Athens Hotels

Grande Bretagne

Exterior

At a Glance

    Pros

  • all-out luxury
  • beautiful rooms
  • excellent café, spa and pool lounge
  • central location

    Cons

  • pricey, no free Wi-Fi

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Grande Bretagne Review

With a guest list that includes more than a century's worth of royals, rock stars, and heads of state, the landmark Grande Bretagne remains the most exclusive hotel in Athens but as you marvel at one of the most eye-knocking views of the Acropolis from the terrace restaurant, or rest on custom-made silk ottomans in the lobby, or call your personal butler 24 hours a day from your room, you may very well think it is the very best. Built in 1842, the hotel had a recent all-out-luxury renovation that recaptured the original grandeur, restoring 19th-century oil paintings, antiques, and hand-carved details as they were a century earlier. There's also a lovely spa where you can pamper yourself with indulgences such as ouzo-oil massages. As for amenities, there are none better in Athens—just a few include laptop and mobile phone rentals, a technology help desk, and free daily newspapers.

    Hotel Amenities

  • 321 rooms, 56 suites.
  • Restaurants, bars, pools, gym, spa, parking.
  • Rooms have: safe, Internet.
  • Credit cards accepted.

Member Reviews

  • FuDeva, from Charlotte, NC
    4/1/08

    Stayed here in March '07 and truly enjoyed it. The rooms are appropriately appointed for a luxury hotel, the spa was FABULOUS and the views from the rooftop restaurant are phenomenal. This is clearly the best hotel in Athens

    I agree with other posts that mention the smokiness of the lounge though.

    Ratings details: Room: 5 | Atmosphere: 4 | Service: 4 | Value: 3
  • mjpbaf, from Washington, D.C.
    10/21/07

    We enjoyed our two stays at the Grande Bretagne very much (at the start and end of our Greek trip, after a visit to Santorini). The décor of this hotel is European elegance – old world to a tee, but it didn’t seem stuffy. Actually, it was surprisingly comfortable.

    Our first room was a large deluxe on the third floor with a view of the Acropolis. We enjoyed eating breakfast on the balcony with the wonderful view and looking out at the Acropolis before going to sleep at night. The room had elegant, traditional furnishings and a beautiful crystal chandelier. The bathroom had two sinks, a separate shower and a large area in between that made it feel like a second full room all to itself.

    The rooftop bar is not to be missed if you’re going to be in Athens, even if you don’t stay at the hotel. The view of the Acropolis is incredible – particularly at night – and the drinks and food are top-notch. We also enjoyed the service in both the bar and restaurant: like the rest of the hotel it was consistently good.

    During our stay, we also tried the Winter Garden bar/restaurant and Alexander’s Bar adjacent to it and enjoyed both, although the smoking in both was heavier than we would have liked. We noticed that smokers were everywhere in Greece, even more so than in other European cities.

    Ratings details: Room: 5 | Atmosphere: 4 | Service: 5 | Value: 4
  • joshetzel, from Pittsburgh, PA
    5/5/07

    This is the best hotel that I have ever stayed in. Luxury and service at it's finest. Perfect location, incredible food, great rooms. A must stay in Athens.

    Ratings details: Room: 5 | Atmosphere: 5 | Service: 5 | Value: 5
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