Adrian Hotel (74 Adrianou, Plaka) has been mentioned a few times in recent weeks, has anyone stayed there recently, and have comments?

Are the "Acropolis view" rooms at the front or rear of the building?

Is it well maintained? "Plain" is OK, but don't want threadbare carpets, peeling paint, balky plumbing, or low water pressure.

How is general noise level and sound-proofing? I am a light sleeper.

TIA.

Hi tom,
We are considering staying there in May 2006. I've been looking at the reviews on www.tripadvisor.com and I suggest you check them out.

From what I have read the hotel is clean but older and less well maintained than the photos on their website would have you believe. I also *think* I remember reading that the rooms with the Acropolis view are at the back of the hotel (quieter). The reviews do tend to be better than those for the Attalos (another popular mid-priced hotel in the Plaka).
If you do end up staying there please post a detailed report as we could all certainly use a little more current info on this place!

i will be staying there this sept. (crosses fingers).

We stayed at the Adrian for 5 days in Sept. 2004 and again for 3 days in Oct. 2004. We will stay there again.
To answer your questions:
1. The Acropolis view rooms are at the rear of the building. We stayed in one both times, on the top floor, and enjoyed lying in bed or being on the balcony looking at the lit-up Parthenon.
2. It was adequately maintained -- I'd say "plain" is a good description. It didn't suffer from any of the problems you list.
3. Our Acropolis view room was very quiet, much to our pleasure. I am also a light sleeper. As the Adrian is on a busy street (predominantly pedestrian) inside of Plaka, the rooms facing the street would probably be too loud for you.

Thanks Eleni, very much!

Did you pay the asking price (145&euro for your Acropolis view room or were you able to negotiate a better deal. I have seen several posts where travellers used travel agencies to get better room rates.

Hellas-Dolphin travel agency in Athens emailed me a long document with summer hotel rates for several dozen hotels they represent.

For the Adrian hotel, double-bed room price (in Euros, including all taxes & breakfast):

Standard Room 108.56

Superior Room with Acropolis or Lycabettus View 122.72

In return for discounts thru travel agents, one usually has to pay large advance deposits or in full, and there are high charges for cancellations.

Another exmpl, the typical quoted price for a Standard view, double-room at Electra Palace is around 228 Euro. Through Dolphin-Hellas, price is 195 Euro. The savings on a "Superior View" room are even more, about 50 Euro.

With any hotel booked thru a greek travel agent, I'd make the booking at least 2-3 weeks in advance, and then call the hotel DIRECTLY a week in advance to make sure they *really* got the reservation.

Wow, great information and advice. I think we are definitely going to spring for the Adrian Hotel - Acropolis view room. Unfortunately we won't be there until May so I'm afraid I won't have a review in time to help you with your decision.
I too am a VERY light sleeper... keeping my fingers crossed about the noise!

I paid the 145 website rate for the Adrian, and haven't been able to find a cheaper rate. That is, except for Dolphin Hellas and I don't like using them for the precise reasons mentioned by tom: deposits and cancellation fees.

Eleni,
do you recall which web site you did use for the Adrian Hotel?

I searched for their own website, but didn't find one (I didnt look *too* hard). Mostly I just find 3rd party booking sites.

Adrian Hotel website:
http://www.douros-hotels.com/view_hotels.asp?hotel_id=2

very odd, i just tried to book Adrian Hotel for Sept 19-23, and received a reply stating that they are completely full (!?).

from a separate greek travel agent I received an email claiming "...during Sept 10-21 all the hotels in Athens are fully booked due to a congress".

The only "congress" a google search turns up , is a worldwide medical convention of neurologists.

Very fishy ... Athens can host the 2004 olympics, but 5,000-10,000 doctors fill the city ?!

Anyone have any clues as to what, if anything, is going on?

Tom I'll be in Athens at that same time and had a hard time getting rooms all the hotels said the same thing about the convention. I was able to get the Grand Bretagne for 1 night on Starwood points (Sept13) and the 14th we're staying at the Pan Hotel which I have heard very little about. but at least it's only night and if it's too bad I'll go stay at my cousin's apartment. We have friends travelling with us that are leaving a day or two earlier and I was able to get them a room at the Cecil.

Hi Tom: The problem isn't a single meeting or conference, it is the cumulative effect of lots of them taking place at one time.

There are a number of congresses (meaning conferences) going on in Athens every year in September. It's the season, so to speak. And this year, as always, it's not just the doctors. There is, as you mention, the European Neurological Societies conference. But a quick internet search shows in Sept 2005 there is also the Weather Modification Association conference, the International Society for Neuroimmunomodulation conference, the European Progress in Vaccination Against Cancer Conference, the International Economic Relations Conference on the Global Political Economy, the Congress on Woman's Health and Disease, the European Physical Society Conference, the Congress of Urodynamics, Neurourology and Female Urology, the Athens Live Sergery Aortic Root Symposium, the Conference of Greek Amateur Astronomers, the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, the Internation Conference on Construction in the 21st Century, and I'm sure many, many more.

Since downtown hotels tend to fill up first, that is no doubt your problem with the Adrian.

We go to Athens multiple times a year, and try to stay in a lot of different hotels, just to get a sense of what is available. This September we are going to try the Amazon Hotel which, like the Adrian, is centrally located. As of last week, they had space available. I've never stayed there, but the location is very convenient, and the reviews at tripadvisor make it seem appealing. Here's the tripadvisor link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ns_Attica.html

Good luck!

We had a couble and triple at the Adrian in June and were very pleased. I thought it was very clean, and our rooms were in good condition. Both rooms were on the street side but were very quiet, and my husband is a very light sleeper. The breakfast was good and is served on the rooftop with a view of the Acropolis. I don't think you could get a much better location!