Updated on 6 April at 10am
The hotel scene in Athens has been in the spotlight recently. While the Thai group Dusit has just opened its first hotel in Europe - a 36-suite long-stay establishment - the Radisson group has just found a first address for its collection of independent Radisson Individuals hotels. The Social Athens Hotel, a top-of-the-range establishment with 24 rooms and suites, has been added to the range of boutique hotels in the Greek capital.
The only hotel on the main shopping street in the centre of Athens, Voukourestiou Street in the upmarket Kolonaki district, The Social Athens Hotel is set among designer boutiques and luxury homes. It's the perfect setting for an elegant, contemporary hotel, the result of the transformation of a former public building from the 1960s by the Greek-Swedish architectural firm OOAK. Dedicated to calm and relaxation in its interiors - including a unique open-air fitness centre - the hotel brings the city's energy to life with its bar-restaurant on the ground floor, a trendy space for all kinds of artistic events.
This opening completes the Radisson Group's offering in Greece, which now stands at six hotels, including several resorts opened over the last two years in the Cyclades and the Sporades. At the same time, its expansion in Eastern Europe continues with the opening of a luxury hotel in Vilnius. Or, rather, its reopening after upgrading one of its hotels, the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija, a process that the hotelier had already used last year to open a Radisson Collection at Tallinnin the former Radisson Blu Sky Hotel.
Following an extensive renovation, the establishment has regained all the prestige befitting its position, long the favourite pied-à-terre of the local aristocracy and celebrities visiting the Lithuanian capital. Opened in 1901, this venerable establishment with its blend of Secession and Neo-Baroque architecture, has played host to many celebrities, royal families and heads of state, including US President George W. Bush.
Located in the heart of the medieval old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Radisson Collection Astorija blends this prestigious setting with the following features modern design and old-world charm. With five flexible meeting rooms accommodating up to 250 people, the hotel offers 119 rooms, including suites of almost 90 m².
As well as a fitness and wellness centre, it also offers a gin bar, an elegant French cuisine brasserie, l'Astorija, and, in fine weather, a rooftop bar from which to admire the sunset over the city. In a more intimate style, its original wine cellar, rediscovered in 2019, can host private tastings of world-renowned champagnes under its vaulted ceilings and stone walls. A fitting way to wish the Lithuanian capital, which celebrates its 700th birthday this year, a happy birthday.
But the Radisson Collection isn't just looking to upgrade former Radisson Blu hotels to ensure its expansion. It can also transform historic sites into hotels. This is particularly the case in Milan, where the group has just added a second address for its luxury brand. After taking up residence in the headquarters of the Touring Club Italiano, built in 1914, the brand has moved into the former Allianz Italy officesin the central Corso Italia district. After four years of work, the 1960s building has been transformed into a five-star hotel with 159 rooms and suites, in line with standards that should lead to LEED Gold certification. Designed by Studio Marco Piva as urban lofts, they contribute to making the hotel a contemporary place, with Milanese designers AtelierP and Alessandro Cesario having created an aesthetic inspired by "elegant maximalism" for its interiors.
Located close to the new Santa Sofia M4 metro station, equidistant from Piazza Duomo and the Navigli, the Radisson Collection Santa Sofia Milan does not have any meeting rooms, but has workspaces in its lobby for business travellers on the move. The hotel's bar-restaurant, the Sofia Kitchen & Bar, takes over the building's former courtyard, which is now covered by a glass roof. The hotel will soon be adding a nikkei cuisine table, a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine. Hamachi ceviche with yuzu leche de tigre, Wagyu beef tartare with crispy rice, grilled aubergine and miso glaze: these specialities will be available to enjoy. on the hotel's rooftop terraceon the seventh floor. And when the warm weather arrives, a new terrace will be created on the fourth floor to house an outdoor swimming pool and lounge bar.
