Astir Palace Marks End of An Era with Barak Obama Athens Stay

US President Barak Obama was just one more VIP added to the long list of “very important” guests of the legendary Astir Palace located along the Athenian Riviera.

Obama, who was in Greece on a highly publicized visit last week, stayed at the Astir Palace resort which has also been graced in the past by his counterpart Jimmy Carter, Robert Kennedy, Francois Mitterrand, Helmut Schmidt, Frank Sinatra, Aristotle Onassis, Helmut Kohl, Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev and many others.

The Astir Palace resort was selected by the US Embassy as ideal for the American president’s stay in Greece due to its exclusive seaside location, luxury surroundings, privacy, quality and safety.

Obama stayed in the resort’s presidential bungalow suite and upon his departure was offered a sculpted olive tree, a symbol of Greece, crafted by artist Constantine Valai as a gift by the hotel management and staff.

President Obama personally thanked the hotel’s management and staff and pledged to return to Greece with his family after being invited by Greek Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura.

The American president’s visit marks the end of an era for the Astir Palace as well as the beginning of a new one with the resort closing its doors 57 years later only to re-emerge in a new light and under new ownership.

Memory Lane… VIP’s @ Astir Palace

Jimmy Karter

Konstantinos Karamanlis and Helmud Schmid.

Francois Mitterrand

Konstantinos Karamanlis and Ziskar Desten.