Athens, GreeceGlyfada
Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens
Brutalist seaside swim club
Glyfada Athens, Greece
Renovated
2024
Price
$$
Rated for
Design Resort SocialOutside the door
The house
Ace HotelBrutalist seaside swim club
A 1970s seaside revival where daily life revolves around sunny swims, freddo espressos, and breezy Riviera cocktail hours.
“It’s rare for a hotel to simultaneously give off a too-cool-for-school vibe and still be a genuinely warm, intimate environment, but Ace makes it look easy.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Restored brutalist cubic balconies frame interiors accented by a Dionysos marble reception desk.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and Wallpaper*.
Repurposed design elements from the former Fenix Hotel blend seamlessly with warm woods, hand-picked vintage furnishings, and a locally inspired art collection.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Asteras Beach is a short walk away, and Glyfada's boutiques and bakeries fill the surrounding coastal streets.
1 of 5
The rooms
Bedrooms are finished in shell tones with green marble vanities, and each opens onto a cubic concrete balcony.
The pools
Bring a swimsuit.
Floating loungers and a hot tub flank the ground-floor pool, and a second swimming pool crowns the roof.
Gym and yoga
The ground-floor gym holds cardio machines and free weights, and Sunday mornings bring yoga sessions with Hobnob.
SORA Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge
Pan-Asian dishes and evening cocktails arrive with views of the Saronic Gulf, and DJs play on weekend nights.
Inside, touches of Greek midcentury modernism are expressed through clean interior lines and curves, a curation of vintage furniture and the warm textures of a local material palette.
At the table
Sebastian serves French-American bistro dishes beside blue-tiled walls, and Good Chemistry pours specialty Kudu coffee.
How it began
Parisian studio Ciguë stripped away decades of additions to uncover the 1970s Fenix Hotel and its raw Brutalist geometry.
Athens
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.