Hotel Rex in Kalamata marks 124 years of history

The Hotel Rex, located on Aristomenous Street in Kalamata, was founded in 1899 and opened in 1902 under the name "Panellinion" by the Stasinopoulos family. Its establishment coincided with a period of economic growth driven by the city’s port, which exported olive oil, raisins, figs, olives and silk. In 1935 the hotel was renamed "Rex" and was extensively modernised, adding central heating, hot and cold water, an elevator and other contemporary facilities.

During the German occupation the building was requisitioned, and in the autumn of 1944 it hosted the signing of an agreement between resistance leader Aris Velouchiotis and government representative Panagiotis Kanellopoulos. A third floor was added in the 1960s, but the 1986 earthquake caused severe damage, leading to a decade‑long reconstruction that preserved only the historic façade. Today the hotel operates 44 rooms and suites after a comprehensive interior redesign, with plans for further renovations to maintain its role as a landmark of Kalamata.