The Ilisian: The grand return of a legend – Athens regains its most elegant salon (photos)

A large instrumentality that carries the history of several…decades, portion simultaneously being a brand-new destination aimed astatine some Athenians and visitors to the city.

In 1963, erstwhile the Athens Hilton archetypal opened connected Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, its symbolism was twofold: the operation of this caller landmark represented some a tangible illustration of Athens’ translation done extended reconstruction, municipality development, and the caller manner reflected successful modern flat buildings of the time, and the country’s entry—and that of its capital—into the planetary tourism marketplace done an planetary 5-star marque similar Hilton, which implicit the years yet lent its sanction to the full area.

Now, much than six decades later, the instrumentality of this iconic spot seeks to link its historical bequest with the quality of modern Athens done The Ilisian, a caller multi-dimensional destination and acquisition ecosystem that volition see hospitality, residences, dining, retail, and a members’ club. The Ilisian comes astatine a clip erstwhile the “Greece” marque itself is firmly successful the apical 10 of the world’s strongest tourer destinations, with Athens successful peculiar experiencing the largest tourism boom—this twelvemonth adjacent surpassing the country’s apical land destinations.

While the club, known arsenic the House of NYNN, was the archetypal to unfastened wrong the caller destination during the summer, past July, for its registered members, the 2nd opening—which volition simultaneously people the nationalist motorboat of the destination—will instrumentality spot adjacent month.

In November, the archetypal of the 9 eating venues that The Ilisian volition big is acceptable to open. Early successful 2026 (exact day not yet set), the awesome caller edifice Conrad Athens The Ilisian volition follow, replacing the aged Athens Hilton nether the prestigious Conrad marque of the American group, named aft laminitis Conrad Hilton. Alongside the hotel, the eating areas and retail stores of the destination volition gradually open, each accessible to some visitors and Athenians. Also, successful 2026, residences volition commencement being delivered to their owners.

“The Most Beautiful Hilton successful the World”

At this stage, enactment crossed each fronts wrong the caller destination is intensive, arsenic portion of the large-scale redevelopment of the spot being carried retired by the owners of Ionian Hotels (TEMES S.A., with the information of the Konstantakopoulos and Olayan groups). The full concern volition transcend €340 million, including the archetypal acquisition of the building.

The large translation volition beryllium marked astatine the opening of the caller year, perchance wrong the archetypal 2 months (January–February), with the hotel’s cognition referencing the aged practice of this landmark for the capital. Incidentally, Conrad Hilton himself, successful 1963, astatine the opening ceremonial of the past Athens Hilton, famously said: “I hold with those who judge that the Hilton Athens is the astir beauteous Hilton successful the world.”

This is precisely wherefore the spot owners had to spell done a “trial by fire,” dealing with approvals, licensing, and delays, arsenic portion of the highly demanding redevelopment to some sphere and reconstruct iconic architectural elements of the gathering portion implementing modern sustainable practices—e.g., improving vigor ratio to execute LEED Gold biology certification.

It is worthy noting that the historical Athens Hilton closed successful January 2022 to let for the implicit reconstruction. One of the highlights of the redevelopment is the preservation and enhancement of each the property’s iconic features, including the façades designed by Yiannis Moralis.

At this point, Hilton has already started accepting the archetypal bookings successful its systems for aboriginal June 2026. However, the caller Conrad Athens – The Ilisian edifice volition invited its archetypal visitors adjacent earlier, with bookings gradually opening period by period anterior to June to guarantee the caller destination is afloat ready. Recruitment for staffing the caller edifice has already begun.

Regarding prices, for the archetypal play of June 2026, a modular treble country volition commencement astatine an mean of €774 per nighttime and summation depending connected the room. Suites with Acropolis views mean €1,665 per night, portion the 2 apical suites—the Presidential and Royal—average €3,619 and €6,870 per night, respectively.

It should beryllium noted that Hilton, a publically traded group, has a portfolio of 25 planetary brands, 9,000 properties, and implicit 1.3 cardinal rooms crossed 139 countries, having welcomed implicit 3 cardinal guests successful its much than 100-year history.

As for the Athens flagship, the caller 15-story edifice volition diagnostic 307 rooms and suites. Beyond different facilities (indoor and outdoor pools, gym, spa, eating areas, etc.), it volition besides person 19 gathering and lawsuit spaces totaling 2,035 m², placing adjacent accent connected some leisure tourism and concern travel.

For events and exceptional VVIP stays (an hold of VIP, meaning Very Very Important Person), determination volition beryllium a unsocial 400 m² abstraction with its ain outdoor excavation and unparalleled views of each of Athens—on the tract that erstwhile housed the Galaxy for guests of the aged Athens Hilton—under the umbrella of the Conrad hotel.

The edifice opening volition besides people the motorboat of 2 further eating venues: Vyzantino, successful its historical location, and the lobby café barroom (Lobby Lounge Café Bar).

Even earlier that, and precise soon, successful November, the Japanese edifice successful the recently constructed helping volition unfastened to the wide public. This helping has an entranceway from Michalakopoulou Street and overlooks the excavation area. The edifice is simply a well-known marque already contiguous successful Greece. Notably, this caller helping was portion of the archetypal 1963 architectural program and volition correspond the 2nd opening for the destination.

The archetypal opening was the members’ nine House of NYNN, which has been operating since past July with a important fig of registered members. The nine covers astir 5,500 m² indoors and 3,000 m² outdoors, organized into 4 chiseled but interconnected zones:

– the enactment and amusement country (Living Room),

– the Forum with flexible bureau and concern gathering spaces,

– the wellness floor, and

– the outdoor Oasis astir the pool.

With the hotel’s opening astir the aforesaid period, the destination’s retail portion astir the cardinal lobby volition besides launch, featuring a larger conception store with assorted manner brands from some Greek and planetary designers, on with smaller shops—florist, jewelry store, cigar shop, hairsbreadth salon, authentic barber shop, etc.

All retail outlets volition cater to some visitors and Athenians, conscionable similar the eating areas (nine successful full upon afloat cognition of The Ilisian), but for the members’ nine restaurant, which is exclusive to members.

The Residences

A chiseled and precise peculiar portion of the caller destination is the residences, which volition besides beryllium delivered to their owners successful 2026. There volition beryllium 55 backstage residences successful total, “introducing a caller residential acquisition successful cardinal Athens, offering not lone stunning views of the Acropolis but besides exceptional amenities specified arsenic the largest outdoor excavation successful the metropolis halfway and an elevated plot with an outdoor fittingness area.”

The backstage branded residences connected the precocious floors volition include:

– 18 Conrad Residences, and

– 37 Waldorf Astoria Residences, the archetypal for these 2 brands successful Greece, ranging from 60 m² upwards, spanning floors 7 to 12.

The cardinal quality is that the Conrad Residences autumn nether the edifice umbrella, meaning they tin beryllium booked via the edifice preservation strategy for longer stays portion enjoying the comforts of home. In contrast, the Waldorf Astoria Residences are wholly backstage homes—they adhere to Waldorf Astoria residential standards but are not portion of the edifice and person nary edifice services.