If you ever needed a reliable barometer of Athens’ reviving fortunes, look no further than the rash of boutique hotels that are cropping up all over the Greek capital, almost all in sensitively restored period buildings.
The latest to skim onto our radar is the six-bedroom Monsieur Didot, a lush creamy bolt-hole a few blocks north of the Benaki Museum.
Built in the 19th-century, the building’s sturdy bones have been reset by local outfit BaBatchas Design Studio. Taking their design cues from the French printer Firmin Didot, the interiors are meant to channel the tastes of an aesthete, a task made considerably easier by the painstakingly restored ceilings and original mouldings. In turn, the fin de siècle mood is quietly offset by contemporary touches, not least handmade ceramics, customized lighting, and furnishings specially designed by BaBatchas for the project.
The rooftop gives out over views of Athens, a particularly satisfying venue in which to have breakfast – here, stocked with organic fruits and local produce, alongside an all-day snack menu. There’s no in-house restaurant, but, happily, the hotel is in a neighbourhood of cafés, bars and restaurants, alongside an enviable haul of bookstores and museums. §
