inside ace hotel & swim club athens, the hospitality brand’s first location in greece

ace hotel & swim club opens in athens

Atelier Ace opens the doors to Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens, the hospitality brand’s first location in Greece and the second property within the Swim Club brand. The hotel is set along the Athenian Riviera, an overlapping expression of eras, landscapes, and local craft. Designed alongisde architecture and interiors firm ciguë, the 120-room property is influenced by Greek modernism’s naturalist bent and the classic charm of ’70s coastal resorts. Retaining the Brutalist bones of the former Fenix Hotel, the design revives and reimagines the Riviera’s heyday, featuring a spacious public lobby, all-day French American restaurant, expansive pool with bar and poolside dining, casual café, and gallery space, as well as a rooftop pool, restaurant, and bar to come. Anchoring the ground floor is Sebastian, an all-day bistro serving seasonal French American fare from the hotel’s Executive Chef Elvi Dimitris Zyba.

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ciguë combines 1970s charm with brutalist accents

The team at ciguë — renowned for its comprehensive research process and custom fabrications — spearheaded the architecture and interiors of Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens, seeking inspiration from Greek architect Aris Konstantinidis, known for his post-war modernist designs and his Anavyssos summer residence, which struck a particular poetic symmetry with its surroundings and helped to establish a regional design identity. The complete interior redesign integrates locally recognized materials and elements such as ceramic tile, wood and grand plaster frescoes. The hotel’s custom furniture and lighting, iconic design pieces of the 1960s and 1970s as sourced by Back To The Future — a nod to the birth of the original building and the golden era of the Riviera — and an extensive curated art program span the hotel’s public and private spaces.

Though defined by its geometric purity and stark structure, the hotel offers a leisurely blur of indoor and outdoor space, with a sprawling ground floor that stretches from the lobby through to the expansive pool and ground-floor dining area. From the roof, guests can take in cinematic seaside and mountain views from the dipping pool as well as the rooftop restaurant and lounge. It welcomes neighbors and travelers alike to experience the enduring allure of the Athens Riviera.

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Characterized by radical angles, stark lines, and bold balconies, the structure’s visual strength is emphasized by a facade composed of glass fiber-reinforced concrete and stucco. Here, ciguë emphasizes Brutalist aesthetics and nods to the Japanese Metabolist movement — a post-war exploration of architecture as a tool capable of growth and change, linked to Buddhist concepts of impermanence and renewal. Guest rooms at Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens feature a balcony shielded by discreet blinds, serving as an extension of the room itself. The extended balconies connect visually to the regional architectural heritage while adding depth and dimension to the exterior.

Meanwhile, the building’s front facade features a mural by local street artist Claire Manent, inspired by David Hockney and 1960s Côte d’Azur posters, depicting an imaginary room overlooking the sea. A second mural on the pool-facing side by Greek artist Panos Profitis shows purple seabirds mid-flight. Profitis also created harpy-inspired wall sconces for each guest room, drawing from Greek and Roman mythology. The murals complement the architecture’s clean, meticulous lines.

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custom designs, vintage pieces, and mediterranean tones

The main entrance, surrounded by Mediterranean greenery, leads to a spacious lobby filled with natural Greek light. Upon entering, guests are welcomed by a marble front desk designed by Ilias Lefas, adorned with a beaded textile that shares a warm Greek greeting. Nearby, two photographs by Alexandra Masmanidi add visual intrigue, while modernist lighting fixtures, vintage finds, and custom creations, like a hammered aluminum piece by Bregje Sliepenbeek, complement the artistic atmosphere. The lobby’s travertine, concrete mosaic floor and custom and vintage furniture pair comfort and sophistication.

The double lobby offers relaxing living spaces with safari and ‘Le Bugie’ chairs, complemented by three custom Beni rugs. Contemporary works by local artists, such as Eleni Psyllaki and Despina Charitonidi, enrich the space alongside vintage serigraphs, sculptures, and tapestries that reflect the dynamic spirit of Athens. The lobby is illuminated with modernist lighting fixtures, enhancing its artistic ethos. The lobby also connects to a gallery space showcasing rotating art exhibitions and the Good Chemistry coffee shop, which serves light fare and drinks from a moss-colored Ming marble counter.

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Moving on to the intimate Lobby Bar, guests enjoy a moody contrast to the hotel’s bright interiors, featuring a shimmering copper bar illuminated by low ambient light and retro green table lamps. Modernist leather stools invite guests to linger at the bar. The space extends to a terrace through bifold glass doors, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor experience. Overlooking the pool and lobby, the terrace exudes classic Riviera charm, offering a stylish yet relaxed atmosphere for sunbathing and socializing.

As for the more private parts of Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens, the 120 guest rooms, spread across four floors, offer serene spaces with cantilevered balconies inviting natural light and sea breezes. Custom furnishings include green marble vanities, original artwork, and harpy sconces by Panos Profitis. Each room also features handcrafted details like bed covers by Salma Barakat, circular hemp fiber rugs, and locally upcycled accessories. Suites include hand-painted murals and vintage furniture, and the Ace Suite offers a wet bar and dining table.

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The primary pool area, designed with clean lines and a Mediterranean palette of creams, yellows, and greens, offers a stylish yet relaxing ambiance. Featuring custom-designed pool beds and aluminum loungers, the poolside area is accented by cabanas and elevated lounging sections. Vintage elements add charm, like Rattan Mushrooms by Eero Aarnio and a vintage wire mesh sofa. The pool bar, with its rattan ceiling and mosaic installation by Theo Michael, offers a picturesque setting for guests.

For food lovers, Sebastian is a bistro-style restaurant with French and American influences, offering seasonal Mediterranean ingredients. Its vibrant atmosphere, anchored by custom furnishings and lighting, transitions from day to night. Guests can dine indoors or al fresco on the terrace overlooking the pool. The space, inspired by Saint Sebastian, embraces the Mediterranean ethos with a lively, joyful spirit, complemented by a natural wine program curated by Wine Is Fine. Meanwhile, the hotel’s event space, Fenix, accommodates up to 80 guests and features wood paneling, an acoustic ceiling, and state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment. The space is ideal for various gatherings and includes a small landscaped patio for cocktail receptions, offering a functional and elegant setting.

Completing the design is the signage and wayfinding designed by Athens-based design studio Ogust. The team was inspired by Athenian street tags and graffiti. A custom typeface appears across the hotel’s ecosystem, with playful variations on travertine fragments, aluminum plaques, and embroidered linen. The design merges Athens’ old and new, celebrating the city’s dynamic culture.

Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens art program

The hotel’s art program, a collaboration between Atelier Ace, ciguë, and art director Matthieu Prat, offers a deep immersion into Athens’ contemporary art scene, showcasing the vibrancy and creative spirit of the city. Featuring 18 local artists across diverse mediums such as sculpture, mural, tapestry, and photography, the collection captures the renaissance of Athenian art, with works thoughtfully curated for both public spaces and guest rooms. Artists like Ilias Lefas and Theo Michael reimagine classic Greek techniques, while coastal themes, seen in Panos Profitis’ seabird motifs, evoke the surrounding Mediterranean landscape. The art reflects a rebellious spirit, honoring Greece’s artistic heritage without being constrained.

The public areas feature key works like Claire Manent’s street-art-inspired mural on the hotel facade and Panos Profitis’ large-scale seabird mural by the pool. Inside, The Callas’ tapestry and Eleni Psyllaki’s geometric paintings enhance the lobby and rooftop. Guest rooms are adorned with works by Alekos Fassianos and Aristeidis Lappas, whose murals and drawings tie together the hotel’s creative vision. Through this curated collection, the hotel captures the energy of Athens’ dynamic art scene, blending modern creativity with the city’s cultural history. Room reservations are available at acehotel.com/athens.

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