On September 15th, 2021, Mr. Sébastien Bazin, Chairman & CEO of Accor, together with Mrs. Maud Bailly, CEO of Accor Southern Europe, attended the official Red Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of the Athens Capital Hotel – MGallery Collection, a member of LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels S.A. During their visit to Athens, Mr. Bazin and Mrs. Bailly were welcomed by the Athanasios Laskaridis family and held audiences with the country’s political leadership and government officials.
Both Mr. Bazin and Mrs. Bailly’s trip and the Red Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of Athens Capital Hotel – MGallery Collection were in honor of the exciting latest collaboration between Accor and LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels S.A. In celebration of this ongoing and successful partnership, Mr. Bazin and Mrs. Chloe A. Laskaridis, Executive Chairwoman of the BOD of LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels S.A, were delighted to invite an exclusive guest list of selected figures from the business, political and tourism sectors to the ceremony.
The event was attended by Vassilis Kikilias, Greek Minister of Tourism; Adonis Georgiadis, Greek Minister of Development & Investments; Sofia Zacharaki, Greek Deputy Minister for Tourism; Kostas Bakoyannis, Mayor of Athens; Patrick Maisonnave, France’s Ambassador to Greece, Yiannis Retsos, President of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE); Alexandros Vassilikos, President of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels; Grigoris Tasios, President of the Hellenic Federation of Hoteliers; and Anastasios Chomenidis, CEO of LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels S.A.; Xavier Grange SVP Head of Development Accor Southern Europe; Ian Di Tullio PhD, Chief Commercial Officer Accor Southern Europe; Jérôme Lassara, Vice President of Development Accor South Europe.
All attendees expressed the significance of the hotel, celebrating its opening as the creation of a new cultural landmark for the city. Athens Capital Hotel is the first MGallery Collection hotel in Greece and represents both a new era of high-end hospitality in downtown Athens and a key development for the multinational Accor Group, as Greece increasingly becomes a strategic site for global interest and investment.
For over a century, LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels S.A. has been an emblematic pillar of Greek hospitality, setting the standards for high-end, internationally renowned hoteliers. Athens Capital Hotel – MGallery Collection is their third development in the heart of the Greek capital, now a peer to the iconic Hotel Grande Bretagne and Hotel King George in Syntagma Square. Athens Capital Hotel – MGallery Collection marks the Group’s second collaboration with Accor, a world-leading hospitality group, the first being the Mercure Excelsior Hotel in Belgrade.
Mr. Sébastien Bazin, Chairman & CEO of Accor, stated: ‘I am delighted to celebrate the dawning of this collaboration with the Greek market. Greece is a highly-valued and strategic destination for our Group. Its raw natural beauty, ancient and contemporary culture, and famed passion for hospitality make it a perfect match for Accor’s corporate values. We look forward to the continuation of our prosperous partnership with LAMPSA, as we work together to realize the vast potential of Athens Capital Hotel – MGallery Collection.’
Mrs. Chloe A. Laskaridis, Executive Chairwoman of the BOD of LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels S.A., said: ‘Emerging from what has been one of the most challenging periods in recent history for our industry, the significance of this new collaboration cannot be overstated. Athens Capital Hotel – MGallery Collection is a new breath of life for our city’s contemporary development. The opening is also a special moment for LAMPSA, as it coincides with our celebration of 100 years of high-end hospitality. It is a privilege to commemorate this milestone with the launch of a dynamic new project alongside Accor.’
Mrs. Maud Bailly, CEO of Accor Southern Europe, commented: ‘When we began to craft the ethos of the MGallery Collection, uniqueness, creativity and authenticity took centre stage. In that regard, Athens is the obvious choice as the home of a MGallery hotel. This city vibrates with life, energy and art – both old and new – and we are thrilled to be the latest addition to its cultural landscape. It’s a true honor to be joining forces once again with such esteemed collaborators – beginning a new chapter in Greece and working together to write more Stories That Stay.
