Celebrating a milestone of historical significance, the premiere of the documentary “150 Years Hotel Grande Bretagne: Hosting History” marked a poignant tribute to the illustrious journey of the Hotel Grande Bretagne, Athens. Directed by Thodoris Papadoulakis and produced by Indigo View, the captivating film commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Hotel with a rich tapestry of narratives and insights. The screening took place at Pallas Theater in Athens, on Tuesday 9 April, the day of the Hotel’s actual birthday. It was exactly 150 years ago, on 9 April 1874, when entrepreneurs Savvas Kentros and Efstathios Lampsas co-signed the official agreement to jointly run the establishment.
Representing the President of the Greek Government, the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, noted in her address:“The Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens stands as an esteemed institution which has associated its name with the highest quality standards and has become synonymous with refined hospitality. It is part of the city’s history, serving as a landmark that has significantly influenced the identity of the Greek capital. Through the years, it has been intertwined with significant events in modern Greek history, both triumphant and challenging. The Hotel Grande Bretagne is a constant of beauty and quality. An iconic symbol of hospitality in the Greek capital. An Athenian “ark” of haute aesthetics.”
Chloe Laskaridis, President of the Board of Directors of LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels S.A., said: “The Hotel Grande Bretagne isn’t merely a historic hotel. As portrayed in the documentary, it is an institution entirely connected with the country’s history and among the rare European hotels celebrating such a significant anniversary. Thus, we are profoundly honoured that this occasion finds us at the helm of both the Hotel Grande Bretagne and LAMPSA HELLENIC HOTELS S.A. We would like to extend our gratitude to all the professionals who contributed to the film, as well as to the guests who graciously accepted our invitation to commemorate together this special milestone of 150 years in operation.”
Narrated by the journalist Pavlos Tsimas, who was also the film’s chief editor, and featuring music composed by Minos Matsas, the film highlights the timeless relationship between Hotel Grande Bretagne and the evolution of the city of Athens. Written by Natasa Segkou, the screenplay presents interviews with personalities, such as Dr. Angelos F. Vlachos, Author of the book “The Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens”, the Former CEO & Former VP of LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels S.A. and great-grandson of entrepreneur Efstathios Lampsas, Apostolos Doxiadis, the journalist and writer Nikos Vatopoulos, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Former Queen of the Hellenes Princess of Denmark, Kostas Kostis, Professor at the Department of Economics of the University of Athens, the Shipowner & Principal Shareholder of LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels S.A. Athanasios Laskaridis and the President of the Board of Directors of LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels S.A., Chloe Laskaridis.
Significant personalities from the world of politics, hospitality, shipping, media, and art attended the premiere, including former Prime Ministers Costas Simitis and Panagiotis Pikrammenos, the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Kyriakos Pierrakakis, the Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni, the Member of the Hellenic Parliament and former EU Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, the Member of the Hellenic Parliament Sevi Voloudaki, the Mayor of Athens Haris Doukas, the former Deputy Prime Minister of the Greek Government Evangelos Venizelos, the former Ministers Tasos Giannitsis, Giannis Papathanasiou and Andreas Loverdos, the former EU Commissioner Maria Damanaki, the former Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, Konstantinos Floros, the Secretary General at the Greek National Tourism Organization, Dimitris Fragakis, the President of Marriott International for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Satya Anand and the Chief Operating Officer of Marriott International for Europe, Gonzalo Aguilar, the Chairman of Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air, Eftichios Vassilakis, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of TEMES S.A. Achilleas V. Konstantakopoulos, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Former Queen of the Hellenes, Princess of Denmark and Prince Nikolaos, the actress Mimi Denissi, the entrepreneur Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotaki, and many more.
Following the premiere, the Hotel Grande Bretagne welcomed all guests to its halls, hosting a spectacular event featuring music, dance performances and songs from different decades, with the voice of singer Olga Veneti.
Drawing upon the Hotel’s rich gastronomic heritage, the twice Michelin-starred and Executive Chef of the Hotel Grande Bretagne, Asterios Koustoudis, left a lasting impression with his culinary creations, innovative both in terms of flavour and presentation. Tableware from the Hotel’s impressive collection dating back to 1900, was exclusively used to set up the lavish buffet, which featured dishes from the Hotel Grande Bretagne’s 1950 book of recipes.
The documentary “150 Years Grande Bretagne: Hosting History” will soon be aired by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation – ERT. Guests staying at the hotel will have the exclusive opportunity to watch the documentary on their in-room TVs during their stay.
The creation of the film, as well as its screening, took place as part of the annual celebrations for the Hotel’s 150th anniversary, titled “150 Years Hotel Grande Bretagne: Always Grand.”
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