Inspired By A World-Class Restaurant, This Athens Hotel Was Founded By A Chef
You'll find the restaurant on-site and able to dine in the comfort of your hotel room at any time during the day.
It is the Greek virtue of philoxenia that makes someone feel at home when they are a stranger. It's about being hospitable - and that's exactly what guests experience at Xenodocheio Milos, an Athens-based hotel with a food-focused focus.
Under the management of chef Costas Spiliadis, whose Mediterranean restaurant Estiatorio Milos is known around the world, the hotel opened last year. Spiliadis expanded Estiatorio Milos into other cities after opening the first location in Montreal back in 1979: London, Miami, New York, Las Vegas, and Los Cabos, Mexico. Spiliadis returned to his homeland last year to open his first hotel, Xenodocheio Milos, as well as his seventh restaurant (located within the hotel).
According to Rich Report, the property is located in two neoclassical buildings within Athens' central Pláka neighborhood, both of which are landmarked. Despite the hotel's tucked-away location, Syntagma Square is just seven minutes away, while the Parthenon and the Acropolis Museum are both just 20 minutes away.
As guests enter the hotel, they are greeted by a lobby decorated in white and black with touches of Grecian blue. On the left is the restaurant, beckoning you in for a meal.
43 rooms in the hotel are decorated with marble, light wood, and muted neutral colors, mimicking the style of Milos restaurants worldwide. With its combination of clean, crisp, and minimal design, it showcases the gradual light changes that sweep through the massive windows throughout the day, directly onto the gleaming stonework and locally sourced furniture.
Would you like to upgrade? Choose one of four or five suites on the fourth and fifth floors, all of which feature expansive terraces overlooking Lycabettus Hill and Old Parliament House. There is even a jacuzzi on the terrace of the Milos Terrace Suite, which is large enough to host a small group of friends.
In addition to the hotel's thoughtfully curated minibar selections, Bluetooth-enabled speakers, pillow menu, and small dining tables in each room, the hotel's dedication to philoxenia is evident in its smaller touches. Guests can also order in-room dining from Estiatorio Milos any time of the day.
There is no doubt that food plays a significant role in the guest experience. The hotel's dining room, framed by Grecian white columns and adorned with a net-like sculpture by Dimitris Fortsas, pays homage to the nation's fishing culture when guests are not feasting in their rooms. It is also possible to dine outside on the patio overlooking the Old Parliament Square due to the temperate weather in Athens all year round.
In order to preserve all the natural flavors, the team cooks everything with what they call "minimal intervention" to bring out the natural flavors of the seafood. This includes oysters, tuna, colossal stone crabs, and Mediterranean octopus. As a result, family-style dishes like charcoal-broiled octopus, Greek ceviche, and whole-cooked fish are served. To finish it off, sweet karidopita and baklava are some of the most popular Greek desserts.
In Xenodocheio Milos, you will feel like you are in your Greek home away from home. After you return home, you might be inspired to cook a whole fish and invite a few strangers over for a meal to keep the feeling of philoxenia alive.
The starting rate for a single night is $420.
