“Located at the entrance of Xanthi’s Old Town, 1905 Boutique Hotel is not your typical hotel.”
History
The building’s history begins in the early 20th century, during the final phase of Ottoman rule, a time when Xanthi experienced significant economic growth due to the tobacco trade, which led to a surge in construction activity. The building was completed in 1905 to serve as the residence of Ottoman governor Hilmi Pasha, a role it fulfilled until 1919. In 1922, the property was sold to the family of lawyer Emmanouil Karyotakis. During the occupation, it housed the Bulgarian administration headquarters, before returning to its previous owners in 1954. In more recent times, in 2006, the building was acquired by the family of Ahmet Adem, who gradually initiated the process of full restoration.
Hotel
At 1905 Boutique Hotel, everything evokes the belle époque era of early 20th-century Xanthi. From the wall and ceiling paintings to the building’s interior décor, and even the narrow cobblestone alleys and their stairways—it's all here!
Unique identity and attention to the smallest detail, along with quality and comfort, are what truly set a hotel apart—and these are the principles the owners of 1905 Boutique Hotel clearly understand well. 1905 Boutique Hotel.
The hotel offers six (6) guest rooms, divided into three (3) categories: the Deluxe rooms, the Medium Suite, and the Grand Suites. Each room features unique decor and color schemes, highlighting the boutique character of 1905!
Each room at 1905 Boutique Hotel has its own unique identity and aesthetic, setting it apart from the rest. In essence, they offer a journey back in time, creating an atmosphere rich with storytelling—an experience in which the guest is always at the heart of the narrative.
The Deluxe Rooms and the Medium Suite at 1905 Boutique Hotel offer a haven of tranquility and understated luxury, while the Grand Suites immerse the guest in the full belle époque experience. On the ceilings of the Grand Suites on the second floor, the chiaroscuro technique—dating back to the Renaissance—has been used, adding depth and a three-dimensional effect in relation to the room’s natural light source.
All rooms at 1905 Boutique Hotel are equipped with the most modern amenities and services. They feature marble bathrooms with walk-in cabins and overhead rain showers, complemented by organic bath care products.
The People
From the moment a guest steps into a hotel, they should feel welcome—and beyond the hotel’s aesthetics and luxury, it is undoubtedly the kindness, hospitality, and warm smiles of Sinan and his family that make all the difference. A quick visit to TripAdvisor or Booking.com will convince you, as the guest reviews are overwhelmingly positive. 1905 consistently earns exceptional ratings—5/5 on TripAdvisor and 9.7/10 on Booking.com!
If you still have any doubts, just book a room, meet the owners in person, and experience a truly exceptional stay for yourself!
“1905 Boutique Hotel is not just a beautiful but impersonal hotel—it's a family-run business where we become friends with our guests!” proudly stated the current owner, Sinan Adem.
Ahmet Adem, father of Sinan, began his journey in Xanthi and, after working for several years in Thessaloniki and Athens, returned to Xanthi to start a business in the food service sector. This is how the Adem family first came into contact with the historic listed building, as the ground floor became home to their renowned restaurant, Dromaki,in 2008.
The second generation—Sinan and his two sisters—are following in the footsteps of Mr. Ahmet and his wife, having taken over the management of the restaurant, as well as the restoration and operation of the 1905 Boutique Hotel.
ena and 1905 Boutique Hotel
Mr. Ahmet Adem visited the offices of ena Development Consultants with a dream. After acquiring the listed building, he decided to make use of its two upper floors and create a hotel gem for the city. Two of ena’s most experienced consultants—Katerina Vassiliou, with experience in over 150 investment projects, and Evi Voivatopoulou—took on the task of identifying the appropriate funding program to help turn Mr. Adem’s dream into reality.
The challenges and financial undertaking were quite unique, as the existing building is a historic monument, officially designated as a work of art and a listed heritage building of Category A. The selected program was “Support for small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the sectors of manufacturing, tourism, commerce, and services,” under the Regional Operational Programmes (PEP) of ESPA 2007–2013. ena and Katerina Vassiliou took on the responsibility for the project’s approval, management, coordination, and implementation. After three years and two project modifications, the 1905 Boutique Hotel was finally ready to open its doors and welcome its first guests!
The expenses foreseen and managed by ena were organized around two main pillars: the configuration of the spaces (building works) and the equipment of the business. Particularly noteworthy among the expenses was the restoration and reproduction of the wall and ceiling paintings, which required a specialized team of artists and conservators!
The Restoration
Since the building is designated as a monument, every intervention required a corresponding restoration study. Mr. Petros Kontaridis, Civil Engineer and Architectural Designer, undertook the technical description and study of the restoration works, taking into account the need to preserve the morphology of the existing structure and to highlight its character through interventions that respect the unique nature of such listed buildings—as well as the building itself.
In the building, the wooden floors were replaced and the wooden false ceilings on the ground floor and first floor were repaired. The roof was restored at problematic points, the interior spaces were partitioned and soundproofed, bathrooms were constructed and waterproofed, appropriate furnishings were selected, and many, many more works were carried out.
A standout element among the restoration works was the meticulous restoration and reproduction of the wall and ceiling paintings.
“During the period of Bulgarian occupation, the wall paintings and decorative artwork of the building were covered over.”
In the first phase, a specialized team using appropriate tools carried out a partial unveiling of the motifs that were to be reproduced or restored. The layers of paint covering the wall and ceiling paintings were carefully removed, and “witness sections” were preserved to reveal the original condition of the building at the time of its construction.
This process revealed the remarkable interior decorative artwork that extended across nearly all the rooms on the first floor, while on the second floor, traces were found on both the walls and ceilings of the building’s most significant areas. The decorative motifs of the interior design follow the same architectural logic that defines the entire structure. Featuring primarily botanical and geometric themes, each floor showcases a central motif with variations in color tones from room to room. Notably, the ceiling patterns on the second floor were visibly more intricate and impressive.
The work required exceptional care and expertise from the personnel involved, due to the complexity of both the process and the materials used. In the second phase, painters and conservators—guided by the building’s decorative study—analyzed, processed, and reproduced the final form of the motifs on the walls and ceilings, bringing the belle époque era back to life within the 1905 Boutique Hotel!
Restoration works on a listed building are inevitably accompanied by high costs, which is why identifying and securing the right funding tool was unquestionably a necessary condition for making the entire project a reality. And while Mr. Sinan states that he had “an excellent collaboration and feels deeply grateful to ena for the support provided,” we at ena Development Consultants are equally proud of the trust Mr. Sinan and his family placed in us. We will always stand by them—as allies and supporters—in every effort to realize their development goals. Mr. Sinan is already exploring funding opportunities for his next business ventures, together with ena’s specialized Secondary Sector Consultant, Evi Voivatopoulou!
