Review: Apollo Palm Hotel: First In

Why book?

The 48-room property in Athens’ bohemian Psyrri neighborhood has already poised itself as a cool kid on the city’s red-hot arts scene, thanks to an Aegean-Sea-meets-Palm-Springs design ethos, a rooftop bar with killer Acropolis views, and stylish clientele of artists, creatives, and other tastemakers.

Set the scene

In recent years, Athens has evolved from a requisite stopover en route to Greece’s famed islands into a standalone destination, fueled by the country’s economic rebound and its capital’s booming arts community. Like the city itself, Apollo Palm has created plenty of reasons to stay for a spell. Behind its imposing, black front door (pull hard—it’s heavy) lies an elegant sanctuary designed by Mariette Sans-Rival, of Paris-based Mariette Sans-Rival Studio, that cleverly celebrates Greece’s seafaring history, from white interior facades that evoke the gracefully curved railings and balconies of a cruise ship right down to antique brass nautical light fixtures. The greenery-filled courtyard—anchored by a soaring palm tree that, along with the Greek god of sun and light, inspired the hotel’s name—is a relaxing spot to start or end a day of sightseeing. For the night owls who want to keep the party going, the rooftop cocktail bar features sweeping Acropolis views and events like open-air movie screenings and sunset parties, while the forthcoming late-night venue, Studio Olala—scheduled for a September opening—will offer a world-class sound system and event series (think jazz parties and DJ sets) on weekends.

The backstory

Apollo Palm’s origin story has almost as many twists and turns as a Greek myth. Konstantinos Polatidis, the hotel’s developer and brand and marketing director, and Ioannis Kontogeorgakis, who oversees who oversees guest relations and local media outreach, are longtime friends who decided sometime around 2018 to join the tidal wave of creative and entrepreneurial energy surging in Athens. They envisioned a hospitality project after Polatidis discovered the hotel’s two 20th-century buildings, which originally housed a police department (and its horse stables in a building that’s since been demolished) and, later, a private art and design college. The plan evolved significantly since the beginning of a lengthy permitting process (no small feat in one of the world’s oldest cities), and the duo overhauled the original hostel concept into something more upscale; to that end, Sans-Rival, who happens to be Polatidis’s partner, was brought on in 2019 as the design lead. In early 2020, disaster struck with the pandemic, but the project managed to survive, and celebrated its long-awaited opening last month with a triumphant rooftop party with fireworks lighting up the Acropolis in the background.

The rooms

It’s not every day that tourists can gaze at an archeological marvel dating to around 500 B.C. from the comfort of their hotel room. But in the hotel’s newer wing, clear Acropolis vistas, right down to the columns of the Parthenon, steal the show in a handful of rooms, including 403, 404, and 405, which also have balconies. (Not surprisingly, those rooms, which are noted on the hotel’s booking page, run at least $150 or more per night than the lowest-priced rooms. However, they’re also right underneath the rooftop bar, which closes at 1 am, so they’re not the best pick for early birds.) Rooms 308, 309, and 312 also have balconies and Acropolis views; 402 has no balcony but you can peek at the landmark from the window. Rates start at $170 per night.

On the opposite wing, five rooms feature a loft-style layout, with the bed accessible via ladder (not surprisingly, these aren’t recommended for families with children or guests with mobility issues). Some rooms have courtyard views, but considering how pretty it is, that’s not a bad thing (and you’ll escape street noise, too). All rooms feature unique variations of Sans-Rival’s deft design touch, with an overarching white-on-white color palette accentuated by pops of pale yellows, blues, and oranges, soaring ceilings, and sleek tiled bathrooms stocked with Greek toiletries and a quality hair dryer. All rooms have a free minibar fridge with water, soda, and juice, while powerful air conditioning makes quick work of Athens’s sweltering summer temperatures. All rooms come with a buffet breakfast, which includes eggs, Greek pastries and cheeses, and fruit, as well as coffee and tea.

Food and drink

With tables set among the greenery of the courtyard, the Patio Wine Bar and Bistro will officially launch service on July 14 with one of Athens’s most notable up-and-coming chefs at the helm. Christos Sidiropoulos, who’s from the Halkidiki region in Northern Greece and has worked at several Michelin-starred restaurants in London, lets his Greek roots shine with small-plate dishes like the Santorini salad, heaping with cherry tomatoes, tsalafouti cheese, and local greens; perfectly fried zucchini tempura served with Greek yogurt; tender grilled octopus; and peach pavlova with pillows of yogurt mousse, peach compote, and meringue.

The wine list, meanwhile, is curated by Nodas Pappas of Loggia, a popular natural wine bar on Sifnos Island; not surprisingly, natural, organic Greek vintages will feature prominently. Just off the courtyard, the airy bar entices as a glam spot to perch on a stool, cocktail in hand. Upstairs at the rooftop bar, order the way-too-easy-to-drink Holiday Spritz, made with pineapple, sparkling wine, and white rum). Other signature aperitifs and signature cocktails were designed by Alekos Alexiadis, founder and owner of Santa Rosa, a notable Athens bar. A wine list also is on tap, along with tapas selections and a Mediterranean brunch.

The neighborhood/area

Lively, gritty Psyrri is one of Athens’s hippest neighborhoods, buzzing with a blend of art galleries and textile, cobbler, and antique shops reflecting the area’s working-class roots. Some of the city’s top historic landmarks, including the Acropolis, Hadrian’s Library, and several museums, can all be found within an easy 20-minute walk—no need to bother with a car or navigating the public transit system. Foodies also flock to Psirri also for its array of bars and restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Linou Soumpasis k sia, a modern taverna serving up unfussy Greek dishes in a former candle shop.

The service

The hotel doesn’t have a dedicated concierge, but front-desk staff can make reservations for restaurants and help with purchasing tickets to local attractions. Kontogeorgakis, who is often on site, boasts an encyclopedic knowledge of Athens’s rich history and is happy to help guests with recommendations (one of his top tips for first-timers to Athens: visit the Acropolis in the late afternoon, when cruise crowds have thinned and entry lines are minimal). Service elsewhere in the hotel, including the breakfast buffet and the courtyard bar, is friendly, cheerful, and efficient.

Eco effort

Apollo Palm scores points for its use of existing buildings, as well as Sans-Rival’s commitment to sourcing vintage finds like the nautical lighting fixtures and pairing with local artisans to handcraft bedspreads and other textiles.

Accessibility

Two elevators are in place in the building’s interior, but guests still have to navigate several sets of steps, which would be challenging for mobility-impaired guests.

Anything left to mention?

The hotel had to work within existing space limitations of the previous buildings, meaning that some places, such as the indoor dining area where the breakfast buffet is served, can feel a bit crowded during the morning rush (guests are welcome to dine alfresco in the courtyard, too). Other areas, such as the stairways and a few guest rooms, show some scuffs and other marks on walls and floors. Meanwhile, whether construction noise from Studio Olala will be disruptive is hard to predict (though the space already has soundproofing measures in place). But even with those inevitable growing pains, Apollo Palm has already developed its reputation as a sought-after hotspot for both Athens visitors and those who call the city home.