Greek motorcyclist Kostas Mitsakis has traveled to many African destinations, including Egypt and Sudan. He was found recently in Khartoum, where he had stumbled across a Greek treasure — a luxurious hotel which was built back in 1952 by a Greek sailor from the island of Kefalonia.
The “Acropole Hotel” is the oldest hotel in Khartoum, and it originally had only ten rooms. However, it soon expanded to a nearby building, increasing its rooms to a total of 40,” explains the adventurous motorcyclist.
“When you visit Khartoum, which is an ancient city and Sudan’s capital, you should definitely stay there,” he recommends. The hotel is located in the city’s commercial center, at 52 Zubeir Pasha Street.
When Panagiotis Pagoulatos, the founder of the hotel, passed away, his three children took over the business. With their mother’s guidance and their hard work, they managed to turn the hotel into a treasure of the city’s cultural and touristic life.
Back in the 1980s during Sudan’s war with Eritrea, the hotel served as the base for every single international non-governmental organization. The Acropole was the only place in Sudan which had telephone, fax and telefax service, which provided travelers and workers with the ability to communicate with the rest of the world.
By far, the most difficult time time for the storied business was in 1988, when a terrorist attack destroyed large parts of the central building, leaving behind seven dead and several injured.
But incredibly, the Pagoulatos brothers did not give up on their family business despite their heartbreak, and managed to restore and rebuild the hotel in a nearby building.
Today, the Acropole is once again the place in Khartoum to meet businessmen, journalists, archaeologists, United Nations employees — and everyday travelers, of course.
The warm and friendly atmosphere, the hospitality and the impeccable service of the three Greek owners in Sudan have turned The Acropole into a true “Home away from home.”
Original Greek text from Newsbeast.gr
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
