Take a decaying monumental building & make it new with respect to its glorious past.
A challenge we embraced, showing our love and gratitude for our city and our country. Especially when the listed classical building sits in the very center of the vibrant and wondrous Old Town of Athens, Greece – just a stone’s throw away from the Acropolis upon which sits some of the most perfect structures ever constructed – it’s a major responsibility and a whimsical undertaking.
This is not the greatest magic that has occurred at 49 Mitropoleos Street: the historic Kallimasiotis Mansion is transformed into an exceptional Hôtel Maison, THE DOLLI at Acropolis. Now, it can become your home for as long as you desire to stay in one of its 46 gracious rooms, suites or apartments.
In a city filled with history, this building has an amazing one of its own.
At 1925, it was initially designed as a private mansion. From the mid 1930s it became a luxury fabric department store (Bazaar d’Orient until 1960, Tsantilis until 1978, Hitiroglou until 2015), and in 2023, Grecotel unveiled THE DOLLI, the urban jewel in its collection of luxurious and welcoming hotels.
In the mid 1920s, ship owner, merchant and politician, Dimitrios Kallimasiotis, entrusted the design and construction of his new mansion at 49 Mitropoleos Street to the notorious architect Andreas Kriezis. The same talented man who, just four years later, in 1929, was assigned to convert the stately and massive Athenian Royal Palace into the current Greek Parliament Building, the hub of modern Greek government and the highlight of Syntagma (Constitution) Square.
It’s invaluable for us that Mr. Kallimasiotis assigned the design of his new home over to Mr. Kriezis. Otherwise, this magnificent landmark of the eclecticism architectural movement, comprised of buildings characterized by symmetry and a grand style of rich and strongly sculptural decorations, might have never been born.
Incorporating elements from many periods and cultures, the edifice sits perfectly on Mitropoleos Street where, until Grecotel took over the 5-year restoration and renovation, visitors from the four corners of the earth used to amble by, look up, and wonder about the run-down architectural gem.
Passers-by nowadays are grandly welcomed by THE DOLLI’s immaculate façade, its stunning arches and lines, high ceilings, imposing windows and striking molding. They are beckoned to enter the building that shines welcomingly with a light that is both golden and white – perfectly in tune with the Acropolis and ruins of the Ancient Greek and Roman Agoras close by.
They become part of this enchantingly restored building’s history, now a modern landmark in the heart of Plaka, the prettiest area of Athens with its elegant buildings, ancient monuments and colorful courtyards.
Enter THE DOLLI refined haven. Greet the revered Athenian sun outside, step in, look up and admire the Sun of Vergina.
The ancient Macedonian emblem is preserved and restored in the ceiling motifs of the lobby and the halls in every floor, as conceived by Andreas Kriezis. A symbol widely used by the Ancient Greeks to decorate coins, vases, frescoes and statues, its 4 vertical rays symbolize the 4 elements of nature and the other 12 the 12 gods of Olympus.
True to the eclecticism movement known for its blend of ornamental styles and structural elements from a multitude of cultures and architectural eras, it is only one of many such preserved decorative patterns found throughout the building. THE DOLLI encompasses a fascinating discourse between the glorious heritage and original fine art of the recent past.
The entrance is a captivating, yet warm space with each object having its own story to tell. Guests enjoy a collective aesthetic experience, viewing and exploring original art pieces from Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau, designer works by François-Xavier and Claude Lalanne, 18th century antiques, custom-made furniture from the finest contemporary designers such as Pierre Augustin Rose, and artisan workshops.
ΤHE DOLLI offers a unique viewpoint at life and time.
There are few places in the world that give a better sense of time than this corner in Athens with spectacular views of some of the most wonderful buildings mankind has ever created: The Erechtheion, the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Hephaisteion, the Tower of the Winds, all so close-by one can almost reach out and touch them.
These and more architectural wonders surrounded Mr. Kriezis as he drafted the building sketches. His indelible legacy in Athens has a new chapter. Today, THE DOLLI guests see these same wonders, as well as the 21st century’s beating heart of the modern city around them. A city that has its beginnings in time eternal.
