Now Open: The beds are made at Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens

Margaret Thatcher, Aristotle Onassis, Jimmy Carter, John F. Kennedy, Frank Sinatra, Brigitte Bardot, John Wayne, The Beatles, Isabella Rossellini, Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin. What do they all have in common? They have all spent time at the Astir Palace hotel. Indeed the list of all the famous figures who have stayed here is much longer than this, and it’s bound to get longer soon.

The purchase and comprehensive renovation of the resort has involved a total investment of 650 million euros and taken five years to complete, making it the biggest tourism project in Greece right now.

While more improvements, such as the construction of new luxury residences in the complex, as well as a public park at the tip of the peninsula, are still to be completed, opening day has arrived for the two hotels Arion and Nafsika, and the updated bungalows.

The hotels and bungalows of the resort will operate as one entity under the management of Four Seasons (who are operating in Greece for the first time).

The resort features a world-class spa, three pools, five tennis courts, a golf club, a basketball court, a helipad, several restaurants,  a private beach, three lounges (including the “Aristotle’s Cigar and Cognac Lounge”, designed to celebrate the heady 1960s era Astir Palace), and much more. The facilities have been decorated with almost 2000 works of art, mainly by contemporary Greek artists.

While the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens will mainly be catering to A-listers and high-income guests, the grand opening is being celebrated with a special offer, providing the opportunity for guests to spend some time on the iconic peninsula at reduced rates.

The offer includes 20 percent savings on room rates plus daily breakfast for free, as well as a “sixth night free” offer, and are available through the end of 2019.

This article first appeared on Greece Is (www.greece-is.com), an English-language publishing initiative by Kathimerini.