The famous Greek royal palace of Tatoi, which once housed the Greek royal family, is set to be turned into a new luxury 5-star hotel and spa.
The Greek government took ownership of the property when the monarchy fell, leaving it abandoned for the last 50 years. The government now plans to redecorate the estate and open cafés, restaurants and a five-star hotel with a spa on the property. The government also wants to renovate the gardens, which house several royal tombs.
The Greek Republic’s Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, is heading the project. She told the Greek press: “The government want Tatoi to be a year-round attraction with environmentally friendly infrastructure.”
“It is a hugely ambitious project. The biggest challenge will not be completing the project, rather it will be sustaining the massive running costs that it will incur once operational.”
The project will reportedly have a budget of 130 million euros, yet the government hopes that private investors will come forward and contact the government.
King George I bought the Tatoi estate from Skarlatos Soutsos, a Greek from Istanbul, chief of court and government minister, in May 1872. Until the abolition of the monarchy in 1974, it was the official summer residence of the royal family, and witnessed many important events, such as the birth of George II in 1890 and Constantine I swearing in Eleftherios Venizelos’ government in 1915.
