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The Hilton Athens is a historical landmark in Athens, Greece. It opened in 1963 and was considered unprecedented for its scale and design at the time. Now, the iconic property is set to become “The Ilisian,” which will be a multipurpose, luxury destination that houses a 278-room Conrad Hotel as well as 55 residences under both the Conrad and Waldorf Astoria brands.
The hotel is located in Athens’ Ilisia neighborhood, which is east of tourist attractions like the Acropolis. The building will undergo extensive renovations and when complete in 2025 it will include 10 bars, restaurants and lounges, a retail complex, the largest pool landscape in Athens, a rooftop garden, and outdoor sports areas including pickleball courts, a running track, a spa, and a Soho House-like membership club with lounges, workspaces, a gym, as well as indoor and outdoor pools.
When the hotel opened 61 years ago, it was a big deal. The opening party was star studded with attendees like Frank Sinatra, Anthony Quinn, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis attending the opening party. The Hilton was the first international hotel to operate in Greece and was seen as a symbol of Greece’s growth in the 1960s.
The design of the new property is described as:
Its name, The Ilisian, is inspired by the historic Ilisos River and the surrounding Ilisia neighborhood, expressing the timeless connection of the new destination with the city, the area of Ilisia and its residents. The Ilisian conveys the cosmopolitan character that forms an integral part of the building’s identity, while bringing to life experiences which are the essence of authentic and modern Athens. With respect for the city’s cultural identity, The Ilisian seeks to blend contemporary international trends with the city’s heritage, creating a meeting place for Athenians and visitors alike.”
Greek Reporter shares that the Ilisian is expected to create up to 800 direct new jobs (3x more than Hilton) and will employ 1,760 people when fully operational.
Anthony’s Take: It’s good to see new life being breathed into this Greek landmark. The new complex sounds great and I generally like staying at Conrad Hotels.
(Image Credits: Hilton and The Ilisian.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
1 comment
This was the first hotel I stayed at in Greece. My – now wife – girlfriend was incredibly intimidated by the place and horrified by the 7 Euro bottles of water in the room (we were on a very tight budget and staying on points). The location was a bit far out but there was a lovely restaurant across the street named The Pulitzer that had superb food at very reasonable prices. If you stay there and by some chance the restaurant is still in business give it a shot.