Hotel Indigo, the new boutique hotel located on 500 e Dougherty Street, had its quiet opening this past weekend. The new hotel will be among a handful of other luxury hotels in Athens, such as Foundry Park Inn and Spa and the Hilton Garden Inn. The building stands out from traditional Athens architecture, and, in fact, its contemporary design has riled up Athens’ residents. Most readers on the Athens Banner-Herald site complain that the building does not fit into the classic Roman/Greek architectural feel: “This place looks terrible in downtown Athens. No historic elements in the design at all… another developer fails to recognize why Athens is called 'The Classic City'” (ABH, Carallen). Others feel the structure blends in well, and that the hotel is a vital source of jobs in a town where employment can be hard to come by, especially now: “The new hotel looks great and is an exciting addition to downtown. And the 34 new jobs within walking distance of so many (incl. Bethel residents) is also great news” (ABH, JohnCropp). Besides the hotel’s contested presence in the Classic City, the structure boasts environmentally friendly design and energy resources, one of the first buildings in Athens meeting LEED (standards for environmentally sustainable building) guidelines. Most of us probably will not be able to afford the $130 a night for a room downtown, but there is a reason for us to rejoice! The hotel commissioned a brand new gallery, which Athens’ very own Mercury Art Works will manage. Mercury Art Works will continue to be located in the Chase Street Warehouses on Tracy St. Their first exhibition at the Indigo will be in September and all the rooms in the hotel also feature local art.
Check out Mercury Art Works’ Web site.
Indigo Hotel Web site
Athens Banner-Herald article (and its reader comments!) on the new Hotel Indigo
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