Mikro Horio enjoys a marvelous green setting on the slopes of Mount Helidona. As you walk around the village, you might notice that all the houses are relatively recent constructions. The simple explanation for this is that you are in fact in the new Mikro Horio. In 1962, most of the old Mikro Horio was destroyed in an avalanche. It happened one Sunday morning while most of the villagers were in church. The church withstood the avalanche and all the churchgoers survived, but the thirteen people who had stayed home perished tragically. The government helped the survivors build new houses just a few kilometers from the old village. The assistance program also included the construction of a hotel that was then owned and run by the municipality. Although there was nothing particularly special about it, it helped bring tourism to the village. Just a few years ago, the hotel came under new private management, and, in the record-breaking time of a mere 45 days, it made a miraculous transformation from the rather unremarkable Hotel Hellas to the stylish and trendy Hellas Country Club.
After its reopening, the hotel instantly became a hot spot for Athenians, booked solid every weekend throughout most of the year. Only during the summer do things slow down a bit. It is not hard to pinpoint what makes the Hellas Country Club so popular. It offers an appealing balance of comfort, space, style, and service that you will rarely come across in the hotels of the Greek countryside.
One of the main attractions of the Hellas Country Club is its huge sitting room. It is exactly what you would hope for in a place that calls itself a country club. Furnished with comfortable sofas and armchairs, country style antiques and tasteful decoration, it simply begs to be used. It is a great space in which to sprawl out, particularly after dark when every corner has candles lit, and in the winter when you can warm your feet next to a well-stoked fire. The restaurant of the hotel is equally inviting. White slip-covered chairs provide an elegant touch to the slightly rustic decor. It is open for lunch and dinner and offers an interesting array of modern Greek/Southern European cuisine. At breakfast, you will find an impressive buffet of regional delicacies in the restaurant.
The twenty-nine bedrooms and suites are more "club" than "country" in terms of style. Imposing color schemes (burgundy red, olive green and curry yellow), thick carpeted floors, and plush furniture create an almost urban ambience. If you don't step out onto your balcony to enjoy the mountain views, you could easily imagine you are staying at a first-rate Las Vegas hotel. The suave bathrooms, fluffy bathrobes, and well-stocked mini-bars contribute to a feeling of luxury that might be just what you are looking for during a little escape from life-as-you-know-it.
- Directions: From the centre of Karpenisi, follow signs for Koryschades and Megalo Horio. After about 15 km, take the turn-off for Mikro Horio. In the village you will see signs for the hotel.
- Open: All year
- Rooms: 20 doubles, 4 triples and 5 suites for three or four persons, all with private bathroom. Some of the doubles can interconnect to accomodate families. All rooms and suites are equipped with mini-bar, telephone, television, hairdryer and safe.
- Prices: High/very high. Breakfast included.
- Restaurant: Open for lunch and dinner.
- Breakfast: Served from 8.00 to 10.30 in the breakfast room or in the bedrooms (extra charge).
- Suitable for children, cots available.
- Credit cards accepted: AMEX, Diners, MasterCard, Visa.
- Dogs: Allowed upon prior agreement.
