The historic Byzantino reopens inside Conrad Athens The Ilisian, reintroduced as a grande brasserie that brings together Athenian memory and a more contemporary rhythm.
The News
With the opening of Conrad Athens The Ilisian, one of the building’s most recognisable spaces quietly returns. Byzantino, long associated with the social life of the former Hilton Athens, is reintroduced with a new identity. This is no longer a hotel restaurant in the traditional sense, but a space designed to move with the city from morning through late evening.
Under the direction of executive chef Angelos Lantos, the menu moves between French brasserie references and Greek ingredients, without leaning too heavily on either.
Design and Atmosphere
The transformation is immediately perceptible. Designed by Tristan Auer, the Paris based interior architect behind Hôtel de Crillon and Les Bains in Paris as well as private residences across London and New York, the space reflects his signature layering of eras and materials. Classic references are present but softened, brought into a more contemporary rhythm through light, colour and proportion.
Marble, warm tonal palettes and controlled lighting define the room, creating a more intimate counterpoint to the scale of the hotel’s public areas. The space feels composed rather than staged.
A Different Kind of Return
Byzantino is not presented as a nostalgic revival. It reads instead as a continuation. A space that acknowledges its past while adjusting to a different context, one where the hotel itself operates as part of a broader, more layered destination. Within The Ilisian, dining is not isolated. It becomes part of a wider ecosystem of restaurants, social spaces and experiences that reconnect the building with the city.
What to Expect
Rather than a fixed identity, Byzantino is designed to be experienced across the day. Breakfast unfolds slowly, lunch feels more structured, and the evening moves into a more social rhythm. A dedicated patisserie adds another layer to that continuity. One of the more distinctive details is the Cheese Room, a space that feels both curated and quietly indulgent. It brings together a selection of cheeses from Greece and France, chosen with the same attention to balance that defines the rest of the experience. The selection is not only served in the restaurant but also available to take away, extending the experience beyond the table. It is a small detail, but one that captures the overall approach. Considered, but never overplayed.
The Take
In a building so closely tied to Athens’ social memory, Byzantino returns without trying to redefine it. It sits within it. And in doing so, becomes one of the more considered spaces inside The Ilisian, not because it demands attention, but because it holds it quietly.
For a broader look at the transformation of the building, revisit our full feature on Conrad Athens The Ilisian opening.
TheHotelTrotter.com is curated by greek journalist and fanatic hotel lover Eleni Stasinopoulou. With the eye of a fashion and lifestyle editor, Eleni hopes to inspire all connoisseurs of traveling, focusing on stylish hotel moments around the globe.
