Patras is making a stronger mark on the international hotel scene through the network of French group Accor, with the reopening of the historic Astir under the Mercure brand following an investment of more than €10m and two years of extensive reconstruction.
The revival of the landmark hotel, now operating as Mercure Patras Astir, is the centrepiece of Vassilicos House of Hospitality’s strategy in the Achaean capital, where the group now has a portfolio of three properties with a combined capacity of 252 rooms.
The aim is to strengthen Patras’s presence in international tourism markets, attract business travellers and conferences, and boost demand throughout the year.
Mercure Patras Astir, which officially opened on Friday, has 116 rooms and suites. It is the third hotel investment by Vassilicos House of Hospitality in the city, where the Vassilikos family has had a business presence since the early 2000s.
“Mercure Patras Astir aims to be more than a hotel: it wants to act as a catalyst for showcasing the area’s wealth. As a family, we believe in Patras. It has further growth potential and the ability to develop and become a leading city destination.
Patras is a great promise, and that potential was what prompted us to make this investment,” said Alexandros Vassilikos, chairman of Vassilicos House of Hospitality, noting that the city’s location, port, road infrastructure and access to destinations across the wider region offered significant scope for growth.
The €10m investment
The reconstruction of Astir, which has been operating since 1973, was a particularly demanding undertaking, as the work went beyond refurbishing rooms and communal areas.
As Alex Vassilikos explained, upgrading hotel buildings more than 50 years old requires extensive work on infrastructure and electromechanical systems, as well as structural works where necessary.
“Hotels like these have to be stripped back and started from scratch,” he said, describing the challenges of the two-year renovation. The final outstanding work is expected to be completed within the next month.
A significant part of the investment budget went towards improving the building’s energy efficiency, including the installation of solar panels and heat pumps, as well as measures to reduce water consumption.
According to the head of Vassilicos House of Hospitality, these measures involved high upfront costs and a long payback period, but were considered essential to bring the hotel into line with modern requirements.
The reconstruction and upgrade of Mercure Patras Astir is a joint undertaking by the Mentzelopoulos and Vassilikos families. The property belongs to the Mentzelopoulos family, while Vassilicos House of Hospitality has leased it since 2024 under a 25-year agreement, with the option to extend for a further 15 years. The hotel has joined Accor’s network through a franchise agreement.
The portfolio
Astir’s reopening completes Vassilicos’s hotel portfolio in Patras, which also includes the Achaia Beach, with 85 rooms, and the Patras Smart Hotel, with 51 rooms.
The three properties have distinct market positions, allowing the company to cater to different types of guests and meet a wider range of needs and travel budgets.
The three-star Patras Smart Hotel mainly serves business travellers, with high and relatively steady occupancy throughout the year. Achaia Beach, by contrast, has a stronger holiday focus, with particularly high demand in summer and lower occupancy in the winter months.
Alongside the work at Astir and the repositioning of the historic hotel, the company also renovated Achaia Beach, which was closed for four months.
The group’s wider hotel portfolio comprises eight properties in Athens, Patras and Kavala: Stratos, Alexandros, Parthenon and The Editor in Athens; Achaia Beach, Patras Smart and Mercure Patras Astir in Patras; and Galaxy in Kavala. The Editor is managed by Vassilicos House of Hospitality.
The conference tourism challenge
The development of conference tourism is an important part of Vassilicos House of Hospitality’s strategy in the Achaean capital. Mercure Patras Astir has eight conference rooms with a combined area of more than 700 sq m and can accommodate up to 440 delegates.
According to Alex Vassilikos, conference facilities can be a key driver in attracting visitors outside the peak tourism season, while also generating benefits for the local economy.
“Conference tourism is key to growing our customer base and to the development of Patras as a whole,” he said, noting that hosting conferences and business events could help raise the city’s profile.
The hotel’s inclusion in Accor’s international network under the Mercure brand further supports this strategy by widening access to new markets.
“The fact that the hotel has entered the international arena adds significant value. We are now visible to customers who couldn’t see us before,” said the chairman of Vassilicos House of Hospitality, linking the hotel’s international profile to the prospect of stronger demand and reduced seasonality.
Early signs for the fully renovated Mercure Patras Astir are positive, both for accommodation and conference bookings, while air traffic at Araxos airport is also creating new opportunities to attract visitors to Patras.
As Alex Vassilikos noted, the mix of passengers arriving via Araxos is now beginning to include travellers visiting Patras for city tourism, in addition to those heading to holiday resorts in the wider area.
Once fully operational, Mercure Patras Astir is expected to employ about 50 to 60 people.