While walking into the Anise Hotel in the Psiri neighborhood of Athens, I felt like I was entering a modern villa, with the high ceilings, and the palm plants that lined the entrance. The terra cotta paint on the back wall led to an immediate calming feeling, which, after staying at the hotel for two nights, was a feeling that only increased.
My room on the fifth floor had an extremely comfortable bed and the bathroom was luxurious. The window opened to reveal a spacious balcony with a Jacuzzi, table and chairs.
One flight up, the hotel had a rooftop with a bar that served unique cocktails, as well as a pool with large lounge beds for ultimate relaxation surrounding it.
The hotel is also equipped with a bar, a gym, and two meeting rooms.
The service while staying at the hotel was top tier, from the front desk to the chefs in the dining room. If I needed anything, someone was always available to assist.
The Anise Hotel is one of three hotels that are part of the Israeli-owned Aluma Hotel chain in Athens, Greece. Skylark opened in March 2024, Anise opened in June, and Adia will open at the end of the year. Both Skylark and Anise are rated four stars, while the Adia has been rated with five stars.
In addition to their luxurious design, they also provide an incredible unlimited breakfast buffet. At Anise, this included traditional breakfast foods, such as smoked salmon, yogurt, eggs, and croissants, as well as delicious homemade traditional Greek spreads, desserts, and pastries. The breakfast was so tasty, I went back for seconds, and even thirds.
My favorite part of the breakfast was a traditional Greek cake and a Greek doughnut-style dessert, that were both so tasty, I had to wrench myself away to stop eating them. These Greek desserts highlighted the way that the hotel combines traditional Greek culture with the classic hotel experience.
The Skylark
The dining room for Skylark was even larger than at Anise and had an even larger bar. The hotel offers lunch and dinner, in addition to breakfast.
Each of the hotels is centrally located in Athens. From the Anise hotel, I only walked 20 minutes to arrive at the Parthenon, which is surrounded by ruins from ancient Greece, and can be seen along the way for a perfectly scenic walk that leads to the most stunning view of the Greek capital.
THE ANISE hotel is located near the spice market, the trendy center of the Psiri neighborhood, which is known for specialty shops, artist galleries, antique shops, and modern cafes. The neighborhood was colorful and lively, with something interesting and exciting at every corner.
The Skylark hotel is a 15 minute drive to the Acropolis, and a 15 minute walk to the local shopping area, where travelers can find international and local brands.
The hotel’s rooftop offers a picturesque view of ancient Greek ruins. One can lounge next to the poolside with a delicious cocktail in hand and look out on one of the best views of Athens’ ancient ruins.
The rooms at Skylark are luxurious and modern, and the hotel contains a large, modern lobby that is equally comfortable and welcoming.
When the Adia Hotel opens at the end of 2024, the modern rooftop will also have a stunning view of both the city of Athens and of the mountains. The lobby is designed to be modern as well as welcoming, similar to the Skylark.
The Adia is five minutes closer to Athens’ must-see spots and the same distance from its best shopping.
When the Adia Hotel opens, it will offer a spacious banquet hall for events with up to 70 attendees, a meeting room, a fitness center and spa, a garden atrium, and two restaurants, one of which will be located on the roof. Both restaurants will offer international dishes with Greek influence.
Each of the hotels offers a variety of room sizes for couples and for families at several different price points. Each has an espresso machine in every room, a TV, and free Wi-Fi for guests.
THE SKYLARK has two large event halls for any special occasion. The entrance-level hall is also suitable for an event of up to 70 attendees, while the hall on the first floor can host events for up to 35 people.
“Our strength as an Israeli hotel chain is well-recognized among Israeli tourists in Greece, but our European hotels cater primarily to a wider audience,” according to Aluma CEO Moshe Ben Hiyun. “We focus on luxury accommodations, high-end branding, and renowned chefs. About 60% of our guests come from Israel, staying for the remainder of the holidays. The Aluma brand meets the highest international standards, blending its unique character with world-class service and local flavor.”
Aluma is a sister luxury hotel chain to Isrotel in Israel.
The hotel chain “combines a distinctive Jewish hospitality experience with boutique design and top-tier international service,” which creates a unique, memorable trip and allows its guests to connect to the local Greek culture.
The name Aluma means “ray of light” and represents the chain’s concept of “hospitality as a way of light.” After staying in the Anise Hotel and visiting Skylark and Adia, I left Athens brighter and more relaxed than when I came.
The writer was a guest of the Aluma chain.