The 1905 boutique hotel operates in a neoclassical building, which has been classified as a \"historical listed monument and work of art\" by the Ministry of Culture.<\/p>\n
The history of the building dates back to the early 20th century, during the last phase of the Ottoman Empire, when Xanthi saw significant economic growth from the tobacco trade, resulting in intense construction activity. The construction of the building was completed in 1905, with the purpose of housing the Ottoman supervisor Hilmi Pasha, and it remained in use for this purpose until 1919.<\/p>\n
With the Treaty of S\u00e8vres (1920), the city and the wider area of Xanthi passed to the Greek state. The widow of Hilmi Pasha, Khalide Hanum, daughter of Khalil Pasha, sold the property in 1922 to the family of lawyer Emmanouil Karyotakis, who moved to the now-liberated Western Thrace to begin his professional career. Later in his life, E. Karyotakis served as a member of parliament for Xanthi from 1928 to 1933 with the Liberal Party of Eleftherios Venizelos. After the German forces' invasion of the city, the building housed the Bulgarian administration. During this period, the frescoes and artistic decoration of the building were covered. After the liberation, the building operated as a Foreigners' Center and was eventually returned to the Karyotakis family in 1954. For many years, the ground floor of the mansion housed the dressmaking shop of Chrysoula and Charikleia Veliou. Emmanouil Karyotakis' son, Menelaos, was the next occupant of the building. It passed to the current owners in 2006, who fully restored it.<\/p>\n
The owners state:\n\"When we envisioned the use of the floors of the 1905 boutique hotel, our goal was not to add another hotel unit to our city. Respecting the history of the building, we sought to highlight the cultural heritage of the place. Our goal is to \u2018travel\u2019 our visitors through the aesthetic of the space to the Belle \u00c9poque era, to the early 20th century Xanthi, through the heart of the Old Town.\"<\/p>\n
The business was included in October 2013 in the \"Support for Small and Medium Enterprises in the fields of Processing, Tourism, Commerce \u2013 Services\" program, co-financed by the Regional Operational Program of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (ESPA 2007-2013) with a 60% subsidy rate.<\/p>\n
Through the program, expenses were incurred for the complete restoration and equipping of the existing traditional (listed) building, aiming to convert it into a classic-type hotel unit. The expenses incurred fall into two main categories: those for space modifications (building works) and those for the business's equipment.<\/p>\n
Specifically, expenses were incurred for demolition, roof repairs, internal walls, plastering, flooring, replacement of internal and external window frames with thermal insulation windows, and painting. Additional expenses for the complete electrical and plumbing installation, including TV & OTE network, wifi internet, air conditioning installation (A energy class, inverter), telephone exchange, and website development. Finally, purchases were made for televisions, refrigerators, light fixtures (including LED types), carpets, sanitary items, furniture, bedding items, etc.<\/p>\n