Ioannou, the hotel in the leafy Athens
suburb of Kiffisia is entirely the creation
of Karim Rashid. Guests entering through
the glowing pink glass cube into a lobby
know they are in store for something
radically different than the city's classic
architecture. Juicy pinks, oranges, greens
and yellows make up the hotel's colour
scheme, tinting everything from lobby
couches to transparent glass partitions
in the rooms and the amazing pool tiles
and surrounds. The rooms, including four
rooftop suites and five poolside bungalows
offer both the use of creative materials
(like the opaque glass bathroom wall) and
playful design, such as the light-box art
installations behind each bed. Traditional
"Do Not Disturb" signs have been replaced
with electronic message boards. Guests can
type in personalised messages from the in-
room keyboard Rashid cheekily suggests,
"Hello, I'm single. Please come in."
www.designhotels.com/semiramis