Map: Hotels in the Plaka & Syntagma
Map: Psyrri Hotels & Restaurants
In Makrigianni and Koukaki, Behind the Acropolis
Map: Makrigianni & Koukaki Hotels & Restaurants
Because of the economic situation in Greece, you’ll find good values in Athens hotels. Prices are soft, and if you show up without a reservation, you’ll often get a deep discount. Still, small, inexpensive hotels in the Plaka and Syntagma area are relatively scarce, listed in all the guidebooks, and filled with other tourists. For this reason, be willing to expand your search beyond the old center. I’ve found several gems in the Makrigianni and Koukaki neighborhoods, behind the Acropolis and a short walk from the Plaka action. These typically offer better value and a more sedate and authentic (rather than bustling and touristy) experience. Reserve ahead, especially in the summer months.
Check the hotel’s website for special deals, and try asking for a lower price. Local travel agencies also have access to discount rates for many hotels (including some listed here). But don’t be sucked in by some of the very cheap, too-good-to-be-true deals: Most of those are located in sleazy districts around Omonia Square, or down in the coastal suburbs of Glyfada and Voula—far from the places you’ve come to see. You’ll pay a premium to stay near the Acropolis...and it’s worth it. Many hotels have Acropolis-view rooms—some for no extra charge, but usually for a higher rate.
In general, lower your expectations. In ramshackle Athens, any room less than €75 will likely come with very well-worn bathrooms and furnishings. At least they’re clean...or as clean as an old hotel room can be.
If you want a bathtub, ask for one when you reserve, as most hotel bathrooms have just a shower. All over Greece, including Athens, most bathrooms have ancient plumbing that clogs very easily. Rather than flushing toilet paper, dispose of it in the wastebasket next to the toilet. This may seem unusual, but it keeps the sewer system working and prevents you from getting cozy with your hotel janitor.
Athens is a noisy city, and Athenians like to stay out late. This, combined with the abundance of heavy traffic on city streets, can make things challenging for light sleepers. I’ve tried to recommend places in quieter areas, but that’s not always possible. Many hotels were renovated for the Olympics, adding “soundproof” doors and windows that can be successful at blocking out noise. Still, be ready to use earplugs.
These interchangeable places, scattered between the Plaka and Syntagma Square, were spiffed up for the 2004 Olympics. Today they offer predictable business-class comfort and fairly new-feeling rooms.
$$$ Hotel Plaka has a rooftop bar/terrace and 67 modern rooms (some with Acropolis views) with updated bathrooms. Its classy management adds some nice touches, such as a staff member on hand at breakfast to answer any and all travel questions (Sb-€50-105, Db-€95-135, €5-10 more with balcony, superior Db with Acropolis view-€120-150—request in advance, Tb-€85-145, 10 percent discount if you reserve direct and show this book at check-in, prices are soft—check website for deals, mostly for longer stays—and lower Nov-March, elevator, free Wi-Fi and guest computer, at the corner of Mitropoleos and Kapnikarea, reservation tel. 210-322-2706, reception tel. 210-322-2096, www.plakahotel.gr, plaka@athenshotelsgroup.com).
$$$ Central Hotel has 84 sleek rooms, even sleeker public spaces, and an anonymous business-class vibe. There are several classes of rooms, based on whether they have balconies and/or views. If you stick with the cheaper rooms, it’s a good value (Sb-€90, standard Sb-€110, superior Sb-€130, superior-plus Sb-€150, Db-€110, standard Db-€130, superior Db-€150, superior-plus Db-€170, rates often €10-20 less in slower times—call or email to inquire, about €20 cheaper in winter, elevator, free Wi-Fi and guest computer, swanky rooftop terrace with café and Jacuzzi, Apollonos 21, tel. 210-323-4357 or 210-321-1130, www.centralhotel.gr, reservation@centralhotel.gr).
$$$ Hermes Hotel, professionally run by the folks at Hotel Plaka, is nearly as nice, located on a quiet street closer to Syntagma and a little less convenient to the ancient sites. Many of its 45 rooms have balconies, and guests share a pleasant lounge, a kids’ activity room, and a rooftop patio with a peek at the Acropolis (Sb-€75-105, Db-€95-135, Tb-€85-145, 10 percent discount if you reserve direct and show this book at check-in, prices are soft—check website for deals, mostly for longer stays—and lower Nov-March, elevator, free Wi-Fi and guest computer, Apollonos 19, reservation tel. 210-322-2706, reception tel. 210-323-5514, www.hermeshotel.gr, hermes@athenshotelsgroup.com).
$$ Hotel Acropolis House was once a wealthy lawyer’s villa, and it still feels homey. You’ll find antiques scattered amid the dark-wood furnishings in its lobby and 23 rooms, offered at what its owners call “realistic prices.” Many have balconies—ask about one when you reserve. Rooms without a bath have a private bathroom across the hall (S-€55, Sb-€70, D-€68, Db-€83, 20 percent less off-season, check website for deals, reserve with credit card but pay in cash, no elevator, free Wi-Fi, Kodrou 6-8, tel. 210-322-2345, www.acropolishouse.gr, htlarchs@otenet.gr, charmingly gregarious Jasmine and Andreas).
$$ Niki Hotel has 23 tight-but-trendy rooms with artistic touches and reasonable rates. Rooms in the back are a bit darker, and, hence, cheaper (back Db-€65, front Db-€75, bigger view Db-€80, €10-20 cheaper off-season, Qb view suite available, no single rooms/rates, elevator, free guest computer and Wi-Fi, café, Nikis 27, tel. 210-322-0913, www.nikihotel.gr, info@nikihotel.gr).
$$ Hotel Adonis, with 26 retro-simple rooms, stands on the quiet, traffic-free upper reaches of Kodrou, right in the heart of the Plaka. The rooms on the fourth floor have good views of the Acropolis, as does the rooftop bar (Sb-€50, Db-€75, Tb-€75-90, 40 percent cheaper Nov-March, check website for deals, roof-terrace breakfast, elevator, free Wi-Fi, public areas can be smoky, Kodrou 3, tel. 210-324-9737, www.hotel-adonis.gr, info@hotel-adonis.gr, owner Spiros, assisted by Nikos).
$$ Pan Hotel is an old-school business hotel centrally located just below Syntagma Square. The 33 rooms are well-maintained, with nicely renovated bathrooms (Sb-€70, Db-€85, Tb-€110, €10 cheaper Oct-April, check online for best deals, elevator, free Wi-Fi, Mitropoleos 11, tel. 210-323-7816, www.panhotel.gr, reservations@panhotel.gr).
$ Hotel Phaedra is simple but wonderfully located, overlooking a peaceful Plaka square with ancient ruins and a Byzantine church. The very institutional hallways lead to 21 nicely appointed rooms. Rooms without a bath have a private bathroom across the hall (Sb-€60, D-€60, twin Db-€70, Db with balcony-€80, T-€75, Tb-€80-85, 15-20 percent less off-season, breakfast-€5, check website for deals, Acropolis-view rooftop terrace, elevator, free Wi-Fi, 2 blocks from Hadrian’s Arch at Herefondos 16, at intersection with Adrianou, tel. 210-323-8461, www.hotelphaedra.com, info@hotelphaedra.com, brothers Kostas and Stamatis).
$ Hotel Kimon is a crank-’em-out hotel with little character. However, the 16 rooms are well-maintained, the location—in the Plaka, near the cathedral—is handy, and the prices are affordable (Sb-€30-60, Db-€55-80, 10-20 percent less off-season, breakfast-€8, no elevator, free guest computer and Wi-Fi, top-floor terrace with a corner that looks up at the Acropolis, Apollonos 27, tel. 210-331-4658, www.kimonhotelathens.com, info@kimonhotelathens.com).
$ Student & Travellers’ Inn by Greco Hostel is a good backpacker place in the Plaka, and the perfect spot to meet up with other young travelers. The 33 renovated rooms come in all shapes and sizes, from dorms with communal bathrooms to private rooms. An in-house travel agency specializes in trips to the Greek islands (dorm beds-€16-20 depending on room size, S-€40, Sb-€50, D-€45, Db-€50, T-€56, Tb-€60, all prices vary with demand, €1 less for Hosteling International members, prices 30 percent cheaper Nov-March, breakfast-€3-5, open 24 hours, elevator, free guest computer and Wi-Fi, laundry service-€8, courtyard bar, kitchen, Kidathineon 16, tel. 210-324-4808, www.studenttravellersinn.com, info@studenttravellersinn.com, managed by Pericles, a.k.a. Perry). More beds at a cheaper price are available at the Athens International Youth Hostel (a.k.a. “Hotel Victor Hugo”), a high-rise hostel just outside the tourist zone near the Metaxourghio Metro stop, with recently renovated, Greek island-themed rooms (free guest computer and Wi-Fi, kitchen, 16 Victor Hugo, see map on here, tel. 210-523-2540, www.athens-international.com, info@athens-international.com).
$$$ Hotel Grande Bretagne, a five-star splurge with 320 sprawling and elegantly furnished rooms, is considered the best hotel in Greece and ranks among the grand hotels of the world. It’s the place to stay if you have royal blood—or wish you did and feel like being treated like royalty for a few days. Built in 1862 to accommodate visiting heads of state, it became a hotel in 1874 and still retains its 19th-century elegance. No other hotel in Athens can boast such a rich history (Sb/Db-generally around €350, can vary based on demand, American-style breakfast-€25, elevator, free Wi-Fi in lobby, pricey Wi-Fi in rooms, overlooking Syntagma Square at Vassileos Georgiou 1, tel. 210-333-0000, www.grandebretagne.gr, info.gb@starwoodhotels.com). If you’d rather just eat here, consider their recommended rooftop restaurant.
$$$ Hotel Electra Palace is a luxury five-star hotel with 150 rooms in a quiet corner of the Plaka, not far from Syntagma. It’s pricey but plush, if a bit snooty, with top-notch service and elegance (Db-€220, “superior” Db with Acropolis view and balcony-€275, Db suite-€450; in slow times rates can drop to Db-€160—sometimes even less, superior Db-€240; check website for deals, elevator, pay Wi-Fi in rooms, free Wi-Fi in public areas, garden patio, indoor pool, Acropolis-view outdoor pool, Nikodimou 18-20, tel. 210-337-0000, www.electrahotels.gr, salesepath@electrahotels.gr). Their second hotel—Hotel Electra, at #5 on the busy pedestrian Ermou street—has four stars and lower rates.
$$$ Athens Center Square Hotel is part of the Plaka and Hermes Hotel chain but is much less expensive, mainly because it’s farther away from the main sightseeing action, and over a very seedy square. Inside, however, its 54 modern rooms are fresh, minimalist, and colorfully painted (albeit with very small bathrooms). The wonderful roof garden has commanding Acropolis views (Sb-€59-99, Db-€70-125, 10 percent discount when you reserve direct and show this book at check-in, free Wi-Fi, across from market hall just off Athinas street at Aristogitonos 15, reservation tel. 210-322-2706, reception tel. 210-321-1770, www.athenscentersquarehotel.gr, acs@athenshotelsgroup.com).
$$ Hotel Cecil has 36 rooms in a formerly grand, then faded, and now lightly updated old building. The rooms can be a bit worn, but the price is decent, the breakfast is generous, and the location—between Monastiraki and the Central Market, on the edge of the Psyrri neighborhood—is convenient. Its antique, iron-cage elevator is so rare that the manufacturer wanted it for the company museum and offered to replace it for free—but the owners declined (Sb-€55, Db-€75, Tb-€90, family room-€120, €5-10 more for popular top-floor rooms, about 20 percent less off-season, prices fluctuate with demand, free Wi-Fi, ask for quieter room at back or on an upper floor, Athinas 39, tel. 210-321-7079, www.cecil.gr, info@cecil.gr, Trevlakis family).
$$ Hotel Attalos, an 80-room budget standby, is a bit tired but peaceful, friendly, well-run, and conveniently close to Monastiraki Square. Their roof garden offers commanding Acropolis views and a great bar (Sb-€70, Db-€85, Tb-€110, Qb-€134, about €10 more with balcony, soft prices, much cheaper Nov-March, 10 percent discount for Rick Steves readers, breakfast-€8, elevator, free guest computer and Wi-Fi, Athinas 29, tel. 210-321-2801, www.attaloshotel.com, info@attaloshotel.com).
$ Hotel Phidias, in the Thissio neighborhood behind the Ancient Agora, has a charming location right on the delightful Apostolou Pavlou pedestrian drag. The 15 rooms are dated and faded, but reasonably priced for this location. Streetside rooms get some noise from nearby cafés—especially on weekends—so consider asking for a quieter back room (Sb-€59, Db-€69, Tb-€79, €10 less off-season, elevator, free Wi-Fi, Apostolou Pavlou 39—for location see map on here, tel. 210-345-9511, www.phidias.gr, phidiasa@otenet.gr).
$ Hotel Tempi, run by friendly Yiannis and Katerina, offers old-fashioned hospitality at old-fashioned prices. The 24 rooms are spartan, the hallways can smell of cleaning agent, and the bathrooms are cramped and minimal (especially the shared ones)—but the rates are just right. It’s well-situated on a quiet, pedestrian-only section of Aiolou street, around the corner from Monastiraki Square. Ask for a room at the front—they come with balconies that overlook the flower markets on Plateia Agia Irini and have views of the Acropolis (S-€30, Sb-€42, D-€42, Db-€52, Tb-€60, cheaper Nov-March, no elevator, free Wi-Fi, lots of stairs, kitchen/breakfast room, optional breakfast at café next door-€6 and up, Aiolou 29, tel. 210-321-3175, www.tempihotel.gr, info@tempihotel.gr).
The Plaka has abundant charm...and abundant noise, crowds, and higher prices. Instead, consider making the adjoining residential Makrigianni and Koukaki neighborhoods, just south of the Acropolis, your home base in Athens. With the Acropolis Museum standing boldly as its gateway, this typically Athenian urban area—full of six-story concrete apartment buildings, colorful grocery stores, and corner cafés—offers tourists the chance to become a temporary Athenian. Most importantly, it allows easy access to the sights (all of the following hotels are within a 10-minute walk of the Dionysiou Areopagitou pedestrian boulevard under the Acropolis, and the edge of the Plaka). Be aware that some locals call Makrigianni the “south Plaka” instead.
These hotels are all located between the Akropoli and Syngrou-Fix Metro stops on line 2/red.
$$$ Hotel Hera is a tempting splurge, with 38 plush rooms above a classy lobby. With helpful service, lots of thoughtful little touches, an air of elegance, and a handy location near the Acropolis end of this neighborhood, it’s a great value for this price range (Sb-€95-110, small Db-€100, Db-€130, €20 extra for Acropolis-view room on fourth floor, cheaper Nov-March, breakfast-€15, check website for deals, elevator, free Wi-Fi and guest computer, rooftop Acropolis-view restaurant open for dinner only, Falirou 9, tel. 210-923-6682, www.herahotel.gr, info@herahotel.gr).
$$$ Hotel Acropolis Select has 72 rooms over a stylish lobby. Well-run by Kyriaki, it features a can-do staff and a generous breakfast. Their service ethic goes way beyond the norm—they’ve been known to send a guide on a motorbike to lead lost drivers to the hotel (Db-€80-120 depending on size and season, elevator, guest computer in lobby, free Wi-Fi, Falirou 37-39—look for flags out front, tel. 210-921-1611, www.acropoliselect.gr, selective@ath.forthnet.gr).
$$ Art Gallery Hotel is a comfy, cozy, well-run small hotel with 22 rooms near the top of a pleasant, pedestrian stair-step lane. The original artwork in the halls and rooms adds boutique-hotel charm (Sb-€40-70, Db-€50-80, Tb-€70-100, breakfast-€7, credit cards OK, elevator, free Wi-Fi, Erechthiou 5, tel. 210-923-8376 or 210-923-1933, www.artgalleryhotel.gr, artgalleryhotel@gmail.com). Say hello to Nelly and Artie, the hotel’s cats.
$$ Athens Studios, run by the gang at Athens Backpackers (described later), rents nicely appointed, good-value apartments with retro-mod decor, kitchens, and other nice touches (Db-€60-85, Tb-€60-85, Qb-€80-120, 6b-€90-150, check website for deals, much cheaper off-season, elevator, pay guest computer, free Wi-Fi; sports bar, fish café, and public launderette on ground floor; long-term luggage storage available, Veikou 3A, tel. 210-923-5811, www.athensstudios.gr, info@athensstudios.gr, Daniel).
$ Marble House Pension is a small, family-run place hiding at the end of a little cul-de-sac, a few minutes’ walk past my other listings in this area. The 16 cozy rooms are simple but well cared for, and (true to its name) it’s decorated with real marble. If you don’t mind the dreary urban location, it’s an excellent deal (Sb-€35, D-€40, Db-€45, Tb-€55, Qb-€65, cheaper late Oct-mid-March, closed Jan-Feb, breakfast-€5, air-con-€6/day available in Db and Tb, no elevator, pay guest computer, free Wi-Fi, 5-minute walk from Syngrou-Fix Metro at Zini 35a—from Zini street take the alley to the left of the tidy Catholic church, tel. 210-923-4058 or 210-922-8294, www.marblehouse.gr, info@marblehouse.gr).
$ Athens Backpackers is the best place in town for backpacker bonding. Youthful and fun-loving (with two different bars on the premises), and well-run by gregarious Aussies, it offers good bunks and an opportunity to meet up with other travelers (€15-25/bunk depending on room type and season, all rooms have 3-6 beds and bathroom, free Wi-Fi, public launderette at Athens Studios, runs day trips from Athens, Makri 12, tel. 210-922-4044, www.backpackers.gr, info@backpackers.gr).