Apollo Palm Hotel Opens in Athens, Greece

The 48-room design hotel also houses a patio wine bar and rooftop cocktail bar offering views overlooking the Acropolis and the surrounding Psyrri neighborhood

Apollo Palm has officially opened its doors as an entirely new hotel experience steeped in Athens’ distinct creative spirit. Offering a balanced juxtaposition of luxury, comfort and glamor, Apollo Palm is an inspired destination for local creatives and travelers from around the world. The hotel’s authentic Mediterranean atmosphere and design ethos, nodding to the nearby Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, brings forth a new era of hospitality for the rapidly evolving Psyrri neighborhood of Athens. Neighboring the Agora of Athens, the once beating heart of ancient Athenian ideals, civilization, beauty and history, Psyrri now plays host to an exciting café scene, open-air galleries, and globally-inspired bars and restaurants. This confluence of old and new perfectly sets the stage for the newcomer hotel, an ideal homebase from which to explore the surrounding hub of global contemp9orary art and culture.

“This is a very special project for Athens, and in particular, Psyrri; Apollo Palm is a direct manifestation of the neighborhood’s rich culture, appreciation of the arts, and culinary excellence,” comments hotel developer Konstantinos Polatidis of FORMA. “Every piece of this project features bespoke design reflecting its surroundings, from the custom-made furniture to the inventive rooftop cocktail list. We created this hotel to be a custodian of sorts for our city’s prolific cultural heritage that spans millennia, and we hope it remains an alluring homebase for travelers and residents alike for many years to come.”

Apollo Palm is an effortless exhibit of contemporary, thought-provoking interiors from one of Europe’s most promising new design ateliers: Mariette Sans-Rival Studio, a Parisian design firm helmed by Mariette Sans-Rival. The studio thoughtfully reimagines two 20th-century buildings into 48 serene guest rooms alongside several light-filled common spaces. The hotel’s architecture nods to Greece’s iconic seafaring culture in the nearby Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, with sumptuous nautical curves defining its shape and a soft, natural color palette throughout the interior spaces. Mariette Sans-Rival Studio utilizes brass light fixtures to create a candle-like intimate ambiance, and clads the walls and floors in a broad palette of cream and white, brightening the stairs and emphasizing the verticality of the buildings. The studio also flawlessly restored and conserved the jaw-dropping Bauhaus-style stained-glass window spanning multiple floors. The hotel furniture is custom designed in collaboration with local craftspersons to create an entirely unique identity for Apollo Palm: soft lines mimic the construction and run contours around diaphanous golden fabrics and textures. The acclaimed Galerie Downtown Paris recently showcased one of the hotel’s chairs from the “Lucie Collection'' in a buzzy, contemporary design exhibition titled Trônes, the first exhibition presented as part of the downtown+ project by curatorial duo Luna Laffanour and Romain Bitton.

Commenting on the opening of Apollo Palm, Mariette Sans-Rival remarks: “As my first architecture and interior design project, I leaned heavily on my background in the world of opera and live theater to create a unique perspective, drawing parallels between set scenography and an inviting hotel atmosphere. I was challenged to create emotions through a narrative vision in an entirely new setting, building stories into the nascent place and developing recurring patterns to make the hotel autonomous and alive. I started drawing unusual shapes which ultimately led to the exclusive ‘Lucie ‘ collection of furniture created for the hotel; no detail was overlooked in making Apollo Palm an ideal, Mediterranean getaway that delights the senses in every way possible.”

The hotel also hosts several dining options curated in tandem with Greek hospitality icons, ranging from an all-day cafe to late-night spots perfect for taking in the best of Greece’s storied nightlife:

● A hidden oasis in the heart of Athens, Patio Wine Bar and Bistro is a casual café located in Apollo Palm’s tranquil courtyard under the shadow of a magnificent palm tree that anchors the space. Ambient, relaxed music and lush greenery set against the crisp white building exterior provide an alluring backdrop for casual dining, exclusive listening parties, weekend aperitivo hours and more. Guests and locals alike can enjoy all-day à la carte menu selections, starting with healthy, Mediterranean breakfast fare each morning and high-quality coffee from local roasters. The bistro seamlessly transitions from day to night with small plates featuring regional Mediterranean comfort food, as well as an exciting catalogue of wine selections, carefully curated by Nodas Pappas of Loggia, a renowned natural wine bar located on Sifnos Island who created a wine list that embraces natural, organic, and biodynamic wines from all over Greece.

● Perched atop Apollo Palm, the Rooftop Cocktail Bar is a vibrant cocktail bar with a “Spritzeria” concept, offering unparalleled views of the Acropolis and surrounding Psyrri neighborhood. The playful yet decidedly chic venue has an inventive cocktail list designed by Alekos Alexiadis, founder and owner of the edgy Santa Rosa; an acclaimed newcomer to Athens’ bar scene. Small tapas selections create the perfect pairings with the wine, Spritz, and cocktail-forward drinks menu, and on the weekends, guests and locals can enjoy a Mediterranean brunch menu on the rooftop as well. Visitors will enjoy Balearic music upstaged only by the incredible Athenian sunsets, with special musical and cultural events including open-air cinema nights and Sunday sunset parties.

● Coming September 2023: Studio Olala will be a haven for audiophiles, featuring a world-class sound system designed to maximize the acoustic experience at Apollo Palm’s late-night venue. The intimate listening room and bar will feature a thoughtfully-designed event series each weekend, ranging from jazz nights and small concerts to disco parties and DJ sets from September through May. During the week, Studio Olala will be open to guests and locals as a cozy whiskey bar, offering a relaxed ambiance perfect for jazz nights and casual drinks with friends. The venue will also be available for private parties and corporate events.