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Best Hotels in Athens
Athens with its more than 5 million inhabitants is one of the largest cities in Europe. Nevertheless, it is much easier to choose where to stay in Athens than in other European capitals. A large part of the city’s hotel offer is concentrated in its historical center and surrounding neighborhoods, in a compact area that can be explored on foot.
The center of Athens is articulated around the Akropolis and covers an area that on the map seems much larger than it is. It includes neighborhoods like Syntagma, Plaka, Monastiraki, Psiri, Thisio, Omonoia and others.
In my opinion the best areas to stay in Athens are Syntagma, Plaka, Monastiraki, and Kolonaki.
Contents
Tips
Click here to find a good deal on the website Booking.com, a very popular site for finding great rooms in Athens.
It’s best not to stay very far away from the main attractions in the city. Focus of the neighborhoods of Thissieo, Plaka, Koukaki, Syntagma and Monastiraki when looking for available hotels. These are the best areas in Athens.
Always book your accommodations in advance. The city is a tourist hotspot especially during the month of may until around October.
If you’re catching a ferry to another greek island, stay in the areas close to the monastiraki metro station. It’s the best option to reach the Piraeus Port. Boats tend to leave early in the morning so be sure to arrive before 7 am just to be sure. You can also try taking a taxi to the port but it’s not recommended due to uncertainty in the exact time of arrival.
Top Picks
Located in syntagma square, Grande Bretagne is the top luxury hotel in Athens.
On the other hand, Plaka’s AthensWas Hotel is the top boutique hotel.
If travelling on a budget, go for the Plaka’s Phaedra hotel, Monastiraki’s A for Athens and Athens Center Square or Syntagma’s (also near Plaka) Myrto Hotel
Try the Ava Hotel and Suites if you’re travelling to Athens with your family.
Best Hotels in Athens
1. The Grande Bretagne Hotel
- Excellent View of the city
Hailed as the top luxurious hotel in all of Athens, this hotel has everything you’d ever need. A spa, a wine bar and a garden restaurant located at the very top of the hotel where you can admire the magnificent view of the city of Athens.
With its strategic location in the syntagma square, this hotel is only walking distance from many major tourist attraction sites including the parthenon, the acropolis and the first olympic stadium.
Location: Syntagma square
Contact:+30 210-3330000
2. The King George Hotel
- Has the best view of Acropolis
Located close to Grande Bretagne, this hotel is also a few steps away from all the great historical sites. The King George boasts an excellent staff, top-notch service and breathtaking rooms that will surely enhance your stay.
Location: Syntagma square
Contact:+30 210 322-2210
3. The AthensWas Hotel
- Best hotel in Plaka
- Has the best view of the Parthenon
The AthensWas hotel is a small but well-recommended hotel in Plaka. It is located in a pedestrian-friendly area of the neighborhood. This hotel boasts large rooms, great hospitality and top-notch accommodation.
Location: Plaka
Contact:+30 21 0924 9954
4. The Royal Olympic Hotel
- Best hotel near Plaka
This hotel features a luxurious restaurant in the roof with a breathtaking view of the city and large rooms that guarantee comfort. The Royal Olympic is a short walk away from the great Acropolis and its museum. It’s located in a street across the center of Plaka.
Location: Plaka
Contact:+30 210-9288400
5. The Coco-Mat Hotel
- Small, modern and stylish hotel
With its modern design, Coco-mat is a breath of fresh air. This hotel is located in a busy neighborhood crawling with various stores. It’s only half an hour walk from all the major sites and has a bar at the roof where you can drink and enjoy the amazing view of the city.
Location: Kolonaki
Contact:+30 21 0723 0000
6. The New Hotel
- Small but well styled hotel
This hotel, like the coco-mat, has modernized designs. It’s very close to the Syntagma square and has a bar at the roof as well as a restaurant. This hotel has plenty of little add-ons to their rooms that really enhance the experience for guests.
Location: Plaka
Contact:+30 21 0327 3000
7. Electra Palace Hotel
This hotel is the best place to stay in if you’re travelling to the city with your family. It’s large and spacious rooms would be more than enough to accommodate everybody comfortably. The Electra has a pool on the rooftop as well as the basement. Located in a busy neighborhood, plenty of restaurants are very accessible from this hotel.
Location: Plaka
Contact:+30 210-3370000
8. The Periscope Hotel
This small penthouse boasts an outdoor jacuzzi where you can relax while enjoying a view of the city. The periscope is designed to be modern and minimalistic. It is located in a peaceful part of Kolonaki near boutiques and stores.
Location: Plaka
Contact:+30 21 0729 7200
9. The St. George Lycabettus
Located in Lycabettus hill, this hotel has great view of both the parthenon and the acropolis but only if you got a good room. Otherwise, you can just enjoy it from the rooftop, the swimming pool or the lobby.
Location: Kolonaki
Contact:+30 21 0741 6000
10. The Hilton Athens
The Hilton has Athens’ best swimming pool. It has adequately spaced rooms and a great staff. It’s walking distance from Plaka and Syntagma Square as well as the Monastiraki Metro Station.
Location: Kolonaki
Contact:+30 210-7281000
11. O and B Athens Boutique Hotel
From this hotel, you’re only a couple of minutes away from the Thissio station, Acropolis and the sunday Flea Market. It’s a warm and cozy hotel that comes with a breakfast buffet and a great view of Acropolis.
Location: Psirri
Contact:+30 21 0331 2940
12. InterContinental Athenaeum
If distance from the main attractions isn’t a problem for you and you’re mainly focused on the quality of the hotel, then give InterContinental Athenaeum a try. It’s a good 20 minutes walking distance from Plaka but a free shuttle comes every 30 mins to take the guests to the city’s main attractions. This hotel has a great pool, large rooms and, even though from a distance, an amazing view of acropolis. You can also take the nearby tram or a train going to Syntagma square.
Location: Koukaki
Contact:+30 210-9206000
13. The Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens
This hotel is one of the best places you can stay in while in Athens. It’s got great rooms, great amenities, stunning view of the beach and even activities made especially for kids. If you’re travelling with your family to Athens then go for this hotel. Although it’s a little far from everything, the hotel has a shuttle service that takes guests to Glyfada for free, or they’ll pay for the taxi to take you to Glyfada if the bus is not available.
Location: The coast
Contact:+30 21 0890 1000
The Neighborhood of Plaka
One of the best parts of Athens is Plaka. A very accomodating neighborhood that’s bursting with life. Enjoy walking in its ancient streets close to the famous athenian landmark, the Acropolis. Immerse yourself in Greek culture and visit the Museum of Popular musical Instruments and the museum for Folk Art. See for yourself the Ancient and the Roman Agoras that helped shaped the world. In the middle of Plaka sits the Monastiraki Train Station that makes hopping from one place to another, an absolute breeze.
See the beauty of the neighborhood from acropolis.
A local favorite, The Brettos wine bar and its homey atmosphere attracts both local and tourists. An amazing find located right in the heart of Plaka.
Historical gems adorn this neighborhood like the Stoa and the Roman Agora.
As much as you can, avoid the big, luxurious restaurants and wander through the neighborhood to find the little stores that serve home cooked food. This is the best way you can get a taste of the true flavor of Plaka.
Plaka is so used to tourists that souvenir shops are found everywhere.
Where should you stay in Plaka?
- AthensWas Hotel
- Electra Palace Hotel Athens
- New Hotel
- Athens Gate Hotel
- Ava Hotel
- All Hotels in the Plaka
The neighboring area of monastiraki
If you’re looking for a more serene experience, go for Monastiraki instead of Plaka. While both neighborhoods have the same homey and accommodating feel to them, Monastiraki has more stores than Plaka. It’s offerings are more diverse too. From antiques to cultural crafts and even a sunday Flea market, Monastiraki is an area that’s more for shopping than sightseeing. This neighborhood is the perfect place to stay if you plan to ride a ferry in Piraeus or get to the airport in Athens because it’s connected to both of them by the Monastiraki Station.
The Monastiraki train station connecting Monastiraki to both piraeus and athens, makes it an ideal place to spend the night if you plan to reach either of them early the next morning.
Monastiraki is the best place to taste authentic Greek food. Unlike Plaka, this place gets lesser share of the spotlight and therefore less tourist.
Acropolis on the horizon as seen from a street in Monastiraki.
Here are the best places to stay when in Monastiraki:
(Best place to stay if you plan to catch the ferry early the next day)
Experience Koukaki
Another great place in Athens is Koukaki. It’s a great neighborhood that’s perfect for tourists who wish to see more of Greece without getting overwhelmed the number of visitors in the area. Koukaki has a great view of the acropolis and the parthenon.
Koukaki and the acropolis museum as seen from the Acropolis
Farmer’s market in Koukaki only open on Sundays
Koukaki has a smaller number of tourists that it’s easy to find a store where you’ll be the only tourist at a given moment.
Where should you stay when you’re in Koukaki?
Experience Syntagma
Syntagma is One of the most eventful places in Greece. All the major sites, hotels, stores and banks are in this place. It is the center for tourism and business in the city. It has a very accessible metro station to conveniently take you to the different parts of the country. Many major tourist attractions are walking distance from this place. Both the National Historical Museum and the National Gardens can be found here.
From Syntagma you can take a bus to literally anywhere in the city. There are also buses here that would take you from the airport and back to it.
Syntagma is very much alive at night and day as seen in front of the Greek Parliament Building.
While the Syntagma station has a train that can take you directly to the airport, it doesn’t have a direct ride to the ports in Piraeus. You need to transfer trains when you reach Monastiraki.
The Athenian Neighborhood of Syntagma
Where should you stay when you’re in Syntagma?
- Hotel Athens Lycabettus
- All Hotels in Syntagma
- King George
- Hotel Grande Bretagne
Experience Kolonaki
Located near the Syntagma square, Kolonaki is a busy neighborhood that’s full of shops and stores. It has a number of museums, a couple of which are the National War Museum and the Benaki Museum. This neighborhood is close to the Syntagma metro station and the Evangelismos metro station. It’s really close to Plaka and can be traveled by foot from the Acropolis.
The Athenian Neighborhood of Kolonaki
Kolonaki is located on the hillside and can be taxing to travel to. It’s full of shops, restaurants and stores. Coming from Plaka, you can reach Kolonaki after 15 minutes of walking.
Where should you stay when you’re in Kolonaki?
Piraeus is the port of Athens. It’s not a tourist destination itself. It’s just a port where the ferry docks to take passengers to the different islands on Greece. It’s recommended that you stay in Athens and travel here to board the early morning ferry instead of staying on the area but if you don’t like travelling early, you can also stay in piraeus to wait for your ride. The train ride from Athens to the port is about 30 minutes. In peak seasons, the port and the train station is full of tourists that there’s no need to worry about travelling really early or getting on the port late at night.
Where should you stay when you’re in Piraeus?
- Piraeus Theoxenia Hotel (This is the best hotel in Piraeus.)
- Triton Hotel Piraeus (Not anything luxurious or grand but pleasant enough.)
- All Hotels in Piraeus
Where is the best place to stay in Athens?
If you want to see a lot of historical sights then the neighborhood of Plaka is the best place you could stay in Athens. Every major tourist attraction in Athens is walking distance from Plaka. Except for the National Archaeological Museum, which is a taxi ride away. It’s crawling with tourists and it never runs out of people even at night so you can be sure of your safety in the area.
But rest easy, even Plaka’s surrounding areas are pretty safe too. The neighboring towns of koukaki, Syntagma and monastiraki all share the same busy, crowded scene of Plaka, and they never run out of people too, even at night. Your safety is guaranteed as long as you stick to these areas.
To make the most out of your visit, you’d want to make sure to be as close to the major attraction sites as possible to avoid wasting any time travelling to them. Find a hotel that’s at least walking distance from the Acropolis and its museum, Plaka’s busy neighborhood and other historical sights. Here is a list of hotels that’s near the area:
- Electra Palace Hotel Athens– Located on a peaceful area on the busy but accommodating neighborhood of Plaka, this hotel boasts a magnificent view of the city of Athens and the historical Acropolis.
- Electra Hotel– While it’s not exactly at the heart of a busy neighborhood, it’s at least not far from it. This hotel is just walking distance from both Plaka and Syntagma. Plus it’s close to the Monastiraki metro station so if you’re planning to see the rest of Greece through that train, here’s a hotel you’d want to check yourself in.
- Divani Palace Acropolis– Located in koukaki, which is a relatively quiet neighborhood, this hotel is close to both the Acropolis and its museum. Drawback is that there probably won’t be as many shops and restaurants here as there are in Plaka.
- Ava Hotel and Suites– Another hotel conveniently located in the Plaka, the Ava is walking distance from the temple of zeus and other historical sites.
- The Athens Gate Hotel– Although outside of Plaka, this hotel is located very close to it as well as to the Acropolis and its museum.
- Royal Olympic Hotel– Just across the road from Plaka. This hotel is really close to Hadrian’s Gate and Acropolis Museum.
- Hotel Grande Bretagne– The best hotel in the city. It’s close to everything, even to the Syntagma metro station. Perfect for exploring the city and even the rest of greece.
- King George– Has a great view of the Acropolis from the top, this hotel is just beside the grande bretagne and is also walking distance to the major tourist attractions.
- NJV Athens Plaza-Just right next to the King George Hotel.
- Plaka Hotel– Best hotel to check into if you’re planning to take a ferry to other islands. This hotel is very close to the monastiraki metro station as well as Plaka.
- Phaedra Hotel– Conveniently located at the heart of Plaka.
- Best Western Amazon Hotel– Not on Plaka but very close to it and to the Acropolis.
- A for Athens– Another close hotel to the monastiraki metro station, perfect for those who are looking to board the ferry at piraeus port early the next day.
