Affirming Athens’ status as a platform for experimentation is the arrival of Ace Group International late last year. Reminiscent of 1960s Riviera opulence, the former Fenix Hotel has been revitalized into the Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens, a reflection of Ace’s goal to not only expand its Swim Club model, but also its European presence overall.
“The city of Athens is a perfect location for Ace. The juxtaposition of ancient and contemporary influences and its rich artistic history, coupled with the laidback charm of the coast, makes it an ideal destination,” says Ace Group International managing partner Brad Wilson. “Our goal is to create a space that feels of the city—a place that weaves organically into the neighborhood and feels reflective of the location it’s in. In many ways, we try not to stand out.”
Distinguished by its iconic Brutalist façade, the beachside property was transformed by French architecture studio Ciguë into a more natural extension of its surroundings, “creating an urban island in this neighborhood,” says Ciguë cofounder Alphonse Sarthout. “The idea was to create a kind of self-autonomous environment.”
Save for concrete columns, interiors were thoroughly gutted to invite openness and uniformity in materials both indoors and out.
The ground floor eatery, for instance, is open for beachgoers to stop in for a bite without ever entering the hotel. Here, textural woods, plaster walls, and clean tiling bring an ageless modernity to the space, while Art Deco elements nod to the midcentury influence.
“We also chose them for being simple, bright, airy, and really bringing the light in,” says Sarthout. “We thought about the color and material palettes with the art in mind.”
Indeed, a range of custom artwork throughout the hotel injects color against the subdued interior canvas. Nearly 20 artists were tapped by Matthieu Prat and Aliki Lampropoulos, who oversaw art curation for public spaces and guestrooms, respectively.
“They shared a common goal: to animate the hotel with works from the most electrifying artists living and working in Athens today,” Wilson says of Prat and Lampropoulos. “The works nod to Greece’s artistic legacy without feeling beholden to it.”
Take the sculptural, marble front desk or the Deco aluminum light fixtures installed to be in dialogue with custom guestroom bedding animated with Memphis-style abstractions. “It also adds this layer and gives some depth and personality,” Sarthout adds.
With a vibrant creative scene, “the area has always been beautiful and historic,” says Wilson, “but there’s a really special energy being generated there at this particular moment in time. We were deeply motivated by the opportunity to work with many of the creatives bringing that new energy to the city—to build a destination that locals are proud to call their own.”
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