Fresh Hotel

Just when we were beginning to worry that “design” had become a synonym for “monochrome,” along comes a place like Athens’ Fresh Hotel, a place that’s bursting with color. And by color we don’t mean muted earth tones, or burgundy and brown leather — think, instead, of a palette that’s not found in nature, a selection of cartoon colors like safety orange, hot pink and lime green.

If there’s a down side it’s the neighborhood, which shows signs of gentrifying but to date remains somewhat unsavory, to say the least — it only heightens the building’s contrasts, with its glowing frosted-glass balconies separated by blocks of solid color. For all the vibrant hues, though, the Fresh Hotel evokes the same serene and restful atmosphere you’d expect from another all-white Zen boutique — which is, one supposes, the point of hotel design, in whatever style.

Rooms are simple and spare, with modernist furnishings like Eames chairs, and come with all the necessities, like flat-screen televisions and wireless internet. Also featured are some location-specific extras: how about a view of the Acropolis, visible to all from the vantage point of the rooftop pool deck.

In fact it’s in the public areas that the Fresh Hotel shines; half of Athens, it seems, queues for a table at the Magenta restaurant. At night the pool deck becomes the Air Lounge, serving cocktails against the backdrop of the city lights, all a few minutes from the city center — just be sure and arrange a car, if you’re traveling by night.