Major Hotel Chains To Invest Further In Greece

Hilton and Carlson Rezidor Group choose Crete,
Intercontinental to open on Santorini

Three major hotel brands, the Hilton, the Intercontinental and the Carlson Rezidor Group, will expand their presence in Greece, according to recent press reports.

After Athens and Kos, a third Hilton hotel will open in Greece, this time on Crete, by Dolphin Capital Investors (DCI). According to Kathimerini newspaper, DCI has already reached an agreement for the construction at Sitia, eastern Crete, of a Waldorf Astoria hotel, which constitutes the highest quality hotel chain of the group of Hilton Hotels and Resorts. DCI will undertake the hotel’s operation of the hotel, while construction is expected to begin in 2015.

The new unit is part of a 300-million euro investment program in an area of 3,000 stremma at Sitia and includes a golf course, a marina and tourist residences.

Meanwhile, Santorini has been chosen as the destination for the second Intercontinental hotel in Greece. The construction of Intercontinental Santorini is expected to begin this year and the hotel should be operating in two to three years.

The hotel, a 30-million-euro investment, will have 120 rooms, 40 suites with private pools, a spa, conference center and two restaurants.

Also, the Carlson Rezidor Group, which already has a presence in Athens with the Radisson Blu Park Hotel, signed a franchise agreement with the Geniatakis family, owner of the Minos Imperial Luxury Beach Resort and Spa in Lasithi, Crete.

The investment is worth 8.5 million euros and the new hotel is expected to open its doors from the second quarter of 2016 under the new name of Radisson Blu Beach Resort.