Athens’ Historic Esperia Palace Opens as NYX-branded Hotel After €25 Million Revamp

The NYX Esperia Palace Hotel Athens on Stadiou Street.

Fattal Hotel Group, Israel’s largest hotel organization, recently unveiled details involving the major renovation of the historic Esperia Palace Hotel in Athens and announced plans on its further expansion in the Greek market.

The former Esperia Palace hotel, located on 22 Stadiou Street opposite the former Parliament building in central Athens, is now a member of the NYX brand under the Leonardo hotel chain, the European arm of the Fattal Hotel Group.

With a new gleaming look, the 5-star NYX Esperia Palace Hotel Athens opened its doors in July following an extensive renovation carried out by Fattal after winning the tender launched by the building’s owner, Greece’s EFKA social security fund, in 2019. It is noted that the Esperia Palace Hotel had shut its doors in 2010.

Leonardo Hotels & Resorts Mediterranean Managing Director Roni Aloni.

“In 2019, we won the bid for a long-term lease of Esperia Palace… Although the plan was to operate it much earlier, due to Corona virus we needed to delay the whole process,” Leonardo Hotels & Resorts Mediterranean Managing Director Roni Aloni said during a press conference at the revamped hotel on Wednesday.

While part of the auction was to spend 9 million in renovations, Leonardo Hotels & Resorts had a “vision to take the hotel to the high end” and eventually spent over 25 million euros for the revamp.

The NYX Esperia Palace Hotel Athens.

Reception area, lobby.

Executive suite.

“Esperia Palace grants a huge history for Greece and especially for Athens… For our company it wasn’t only an honor but also a big challenge to transform the property into a modern 5-star hotel,” Aloni said, adding that the building and the history behind the name of Esperia Palace was respected.

“Now, before us we have created a real jewel in the center of the town,” he said.

Located within walking distance from Syntagma Square, the shopping areas of Ermou and Kolonaki and in proximity from Plaka and Thisio, the new 10-storey NYX Esperia Palace, designed by Tsolakis Architects, has 212 rooms and suites, gym and two pools, one indoor and one outdoor with stunning views of the Acropolis, Lycabettus Hill and the city of Athens. The hotel is also pet friendly.

Pool on the rooftop of the NYX Esperia Palace Hotel Athens.

Regarding the hotel’s culinary approach, Leonardo Hotels & Resorts is collaborating with the KALUA group (known from its activity on Mykonos) for the concepts of its rooftop pool bar restaurant on the 10th floor, the luxury restaurant on the 9th floor and the “Panther Bistro” on the ground floor.

Restaurant on 9th floor of the NYX Esperia Palace Hotel Athens.

Moreover, the NYX Esperia Palace offers a newly designed brand of spa services called “Phe” (from the Greek word feggo, which means “glow”), by the well-known Aegeo Spa brand.

Entrance to the "Phe" spa.

Indoor pool, "Phe" spa.

The hotel includes three conference rooms, executive business lounge and a business station.

The “Amy Winehouse” conference room, NYX Esperia Palace Hotel Athens.

“We strongly believe that such a hotel brings out a new era to the city, to the city’s citizens and to tourists. It will introduce and establish a new ambience, culture, gastronomy, through unique services and facilities,” Aloni said.

According to Aloni, the NYX Esperia Palace Hotel Athens is experiencing high occupancies and demand.

“I truly believe this will continue in the years to come,” he said.

Leonardo Hotels & Resorts Mediterranean Managing Director Roni Aloni.

The Leonardo hotel chain has 17 NYX-branded hotels in Europe: Spain (three), Italy (one), Germany (three), Greece (two – in Athens and Rhodes), Cyprus (two in Limassol), Israel (three), UK (one), Poland (one) and Czech Republic (one). The NYX portfolio in the near future is expected to see the addition of another three member hotels – one in Nicosia, one in Thessaloniki in 2024 and another in an undisclosed location.

‘NYX’ inspired by a Greek word

According to Aloni, the name “NYX” comes from the Greek word NYCHTA, which means “night”.

“NYX is a unique brand concept that has been developed during the last few years… It represents the new lifestyle business hotels of our company. It targets a more sophisticated clientele who search for a modern, classy and funky experience,” he added.

Lobby area, NYX Esperia Palace Hotel Athens.

The entire chain of Leonardo Hotels & Resorts has over 270 hotels in 117 destinations in Israel, Europe, and UK.

Further investments of Fattal Hotel Group include projects on Rhodes (revamp of Leonardo Kolymbia Resort); Thessaloniki, hotel to open under the NYX brand next year; and Nafplio, revamp of the former Kandia Castle Hotel that was acquired by the company last year.

“We believe in Greece and its potential in the tourism sector,” Aloni said, adding that Fattal currently is “carefully” examining various hospitality projects in the country.