Can anyone recommend a hotel in Athens they stayed in and particularily liked? I'm looking to stay in the Plaka and am hoping to spend less than $130 a night for a double.
I've been searching through guidebook recommendations on trip advisor and am having a hard time finding a hotel with consistant reviews (many have complaints of bed bugs/rooms that smell bad/ect). Thanks for your input!
Jenny
If you're prepared to be a 5 minute mainly pedestrianised walk from Plaka I'd recommend the Art Gallery Hotel.
http://www.artgalleryhotel.gr/
It's in a side street leading up to the Acropolis and very close to Syngrou Fix metro. There are some nice bars and a couple of restaurants in the square by the station. I recommend the Ambrosia which, being outside the Plaka, is more authentic and cheaper.
Another option, which is in Plaka at the top of Adrianou is the Phaedra.
Both of these are fairly small, family run enterprises but are clean and reasonably priced.
For somewhere bigger and in a more modern building it's worth considering the Attalos
Just outside Plaka this has more standard rooms and a rooftop bar with great views. In my opinion the breakfast isn't worth the extra, but you can book a room without.
We have booked a double room with private bath for 45 Euros a night at the Marble House Hotel which had fairly consistent good reviews. Its not in the Plaka but is close by and seems to be quiet with a supermarket across the street to do self catering. Hope this helps.
This is a link to www.athensguide.com I normally don't recommend any sites but Rick Steves but Matt Barrett is like the Rick Steves of Greece.
Thank you everyone for your thoughtful and detailed recommendations. We narrowed it down to the Art Gallery Hotel and Hotel Attalos, and ended up booking with the latter. I didn't reserve the breakfast upon recommendation, and figure we can probably just enjoy a drink up on the terrace in the evening.
Heads up to people visiting; Attalos let us know that we may need to take the bus to the hotel because the metro is under construction through August. We'll be visiting in Septebmer so hope it's finishing up by then.
Thanks to everyone for your help, we really appreciate you all =)
Jenny, the bus takes you to Syntagma Square and you'll have to walk about 1/3 mile to the Attalos from there. Instead, if you take the Suburban Train (different from the Metro but from the same station) from the Airport to the Neratziotissa Station you can then catch the Green Line to the Monastiraki Metro Station and it will only be a 5-minute walk up Athinas Street to the Attalos.
Thanks Lee. Is this pretty feasible to do with luggage(probably a backback and 20 pound carry on), or would you recommend taking a taxi?
You can do it, especially if you take the train, but even if you take the bus. Save your money and spend it on fun stuff.
Jenny. the Attalos hotel is a good choice; we just returned from 2 weeks in Greece and stayed there 3 nights. The rooms are a bit Spartan but clean and the beds are comfortable. Ask for a room with a patio.
The X95 bus from the airport to Syntagma is your cheapest option, but it was packed solid with people when we rode it. And, you would think the 'X' (as in express) would be non stop into town?---wrong; it makes numerous stops. The walk from Syntagma down Ermou to Monastiraki is pleasant (even with bags) and traffic free most of the way, then it's only a short walk up to the hotel. Still, your best bet is to take a taxi (about € 40), especially if you can find someone to share the fare and you can fit all the bags in. Just make sure you agree on the price beforehand; assume that all taxi drivers will try to rip you off until proven different. Have a great trip.
I just came back from Athens yesterday and can recommend the Hotel Myrto. You need to understand it's rather shabby, but it was great for people like me and my companion, who only require a hotel to be quiet, safe and reasonably clean. We paid 55 Euros a night, which includes a really nice breakfast that filled us up for most of the day. It really is located about a 5-10 min walk from the Plaka, and also 5 mins from Syntagma Square, where we caught the metro and also the bus to the airport (since the metro is currently under repair and you can only get to the airport by bus or taxi). The hotel has an elevator, which, while tiny, was a vast improvement over the 3 flights of stairs we had to drag our luggage up at the highly-overrated Marble House earlier in the trip. Our first 2 nights at the Myrto we got the only room on the 5th floor, which was large and could have slept 4, and also had a large balcony with a table and chairs and distant views of the Acropolis and Mt. Lycavittos. The management was extremely accommodating, and we liked the place so much, we stayed there again after our trip to the Peloponnese. The neighborhood has a good restaurant within 2 blocks, a luggage storage a block away, and tons of travel agencies, so there is really no need to book excursions or cruises from here. There are also several groceries (mainly fruit and veg), which stay open late. I was disappointed in the Marble House. It's not conveniently located (we didn't even try to visit the Plaka from there), although it's only 2 stops on the metro from Syntagma, and then really only a 5-10 min walk from Syngrou-Fix station. The 3rd-floor room was a major issue. The stairs are rather steep and with luggage, it was a trial. The woman who works the day shift was more helpful than the man who works evenings; I'm still convonced he didn't have to put us on the 3rd floor. The room was also tiny, with insufficient space for 2 medium-sized suitcases.
Jenny, the best (and surprisingly) cheapest around the Plaka is the Hotel Attalos. My wife and I stayed there about three weeks ago and we were very happy with it. The rooms were a good size had nice firm bed with our own bathroom and balcony. Try to get a room on the backside of the hotel (quiter). It is ten minutes from the Acropolis and all the restaurants. The hotel rooftop bar and patio has the best (totaly unabstructed) view of the Acropolis at night when they turn spot lights on it. I still think about the view. The hotel staff are very nice and helpful. Get a AAA map (free)befor you leave. The hotel rate was around $100 U.S. a night. If you book through athensguide.com you can save 10 percent. I did. Have a great time. Ellis
The Attalos is no longer the cheapest hotel near the Plaka. There are a few that are less-expensive or comparable, and closer. Check the Pan, Arethusa, Metropolis, Amazon and John's Place Hotel.
