TEVIN--The Met Hotel in Thessaloniki

A new inclusion has been made to the list of high end Hotels, with design aware spaces, lounging atmospheres and immaculate detailing. We are proud to announce that this new club member to the elite is located in Greece and even more surprising Thessaloniki.  Of course it’s none other then The Met Hotel  part of the leading hotel chain Chandris Hotels & Resorts Group. The project was brought to reality by Zege Architects, a practice based in Greece that is known for its dynamic architecture and its prime attention to detail.

The hotel consists of 212 guestrooms accompanied by accommodations such as Spa, VIP Lounge, Conference rooms, Gourmet Restaurants and atmospheric bars. This contemporary hotel welcomes you to the space from the instant that you pull up in the driveway. The lobby/reception area is generously open plan inviting you to walk through the space and explore the mod living in front of the dynamic fire place or the lounging comfort of the alternative living ambiences. There is a strictness and seriousness expressed in the interiors which is put forward through the straight edge clear cut furniture combined with artistic accessories and dynamic artwork. Just looking around the lobby you will only recognize items and furniture from high enders.

This same concept of ‘High End’ has been carried through to one of the restaurants ‘Chan’ designed by Andy Martin which may remind you the famous Blue Frog by Chris Lee and Kapil Gupta in Mumbai.  The language however is extremely different here, giving a variation to the interiors and treating it like a ‘boutiesque’ project. Here there is a space within a space approach designed for intimacy and privacy.  The soft materials relax the diner and make him feel isolated and intimate within the circular forms of seating. As opposed to the lobby which is for the public this interior makes you instantly understand that beyond these entrance doors is an interior for the more private and the exclusive.  This notion is not carried through to the second restaurant which is designed with an approachable ambience.

One of the most dominant architectural features is the surrounding glazed atrium between these two restaurants. This inside/outside space is the prime focus of the ground floor allowing natural day light to trespass within the interior and at the same time creat an urban area within a paved ‘cityesque’ surrounding. This environmental presence is the perfect balance between the strict mod language of the interior and the natural earth like quality of the landscaped exterior.

Glazing and natural day light plays a prime role. In the Spa the design language is kept simplistic and edgy. Day light is present in a controlled form and throughout the whole interior a hygienic essence is present, which is achieved through the clean-cut detailing. The light toned materials reminisce the naturality of it all, in contrast with the strong glazing surrounding the pool.

Every interior has the same design approach, maximizing and minimizing the levels of intensity according to its function. In the corridors leading to the bedrooms we experience volume and warmth through the structural wood panel forms. Arriving inside the bedrooms there is the presence of wood, lacquer and glazing. Three finishes combined with smooth fabrics to create a luxurious but approachable space.  An interior that reminds you of a glamorous guest house were you feel comfortable in the room but at the same time you are cautious within it as you understand its of prime importance.

The Met Hotel is a leading example to contemporary design. It has form, ambience, luxury, sexiness and comfort. A building that understands the language of the visitor and the essence of a very important word in the Hotel Industry ‘exclusive design’.

The 16 large-size works and installations of the hotel's collection are accessible to hotel guests as well as visitors. It is yet another cultural highlight for the City of Thessaloniki, featuring artists like Andreas Gursky, Thomas Struth, Bill Viola, Jenny Holzer and Jannis Varelas whose works are exhibited in the world's most famous collections and museums. The result of this art event easily compares to top-notch museum collections.