Another five-star hotel project is moving through the licensing process in central Athens, with plans to develop a new hotel at the junction of 79 Solonos Street and 12 Mavromichali Street.
The architectural plans for the investment, for which S CHIMEIO MON S.A. is listed as the purported owner of the property, were approved subject to conditions by the Culture Ministry, marking another step in the licensing process. The company’s chairman and chief executive is civil engineer Charalambos Stathakopoulos.
The new hotel and the restrictions
According to the relevant decision, the project involves the construction of a five-star hotel with three basement levels and a swimming pool.
The location is particularly significant because it is adjacent to two protected historic buildings, designed by architect Ernst Ziller. They are the historic Chemistry Building, constructed in 1887, and the building at 6 Mavromichali Street, which dates from 1882. The presence of the two listed monuments was a key consideration as the Culture Ministry’s relevant services examined the architectural plans.
The approval also requires specific changes to the hotel’s design.
The most significant is the removal of the proposed eighth floor, which would cover 54.03 sq m. The ministry cited the breach of the permitted height of 24 metres and the seven-storey limit set out in the relevant 1955 royal decree.
It also stipulates that the remaining floors must be set back by 2.50 metres, while changes to the building’s façades are required to bring its architecture into harmony with the existing urban environment.
Specifically, the Culture Ministry has asked for horizontal and curved design features inspired by buildings of the modernist movement in the area, reducing the pronounced geometric projections in the original proposal.
The plans must be revised in line with these conditions and resubmitted to the relevant services for review.
The decision follows a unanimous opinion by the Local Monuments Council of Attica, which considered the matter at its meeting on 16 July 2026.
Special conditions also apply to excavation work, which must be carried out under the continuous supervision of the Ephorate of Antiquities of the City of Athens. If antiquities are found, work must stop and a rescue archaeological excavation must be carried out.
The published decision does not specify the investment amount, the hotel’s capacity or the project’s timeline.
The business interests behind the investment
The links between the companies involved in the licensing process are reflected both in the Culture Ministry’s decision and in the records of the General Commercial Registry (GEMI).
The decision identifies S CHIMEIO MON S.A. as the purported owner of the property, while its recipients include both that company and XKS Constructions Single-Member S.A.
The two companies share the same management: according to the records, civil engineer Charalambos Stathakopoulos is chairman and chief executive of both. Konstantinos Stathakopoulos and Christina Stathakopoulou also sit on their boards.
Charalambos Stathakopoulos is also linked to the engineering firm XKS Architects & Engineers, whose official website lists him as chairman and chief executive. The firm works on architectural and structural design, construction and project supervision, and has a presence in the luxury hospitality sector, mainly in the Cyclades.
The portfolio featured on XKS’s official website includes, among others, Sandblu Resort and Costa Grand Resort & Spa in Santorini, as well as Mileo, Mykonos Euphoria Suites and Amazon Mykonos Resort & Spa in Mykonos.