Hotels & Accommodations

Any election period and political instability in general is negative for tourism, which in the center of Athens is up against a decrease of 20 percent or more in revenues, the president of the Athens-Attica Hotel Association, Yiannis Retsos, recently told the Greek press.

The Athens-Attica Hoteliers Association announced last month that it has finally succeeded to obtain free space in front of the city’s hotels to facilitate the comfortable entrance and exit of tourists to and from taxis, buses, coaches and cars.

Drug dealing, public drug use, trafficking, muggings and clashes that involve illegal immigrants have degraded one end of the historic center of Athens-the Omonia Square area-to the extent that local hotel reservations in the area have been affected up to 40 percent, Athenian hoteliers recently told GTP.

The Margarona Royal Hotel, renowned as Preveza’s point of reference, recently underwent a seven million euro renovation and opened its doors to visitors as of this spring.

The new five-star Deluxe Royal Blue Resort & Spa recently opened its gates on Panormos, Crete, and promises an experience of ultimate relaxation in a luxurious environment.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts have launched a new website dedicated to the chain’s nine hotels in Greece.

The revenue of Athens-Attica hotels fell some 20 percent from last year’s January-May period as a result of a 16.6 percent drop in the average hotel occupancy rate and 5.1 percent in the average price per room, according to the latest study of GBR Consulting.

Last year 870 major hotel enterprises produced losses that reached some 79 million euros against profits of 61 million euros in 2007, according to a survey conducted by Stat Bank.

The historical Poseidonion, located in Dapia on Spetses Island, is in full operation as of July following a luxurious renovation that lasted five years.

The five-star Kresten Royal Villas & Spa in Rodos will begin operations on 20 April, 2010.