Athens’ Hotel Grande Bretagne Is Once Again at Full Throttle
经过Mary Gostelow/
该城市传奇的格兰德·布雷塔尼(Grande Bretagne)的总经理蒂姆·阿纳尼亚迪斯(Tim Ananiadis)说,雅典重新开展业务,这是一家豪华收藏酒店,普遍称为“ GB”。他注意到,过去两年来,国际游客回到希腊岛屿上的季节性度假胜地,有些人,尤其是Mykonos和Santorini,自2010年以来,该国的政府债务危机就相对毫发无损。但是,他说,直到现在,雅典才看到访客人数正在恢复。
第一个回来的是希腊侨民,那些居住在海外的人,尤其是在北美和澳大利亚。人们认为,在美国,有多达300万Ellinoamerikanoi,至少是希腊血统的美国人;澳大利亚墨尔本是仅次于雅典和塞萨洛尼基的世界第三大“希腊”城市。
Tim Ananiadis expects to close the 321-key GB's 2018 occupancy at 78 percent. In 2011, it was down to 24 percent — yes, financiers and politicians were still coming to town, even while his first-floor windows and doors were boarded up as protection against protestors in Syntagma Square, immediately outside. Throughout, he never laid off any of his 600-strong team, though retirees were not replaced, and everyone from the GM down accepted pay cuts and line staff on hourly rates had their hours slashed. Now, everyone is once again working at full throttle.
Stathi幢酒店于1842年开业s Lampsa, a former chef. Today, it is owned by brothers Panos and Thanasis Laskaridis, shipowners and businessmen whose diverse holdings also include Lucknam Park, in England; and a significant share of Aegean Airlines, the Skytrax-applauded, Athens-based carrier that now also oversees Olympic Airlines. The Laskaridis brothers are determined that their heritage treasure, the GB, should be continually updated: Tim Ananiadis has recently supervised the transformation of the GB Corner first-floor lounge into a first-class concept store, with highly desirable Greek fashion and accessories, plus Ermenegildo Zegna items, and macaroons and a coffee shop.
蒂姆·阿纳尼亚迪斯(Tim Ananiadis)像他经常一样在GB泳池旁午餐。
The views, the food, the people
An ideal day at the GB could start with waking up in any south-facing room. Guests can look straight out over Syntagma or face left to Parliament, with its 24/7 patrol of Greek guards wearing characteristic white, pleated-skirt uniforms and red clogs with black pompoms. Turning right looks out towards the Acropolis.
对于比常规更好的服务,客人可以选择一个单独的六层办理登机手续的服务室,准备就绪的Veuve Clicquot玻璃杯。白天该怎么办?Concierge Apostolos Papayiannakis将安排一次指导的观光之旅,当然包括雅典卫城,也许还有一些步行。然而,在某个时候,建议旅行者安排参观酒店的水疗中心,以进行ESPA按摩以舒缓肌肉。如果他们想要更多,剧烈的运动,它与健身房相邻,24/7开放。
经过多年在自己的家中静静地用餐和娱乐之后,当地居民再次表现出希腊的欢乐性,并花费数小时在一楼的冬季花园里聊天,屋顶上观看了日落。对于酒店客人来说,也在那里看着雅典卫城。在七楼室外游泳池旁边的烧烤柜台(这是酒店客人独有的),也有知识渊博的午餐,只要有可能,煮熟的Souvlaki烤肉串和Tzatziki浸泡酱和其他国家最爱。屋顶上的晚餐肯定需要预订 - 最好的桌子是露台前面的桌子,被预订,以捕捉日落和洪水泛滥。
"Sadly, first-time visitors to Athens never allow enough time for this city,” says Tim Ananiadis. “There is so much to do, even the sunsets magically seem to change every night — the emotional effect is transformational luxury." This might not be Athens' best-choice hotel for noisy toddlers, but, for adults, the GB is a truly memorable experience. Stay over, for pre- and post-cruises and for people-watching, seeing how Greeks, both locals and Ellinoamerikanoi, enjoy the art of happiness and the good life.