dona

Looking for an interesting area to stay in Athens for a few days. Any suggestions? What about nice hotels? preferably not a chain hotel....something between a 5 star and budget price range would be good. Thanks!

pineco

Many ppl. on this post had said that the Grande Bretagne was the most fabulous place to stay in Athens and though it's tremendously expensive, if you can manage it, it's worth it. We just stayed there middle of October for our honeymoon. It is centrally located right on Sygmata Square. It is very beautiful. And I think if you can manage the price, it's worth it. There are many other hotels in that proximity that are probably slightly less expensive, but also good. For example, the King George is right next door. It seems Sygmata Square is a great location. Walking distance to the Parthenon.

DejaVu

Syntagma not Sygmata (for searching purposes).
I've stayed before in the Athenian Inn in the Kolonaki district. They've since renovated and become more expensive than when I last stayed there, but I liked it a lot. Kolonaki is the ritzy district, with lots of nice stores and cafes. It's not close to the Acropolis (it's at the foot of Mount Lykavittos [or Lycabettus]) but you can get to the Acropolis easily via Metro now, or just take a walk (about 20-25 mins). I do however prefer Kolonaki area because it is not as touristy as Plaka or area around Syntagma.

DejaVu

Hmmm, seems Athenian Inn has changed names? It's now called the Periscope Hotel, evidently. But that must be it, 22 Haritos Street is the address.

Greecebound123

In Oct we stayed at the Plaka hotel. It was close to everything, reasonable price, and nice rooms. They also had a helpful staff. I would stay there again.

grandmere

i've stayed at the Athenian Inn in Kolonaki, also, and liked it and the area very much. However, I think I enjoyed staying at the Acropolis View Hotel, southwest of Plaka, even more b/c it is close enough to Plaka to walk, but in a safe and relatively quiet section of town. A little bit nearer "the action."

christina79

If you're looking for a well-priced, simple hotel, try the Dorian Inn. It's located close to Omonia Square and is in walking distance of anything that's interesting to see. It's not fancy, but it's usually quite reasonably priced and the location is good. Some highlights include a nice rooftop bar/swimming pool with a fantastic view of the whole city. I think breakfast is also included in the price and they offer a pretty decent breakfast buffet (comparable to other places in Greece, where breakfast means a few pieces of cheese, hardboiled eggs and paximadia, a melba-toast type of dry bread.)

Eloise

I stayed near Omonia once and near Syntagma or in the Plaka seven or eight times. They are more touristy, that is true, but they are also more central, have more restaurants and cafes, and seem to me safer (I was traveling solo).

christina79

I think Plaka and Syntagma are probably your safest bets. Omonia's not bad, but I must admit it made me a little nervous at night. Not sure if it's unsafe, exactly, but there seemed to be some unsavoury characters hanging out around there. Mind you, this was 3 years ago. With the Olympics, things may have changed. I know the city has cleaned up a lot since then.

dona

Thanks -- appreciate all the suggestions. will check them out.

brotherleelove2004

The Attalos Hotel on Athinas Street is a popular mid-range hotel. It's near the Plaka. There's a rooftop lounge area with a great view of the Parthenon.

http://www.attaloshotel.com/

Matrexx

My vote is for the Plaka Area. We stayed in the hostel but it was a great area for exploring at night - really alive. Definitely touristy, but it was fun wandering the back streets up around the Acropolis hill. We would be walking down a narrow little street, turn a corner and there would be the acropolis all lit up above us.

The Electra Palace was right down there. I've heard good things about it on this forum and it looked fancy (by our simple budget standards!).

stanbr

I agree with Brotherlee's advice. Attalos is a very inexpensive hotel, two blocks from the main shopping market in Athens ( don't bargin with Gypsies ),a rooftop bar overlooking the Acropolis, a two minute walk from the metro line and the Plaka area. Wonderful dining is available in the Monastraki and Psiri areas which are also two minute walks from the hotel. If you are looking for 5 star, then Attalos is not for you, but if you are on a budget and are looking for a good clean hotel you can't do better than Attalos.
Book early because this hotel isn't a secret.

dona

Thanks for the suggestion on the Attalos. It seems to get pretty good reviews on Trip Advisor also.

Catbert

I really liked the Electra Palace. It's location was ideal for us.