Last reviewed 25 October 2026 · Demetre E. Katsouris, Managing Partner
In a nutshell. Developing a hotel in Greece means passing through four legal stages: planning — whether and how much the plot may host, now under the Special Spatial Planning Framework for Tourism of August 2026; permitting and construction; licensing and classification before opening; and operation under management, franchise or lease agreements. Katsouris Law Firm, whose practice has centred on construction and real property since 1985, advises owners, developers and investors on hotel and tourism development projects across mainland Greece and the islands, from site selection to opening and beyond.
What does the firm do for hotel projects?
- Site and planning: whether the plot meets the 2026 Framework’s area category, plot size, star and bed limits; transitional protection for projects already in the permitting pipeline.
- Permits and licensing: environmental approval, building permit, notification of operation, classification.
- Large and integrated developments: Special Urban Plans, strategic-investment status, complex tourist accommodation.
- Acquisitions and sales: due diligence, asset or share deal, staff, tax.
- Conversions and boutique hotels: turning existing buildings into hotels, in cities and on the islands.
- Operator agreements: management, franchise and lease agreements negotiated for the owner.
- Branded and hotel residences, including their interaction with the Golden Visa.
- Leisure facilities: beaches, marinas, restaurants and wellness.
- Funding: Development Law and ESPA tourism schemes, bank and bond financing.
- Operation: staff, contracts with tour operators and platforms, compliance, disputes.
Why does the construction practice matter for hotels?
Because a hotel is a construction project with an operating business attached. The questions that delay or sink hotel projects — an unlawful permit, a plot below the minimum area, an old encroachment, a contractor’s delay that misses the season — are construction and property questions. The firm’s construction group, its litigation practice and its finance practice work on the same file, so that the hotel owner deals with one firm from land to opening.
Services in this group
- 2026 Tourism Spatial Framework
- Hotel permits and licensing
Frequently asked questions
Can I still build a new hotel on an island after August 2026? Depending on the island’s group and the area category of the municipal unit, subject to the minimum plot area, the star category and the bed caps of the Framework; projects with qualifying approvals or complete applications filed before 7 August 2026 are protected.
Do I need a Greek company to own a hotel? No, but a Greek société anonyme or IKE is usual, for operation, financing and any public funding.
Does the firm work outside Attica? Yes; the firm acts on projects throughout Greece, with local engineers and notaries coordinated from Glyfada.
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This page is general information and does not constitute legal advice. It reflects the law as at the date shown and may change.
