Athens Hotels
 

My husband and I will be traveling through Greece in November and are having trouble with finding a hotel in Athens for 3 nights. On every trip we have taken, we have sought out unique hotels or boutique hotels that are not the standard modern Hilton / Marriott type. We enjoy staying in a hotel that has some local touches or unique facets about it while still offering a nice, clean enviornment. We are interested in staying near plaka / acropolis area and have a budget of approximately 150 Euro.. Any suggestions would be very helpful!

I am always intrigued by the fact that people inquiring about Greece seem so often to stress the word "clean" --- whereas I seldom see people anxious about "clean" when they ask for Paris or Rome hotels. They must still think of Greece somehow as a 3rd world country ... and it does tend to nettle one, just a bit.

That aside, 150 Euros is not a lot for a "boutique" hotel in a world capital ... I doubt if you could find one at that rate in Rome or London... perhaps in Paris, because so many small buildings have survived. In Athens during the 1950s due to the massive influx of Greeks (because there was no way to make a living on islands or in the mountains), Athens' population soared from a few thousands to MILLIONS ... and the way the city coped was to replace small buildings with 6-8 story concrete apartment house blocks. Fortunately, they mostly retained the "colonnade" profile, so small shops on first floor make the street scene lively ... but quaint mansions are less find-able, even in the preserved Plaka Area. OK, history lecture over.

One hotel you surely would like and the location is DYNAMITE is Hotel AVA on Lysikrates. Its going rate in warmer weather is 250€ or so, but try a few online agencies for specials -- booking.com is one that finds bargains, and you might get it for under 200.

A larger hotel, but one with the same terrific location -- this is directly on the pedestrianized walkway just south of Acropolis -- is the Airotel Parthenon. Friends of mine, UK ex-pats who have been in the travel business, have stayed there while in Athens and raved about it @95€ in May, which they got through bookings.com.

Others may recommend small modern "trendy" hotels like Ocher & brown but I'm not crazy about the neighborhood and it's not nearly as convenient as the above.

Another boutique, Magna Grecia, is VERY convenient, right on Mitropolis Street and TA reviews lists year-round average at $204, so you might get it at your $150 thru agencies. Has Acropolis views but DO be careful to reconfirm AND reconfirm AND bring e-mail confirmation -- reviews mention switches to inferior rooms.

Thank you for all of the great advice! I have emailed Magna Grecia and believe they are full, but that one really intrigued us! We wanted to stay around 150 Euro not dollars, so that would be about $220 give or take a little, so it would be right in our budget! I will take a look at the others recommended... One of the benefits of traveling in the cooler months are the rates are usually slightly lower than the summer! Our budget is flexible, but needed to start somewhere:) Thank you again!

lauren, just because the hotel says full doesn't always mean it is full... have you tried some online booking agencies??? sometimes they have a 'hold' on some rooms... I have heard of people getting rooms this way when apparently the hotel itself had none left. Worth a try.

I have booked rooms through Expedia and Venere when the hotel has told me that it is booked. Expedia shows the Magna Grecia at 90e/nt in November.

Hi

A little further from the location you requested, the Fresh Hotel - http://www.freshhotel.gr - is "refreshingly" different.