P.M. Communications: We would like to begin by asking you about the history of the
Hotel Grande Bretagne. It has been part of Athens' social, political and business life for the past 130 years. Please share with the readers of the Telegraph something about the history of the hotel.

Mr. Ananiadis: The hotel has been a part of Athens for 130 years. It started as a small hotel, which was expanded from a mansion. The founder of the hotel named it the Hotel Grande Bretagne to honour his French wife and because at the time the hotel was built the majority of the visitors in Greece were British and French, either on their way to the islands or primarily to the Middle East. So by naming it Grande Bretagne, it would attract both British and French visitors. Even our emblem is very similar to the British Royal Family's Coat-of-Arms. There's a slight difference, but it was recognized and we have permission to use it. The original family kept the hotel for about eighty years. Since then it has changed hands a number of times, and then four years ago it was taken over by a shipping family who decided to renovate the hotel extensively. They spent about Euro 100mln to renovate the hotel completely, whilst maintaining its appearance and character. A lot of the things that were changed over the years have actually been restored. For instance, the lobby was altered over the years so it was brought back to its original design. Now, we are part of Starwood's Luxury Collection - a collection of heritage hotels throughout Europe and the world, and at the end of March 2006 we will have been operating for 3 years.

P.M. Communications: As you have pointed out, the Grande Bretagne has always occupied a special place in the social and business life of Athens. How do you feel that the new renovated hotel represents the new, post-Olympic Athens?

Mr. Ananiadis: The infrastructure of Athens has been improved tremendously and the city has grown into a modern metropolis. We did the same thing and even though the façade of our building is the same, the hotel now has a new look. We represent the new Athens in the way we do things: we have a new approach and young staff operating the hotel in a modern way. Before the renovation, people didn't even think about coming to our hotel for a coffee or a cup of tea. Now, as you can see, people come and sit in the lobby because they consider it a unique and personal place as well as part of the Athens tradition. So we represent both the new and traditional life of Athens.

P.M. Communications: My next question might be indiscreet and excuse me if it is, but the Grande Bretagne has been such an integral part of the social scene in Athens and you've had many Kings, Queens, celebrities, politicians and businesspeople staying here over the years. Could you perhaps share any anecdotes with the readers of the Telegraph?

Mr. Ananiadis: That's a delicate question and it might upset some people, therefore I would rather not answer it. We are still the home of many celebrities, but I think the main difference nowadays is that these people are a lot more discreet and would prefer their privacy. Our hotel offers them the privacy they want, whilst being at the very heart of a modern city. That's part of the success of the hotel.

However, I can tell you something that might be interesting for your readers. We have a room downstairs named after Winston Churchill. After the war, while he was staying here there was an attempt to bomb the hotel and assassinate him by using the underground tunnels that existed back then underneath our hotel. Thankfully, it was discovered and stopped at the last minute! Also, as we are next to the Parliament, for some years the hotel was used as the government bomb shelter. During WWII it was also the headquarters for the German army and then in turn for the British army.

P.M. Communications: Despite the amazing transformation of the city during the Athens Olympics, there is still some lingering misconceptions of Athens as a slightly chaotic and polluted city… How would you convince the readers of the Telegraph that Athens is now the perfect 5-day city break destination?

Mr. Ananiadis: All large cities have traffic jams during peak hours, (London even has its congestion tax!) but now in Athens, at least during the off-peak hours and the weekends, we don't have the volume of traffic we had before. The improvement in the infrastructure has reduced pollution and greatly improved the traffic situation.

Apart from its natural beauty, Athens has something else to offer that most other European cities don't have, and that is its mild weather! I was in London three days ago and believe me, I was very happy to come back to the sun. Athens is right on the sea, which is not the case with many European capitals. On top of that, there are amazing archaeological sites to visit, exciting social events to attend and the prices are still reasonable compared to other capital cities. Even though in the past the tendency was to avoid Athens and go directly to the islands, I believe that today that would be a big mistake. It would be like going to the US and not stopping in New York for a couple of nights! Athens has many things to offer.

P.M. Communications: Going back to the Grande Bretagne and its position in this new tourist offer, I would like to introduce the next question with a Coco Chanel quote taken from your website. She said: "Luxury has to be comfortable otherwise it is not luxury." The readers of the Telegraph are accustomed to comfort and I am sure they are looking for luxury, so can you tell them how the Grande Bretagne encapsulates that philosophy?

Mr. Ananiadis: We are very careful to promote luxury that is affordable, comfortable, friendly and discreet. We designed our rooms and the public areas in a way that they feel welcoming and warm, rather than just representing a high-end impersonal hotel. Expensive furniture is not enough to make a luxury product. One of the advantages of our hotel is that when our clients go outside the hotel, they immediately find themselves in the centre of the city and feel part of Athens' vibrant street life, but when they are in the hotel, they are in a serene environment surrounded by comfort and privacy.

P.M. Communications: Could you tell us a bit more about the hotel facilities that you offer?

Mr. Ananiadis: The hotel has been re-designed as a self-contained resort right in the heart of Athens, with an indoor and outdoor pool and a beautiful urban Spa which is particularly impressive and the only one of its kind in the city. In fact the hotel offers all the services our guests need without ever leaving the hotel. For an excellent dining experience, our clients can enjoy a meal at the GB Corner, an informal, comfortable brasserie style restaurant where they don't have to wear a tie if they don't want to! Our Winter Garden and adjacent Alexander's Bar are the social heart of the hotel. This is where you can have a simple coffee, a drink at the bar, a cigar in the cigar room or you can have a light meal any time of the day. Alternatively, the immensely popular Roof Garden offers excellent cuisine with an impressive panoramic view of the Acropolis and the city of Athens. Originally only open in the summer, we are now in the process of renovating it and when we finish we will be serving breakfast, dinner and cocktails in the Roof Garden all year round. Downstairs we also have a wine cellar that we use for private tasting and small private dinners for up to 10 people.

P.M. Communications: You have received the International 5-Star Diamond Award. There is some confusion in the classification system across Europe and other countries. Could you explain why this particular Award is a true recognition?

Mr. Ananiadis: We aspire to be recognized as the premier hotel in Greece and one of the best hotels in Europe. The 5-Star Diamond Award is an award given to very few hotels throughout the world, not only because of the hotel itself, but also because of the tradition that it represents. We have also been recognized as the best business hotel in Athens and one of the top business hotels in Europe. The uniqueness of this hotel is that we are able to satisfy the needs of a businessperson and a tourist at the same time.

P.M. Communications: You announced an increase in value of profits in 2005, despite 2004 obviously including the month of August with the Olympic Games. That must be a big satisfaction for you. What changes that you have personally made, do you feel have had the greatest impact?

Mr. Ananiadis: The changes that we have made were a result of teamwork and effort. Hopefully, my personal input has also made some difference. 2004 was a successful year in August, but it was not successful for the rest of the year. We felt that if we continued offering a reasonable price and maintained our quality and personal relationship with our clients, we would have good results, and we were right. We increased the number of regular customers and the number of people willing to spend a little more money in order to enjoy our services rather than go to some less expensive hotel. I believe that you cannot discount your product in order to increase your business. You have to be reasonable with what you charge the customers and then take your risks. You might have to wait and worry for a while, but at the end, once you establish yourself, things work out. This is my personal philosophy that was supported by the owners and we were successful in applying it. We are loyal to our customers as they are to us.

What makes the difference in our industry is the personal relationship with the clients. We have a lady that comes here 3-4 times a year for 4-5 days at a time and she brings our reservations person a home made pie every time she comes, because she feels fantastic here! That is a personal relationship! He's expecting the pie and she's expecting a nice stay and it works.

P.M. Communications: I would like to give you the opportunity to send a message to the readers of the Telegraph…

Mr. Ananiadis: Last time I went to London, the trip was very pleasant, but it was cold, very grey… If I were living in that environment during the wintertime, it would make perfect sense for me to jump on a plane and go to Athens for 3 days to enjoy the sun and walk around the city. Athens has so much to offer…