Greece – Athens
The Semiramis Hotel is the brainchild of Dakis Joannou, a prominent collector of modern art. Keen to create a new form of art within hospitality, through a carefully crafted balance of style and comfort, he entrusted the project to designer Karim Rashid. The brief was simple yet audacious: a fusion of Rashid's rejection of the mundane and Joannou's dedication to the world of modern art.
It was in Kifissia, a suburb of the Greek capital, that this surprising encounter materialized in the form of this 51-room hotel. A true pop art manifesto, the place adopts a striking palette of lime green, pink, orange, as well as yellow and white. A far from neutral canvas onto which Karim Rashid projected glass tiles, terrazzo floors, custom-colored rugs, patterned wall coverings, and colored glass walls.
As for Joannou's collection, customers will be able to admire pieces by Jeff Koons, Sue Webster and Tim Noble.
In their rooms, guests can also discover the work of Karim Rashid, who offers unique pieces of his own furniture at this address. The pool bungalows have their own private gardens, while the hotel's penthouse suite offers panoramic views of the surrounding greenery and the hills that cradle Athens. Also not to be missed is the Semiramis Hotel's restaurant, which serves modern Mediterranean cuisine throughout the day.
A small haven of peace 20 minutes by train from the center of Athens.
