Unapologetically playful, the aptly named New Hotel in Athens isn’t so much inviting as it is captivating. Designed by the notoriously adventurous Campana brothers, rooms are equal parts celebrations of Athenian culture and playful avant-garde individuality. Located in the historic centre of the Greek capital, the hotel is within walking distance of Syntagma Square, the Acropolis, the Plaka ruins and the Benaki Museum. It’s also nearby the boutique shopping neighbourhood of Kolonaki and the business district, making it ideal for travellers who want to see the ancient and current sides of vibrant Athens from a thoroughly modern, luxurious base.

The facilities

The first hotel venture from the Brazilian Campana brothers, the New Hotel's décor makes use of classic Campana techniques. The brothers reused and reinterpreted the building, formerly the site of the Olympic Palace Hotel, and local culture to contrast the old with the new. The result is deliberately not seamless. Disjointed walls and patchwork chairs coexist with polished floors and a sweeping black 1940s marble staircase in the lobby. The equally modern restaurant, New Taste, serves traditional breads and pastries baked daily, as well as market fresh salads and Greek specialties.

The rooms

With the help of architecture students from the University of Thessaly, the Campana brothers wove disparate themes of Greek culture into the design of New Hotel's 79 rooms.  A character called Karagiozis, a mischievous, barefoot vagabond dressed in ragged clothes inspires one room type; the evil eye which protects against bad omens is embraced by another. The third exhibits historic postcards, giving visitors a look at old Athens with contemporary flair.  Rooms boast floor-to-ceiling windows with city views, bamboo floors and tables, workdesks and bespoke chairs and lamps. Bathrooms include striking brass washbasins in angular fragmented shapes and are stocked with Clarins and L'Oreal products.