Monument
Hotel · Monastiraki
Kalamida 11, Athina 105 54, Greece
Highlights
Restored neoclassical mansion offers intimate luxury, spa, and Acropolis views.
Kalamida 11, Athina 105 54, Greece Get directions
Restored neoclassical mansion offers intimate luxury, spa, and Acropolis views.
Kalamida 11, Athina 105 54, Greece Get directions
"Monument Hotel is a five-suite, four-room hotel in Athens, located in a neoclassical building designed by Ernst Ziller. The hotel features restored marble balconies, murals, and original gypsum decorations. Rooms are modern with pastel walls and Scandinavian furniture. It offers a spa and sauna, creating a relaxing retreat in the bustling city." - Nicola Chilton
"Classified as a modern monument, this mansion was designed in 1881 by Ernst Ziller, the German architect whose eclectic neoclassicism shaped Greece’s new 19th-century capital. Hotelier Grigoris Tolkas spent three years transforming the neglected beauty into an intimate hotel, undeterred by strict building restrictions, maddening bureaucracy and spiralling costs. Restoration specialists from the Ministry of Culture painted the delicate acanthus flowers on the ceilings and trompe l’oeil stairwell, which leads to nine subtly different rooms and suites. There are sepia-toned limewash walls, brass lamps beside bespoke wooden beds and a smattering of contemporary Scandinavian furniture to keep things from sliding into retro pastiche. Modern bathrooms are concealed in mirrored boxes, a neat trick that makes the lofty rooms seem even bigger. Some suites have marble balconies overlooking the domed church of Agios Dimitrios, the pavement scene at fashionable Linou Soumpasis restaurant and the Parthenon hovering above the rooftops. A locally sourced breakfast is the only meal served in the subdued living and dining room that occupies the whole ground floor. The complimentary sauna and steam room in the basement is a lovely perk. Service is hyper-personal, from the morning crew remembering your coffee order to behind-the-scenes tours tailored to your interests, whether you’re into art, architecture or eating your way around Athens. This is a charming hideout in the heart of the city, where you can peel back layers of the past while checking the frenetic pulse of the present. From about $305. —Rachel Howard" - CNT Editors
"Classified as a modern monument, this mansion was designed in 1881 by Ernst Ziller, the German architect whose eclectic neoclassicism shaped Greece’s new 19th-century capital. Hotelier Grigoris Tolkas spent three years transforming the neglected beauty into an intimate hotel, undeterred by strict building restrictions, maddening bureaucracy and spiralling costs. Restoration specialists from the Ministry of Culture painted the delicate acanthus flowers on the ceilings and trompe l’oeil stairwell, which leads to nine subtly different rooms and suites. There are sepia-toned limewash walls, brass lamps beside bespoke wooden beds and a smattering of contemporary Scandinavian furniture to keep things from sliding into retro pastiche. Modern bathrooms are concealed in mirrored boxes, a neat trick that makes the lofty rooms seem even bigger. Some suites have marble balconies overlooking the domed church of Agios Dimitrios, the pavement scene at fashionable Linou Soumpasis restaurant and the Parthenon hovering above the rooftops. A locally sourced breakfast is the only meal served in the subdued living and dining room that occupies the whole ground floor. The complimentary sauna and steam room in the basement is a lovely perk. Service is hyper-personal, from the morning crew remembering your coffee order to behind-the-scenes tours tailored to your interests, whether you’re into art, architecture or eating your way around Athens. This is a charming hideout in the heart of the city, where you can peel back layers of the past while checking the frenetic pulse of the present. From about $305. —Rachel Howard" - CNT Editors
"Why book? There’s nowhere else quite like this to stay in Athens. A 19th-century mansion that has been faithfully restored without slipping into historical pastiche, Monument combines the intimacy of a guesthouse with the luxury of space and privacy. All nine guest rooms are huge, with soaring stucco ceilings and vast windows that overlook a typical Athenian scene: a marble-paved churchyard full of flowers and cats, the chatter and laughter of sidewalk diners, retro shops crammed with dusty treasures, and the Parthenon perched above a tangle of TV aerials. It’s a hushed hideout in the heart of the city, where you can peel back layers of the past while checking the frenetic pulse of the present. Set the scene A heavy arched doorway leads into a vestibule where a doorman stands to attention. It’s like stepping into a different era, where the walls glow with tawny limewash, the floor is solid grey marble, and the hand-painted ceiling is a work of fine art. The entire ground floor (originally a shop) is a communal living and dining room, with a smattering of antique paintings, rugs, and a vintage drinks trolley offset by contemporary Scandinavian furniture: squishy Pacha lounge chairs by Gubi, pendant lights like floating Pringles by New Works. A shiny wooden staircase snakes up to three floors of rooms and suites, which are all subtly different interpretations of subdued glamour. Guests -- discreetly well-heeled, older couples or solo regulars – fit right into the low-key scene. The backstory Classified as a modern monument, the corner building was designed in 1881 by Ernst Ziller, the German architect who came to define the neoclassical aesthetic of the newly minted Greek capital after the War of Independence. Ziller drew on ancient, Byzantine, and Renaissance references to create landmarks such as the Presidential Mansion, the Academy of Athens, and the National Archaeological Museum. Occasionally, Ziller also designed private residences like this one, originally the home of a wealthy merchant. Abandoned for years, the mansion caught the eye of Grigoris Tolkas, a self-made entrepreneur who made his fortune restoring and renting cave houses on Santorini. Undeterred by strict building restrictions, maddening bureaucracy, and spiraling costs, Tolkas resolved to transform this neglected beauty into a boutique hotel. He enlisted the help of local architecture studio mplusm, whose every move during the three-year restoration was overseen by conservation specialists from the Ministry of Culture. The rooms There are four double rooms and five suites. Most have intricate ceiling paintings that set the tone for the muted sepia, ochre, and ash color palette. Modern bathrooms are concealed in mirrored boxes, a neat trick that makes the lofty rooms seem even bigger. The décor is relatively spare: bespoke wooden beds, brass bedside lamps, and Scandi statement pieces by the likes of Woud, &Tradition, and Frama. The Muse, Epos and Acanthus suites have sunny marble balconies, while the Nidus suite up in the attic has its own terrace tucked among the terra cotta roof tiles with a hot tub and Acropolis view. Food and drink Breakfast is the only meal served, but it’s first-rate. The kitchen spotlights local ingredients in bite-sized sandwiches, Cretan kaltsounia (sweet cheese turnovers), organic jams, and Greek yoghurt with preserved cherries. There’s no extra charge for the à la carte menu, which includes kayianas (scrambled eggs with fresh tomato and ksino cheese from Ios island), healthy smoothies, and a few vegan and gluten-free options. Guests can mix their own drinks from the bar trolley or have cocktails delivered to their room. The front desk staff are happy to make restaurant reservations and smart about matchmaking guests with special local secrets rather than dispensing generic recommendations. The spa The complimentary sauna and steam room in the basement can be booked for private use, a lovely perk without the awkwardness of stripping off with strangers. There’s one treatment room for simple facials or powerfully restorative massages using Greek essential oils. Go for the deep tissue massage and ask for Thomas, who has a knack for dissolving knots and kinks. The area Once a neighbourhood of tanners, tinsmiths, and junk shops, Psirri has been somewhat sanitised by the hotelification of downtown Athens. But Monument is perfectly situated at the intersection of three characterful backstreets. It overlooks the domed church of Agios Dimitrios and Linou Soumpasis, one of the city’s most interesting and consistent modern Greek restaurants. A few doors down is Handlebar, an alt-hip bar that doubles as a bicycle shop. Around the corner, you’ll find tiny shops selling homemade worry beads and wicker baskets, bundles of herbs and barrels of olives at the central food market on Athinas Street, as well as excellent vintage shops and bars on Protogenous Street. The Acropolis is an easy 20-minute stroll through the old town of Plaka. The service The small, warm team is consistently charming and kind. Service feels hyper-personal, from the breakfast crew remembering your coffee order to tailored suggestions for behind-the-scenes tours, whether you’re into art, architecture, or eating your way around Athens. For families Although children over 12 are welcome, this is not really a hotel for kids. The atmosphere is old-fashioned and sedate. There are no twin, triple or connecting rooms.Eco effort Commendable, given that environmental considerations are complicated by compliance with strict architectural rules imposed by the Greek state. As well as a paperless policy and no single-use plastics, the hotel is equipped with water-saving taps and showers, refill stations for drinking water, and low-energy lighting. Social impact is taken into consideration through partnerships with local suppliers and small businesses nearby. Surplus food is donated to Boroume, a non-profit organization whose mission is to reduce food waste and food insecurity in Greece.Accessibility Due to the historical character of the listed building, there is no lift or any special provisions to accommodate guests with disabilities or mobility issues. Anything left to mention? Ask the concierge for their cheat sheet list of Athenian institutions that have been around for generations, from classic patisseries and cult spice shops to vintage bars redolent of another era." - Shannon McMahon
"Classified as a modern monument, this mansion was designed in 1881 by Ernst Ziller, the German architect whose eclectic neoclassicism shaped Greece’s new 19th-century capital. Hotelier Grigoris Tolkas spent three years transforming the neglected beauty into an intimate hotel, undeterred by strict building restrictions, maddening bureaucracy and spiralling costs. Restoration specialists from the Ministry of Culture painted the delicate acanthus flowers on the ceilings and trompe l’oeil stairwell, which leads to nine subtly different rooms and suites. There are sepia-toned limewash walls, brass lamps beside bespoke wooden beds and a smattering of contemporary Scandinavian furniture to keep things from sliding into retro pastiche. Modern bathrooms are concealed in mirrored boxes, a neat trick that makes the lofty rooms seem even bigger. Some suites have marble balconies overlooking the domed church of Agios Dimitrios, the pavement scene at fashionable Linou Soumpasis restaurant and the Parthenon hovering above the rooftops. A locally sourced breakfast is the only meal served in the subdued living and dining room that occupies the whole ground floor. The complimentary sauna and steam room in the basement is a lovely perk. Service is hyper-personal, from the morning crew remembering your coffee order to behind-the-scenes tours tailored to your interests, whether you’re into art, architecture or eating your way around Athens. This is a charming hideout in the heart of the city, where you can peel back layers of the past while checking the frenetic pulse of the present. From about $305. —Rachel Howard" - CNT Editors
