that marries the ’50s and ’60s aesthetic with the modern look of 2016. This is the logic that expresses us, an amalgamation of freshness and vintage elements. We loved this building and that’s why we’re investing for the long term. After all, consider that Electra Hotels and Resorts has a 51-year history, since 1965 when our first hotel was created in Ermou.”
This aesthetic, so aptly described by Mr. Yannis Tsakalos, Marketing Director of Electra Hotels & Resorts, is already reflected in the impressive, vertical relief of the façade and of course in the magnificent atrium, where one can have a coffee while facing the visual installation by Alekos Fassianos that runs through all the floors of the building. Silver bees fly in what could be the blue, Attic sky giving a sense of freedom while the blue royal blue sofas perfectly and comfortably complement the lounge area. If you happen to find yourself on any of the upper floors of the building take a look down towards the patio. At a glance you will notice the elegance of the Atrium, which gives the impression of a visual composition.
We enter a suite on the 8th floor that has a unique view of the Acropolis. Wooden floor, white marble in the two bathrooms and of course the balcony overlooking the whole of Athens give a clear sense of luxury without exaggeration and showy tendencies.
The simple elegance of the room creates a sense of relaxation and tranquillity – enhanced by the absolute silence despite being on one of the busiest streets in the capital. This is something that Electra Metropolis Athens guests need, not forgetting that some of them will be in Athens for a few or even one night as the hotel relies heavily on conference tourism. It is worth noting that the toiletries are Korres and the nuts are Carpo.
We go up higher, to the 10th floor, where the roof garden is located. With a 360° view of Athens, the eye can even see the sea. Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, Metropolis dome, Lycabettus: all on the plate. Of course, the tasty creations of chef Dimitris Boutsalis will be served on your plate as the restaurant “Metropolis Roof Garden” is located there, while in the evenings you can enjoy your drink at the onyx bar of the “M” bar.
The hotel’s state-of-the-art boutique swimming pool is located in the roof garden. Once you’ve taken a dip, someone lucky enough to be enjoying a swim while gazing out over the Lycabettus Hill.
“The pool is the specific size for reasons of the building’s static stability. All the necessary support works have been done, the building is earthquake-proof, during the renovation process great findings were found, you can see from the transparent floor of the restaurant on the ground floor, part of an ancient wall.
At the same time, restoration work is currently being carried out on the church of Agia Dynami (16th century) which is almost buried in the columns of the building.We are also very happy that Electra Metropolis Athens will soon receive LEED certification for green buildings, and will be the only hotel in Greece with this distinction.”
The appearance of Electra Metropolis Athens gives new life to Mitropoleos, which is currently booming “Of course we are not only addressing the visitors of Athens but also its residents. The hotel is open to Athenians. From the morning one can enjoy their coffee in the café bistrot, their food from noon and of course their drinks in the evening. We believe very much in the atmosphere of a hotel. For us hospitality is not tangible but something that is perceived. Yes, we use it as a tagline and we are a luxury lifestyle hotel but basically we want everyone who is here to feel comfortable, to come and sit in the lobby for a conversation, to come to our restaurants for a business lunch, to come with his laptop to work, and of course in the evening to relax with a drink and enjoy the unique view of Athens”.

















