Hotels in Athens

This page will help you find a hotel in Athens if you don't have one already.

Hotels in Athens come in several categories with 5-star being the most luxurious. 4-star corresponds to A-Category, 3-star to B-Category and so on. But the difference in categories does not always have to mean that a hotel is better than another. That is because there are different degrees within a category. Not officially but this is how it works. An agency will describe a hotel as a high C-Category or B-superior. That is because you can have a C-Category that is a better quality than a B. (In some of the islands you can find C-Category hotels that are as good or better than A). So what are the categories for? I don't know. I think it has to do with a number of variables such as size of the lobby, breakfast room, maybe room size too. Of course the price depends on the category but you can find B hotels that are cheaper than the most expensive C hotel. All this does not matter really because what you are looking for is something clean, friendly, centrally located and with AC should you need it, and you want the best hotel for the price. The hotels on this page are the ones that I have stayed at that I think are the best. You can book on this page or by following the links to the hotel or booking through one of the travel agents. I recommend the agency because you are not going to get any better deal booking directly with the hotel and chances are you are going to need to at least speak with an agency at some point, if not rely on one for hotels on the islands and ferry schedules. But if you are a backpacker on a budget and winging it then book directly with one of the C-category hotels I list. I strongly suggest booking your Athens hotel even if you are not planning to book any hotels until you get to Greece. Why not book in advance and stay in a pretty decent economy hotel rather then arrive in Athens, wander around for a couple hours and end up in a dump or at the mercy of a taxi driver who takes you from the airport to a hotel where he gets a commission?

If you have not booked a hotel in advance and still want to try your luck, take a taxi to the Plaka area of Athens. There are several hotels. Walk around until you find one that is priced right and looks comfortable.

Anyway if you are like me, the older you get, the less you feel like wandering around looking for a hotel after you have just gotten off a 10 hour flight. When I get off the plane I want to know that there is a bed somewhere with my name on it. Also I have info from reliable sources (the hotels and travel agents), that hotels fill up fast in Athens. Even now the Adonis, Attalos and the Electra Palace are booked full many nights during periods you might not expect because there are times when people from the islands and villages or other cities in Greece, come to Athens to do business, see relatives or have a holiday themselves. So if you are planning on getting off the plane and wandering around until you find something you may want to reconsider, especially if you are going in July, August and September.

C-Category Hotels
I think it would be tough to find 3 better Budget Hotels than these:

Hotel Attalos
I can think of several reasons to stay at the Hotel Attalo. OK, so it's not in the Plaka. (It's a five minute walk). It is next to the Monastiraki Flea Market and Metro Station (for getting to the boats to the islands). It is a five minute walk to the Acropolis and it is a block from Psiri, the hippest part of Athens with great cafes, ouzeries and restaurants at night. It has a rooftop cafe with a view of the Parthenon, air-conditioning, breakfast, family owned and what else......oh yes. It is a bargain recommended by travelers and professionals! Probably the thing that will impress you most about the Attalos is the level of professionalism in the staff. In my opinion, Kostas Zissis and his staff, particularly Sakis, Savas, and the most elegant night manager in Athens: Mister Lee, could run the Hilton hotel, the Grande Bretagne or any of the expensive luxury hotels in Athens. But here they are at the little old Attalos. Take advantage of quality service at a very low price and the best rooftop bar view in Athens! This is where I stay when I come to Athens unless it is full (which it often is, even in winter, so book early). See their rates on their web page at www.greecetravel.com/attalos

CECIL HOTEL
The Cecil Hotel occupies a beautifully renovated neo-classical building in the heart of old Athens, close to the Ancient Market and the New City Market. It is located near the most central pedestrian street of Athens and it is 20 minutes from the airport, and 20 minutes from the Piraeus port. The Acropolis, the Lycabettus hill, the Philopappus hill, the Syntagma square and other monuments, museums and galleries are some of the countless sights that are very close to the Hotel Cecil. The peaceful picturesque neighborhoods of Plaka and Psiri are only a short walk. The post office, the National Telecommunication Company and the metro station in Monastiraki are also very close to the hotel. Furthermore, Cecil Hotel offers easy walking access to numerous tavernas, restaurants and many places like cafes, nightclubs and cinemas, offering all forms of daytime and evening entertainment for which Athens is famous. Very economically priced too. It is a block away from the Attalos.
For more info and booking go to www.greecetravel.com/hotels/cecil

Adonis Hotel
This small hotel on a quiet side street in the Plaka is clean, comfortable, convenient and quiet. It has a roof garden and a view of the Acropolis where they serve breakfast and coctails, (though not at the same time). In fact the Adonis is probably the best small, inexpensive hotel in the Plaka. That is why it is almost impossible to book any of it's 26 rooms. Most of the people who stay there have stayed there in years past and the owner Spiros Dervos does not have to advertise on the internet or work with agencies. However he does work with Fantasy Travel and if you Use this form and specify you want to stay in the Adonis and there is availability you can get a room there. If not they can find you something nearby.

B-Category Hotels

Athens Cypria
This is a very nice but not very well known hotel in downtown Athens. Formerly the Diomias Hotel it has been totally renovated and is a modern B category. It is on a very small street a couple blocks from Syntagma square and half a block from the pedestrian shopping street of Ermou and quite close to the Plaka and the archaeological sites. I have never stayed here but the reason I know about it is because when Mike Constantinou of Greece Accommodations Direct put us up at the Grande Bretagne to write an article (I'm working on it Mike) we had my mother-in-law with us. For reasons that you can probably imagine we preferred to have her in another hotel somewhere nearby rather then with us. We needed a place where she would not complain too loudly because the quality was not as high as the GB but we did not want to pay $300 a night. Not that she is not worth it. Anyway she loved the hotel. If you are looking for a cheap hotel this is not it. But if you don't mind spending a hundred bucks for a comfortable room, excellent service, AC and a few extras then try the Athens Cypria.
For booking info use this form.

A-Category Hotels

ASTOR HOTEL is an A Class Hotel operating all year round located in the heart of Athens half a block from Syntagma Square. It has a restaurant with a great breakfast menu and an amazing view of the Acropolis. There are a couple bars, roof garden, beauty shop, gift shop and conference room. All the rooms are large, beautifully furnished, with telephone, radio, central heating, color TV and air-conditioning. Rooms on the upper floors have balconies with great views of the Acropolis on one side and Mount Lykevettus on the other side and there are even a couple rooms where you can see both. Fantasy Travel has great rates on this hotel because he books his rooms in advance. The photo on the right I took from my room. For more info see www.hotelsofgreece.com/athens/astor

Kafsona and the Electra Palace Hotel!!!

The word kafson means heatwave. It used to fill me with fear when it would appear in the headlines of the Athens news. Who wants to be in Athens when it is 100 degrees? Sure the big hotels have AC as do some of the smaller hotels. But who wants to be confined to a small air-conditioned room, or in a large fully air-conditioned hotel far from the sights? The answer is the Electra Palace which is large enough so you don't feel claustrophobic and right in the middle of the Plaka so you can go out and return as frequently as you need to. It also has a pool!

To read about the hotel and my kafsona cure visit www.greecetravel.com/hotels/electrapalace

10 Reasons to Stay at the Armonia Hotel
1) Out of the center of Athens
2) Quiet location on the Beach
3)Closest Hotel to the new Airport
4) Easy access to the Archaeological sites of Athens
5) Close to Sounion
6) Easy Access to Piraeus ferry and cruise ships
7) Quality hotel
8) Vouliagmeni is a great neighborhood
9) The Swimming Pool
10) Because you may never want to leave

Vouliagmeni is the Gold coast, the Riviera of Athens, less than an hour from downtown. For more info on this hotel visit www.hotelsofgreece.com/athens/armonia

Luxury Hotels

The Grande Bretagne

Yes. I stayed at the Grande Bretagne. Some of you who have known me over the years may be surprised. I had to throw away most of my clothes before I checked in but I did a little shopping and I actually fit right in with the GB crowd. I know many people will think that the experience will change me but I want to assure you that I am still the same old Matt, despite the experience. OK. The Grande Bretagne, for those of you who don't know is the oldest and most elegant luxury hotel in Athens and one of the finest and most well-known in the world. A room there will cost you a couple hundred bucks a night at least but if you have the money it is worth it. I didn't have the money but because the GB has such an amazing history, my friend Mike Constantinou of Greece Accommodations Direct put me up there so I could write an article about it. I don't know if the staff knew who I was or what I do but they sure treated us nice. In fact for the three days we were there I did not want to leave the hotel. And then the day we were supposed to leave we were wait-listed and our flight was full so we had to stay another night. I was very happy.I don't know if Mike was. There are other luxury hotels but they are new, modern and miles away from downtown. The Grande Bretagne (and our room) overlooks Syntagma Square and you can watch the changing of the Evzone guards from your balcony. We had a view of the Parthenon, tons of channels on the TV, a fridge full of booze and snacks and a room service menu about 8 pages long. Incredible breakfast buffett in the GB Corner. I could go on but I need to save it for the article (don't worry Mike). For information and t o read my review of the hotel visit www.greecetravel.com/hotels/grandebretagne

The Athens Plaza is a very fine hotel, one building away from the Grande Bretagne and also right on Syntagma Square. Highly recommended if you have the money or your company is paying the bill. If the GB is Old World Elegance then the Plaza is the modern world. Yes, I actually stayed here too, incognito, courtesy of George at Fantasy Travel so I would have an impression of his idea of elegance. It was pretty nice. The rooms were as comfortable as a human could stand it and the restaurant was great. Good AC, big lobby and great location too. See www.hotelsofgreece.com/athens/plaza

Booking Hotels in Athens

As for other hotels, I recommend getting in touch with Kiki Zikou at Dolphin Hellas Travel or George at Fantasy Travel. They can send you a list and do your bookings for you and make sure everything runs smoothly. I suggest finding hotels either in or within walking distance of the Plaka. If you are staying at a hotel further away, you can always find a taxi at the front entrance, but getting one back to the hotel is not as easy. Below I have listed hotels that Dolphin and Fantasy book. The prices you get from them should be about 20% cheaper then what you will get directly from these hotels. Because these agencies send the hotels a high percentage of their business they get reduced rates which they can pass on to the customers. Many travelers will say with pride that they never work with agencies and book hotels themselves. Maybe in other countries this will save them money. But hotels that try to undercut their own agency rates are either unscrupulous or desperate. Also some agencies pre-book rooms for the season and will sometimes offer these rooms for very low rates as incentive to use the agency for cruises, island hotels or packages.

There are other reasons to use an Athens based travel agency to book your hotels besides the discount. The first has to do with scheduling. Because the agency has ferry schedules at their disposal they can book a room knowing you will be able to make your connection. You may do your own bookings for Athens or the islands and find that because you misread the schedule or your boat was delayed you are unable to to use the room you have reserved and paid for, and you need a room for the night on the island you are delayed on. Unless you want to deal with all this yourself it is better to have the agency deal with it.

This leads to why a Greek agency rather then your local agent: If you should find yourself in a situation where you need help, your US travel agent is not exactly in a position to assist you. The time difference is an obvious problem as is the cost of long distance calls. A Greek travel agent who has a relationship with the hotels can solve any problems before they start and should you find yourself stranded on an island far from the hotel that has been booked for you, a call to Athens will get you off the hook and get you a room for the night.

If you are booking hotels on your own and you just want to book a night or two in Athens you will be better off booking directly with the hotel. The reason is that for bookings which don't total $300, many agencies must add a $50 service charge to pay for their work since comissions are low. Of course a couple nights in a high catagory hotel will come to well over the minumum. But if you want a couple nights at the Attalos or a c-catagory hotel, then book directly with the hotel unless you are using the agency to book your hotels in the islands as well as ferries and flights. If you are backpacking on the islands or island hopping without booking in advance I definitely recommend booking your Athens hotel before you get there. If you get to Athens and realize that you would rather book the rest of your trip with an agency I suggest contacting one of the agencies I recommend rather then putting your faith in a taxi driver, hotel concierge or some 'friendly guy on the street'.

If you are having trouble finding availability for the hotels you want try contacting Fantasy Travel. They buy rooms in advance and when the hotels and other agents have nothing left they may still have availabilty. Use this form and under comments let them know which hotel you are interested in if there is one in particular.

Where to Stay in Athens

When in Athens the desirable areas to stay in are the Plaka, Makrianni, Koukaki, Thission, Syntagma and Monastiraki. These areas all border the Acropolis and the archeological park around it. Everything you need including shops, restaurants, the metro to the ferries, buses, taxis and nightlife is within walking distance. Don't get stuck in areas like Ambelokipi, Illissia, Omonia or Alexandras which are noisy and far from the sights. Traffic can be pretty bad in Athens and a trip downtown may take you an hour or more. For this reason be aware if you are booking through a US-based travel agent because in many cases they may know the classification of the hotel but be totally ignorant of the location, which is very important. Some of the nicest American style hotels have lousy locations and in most cases there is a comparable hotel within walking distance of the Acropolis. Most of the hotels near the beach provide transportation to the sights of the city, but ask just to make sure.

More Hotels in Athens

The following are not necessarily the hotels I stay in or recommend but I had the pictures and the photos so I decided why not give this page a professional travel page look

St George Lycabettus: Deluxe catagory, A/C, central heating, bar, restaurant, swiming pool, located in colorful Kolonaki 15 minutes from the Plaka. Great Hotel with excellent rates in August.	Intercontinental: Deluxe Category, A/C, central heating, 2 bars, 4 restaurants, swimming pool, in-house movies and satelite TV, health study, bank, shops and convention facilities. 20 minute walk to the Plaka.	Ledra Marriott: Deluxe Category, A/C/, central heat, rooftop swimming pool, bar, 3 restaurants, conference rooms, half hour from the Acropolis and Plaka.
The Hilton: Deluxe catagory, A/C, central heating, swimming pool, 3 bars, 4 restaurants, convention facilities, health club, shops, bank, in-house movies and satelite TV, but a long walk from the Plaka.	Divani Acropolis:Deluxe Category, A/C, central heating, bar, restaurant, taverna, conference facilities, pool, roof garden, 5 minutes walk from Acropolis and the Plaka.	Royal Olympic: Deluxe Category, A/C, central heating, restaurant, bar, garden, pool, confrence room, satelite TV, 10 minutes from the Plaka and Syntagma.
Best Western Athens Gate:B Category,A/C, central heating, roof garden,bar, restaurant, 10-15 minute walk from the Plaka and Syntagma.	Hotel Plaka: B Category, A/C, central heating, roof garden, bar, restaurant, right off Syntagma square.	Austria: C Category, A/C, bar, roof garden with view of the Acropolis, quiet neighborhood 15 minutes walk from the Plaka.

You can book any of these hotels through Kiki at Dolphin Hellas Travel or George at Fantasy Travel .
Other C Category hotels in or near the Plaka are: Philippos, Hermes, Apollon, and of course Cecil , Adonis and the Attalos

You can find more Athens Hotels and reviews at www.hotelsofgreece.com/athens

Approximate Prices of Hotels in Euros*
Class	Single Room	Double Room
L	250 and up	250 and up
A	75 - 160	100 - 200
B	60 - 100	80 - 120
C	35 - 85	50 - 130
Special	Villas, houses and apartments: Prices Vary
One Euro is aprox. .90 US Dollars (about 90 cents)
D and E catagory are almost non-existent in Athens. Rates for all catagory hotels vary from season to season. High season is July until the end of September. There is a Youth Hostel in Athens near Victoria Square at 16 Victor Hugo Street, Tel. 210 5231095

See Athens from the Island of Poros

Poros, hotels, Poros accommodations, rooms in Poros, Pavlou hotel in Poros, hotel Pavlou, Greek island hotels, hotels in Greece, Greece

Who says you have to stay in Athens to see Athens? OK. Cities are not for everyone. So why not stay on an island that is one hour from Athens? You can be on the Acropolis in and hour and a half! (Sometimes it takes that long from the Hilton). The island of Poros is a sensible option to city life and it is also a 3-minute boat ride from the Peloponisos. Base yourself there and see the sites and be home in time for a swim before dinner. See www.greektravel.com/greekislands/poros

What is the best way to book your holiday to Greece? Can you really save by using auto-booking systems or by booking directly with the hotels? Are Travel Agencies a thing of the past? Read my article Endangered Species about the internet and the disappearance of the small personalized service travel agency.

Return to Athens Survival Guide Index