Athens has a new address worth knowing about. Conrad Athens The Ilisian quietly opened its doors this past April on one of the Greek capital's most storied sites, and word is already spreading. The historic Hilton Athens, a landmark for six decades, has given way to something new, and while loyal devotees of the original may need a moment to adjust to the name change, what has taken shape in its place makes a compelling case for itself.
The Moralis marbles, still standing
Before anything else, look at the facade. The signature marble reliefs by the great Greek artist Yiannis Moralis are still there, restored and celebrated rather than erased. At night, a lighting design by Eleftheria Deko gives them an entirely new energy along Vasilissis Sofias Avenue familiar enough to feel like a reunion, yet different enough to feel like a discovery. In a renovation of this scale, it would have been easy to smooth everything away and start fresh. The decision to preserve and elevate Moralis's work is the right one, and it anchors the whole project in the city's artistic and architectural memory.
A building reborn
The original structure, designed by architects Manolis Voureka, Prokopis Vasiliades, Antonis Georgiadis and Spyros Staikos, is considered one of the finest examples of post-war architecture in Greece. The renovation, led by AETER Architects with interiors by AvroKO, threads mid-century elements through contemporary design without forcing the combination. The result feels considered rather than contrived — Athens modernism in dialogue with where the city is heading, not a pastiche of where it has been.
What the hotel offers
The Conrad Athens The Ilisian sits within a broader mixed-use development called THE ILISIAN, a name drawn from the ancient Ilissos river and the surrounding Ilisia neighbourhood, which brings together the hotel, branded residences, dining, leisure and the largest outdoor pool in central Athens. The hotel itself offers 278 rooms and suites, the majority with private balconies looking out over the Acropolis or the Athens skyline. Three Presidential suites and a Royal suite are already in operation, with the Omega Penthouse, complete with a private pool and views stretching to the Saronic Gulf, set to open later this year.
Nine reasons to linger at the table
Dining at THE ILISIAN is a chapter of its own. Nine distinct food and beverage concepts animate the space, anchored by the Byzantino Grande Brasserie, a reimagined version of the original restaurant that blends French and Greek culinary influences into a modern Athenian brasserie. The Japanese restaurant Onuki, which opened in 2025, is already part of the mix, and the legendary Galaxy rooftop bar, an Athens institution in its own right, will return in a new form before the end of the year.
The name on the door may take some getting used to. But the building, the art, the ambition and the address remain exactly where they always were. Put it on your list for your next trip to Athens.
Conrad Athens The Ilisian, Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, Athens.
