Susan

I have been recommended to this hotel and wondered if anyone has seen it or been there. Please advise impressions. Was concerned since Fodor's did not list. Thanks <BR>

Jan

Susan, My husband and I just returned from Athens. We met a couple in their late thirties who were supposed to stay there for a week but left after 1 night, and they were paying $265 US per night. They said the rooms were not clean, the tub too small to even get in and it was not convenient to anything.Everyone's opinion can differ so I can only relay what they said. They they went to Vougliameni and paid over $325 per night and then had to take a cab into Athens each day. (about a 40 minute ride one way) We stayed at the Grande Bretagne and it was wonderful. The location was great. We walked everywhere and never took a cab or a bus (except to go to Cape Sounion.) The Plaka is a 5 minute walk, the Acropolis about a 20 minute leisurely walk, Mt Lycabetus about 40 mins(because you have to climb up a lot of stairs, and Parliament is right across the street. The rates are rather high but if you keep calling the Sheraton 800 number, you can get specials. We paid $205 per night for 4 nights and that included a great room with a balcony overlooking Parliament and Mt. Lykabettus, and a great breakfast buffet. The rooms are very nice with huge marble bathrooms. If I were to go back, I would also check out the Electra Palace in Plaka. We never were able to find it while walking though. When eating in Plaka, try to go to the little Tavernas that don't have hawkers pulling you in off the street. They are much quieter and somewhat cheaper, although we never spent over $24 for dinner for two including ouzo, mezes, entree and greek salad. If you are going to the islands too, don't miss Santorini or Mykonos. The sights are fabulous. Lindos on Rhodes is also very nice. Epheses, which is in Kusadasi, Turkey is absolutely breathtaking and not to be missed. Skip Cannakkale, Turkey(Troy and the Trojan horse replica), Crete is also very pretty. The Greek people are wonderful, and the food is great. Hope you have a great time. If you want any more info, E-mail me and I'll try to help. Kalispera! <BR>

Lanny Morry

I am wondering if you haven't mixed two hotels. I have stayed at both the Caravel Hotel and the Divini Palace at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens. The Caravel sits on a hill about 10 minutes walk through a wonderful park from the Plaka (or a 2 stop bus ride, so you understand how little the distance is), surrounded by small Greek restaurants and a lot of high rise housing. The view of the Acropolis and of all of Athens from the exercise club at the top of the Caravel is not to be missed. And the downstairs restaurant -- the one to the left of the lobby as you enter the hotel, not the one on the dais, is superb -- perhaps my best meal in Athens (I was there a week). My room was very large, good bathroom, good view of the city, complete with satellite TV in English, a benefit as not everyone speaks or understands Greek. The Divini Palace is down hill about two blocks from the foot of the Acropolis. It has an ostentatiously grand and modern lobby but the rooms are about half the size of the one I had at the Caravel, the smog seems to settle into the hotel area (if you are asmathic Athens is a horror), it was full of bus tour people and I liked it about half as much as the Caravel. The Caravel was, incidentally, also a good bit cheaper. My vote, if you don't mind the 10 minute walk through the large park and zoo in the centre of the city and past the Presidential palace, goes with the Caravel. <BR> <BR>

Susan

Thank you for response. LMorry, where did you eat that had such a good meal? My husband will be doing business for the M-F while we are there. My mother is going with us and she and I plan a M-Thurs land tour to Delphi, Corinth, and Olympia. Will all see Athens the 1st weekend and will all 3 take a 1-day cruise to Hydra 2nd weekend if mom is ok with that by then. Since my husband will be at the same hotel for10 nights, the rooms are important, but for the same lengthy reason, so was the price. I think we got a pretty good deal - much less than the Grande Bretagne, which would have been delightful for sure. Any other help is appreciated, and thanks a lot. We leave Thanksgiving Day. <BR>

jan

sue, i e-mailed you a lenghthy note on 10/26. had trouble with sending it out so i don't know if you got it . please let me know. i think i forgot the n in your address. <BR>

Lanny Morry

The best meal I had in Athens was in the dining room at the Caravel hotel. It was a very traditional lamb dish with Greek desserts to follow. To be truthful, I was sadly disappointed with the quality of most food in Greece. It is very oily, and the meat, well I think they had the animals walk across the mountains to the slaughter house. It sure wasn't young stock, most of the time, but animals who had weathered time and were on the down side (mutton vs. spring lamb for example). This said, I have never had a better tomatoe in the world than in Greece. They haven't discovered the hybrid seeds for those things they sell in supermarkets that travel well but taste like sawdust. I actually brought seed back with me to get tomatoes the way I remember them as a kid! There are many good, small restaurants that provide quite decent meals at reasonable price, and you must enjoy as much of the ice cream as you can -- there are a couple of places in the Plaka you should not pass without sampling from. The tour you are doing to Corinth, Olympia and Delphi will give you the highlights of ancient Greece. I have been to these places twice now and will revisit in future, particularly Olympia which is magical if you let your mind take you back a couple of millennia. I am curious to know why you picked Hydra as opposed to Santorini or Crete which would be my choices. I'd be curious to know what the weather is like when you are there. I have been to Greece in April/May (a lot cooler than I would have thought) and beginning of September (desperately hot), and a November trip to Greece to avoid my least favourite month of the year where I live is an interesting future prospect. Good luck, you will absolutely love the country! <BR>

Susan

Thanks for the answer, Lanny. The only reason that we are probably going to Hydra is that we will have just one day - Saturday. I would prefer to go to Santorini or Crete, but don't think there are one day trips. If you know differently, please let me know. Would be helpful if you could also copy to my e-mail - [email protected]. It get checked daily at least 2 times, and sometimes I don't get into all of this. This is really a business trip, so the timing is not of our making. My husband will be working Mon - Fri, which is when Mom and I take our tour. Oh, I did get a brochure from the Caravel, and it looks great. Have a good day. <BR>Susan <BR>