ATHENS – The Hilton Hotel that has long been a mainstay draw for travelers to the Greek capital is being replaced by a complex called The Ilisian, with a 340 million euro ($363.11 million) investment from Ionian Hotel Enterprises.

The changeover is expected to generate 1.25 billion euros ($1.33 billion) for the economy over five years from what is being called an integrated urban destination, revealed at a presentation at the construction site.

That was given by Achilles Constantakopoulos, President of TEMES real estate development with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis – who is aggressively pursuing investors and luxury resorts – present and saying he wants The Ilisian to become a monument for the 21st Century as the Hilton was for the 20th Century.

The historic building that housed the Hilton for some 60 years is being totally transformed with a hotel and luxury residences under Hilton’s Conrad and Waldorf Astoria brands and will have a host of features, said Modern Diplomacy.

https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2024/06/20/the-ilisian-the-new-destination-in-athens/

Those include a lifestyle members’ club, gastronomy, entertainment, wellness, and shopping, all designed to create  an ecosystem of experiences and connecting the world to contemporary Athens.

The name comes from the historic Ilisos River that was covered over for development, and where the Hilton and National Gallery are at a major intersection. In ancient times the river flowed outside the city walls and offered coolness and greenery, now long gone.

“The Ilisian becomes a bridge that connects the present with the past, leading the Greek capital to a more hopeful future. This very significant investment contributes to the vision of Athens as a welcoming year-round destination,” said Mitsotakis.

He said it “will once again, in its own way, become part of the new image of a country that has new and great horizons. With the support of the state, and the visionary perspective of healthy entrepreneurship, which in turn trusts this country which is evolving.”

On behalf of Hilton, Dino Michael, Senior Vice President & Global Category Head, Hilton Luxury Brands, said, “The city is a perfect destination for today’s global luxury traveler, with a thriving cultural scene and a rich history.”

Prof. Nikolaos Georgopoulos of the University of Piraeus highlighted the economic and social impact of the new destination, presenting the results of the study conducted by the Department of Tourism Studies, who said 800 jobs will be created.