Ace Hotel and Swim Club: Modernism, music and Mediterranean ease

By Signe Hansen

With its poolside culture, rooftop dining, art-led interiors and relaxed Riviera mood, Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens brings a different kind of city stay to the Greek capital. Opened in Glyfada in September 2024, the hotel reimagines the former Phoenix Hotel as a lifestyle destination for travellers and Athenians alike – a place where modernist architecture, contemporary hospitality and the ancient capital merge to create a timeless vibe.

Set between the beaches of Attica and the urban pull of Athens, the hotel has the perfect location for anyone wishing to explore the capital’s offerings without leaving the sea behind. However, the ambition, explains general manager George Tsantirakis, was not simply to open another hotel, but to transform a well-known 1970s property into a neighbourhood hub. “A lifestyle hotel is a hospitality platform for guests and locals alike, rather than just a room to spend the night,” he says.

Mediterranean dishes shaped by seasonal Greek produce at restaurant Sebastian. Photo: Alex Antoniadis

That idea is visible in the building itself. Preserving much of the old Fenix Hotel’s architectural character, Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens pays homage to post-war Greek modernism, with sharp internal balconies and 1970s bones. The renovation has been matched with a strong art programme featuring 18 artists, mostly local, working across sculpture, murals and painting. “I would not be exaggerating to say that the hotel is an architectural destination,” says Tsantirakis.

Photo: Bill Georgoussis

The atmosphere is equally important. Rather than drawing guests only to their rooms, the hotel encourages them to move through a series of lively, social spaces: the lobby, the pool, Sebastian bistro, Good Chemistry coffee shop and the rooftop restaurant and lounge, Sora. “Our guest ecosystem is defined by a very fluid crowd,” says Tsantirakis. “We bring together international creative travellers, design-focused guests, locals, remote workers and weekend seekers from Athens.”

George Tsantirakis.

At the centre of it all is the Swim Club, open to both hotel guests and day visitors. Here, Ace’s well-known lobby culture has been moved outdoors into the Athens sun, with wellness, poolside rituals, DJ sets with internationally renowned musicians and sunset events shaping the day. “The Swim Club is not just an amenity,” says Tsantirakis. “It is the heart and soul of the hotel.”

Artwork by Bregje Sliepenbeek in the lobby of Ace Hotel and Swim Club Athens. Photo: De Pasquale Maffini

The culinary programme follows the same local logic. Sebastian serves Mediterranean dishes shaped by seasonal Greek produce, while Sora brings Pan-Asian dining, cocktails, music and Riviera views to the rooftop. “A hotel should not just exist in a place,” says Tsantirakis. “It should be made of that place.”