Posted: 12/19/23 | December 19th, 2023
This 5,000-year-old Greek capital is home to the iconic Acropolis with its hilltop of millennia-old structures and ruins, and just below it, the Plaka neighborhood, a labyrinth of streets lined with bars, restaurants, and ancient ruins.
While Athens has never spoken to me the way that other European capitals have (I’m more a fan of the islands and the interior of the country), it has grown on me on each visit. You can’t deny the layers of history here. You’ll stumble across millennia-old ruins as you stroll down random streets (this is why I love taking walking tours in the city as I’ll learn a ton about what I’m actually looking at).
Picking the right hotel for your trip is very important as it’s a fairly sprawling city with a lot of different neighborhoods to choose from.
To help you choose, here’s my list of the best hotels in Athens:
1. Athens Center Square Hotel
True to its name, this hotel is in Plaka, the historic central neighborhood. Despite the crowds, I love this beautiful area. This hotel has a minimalist design with welcoming pastel colors throughout, and most rooms have a view of the Acropolis (so be sure to ask for one). Plus, there’s a rooftop terrace and bar with good views too. Rooms are simple but decently sized, with flat-screen TVs, desks, mini fridges, air conditioning. The delicious buffet breakfast is complimentary and quite expansive, featuring Greek and American cuisine. There’s also free coffee and tea in the lobby all day long.
2. Athensdot
This newer property is in Psyrri (sometimes spelled Psiri), a neighborhood that’s close to the main sights yet much more frequented by locals. It’s my favorite area of the city. Athensdot has a cool, pop-art design throughout, with large scale drawings on the walls and bright bursts of red everywhere. Rooms vary from internal rooms with no window to rooms with a balcony and views of the Acropolis. In all rooms you’ll find free Wi-Fi, large flat-screen TVs, mini fridges, and desks. There’s friendly staff and you can also get free bikes to ride around too! While there’s no breakfast served at the property, there’s a cute 24-hour café just a few doors down that serves food at all hours.
3. Dryades & Orion Hotel
This cozy hotel is in Exarcheia, an area with a highly energetic student vibe and lots of street art. This affordable hotel has lot of different room configurations to choose from and exceptionally helpful staff. The sizable rooms have unique homey décor and eclectic furniture, plus all the normal mid-range hotel amenities (air conditioning, tea/coffee makers, mini fridges). It’s worth it to pay a bit extra for the homecooked breakfast buffet. It features local cuisine and is served on the rooftop garden, which has great view of the Acropolis.
4. Coco-Mat Hotel
This design-forward 4-star hotel is in the heart of Kolonaki, a quiet neighborhood renowned for its upscale boutiques and art galleries. The hotel is actually run by the mattress company Coco-Mat. All rooms are equipped with high-quality mattresses, and you can even choose your pillow from a menu with 12 different pillow types. The entire hotel has a light and airy design, with wooden accents and a soft color palate. Each room has a TV, free and fast Wi-Fi, a Nespresso machine, desk, loads of natural light, and upscale bath products in the large bathrooms. There’s a fantastic Greek breakfast buffet in the mornings too.
5. Plaka Hotel
Comfortable and friendly, Plaka Hotel is (you guessed it) in the heart of Plaka. You’ll find the majority of ruins and tourist attractions here. This simply decorated hotel boasts stellar views of the Acropolis from both in-room balconies and the rooftop terrace bar/restaurant. There’s also a complimentary (and huge) buffet breakfast featuring local specialties. The rooms are on the smaller side but have comfortable beds, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, and safes. It’s not too loud here either, making for a simple but comfortable stay in the heart of it all.
6. Colors Hotel Athens
This stylish four-star hotel offers bright, cheery accommodations with free Wi-Fi, big spa-like bathrooms featuring rainmaker showers, comfortable beds, plush bathrobes, and desks. The colorful rooms come in a variety of different configurations, though all are quite spacious and with a lot of natural light. There’s also a fantastic and extensive breakfast buffet that changes a bit every day (though there’s always fresh homemade pastries, fruit, cereal, eggs, and yogurt). It’s in Exarcheia, a nice quiet area that’s not too far from the main attractions (it’s about a 15-minute walk).
Athens offers an array of affordable hotels. All the hotels above are good places to stay in and you can’t go wrong in any of them.
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Book Your Trip to Greece: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner to find a cheap flight. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe, so you always know no stone is left unturned!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld, as it has the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com, as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancelations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it, as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- Safety Wing (best for everyone)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
- Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)
Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I’m on the road. They will save you money too.
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