Big boo boo!!

have you spoken to the hotel?

Yes, they are fully booked.

I did go ahead and book Ava Hotel and got their last room, but I'm spending $200 more and it doesn't include breakfast like the Herodian. But, I'm the cheap one and I know my dad would prefer to spend more to get something nice, clean, private bath etc. so I went ahead and booked it since things are booking up in the area. I'm glad I have something, but I can cancel too, if I find something different.

Can you ask the Herodian to contact you if a room becomes available? Bound to be some cancellations between now and August, I would think.

I was going to recommend the Ava Hotel, but then saw that you already booked it :)

It's been several years since we visited Greece, but we stayed at the Ava Hotel while in Athens. We found the location in Plaka fabulous (very walkable), and the staff really could not have been more top-notch....so very kind to us and helpful. The hotel was quiet and very clean.

You already know it will likely be very, very hot in August. The time to visit the Acropolis is as early in the morning as possible before the day's heat builds. The Museum is fabulous (and a nice place to cool off, too).

Enjoy your trip!

Good idea Norma!

Maggie, great to know the Ava Hotel is good, but it sure is expensive. Do you remember what you did for breakfast? And, any recommendations for dinner? I'd love to sit and see the Acropolis at night during dinner.

We will be getting off our cruise that day and only spending one night (have a day tour set up). I hope we can walk over to the Acropolis Museum when we get back from our day tour and have a late dinner, and then we'll have to leave via taxi to the airport by 8:30 the next morning. (going with 92 year old dad so taxi is a must)

Checkout the Royal Olympic- it has rooftop dining and a great view of the Acropolis-breakfast is a little pricing, however, you an walk down to the Yard resturant for a breakfast of Greek yogurt with fruit, nuts and honey you won't forget! We've stayed there 3 times and you can't beat the service and location.

Susan, big challenge to get moderate price hotel at last moment in the week leading up to the MOST important holiday of entire summer, August 1, 2nd only to Easter for Greeks, and Greeks ALL observe; think THanksgiving)... particularly when you say AVA is too much, but do not indicate what you think is "Not too much." We ARE fairly experts but are not mindreaders.

However if you want to do some work, I have a booking.com link I love ... it sorts based on how close to Acropolis Landmark the hotel is... here's a "Tiny URL" http://tinyurl.com/heq6edp THat gets you there. Put in your date & look only at hotels that are listed as no more than .5 miles. I just now stuck in August 6 -=-- ROyal Olympic, .4 miles away has twin/double@$217 (And outdoor pool) Divani palace has a double room at $160, Best Western Amazon .3 miles, $179 incl breakfast, Athens Diamond hotel .4, $170 -- Oh, and how could I overlook? Phillipos Hotel the "sister Hotel" to Herodion, just a block away from it supposedly has a double room left at $228 ... one part of Booking.com says sold out, other says 1 double... you'd have to contact them direct. Athens Gate, has an executive double room. balcony w parthenon view $336. All these have review ratings from 8 (v. good) to 9+ Excellent. But there is no time to dither... 2 rooms disappeared from the website just as I was typing this.

Thanks Janet! I did look at some at booking.com earlier this morning but maybe I'll look again.

We need a triple for Aug 5 which is a Saturday. Boy oh boy am I happy I realized my mistake before we arrived at the hotel!

I'm happy with the Ava Hotel, and we will likely keep it, it is just a lot more that the 160 euro we were paying before. I was also hoping to be within a short walk (for 92 year old dad) to the Acropolis Museum, so the Ava fits that bill as well. But, after paying thousands of dollars what's $200 more? Looks like the fanciest place I've ever stayed.

This morning I was in a panic, but at this point I'm satisfied. I do think I'll take more time in looking over booking.com

Thanks for the info

The Acropolis Select has availability - twin room with a roll-away. It might be a little crowded, but it's only one night. That's one of the hotels RS uses for its tours. It's fine and the breakfast selection is very good, helpful, friendly staff. Under €200 incl breakfast. It's a 2-3 block walk from the Acropolis Museum and just a few meters from Mani Mani - a really really good restaurant.

Another lesson Susan if you ever post again on a forum ... besides not giving us the comparative prices, so we'd know what you considered "too much" -- you also failed to say you needed a triple, not a double room. Big difference. So it turns out I spent a bunch of time trying to provide leads that proved irrelevant. We're happy to share tips & give experienced advice, but in return your part of the bargain is to give all the key facts.

We liked our stay at the Hotel Philippos. It is near the Acropolis and everything a traveler needs, and a short walk away from the hotel you mentioned. They might be partnered in some way ? but I don't know... We enjoyed our stay...convenient location, friendly staff and nice breakfast. Good luck.

Susan and Monte,
Re: what we did for breakfast while on our stay at the Ava...it's been so long now (I think it was 2007 or 2008 when we visited Greece)..........but if the breakfast at the hotel was not included, I remember taking a brief walk and eating on a patio/balcony at an area restaurant (possibly a very early lunch)....but that might have been on our arrival day. It really is a blur of a memory right now. We were pretty jet lagged upon arrival, and we only had one night there before catching a Silversea cruise.

As far as dinner.....well, we just didn't.....we were sound asleep by around 7:00, and I just remember my husband waking up quite hungry around 10pm and eating a large bag of nuts from the minibar thing. I think he would have eaten a pillow had the nuts not been there....LOL. We learned a lesson from that (that we have since practiced on all subsequent trips)....no matter how exhausted one is, have at least a light dinner before going to sleep :)

But, I do remember the staff at the hotel offering us cold drinks every time we entered the door or even sat in the lobby getting our bearings for touring, etc. Very delightful staff!!

We specified a very quiet room when we reserved, and we had a first floor room that was extremely quiet...around the corner and a short bit down the hall from reception. Other rooms would have better views, but we knew we would want to get to sleep early.

But, we saw a lot in that first full day and then the half day before we departed. If (like us) due to heat, you decide to skip going to the top of the Acropolis, there is a lovely view of it from the Acropolis Museum (and it's airconditioned while you enjoy the view). But, to this day, we regret not getting to the top of the Acropolis. When I stopped in the restroom upon arrival that morning, there was a lady from Australia literally wringing out her shirt from sweat and she was beet red (and had been up there less than an hour)....so we took her warnings) much to my husband's disappointment.

It was late August when we went, and I remember it just being gawd-awful hot until we got out to sea (where breezes really made a difference). I remember the Plaka area being nice, but it is a small area. I remember lots of graffiti (surprising amounts) outside Plaka.

Thanks for all your hard work Janet, on my behalf. I wasn't really asking for someone to find me a hotel, just wondering if someone had a recommendation of a hotel they liked close to the Acropolis Museum.

Thanks everyone!!

Denny, yes, that is their sister hotel, also fully booked. And, Chani, there is a triple available for our night at the Acropolis Select. I'll talk with my dad about it.

Thanks for the details Maggie, about the Ava.

Susan

A possibility for an evening meal with a view of the Acropolis is The Cave of the Acropolis. The food is fairly standard but is OK. Also, it's not the most iconic view of the Acropolis. It's worth a look though if being close to the hotel is a major factor. Their website has a menu and prices

http://www.spilia-akropolis.gr/taverna/en/

If I was eating in that area I would go to the Byzantino (sometimes spelled Vyzantino) but this doesn't have the view. The food is better though. We've written up our take on it here

http://www.greekramblings.org.uk/Plaka_Monistiraki_Restaurants.html

They are also open for breakfast although I'm not sure if this is true on a Sunday morning.

More upmarket and slightly further away but with an excellent view is The Strofi. I've not eaten there for several years but when we did the food was standard but the view was great. Make sure you get a seat on the terrace.

http://www.strofi.gr/en/gallery

Alan

As far as a nice meal with a view goes, think about The Peacock Restaurant at the top of the Hera Hotel, which is less than 2 blocks from the Acropolis. I ate there twice after two long days of sight seeing and loved my meals there. It has a lovely view of the Acropolis at night. I haven't googled the Ava Hotel to see if this works for you. Just thought I'd throw it out there. The Hera is also a Rick Steves Hotel, if that matters. It would be a lovely way to end your visit to Greece, IMO.

Thanks everyone for all the info and suggestions! I'll continue my research!

I stayed at Acropolis Select when on the RS tour.

Very nice staff, good breakfast and rooms very comfortable. Not "The Ritz", but certainly well above 'just making do'.