The Poseidonion Grand Hotel is considered one of the hallmark hotels in all of Greece, and was first built in 1914 to draw wealthy travelers to the island of Spetses. The Poseidonion Grand Hotel is a favorite destination for the high society of Athens and has since upgraded with its full refurbishment in the summer of 2009.
About the Builder
The initial building of the Poseidonion Grand Hotel was led by Sotirios Anargyros, a wealthy tobacco company owner who made over 650,000 dollars in the United States, a massive sum for that time. He missed Spetses from the days of his youth and sold everything he owned so he could move back. The Poseidonion Grand Hotel was one of many projects he started on the island to make Spetses a popular island for tourists.
Inside the Poseidonion Grand Hotel
The hotel underwent a 5-year restoration from 2004-2009 that updated the facilities, fixtures, and fittings, while also keeping the original architecture that makes the building so special and recognizable on the Spetses waterfront.
Inside the historic wing, you will find 35 rooms with a blend of white and neutral colors, high ceilings, flowing curtains, and wood floors. Separate is a new annex with 17 rooms that have a view of a Mediterranean garden. The most coveted rooms are the Royal Suite and the La Cupola Suite, which have private balconies.
Near the Poseidonion Grand Hotel
You can find a great deal of history just steps away from the Poseidonion Grand Hotel. Nextdoor to the hotel is a statue of Laskarina Bouboulina, a heroine of the 19th-century Greek independence fight. Naturally, since the hotel is close to the old harbor, it is also near the Bouboulina Museum and the Hatzigianni Mexi Spetses Museum. The Hatzigianni Mexi Musuem is found in the mansion of Mexis, who was also a historic figure in the fight for Greek independence.
Not far from the Poseidonion Grand Hotel is also the home of Sotirios Anargyros, who led the project to build the hotel in 1914. Anargyros’s house was built in 1904 and features two Egyptian sphinxes in the front walkway – a rare feature in Greek island homes.
Spetses Island
Spetses is one of the Aegean’s most popular islands among Athenians. It is one of Greece’s islands without cars and the name comes from “Isola de Spezzie”, which means “island of fragrance”. The Venetians gave Spetses this name because of the many herbs growing on Spetses. The island is covered with pine trees and is part of the Argosaronic islands (along with Hydra, Aegina, and Poros). It is the furthest south in the island group.
Armata Festival
The Armata festival is the most important festival of the year on Spetses, and it is held at the beginning of September. It celebrates the naval battle from September 8th, 1822, where the Greek fighters on the island stopped an attack on Nafplio by Turkish boats. To commemorate the event, a replica Ottoman ship is built in the harbor and then is lit with fireworks.
How to Reach Spetses
The island of Spetses can be reached from Piraeus harbor in Athens by hydrofoil or ferry, or from the port of Kosta in the Peloponnese, with small boats leaving every 30 minutes. Although you cannot rent a car on Spetses, you can use the local buses or rent a bike.
The Gold List 2024
Every year, Conde Nast Traveler creates a list of the best hotels and resorts in the world called “The Gold List”. The 2024 Gold List features 68 resorts on four continents, and two were chosen in Greece: Porto Zante in Zakynthos and the Poseidonion Grand Hotel.
Other Gold List 2024 hotels include Badrutt’s Palace in Switzerland, Claridge’s in London, Cashel Palace in Ireland, Domaine des Etangs, Auberge Resorts Collection in France, Finca Cortesin in Spain, The Gritti Palace in Venice, Hotel d ‘Inghilterra in Rome, the Hotel Imperial in Vienna and the Palacio Principe Real in Lisbon.
