Athens, GreeceKefalari
Semiramis Hotel
Day-Glo design hotel
Day-Glo design hotel
Rotating contemporary art and luminous neon hues replace typical Greek white, running from the glowing glass entrance through every shared space.
“The facade is made up of tiny white swimming pool tiles, the balconies of lemon-lime glass and Lucite (lit up at night, they look like giant cubes of Jell-O).”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Karim Rashid shaped glowing candy-colored balconies around an amoeba-shaped swimming pool.
Listed
Guest rooms provide goose-down duvets, generous work desks, and round-the-clock room service.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
One look and it’s obvious that Semiramis is a radical departure from the norm: bold swathes of day-glo color set it immediately apart from the icy cool of most modern boutique hotels.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Kefalari Park and quiet residential streets surround the property. Central Kifisia's upscale boutiques and cafes are a short drive away.
The rooms
Rooms open onto private terraces with glowing glass railings. Backlit artwork above each bed doubles as an evening reading lamp.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
A mosaic waterfall cascades into the biomorphic pool, bordered by wooden sun decks and fringed pink parasols.
Gym and massage
Glossy orange floors brighten the fitness room. Nearby, an on-site hamam accompanies quiet spaces for massages on request.
Bar
Koumkan
Pastel-pink travertine portals open to curved moiré banquettes, where Dimitris Kasvikis pours cocktails alongside dishes by Aris Vezené.
Semiramis Pool Bar & Restaurant
Marble cafe tables and pink armchairs wrap around the water, serving open-air lunches and evening cocktails beneath the trees.
At the table
Breakfast is served behind pink acrylic screens, where pop art and sculpted chairs fill the daylit lounge.
How it began
Art collector Dakis Joannou acquired the 1919 property and rebuilt it completely, opening just before the 2004 Athens Olympics.
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.