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The Grande Bretagne (Greek: Ξενοδοχείο Μεγάλη Βρεταννία) is a luxury city hotel in Greece, one of the most luxurious in southeastern Europe. It is located in central Athens immediately adjacent to Syntagma Square, on the corner of Vasileos Georgiou A' and Panepistimiou Streets, and is now part of "The Luxury Collection" hotel chain, managed by the American company Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
History
The structure was built in 1842 as a house for Antonis Dimitriou, a wealthy Greek from the island of Limnos, only 12 years after Greece's independence from Ottoman Rule. It was then bought in 1874 by Efstathios Lampas, who restored the mansion with an 800,000 drachma loan and named it the Grande Bretagne; by 1888 the hotel had electricity installed. Its location is adjacent to the parliament building and one kilometre from the Acropolis.
During the early stages of the Greek Civil War, the hotel housed the British military administration, under General Ronald Scobie, in Athens.
Renovation
In 2003, the Grande Bretagne underwent a complete renovation to restore it to its former glory, and approximately 82 million Euros were invested to completely modernize the building. There are 321 comprehensively renovated rooms, including a 400 square metres (4,305 sqf.) Royal Suite on the fifth floor; the price for a night in the Royal Suite can reach € 12,000.
Notes
http://www.hotelsofgreece.com/athens/grandebretagne/history.html
http://www.grandebretagne.gr/html/des-hotel-history-eng.htm
References
^ a b "Accommodation: Guest Rooms of the Grande Bretagne". Grande Bretagne. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
^ "Dining". Grande Bretagne. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
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