Poseidonion Grand Hotel

The Poseidonion Grand Hotel in Spetses will attract you even if you are not a guest. It’s elegant, subtle presence mercerizes the walkers of the beautiful island port: Without realizing it, they direct their gaze towards the hotel in order to re-connect with a sense of belonging, in reference to the island. As for the hotel’s guests; they have the privilege of a profound experience that changes forever the way they see the island, their holidays, or even themselves: they become insiders.

The strong bond between Poseidonion and the island goes back to 1914, reflecting the kind and sociable nature of Sotirios Anargiros, creator of the hotel. One of the interesting stories I learned during my stay there, was about how the first opening date of the hotel coincides with the birth of the first national “Foreign and Excibition Office”, some years before the ΕΟΤ establishment. At the hotel’s opening, the prime minister Eleftherios Venizelos asked Mr. Anargiros why did he decide to start this hotel; and Mr. Anargiros replied that he wanted to offer hospitality to his friends from abroad when they visited him at the island. Then, the prime minister turned to his secretary and asked him to make a note about creating a Foreign Office when they would return to Athens. Since then, the pages of the hotel’s guest books are connected with more than one hundred years of hospitality.

Having the pleasure to visit the Poseidonion Grand Hotel myself, I discovered this world of sophisticated and heartwarming hospitality, a world that discretely unites the past with the present and the outgoing cosmopolitan character of Spetses with the privacy of a truly graceful stay.

There are many more stories to tell about Poseidonion, I wouldn’t know where to start… Its amazing architecture and skillful restoration highlight a unique blend of history and flair that is quite difficult to capture in words. I think the best way to describe the experience is through my favorite details, some of the things that I found really inviting during my visit: I loved the high ceilings and the spaciousness of the rooms; the subtle blue grey colors of the walls that created a perfect framing to enjoy the sea view as well as some clear thinking. I loved the porcelain faucet handles and the fact that simple everyday routines like washing my hands or switching off the light had a luxurious quality. I loved the way the morning light passed through the huge staircase windows, setting the tone for a bright promising day, every single time. To my surprise, I caught myself talking in my head like children do –I am walking down the marble stairs now– and only when I visited the breathtaking rooftop with its fairytale towers I understood why: the hotel feels like a last century dollhouse, refined and playful in the same time, a place to dream and indulge.