Greek Tourism Ministry Shuts Down Athens Hotel for Construction Violation

View of the Acropolis from the hotel’s rooftop. Photo source: Coco-Mat Athens BC

Greece’s Tourism Ministry said on Wednesday that it would be shutting down Coco-Mat Athens BC hotel after it was found to be in violation of building and zoning laws.

The decision comes after Greece’s highest court ruled that the hotel was blocking the view to the Acropolis and that owners proceed with relevant studies and the demolition of the two last floors in the next three months.

The construction of Coco-Mat Athens BC located in the historic center of Athens at the foot of the Acropolis, spurred a public uproar in 2019 backed by Europe’s federation for the protection of cultural heritage Europe Nostra, and prompted the environment and culture ministries to investigate gaps in zoning laws that allowed the project to proceed. Although they later suspended all building activity in the area, the project was completed.

The building, which locals said was located within the archaeological area of the Acropolis, a world famous UNESCO heritage site, exceeded the 24-meter building limit of the area by 12.5 meters.

The exterior of the Coco-Mat Athens BC hotel.. Photo source: Coco-Mat Athens BC

The tourism ministry said that it will “immediately proceed with the legal actions to shut down the Coco Mat Athens BC hotel due to the partial revocation of its building permit”.

It goes on to add however, as did the municipality of Athens before it, that the ministry had “acted in a timely manner in the past”, investigating a relevant documents sent to the Municipality of Athens but never receiving a response.

The ministry said that it had also sent a relevant document to the hotel owners requesting explanations as part of its own investigation.

“It is clear that the competent services of the tourism ministry had from the very start directly moved to investigate the legal operation of the hotel as required under existing legislation,” it said.

Coco-mat Hotels & Resorts is owned by the Efmorfidis family, which launched operations as a mattress company some 30 years ago growing into an international sustainability-focused brand and expanding into tourism and as of lately into real estate through its listed real estate investment company.

The Council of State decision requires Coco-Mat Athens BC, one of the highest value assets in the real estate portfolio of Ble Kedros REIC and recently listed on the Athens Stock Exchange, to tear down the two last floors in the next three months.

In a statement in response to the news, Ble Kerdos said it would be reexamining the allegations adding that “the question of the legality (or illegality) of this new act remains pending both on administrative and court levels”.

It also added that an Athens Administrative Court of Appeal has ordered the suspension of both the autopsy report and the fines for the two floors under investigation.

Archive photo of the hotel during construction. Photo Source: secure.avaaz.org

The court decision is also calling on the Municipality of Athens to comply with the decision and follow a similar ruling by Greece’s Central Archaeological Council (KAS), responsible for the protection of the country’s cultural heritage, or face fines and sanctions.

“The Municipality of Athens should have revoked or modified the building permit, declared illegal all constructions over 24 meters high. and issued the necessary administrative acts for demolition,” the decision reads.

There has been no comment by the Efmorfidis family or the hotel’s managing company.