AVA Hotel & Suites
Lyssicratous 9-11, Athens, 10558, GreeceWhy We Like It
Located in Plaka, there are few better places to stay when visiting Athens. This small boutique hotel is intimate yet spacious and the service is excellent. Most sights of note are walking distance and the only time you may need to catch a ride (except coming to and from the airport and ferry port) is hopping on the Happy Train for a spot of extra sightseeing.
Fodor's Expert Review
On a quiet side street in the Plaka neighborhood, this lovely small hotel is ideally located for all the major Athens attractions and has become a firm favorite among leisure and business travelers alike. Many are content with the "Regular" one-room layout suites, but others, especially those on a longer stay or with children, opt for the "Executive" and "Exclusive" suites, which come with separate living space, small kitchenette, and large balcony. There is a feeling of discreet luxury throughout the hotel, which remains hugely popular despite the top price echelon and the lack of some hotel amenities (main meals not served, no pool or gym, no parking etc.).
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Room
Each of the 16 rooms and suites are spacious, bright and look more like apartments. The pale-hued furnishings are elegant, comfortable, luxurious and pleasant to the eye--the overall feeling is of a home-away-from-home. There is free high-speed, in-room Wi-Fi, a safe large enough for a laptop and strong air-conditioning.
Tip The bigger suites have larger balconies, some of them with views of the Hadrian Arch, the Temple of Zeus and of course the Acropolis.
Bathroom
Nice modern bathrooms, most with spacious showers, and slightly kitschy ceiling paintings. You will enjoy the Gilchrist & Soames toiletries.
Lobby
Black and white marble floors, ornately carved wooden colonnades, plaster replicas of Ancient Athenian friezes. This along with warm professional staff is what greets guests at this boutique establishment.
Dining
There is a decent, light but ample, European breakfast buffet with fresh juices served in the dining area and bar on the ground floor next to the lobby. There is a kitchenette in every room for those who want to kick back and enjoy a nibble on their balcony.
You Should Know Breakfast is the only real meal served; it is not always included in the price so check before booking.
Drinking
There is a pleasant hotel bar next to the lobby, but it’s nothing to write home about. But with Plaka on your doorstep and Syntagma pretty close, there are many excellent options for having a drink out.
Tip The management does go that extra mile; a bottle of champagne awaits every guest upon arrival.
What's Nearby
Getting Around
The nearest metro stations are the Acropolis (5 minutes by foot and one stop from Syntagma) or Syntagma (10-minute walk). Syntagma station has direct trains to and from the airport (45 minutes). If you prefer to take a taxi from the airport, it will take about 35 minutes and it will cost around 35€ during the day and around 55€ at night (12 a.m. - 5:30 a.m.). Arrange pick up (c. 30€ each way) from the airport through the hotel. There is no hotel parking.
Restaurants
A few steps from the hotel is excellent if a touch dated, Daphne’s restaurant (2-minute walk) serving Greek/Mediterranean food. Don’t miss the old favorite Byzantino (5-minute walk) with traditional Greek food in the heart of Plaka. Enjoy Mediterranean dishes in an al fresco setting on the beautiful ancient square of Lyssikratous at Diogenis (3-minute walk). To finish off your outing, you can try hand-made ice cream from Le Greche near Syntagma Square (7-minute walk).