Interview with Katia Tsimidopoulou from Herodion Hotel
Last year when talking about the number of visitors to Greece, Yiannis Retsos, Greek Tourism Confederation President shared with the Observer that “There has been a massive increase with each year being a record year for the last six years,”. From the 33 million-plus tourists that visit, a sixth will head over to Athens. There is most definitely a boom when it comes to boutique hotels in the Greek capital, which leaves many with a myriad of choices regarding where to base their stay. In this interview, we get to find out more about Herodion Hotel, a family-run business which just happens to have plain sight of the magnificent Acropolis. Read on to hear from Owner, Katia Tsimidopoulou.
The tourism in Athens is on a rise. Why should visitors stay at the Herodion Hotel?
Well, first of all, considering all the above, Herodion Hotel’s location is just perfect for short trips to Athens. Just a few minutes from the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum, but also other ancient sites such as the Lalaounis Jewellery museum and sites such as Zeus Temple. For those who love the ancient vibes of the city, our Acropolis view rooms are a “must do”, but we don’t stop there. Having a rooftop but also hydromassage tubs with views to the Acropolis is like visiting the monument even if you don’t have the time to really go up to the Sacred Hill. Last but not least, our people! Our staff is a very important factor as they are people who are loyal to our cause as a company and they love what they do. Surprisingly, in some cases, they are 2nd generation employees having a parent who used to work for us and developed a strong bond, what we like to describe as a family. The communication and the relationship they build with our guests is remarkable as they thrive to offer them a great experience. Actually, this is the reason we have several repeaters among our guests with who we try to keep in touch and shich many have become good friends through out the years.
Why Athens?
Athens is just the ideal place for a city break and this is because one can see most of the city even in 48 hours. The fact that the distances to the “must see” places are close to each other is perfect to those who love to explore a city by foot. Most of the times, historic sightseeing is what brings one to Athens at first but gastronomy, entertainment and culture is what make them come back again and again! Our city is an unexpected gem, a changing metropolis that offers more than one can think.
Describe Herodion Hotel in three words.
Classic, homely and elegant…and all these under the Acropolis.
Classic because of the values Herodion & Philippos Hotels have represented the last 44 years in the most historic neighborhood in Athens. Homely because we try our best to make every guest feel like at home during their stay in Athens. Elegant because of the art that we have incorporated in every corner of our properties.
How would you describe food at both of your restaurants?
Point a is our beloved rooftop with magnificent views to the Acropolis and the Acropolis museum. It operates seasonally May to October and expands in two sides. Point a|Restaurant’s menu is created by our chefs Manolis Mavrigiannakis and Marios Pirpiridis and is based on Greek and Mediterranean flavours with a twist. Some of my favourite dishes are the “Loukoumades” honey dumplings filled with manouri cheese and the “Kakavia” fish soup. On the other side Point a|Bar - apart from our signature cocktails and an extensive wine list- offer delicious tapas to accompany your favorite drink. I especially love the tapas concept as it gives everyone the chance to try many different flavours with Mediterranean origin but cooked in different culinary practises from around the world. Atrium Greek Bistrot operates all year long and gives our guest the chance to enjoy Greek and Mediterranean tastes. One will find it at the backyard of our hotel where the wild pistachio trees piercing the azure Athenian sky remind us that literally the outdoors have been brought in with the glass panels reflecting the green of the garden beyond. During winter time our Point a chefs create the menu and urge you to revisit Greek culinary classics with a real display of sophisticated food craftsmanship. The quintessentially Greek menu, seasonal and locally sourced, ends up being a lesson in Greece’s gastronomic geography.
What is the best way to spend the weekend in Athens?
A weekend in Athens should always start with sightseeing the most important Athenian ancient and modern monuments. Strolling around the wide pedestrian street of Dionysiou Areopagitou, surpassing the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum. Then get lost in the most picturesque streets of Plaka, enjoy your coffee at Anafiotika and walk towards the beautiful ancient monument “Towers of the Winds” where you also get to see Acropolis from a different point of view. Continue with a walk around Koukaki, one of the most popular neighborhoods in the city, with great food and coffee culture. While in the neighborhood, don’t miss Gargaretta, a new all day bistrot with great tastes and just across our hotel! It is our new obsession as it serves Greek tapas full of taste but also brunch, main dishes and delicious desserts that reminds me of my childhood. Spend your evening between Syntagma and Monastiraki and get into the Athenian bars culture and try unique cocktails or go traditional and drink ouzo or tsipouro.
You have beautiful sculptures and art throughout the hotel. Can you explain your favorite piece and why?
Being a pure art lover there was no chance that I wouldn’t have included pieces of art in the design of the hotel. However, my favorite one is and always will be is the “Fingerprints” by Christina Sarantopoulou which one can see in the entrance of the hotel. It is actually modeled on the imprints of my family members and thus the sculpture not only conveys the sense of personal touch but also the unique identity of each individual guest who walks into the hotel.
Do you have any new services or features you would like to share?
We always try to add new features or updates in order to make our guests’ experience unique. At the moment, we are working on expanding our expertise in conference-workshop activities and banqueting, offering a wide range of options for spaces to have a business meeting or workshop while combining it with a meal. Moreover, we constantly renovate our properties in order to remain innovative in matters of design and comfort. We are proud to say that soon a big part of our rooms will include new stylish design features as well as furniture thanks to our architect Elena Stavropoulou.
Your hotel has a rooftop with a view of the Acropolis. Can you share with us the experience of dining at the rooftop with such a view?
Point a is such a unique spot of the hotel. Dining there is just what lifts the spirit but also travels you to flavors. What is so special about it is that gives both a foreign and a Greek guest a “Wow” moment. For our foreign guests of course this moment is when they exit the elevator and see the Acropolis and the Parthenon alight and closer than ever. This could be the “Wow” moment of a Greek guest as well but more or less Athenians do have in mind what Parthenon looks like – not in that proximity from it though. What makes them excited is the view to the Acropolis museum. At night the museum is illuminated and the rooftop’s proximity to it, gives us the chance to admire the beautiful statues.
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