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Periscopio: The first design hotel in the center of Athens!
by Kelly Fanarioti
Situated in the coveted Haritos street under the hill of Lycabetus, Periscope is an antidote to the ordinary city hotel.
Modern minimalism and award-winning architectural design create a young, energetic and seductive urban heaven, right at the heart of Kolonaki: the oldest and most exclusive neighborhood in Athens. The architects coordinated a team of artists, industrial designers, programmers, 3D animators, graphic designers and audiovisual experts to produce 13 site specific installations, which vary in scale and media and multiply guests ”eyes” and ”vision”.
According to Residence Manager Georgia Koutsobeli, in an interview with NEO magazine, it is a building dating to 1954 and its first use was clinical. As she says, it was one of the best clinics in Athens at that time. Then, its next iteration was a small hotel, and it has slowly evolved into the form it has now.
”What distinguishes Periscope hotel from all the rest in Athens is its simple architecture and the unique pieces of art inside it. Also, in our effort to make our guests feel as comfortable as possible, we have an all-day buffet in our hotel lounge where guests can get what they want completely free of charge throughout the day”, says Miss Georgia Koutsobeli to NEO. ”This is one of the secrets of the success of this hotel, as many of the customers who prefer Periscope every time they come to Athens – and there are many who do it – the first thing they say is: ‘At last, we are back home’.”
In fact quite a few stars of the world music industry and Hollywood have preferred Periscope Hotel for their stay in Athens.
Entering in the hotel lοbby you will be impressed by the audiovisual art installation by Maria Mitzali that adorn the roof. This is the ”Epiphany project” that gives the visitor the feeling that they are at the bottom of the sea.
“There is no one who has visited our hotel, a foreigner or a Greek, who has not been impressed by Epiphany. It aims to produce an underwater sensation within the space reinforcing a feeling of isolation from the outside world, which is a common feature both in hotels and the bottom of the sea”.
Periscope has 22 guestrooms, each offering an imaginary trip to the city’s busy streets. While artwork and installations pick up on the theme of a periscope operating around town, the overall minimalist aesthetic exudes tranquility. Understated luxury defines the guestrooms’ décor, where modern interiors meet the latest technology.
Comfortable rooms of 23 square meters, are ideal for the business traveler. Featuring wooden floors, they are all soundproof and have glass-encased showers with modern fixtures and fittings.
A unique photomap view of Lykavitos at night is placed on headboards injecting a cosmopolitan feel.
Superior rooms cover 25 square meters, overlooking Haritos street. Featuring wooden floors, they are all soundproof and have glass-encased showers with modern fixtures and fittings. Aerial photographs of Athens, taken by Nikos Daniilidis, have been printed on the rooms’ ceilings creating quite a unique tour of the city’s urban sprawl.
Junior suites are located on the 4th and 5th floors, spacious in their 45 square meters. Each suite offers a stylish and comfortably-furnished sitting room and a large balcony. The ambience is inviting, as panoramic day and night images of Athens, taken from the highest poionts of the city, are printed onto plexiglass light box beams. The panorama beams cast their soft light, transforming, at the flick of a switch, the suite’s furniture and surroundings.
Last but not least, the 65 square meter Penhouse suite is a two – level suite of exceptional design. The interior is spacious and comfortable, with an open plan living room and office area. There is a generously-designed balcony which runs the length of the suite with ample seating for daydreaming or stargazing, depending on the time of day. The pièce de résistance is definitely the private Jacuzzi, surrounded by a teak deck.
”The view from the Jacuzzi is stunning, with the Acropolis seemingly rising out of the deck. When the night falls and the lights linger, this is probably one of the most exclusive places to see Athens by night”, according to Miss Koutsoumbeli, who says 2018 was the best for Periscope with summer bookings reaching 100%.
And the hotel has a client list from all over the world—America, Europe, Australia—who visit again and again.
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