Hello Ewanique - for specific apartment recommendations from this Forum would be helpful to know your budget, apt size (# of bedrooms), etc.
I have used the VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) website multiple times with success (in Athens we stayed in a hotel so can't advise you there.) You can also search "Vacation Rentals Athens Greece" on TripAdvisor. These sites typically have customer reviews for the apt listings which can be very helpful. And you may see the same apt listed on multiple sites. Good luck with your search.

Hi Nomadlass, I used VRBO in a couple of Towns/cities in Italy, but then, I knew the names of the subburbs farely well, close to transport etc. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for Athens. I beleive that the public transport in Athens, well actually Greece as a whole is good. My main concern is, what areas are at the sea or a marina and still close enough to Athens to travel in and out of town.
Budget?,dont need luxury, comfortable and clean and within strolling distance from good restaurants.

Not sure if you refer on a yaught marina or on regular ferries, but anyway quite likely you have to be based in Piraeus as it is the hub for the majority of those. Piraeus is one of the largest ports in Europe and so the port area is not very attractive. Metro ride from Piraeus to city center lasts no more than 20-30 minutes depending on where you want to disembark exactly.
Although metro station of Piraeus is located by the port, I suggest to look on Kastela/Mikrolimano or Pasalimani/Zea areas of Piraeus which are much more inviting, or even somewhere at the center of Piraeus around town hall area. Depending on exact location, metro station is no more than 10-30 minutes walk from most of those areas, or depending where in Kastela or Mikrolimano, you may find Faliro metro stop more convenient. Metro is not your only option of course, there are many many buses to city center, or a combo of bus/tram/metro etc....

Piraeus is a very nice city with many harbors,marinas and other areas of interest with different ambiance each, nice shopping, and an archeological museum -which on my opinion is a must visit- among other things...I absolutely love Piraeus but if this is your first time in Athens and you are interested to take in the major sites, I am not sure why not to be located in Athens center though...

Here are some suburbs of Athens, located on the sea side, Athens centre can be reached either via the tram, or one of the numerous busses :

Palaio Phaliro,Alimos, Elliniko, Glyfada, Voula and perhaps Vouliagmeni ( a bit further away from the Athens centre, but with excellent location.

There is a very nice marina in Alimos, with nice cafes and restaurants

Glyfada is a very alive and posh suburb, with great shops, excellent restaurants and cafes

If you are uncertain about an area, just ask me.

Thanks Clauser, Maria & Nomadlass. It was suggested to search for Matt Barrett's Athens 2013 guide and came across many hotel suggestions for Athens "Reviera"

Cant really help with the locations but wanted to recommend this great tour we took last year

http://www.athenswalkingtours.gr/index.html

We did the Athens tour in the morning then the Museum tour in the afternoon and found both to be really benficial and enjoyable.

If your budget allows try to get a deal @ Divani Appollon in Vouliagmeni..It is a LHW hotel and if you are a member of their loyality club (free) you will stay in a lovely hotel and they have a shuttle to and from Athens all day long. On the coast, brach, swimming pools and all the bells and whistles. If you do go for this sort of thing ask for a main building room/s not in the new part.

Ewanique

All the areas that i suggested are on the Athens Riviera....
But some areas, such as Vouliagmeni ( where the Divani Apollo Palace is located) might be too far away from the centre of Athens.

With a shuttle it is a quick trip with someone else driving and you are dropped and picked up at Syntagma Square. Having stayed in Athens, in the Plaka 2 times and Omnia Square once I found the quiet in Voul. to be much appreciated. The shuttle also will drop you ar Gylfalda if you want to see the Greek version on Rodeo Drice!! Having said that Plaka Hotel was not at all bad and the view from the roof top bar was unbeatable!!! don't know if this helps but you'll enjoy whatever!!!

ttt

My, my!!! How my priorities have changed in the last 2 months, but then again, planning is part of the fun of travel. Came across a hotel Evripides in Athens. Very cheap, maybe too cheap. What I DO like about this hotel is the topfloor terrace with beautiful Acropolis views.On both Tripadvisor and Bookings.com the reviews are 8-8.1 but the bad reviews are REALLY bad and frightning. Anybody on this forum with experience of this hotel?

As an Athenian i can only say :
I would not stay at this hotel, because of the area.

Thanks Clauser, I was hoping you would respond. Heimdall did mention on one of the postings I read that you are a Athenian.I am also looking at appartment rentals and came across House Trip.com. Any knowledge of their reliability? There is 1 particular property in Kolonaki that I like "ENTIRE PROPERTY IN ATHENS GREAT APARTMENT CLOSE TO AKROPOLI"

Can you please post a link to this apartment?
Have tried to find it, but i get too many results on 2 different websites......

Kolonaki is a very posh part of Athens close to Syntagma Square, 2 metro stations are nearby ( Evangelismos and Syntagma Square) but it is not near to the Acropolis.

http://www.housetrip.com/en/rentals/117120

Same website, dif. apartment rental Entire Apartment in Athens*At the heart of Athens- 2 BR - PENTH, Furnished

This is located in Koukaki, a residential area that is very quiet and close to the Acropolis.
However looking at the map, i see that this particular apartment is located at the southern end of Koukaki next to two main roads, and may be very noisy.

Check out Athens Gate hotel...excellent location, views of Acropolis and affordable at €125 a night for a double...

Thanks Jamekins, but we need a triple room for which they do not cater. The family room is way beyond my budget. I'm still looking. I'm sure I'll find the right hotel in a good area that suites my budget of below 100 Euro/night with a rooftop terrace or a nice apartment rental.

YOur budget of BELOW 200€ for a triple WITH a terrace acropolis view is really tough ... hotel Phillipos ticks all the boxes, except it's 366E for 3 nites for late may early june ... same with Hotel Airotel Parthenon. Both have excellent locales. Even my best budget hotel, Metropolis (dynamite location (right across from Cathedral square) now charges 120E for its triple in early june. I think to meet your price, you should look at Athens Studios, a building just south of Acropolis, right off the pedestrianized promenade - its owned by Athens Backpackers. With 3 people you might be able to get a 3-bed studio if you reserve now... http://www.athensstudios.gr/

Trip Advisor reviews are good tp://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g189400-d630141-Reviews-Athens_Studios-Athens_Attica.html

Typo! I meant to say below 100€ (per nite) for a triple ...

Another PS: if u are interested, be sure you link to the .gr/ site -- there is an athensstudios dot com that is VERY bad, people have been misdirected there, their locations inconvenient plus other drawbacks.

Check out this hotel http://www.hoteltony.gr/

We stayed there in 2011 with my parents and bro and his girlfriend and it was great. No view but probably in your budget andmodern rooms, walking distance to plaka and the acropolis...we would definitely go back there.

The hotel that jamikins recommended is in Koukaki, a neighbourhood next to the Acropolis, it should be about 15 min of walking to the New Acropolis Museum, the Acropolis etc.

It is a quiet residential part of Athens.
Nearby there is the pedestrianized Drakou Street with restaurants and cafes, nice for people watching and also not touristy at all

I realy do like your suggestions for hotels and appreciate it. The reason for the terrace is not only for the view, but also , I am travelling with 2 smokers and, besides most hotel policies, I do not tolerate smoke in a small space.I wish I could have it all my way, but I will have to compromise. Apartment rental seems to be my only option. I do realise that most apartments are in the residential areas further away from the city centre.I will have to weigh up the pros an cons of apartment rental vs hotel stay. For now, thanks travelerjan, jamikins and clauser. BTW clauser, the trafic noise will not be a problem, my 1 friend snores to high heaven, so we will be useing earplugs. LOL