Hotel Grande Bretagne Celebrates 150 Years of History with Updated Book Edition

The hotel’s current facade preserves its timeless classic style, reflecting luxury and refined hospitality. Photo source: Hotel Grande Bretagne

The Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens celebrates its 150th anniversary with the fourth edition of “The Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens” book, written by Dr. Angelos F. Vlachos, featuring rare testimonies and visual material.

First published in 2003, the book is the product of a comprehensive historical study tracing the journey of “The Grand Dame of Athens”, from its founding in 1874 to the present day. The new edition, updated with a contemporary aesthetic and enriched with rare details and photographs, provides a well-documented look into the evolution of Greek hospitality, narrating the story of the Greek capital’s most iconic hotel, which has thrived for nearly 150 years.

The book is now reissued in both Greek and English to showcase the hotel’s rich history and heritage, solidifying its status as a flagship of modern Greek hospitality.

Tourism Minister: A journey synonymous with refined hospitality

Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni. Photo source: Hotel Grande Bretagne

“The founding of the Hotel Grande Bretagne marked the beginning of a long journey that has become synonymous with quality and refined hospitality,” said Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni during the book’s presentation.

The minister described the hotel as a landmark of the city, that has historically contributed to shaping Athens’ identity, witnessing and hosting significant events that have marked the history of both Athens and modern Greece.

The story of Grande Bretagne through the eyes of its people

A vibrant fixture in Athens since 1874, the Grande Bretagne was the vision of Savvas Kentros and Efstathios Lampsas. Under their management, the hotel became synonymous with luxury and authentic hospitality, hosting some of the most prominent figures in the arts, politics, and aristocracy.

Today, the Hotel Grande Bretagne is owned by Lampsa Hellenic Hotels S.A., a subsidiary company of the Laskaridis family and is managed by Marriott International, Inc.

The updated edition of the book available in Greek and English features hardcover with gold detailing in the hotel’s signature colors. Photo source: Hotel Grande Bretagne

Updated documents and photographs narrate the hotel’s story as experienced by its employees and guests through key social, political, and economic events that have molded Greece and the world over three centuries.

“This updated study on the Hotel Grande Bretagne offers a unique perspective on the history of Athens, the rise of tourism, and ultimately, Greece itself,” said Dr. Angelos F. Vlachos, the book’s author.

Dr. Angelos F. Vlachos, the book’s author. Photo source: Hotel Grande Bretagne

As described in the book, the dedication of its employees made the Grande Bretagne a legendary hotel that, over the years, became the cradle of the Greek tourism industry.

“On the occasion of the presentation of the book narrating the history of the Hotel Grande Bretagne, I would like to pay special tribute to the many generations of employees who have built its legend,” said Lampsa Hellenic Hotels S.A. CEO Anastasios Homenidis. “This legend is interwoven with the history of the country, and its evolution into a modern, outward-looking European democracy.”

Tassos Chomenidis, CEO of Lampsa Hellenic Hotels S.A. Photo source: Hotel Grande Bretagne

Moreover, Homenidis referred to “an unsung hero” of the Grande Bretagne who is mentioned in the book. “Its legendary Manager Theodoros Petrakopoulos, who transformed the small hotel—the first of LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels S.A.—into the iconic establishment we all know today,” he said.

The book is available at the GB Corner Gifts & Flavors shop in the Hotel Grande Bretagne, as well as through Kerkyra Publications S.A. and Economia Publishing.

The Hotel Grande Bretagne’s history was also brought to the big screen in the documentary “150 Years Hotel Grande Bretagne: Hosting History”, which won the Silver Dolphin trophy at the 2024 Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards.

The book presentation took place as part of the Hotel Grande Bretagne’s 150th anniversary celebrations.