Our trip to Greece in early September includes a visit to Delphi with a rental car. The next day we drive to Nafplion. Can anyone recommend a city or hotel for the night in between on the way between the two cities? Looking at the map, Thebes (Thiva) would seem to be a possibility. But are any of those coastal towns worth a try, such as Aigosthena or Loutraki, or are they just industrial cities? Another question - we wanted to stay at an airport hotel the night before we leave, but it looks as if the only ones are the expensive Sofitel, a Holiday Inn, and the Mari Nostrum. Am I missing any others? This doesn't seem like much of a selection for a large city airport.

From Delphi you can drive to Galaxidi ( it's about 25 km away), overnight in one of the excellent small hotels there and take the ferry from Agios Nikolaos to Aigio next morning.
The ferry to the Aigio ( Peloponnese) only takes 30 minutes, from Aigio you will drive towards Corinth and you will take the highway to Tripolis with exit to Nafplio.
It should take around 2-3 hours to get there.

Would not recommend an overnight in Thiva, nor in Aigosthena, Loutraki is a cute coastal town with many hotels cafes and restaurants and a 7 km long pebbly beach.

I think the best way is to overnight in Galaxidi and ferry to Aigio, Galaxidi is a beautiful city with neoclassical houses and great food....
Wherever we ate food was delicious!!!

The Athens Airport has only one hotel in its immediate vicinity, the 5 star Sofitel, and there is a reason for that.
When the airport was build in 2001 there was a restriction, that no other hotel can operate in a radius of 10 km.
If you want to overnight near the apt, you really don't have many choices... Others here have recommended a small hotel in Loutsa, that also offers free transportation, can't remember it's name, but i am sure someone else reading this will.
It was the cheapest alternative to the hotels you mentioned...

The hotel in Loutsa is Perris
http://www.perishotelapt.gr/

Thank you very much Mariha.... that's exactly the hotel !!!

Galaxidi is a nice little town. We were there in May 2009 and stayed at the Hotel Ganimede - a great little boutique hotel. I think we paid around 70 euros a night but of course that was over 2 years ago so prices will likely be higher. I recall that the breakfast was nice as well. Here's the web site: http://www.ganimede.gr/en/hotel.htm

I can only recommend Ganimede Hotel, the rooms are located around a nice courtyard with many plants and flowers,, it has a quiet location and the owner prepares a great homemade breakfast !!! ( with local pies, homemade marmelades etc)

Thanks for the replies. Clausar, I have read in more than one place that the highway (A8)between Patras and Corinth is a nightmare, so was hoping to avoid it. I see that there is a parallel coastal route, but it would probably be much slower. Anyone have experience with the A8?

What you have read is true, it is anarrow 1 lane street, but not that bad after all...
You can also use the old road that connects Patras with Corinth, which happens to be a very scenic road taking you through very nice coastal villages.
Take into consideration that this is the shortest way to go to Nafplio.... the distance ( excluding the ferry of course)is about 120 km, if you go back to Athens and from there to Corinth it will be 230 km....

We travelled to Loutraki a few years ago (a wedding) and was very pleasantly surprised at how much we enjoyed the town. It is exactly as clausar describes. In case you decide on an alternative itinerary I am happy to recommend this hotel:

http://www.hotelsegas.com/

Jon

Galaxidi is great town if you have some time to wonder around and explore it a bit. If don't have time to explore, you may want to drive a bit further away, so you have less driving next day. After Galaxidi, about 10 klms, you 'll find a very small sea side village that rarely sees foreign visitors, called Agioi Pantes (or mostly known to locals on the unofficial name of Vidavi) . There is one or two hotels there and a couple of taverns. I can't guarantee that accomondation will be spotless, but makes for a different rural experience. After Agioi Pantes raphly 10 klms more you'll meet Eratini (known as Tolofona too!), an other small sea side town. I can't remember seen a hotel there, but there is a larg-ish resort type hotel a few klms outside, called Delphi Beach hotel.
In case you finaly decide to spend your night in Delphi after all, I recommend Hotel Pan, Hotel Varonos for nice view (require a valley view of course), Hotel Syvilla for a budget stay, or Hotel Pytho for a more personal service. In case you decide to stay very near Delphi but not on Delphi, you can either a) Overnight in Arahova (popular ski resort on winter) which is only 10 minutes drive anyway b)Overnight in Chrysso (a small traditional village) which is again only 10 minutes drive c)Overnight in Itea (a rather sleepy sea side town) which is 20 minutes drive d) Overnight in Amfissa (capital town of Fokis Prefecture, rather sleepy with a few interesting areas) which is again 20 minutes drive .

Galaxidi is great town if you have some time to wonder around and explore it a bit. If don't have time to explore, you may want to drive a bit further away, so you have less driving next day. After Galaxidi, about 10 klms, you 'll find a very small sea side village that rarely sees foreign visitors, called Agioi Pantes (or mostly known to locals on the unofficial name of Vidavi) . There is one or two hotels there and a couple of taverns. I can't guarantee that accomondation will be spotless, but makes for a different rural experience. After Agioi Pantes raphly 10 klms more you'll meet Eratini (known as Tolofona too!), an other small sea side town. I can't remember seen a hotel there, but there is a larg-ish resort type hotel a few klms outside, called Delphi Beach hotel.
In case you finaly decide to spend your night in Delphi after all, I recommend Hotel Pan, Hotel Varonos for nice view (require a valley view of course), Hotel Syvilla for a budget stay, or Hotel Pytho for a more personal service. In case you decide to stay very near Delphi but not on Delphi, you can either a) Overnight in Arahova (popular ski resort on winter) which is only 10 minutes drive anyway b)Overnight in Chrysso (a small traditional village) which is again only 10 minutes drive c)Overnight in Itea (a rather sleepy sea side town) which is 20 minutes drive d) Overnight in Amfissa (capital town of Fokis Prefecture, rather sleepy with a few interesting areas) which is again 20 minutes drive .

You don't really need to stay out at the airport before you leave... the X95 bus runs 24/7 and taxis now have a flat rate. So at worst you lose an hours sleep by staying in the city but at least you'll have something to do in the evening and it will cost a lot less than the Sofitel...

mariha
all the other options you mentioned are correct, but i think nothing beats Galaxidi and it's charm.
All OP will have to do is to walk down to sea promenade and have a great dinner...
The town is so beatiful, that i wouldn't compare it to any other nearby village or town.

Delphi Beach ( i've stayed there a couple of times) has a very irritating name, as it has nothing to do with Delphi, which is 30-35 km away.. it is avery moderate hotel located in the middle pf nowhere, you need to take the car and go to Eratini if you want to eat out.

The point at staying in Galaxidi is

1. seeing a beautiful town, even if it is for just an overnight
2. having to take the ferry next morning from nearby Agios Nikolaos to Aigio.

I mentioned that Galaxidi is very worthing a stay, as far as you have time to really experience it. The alternatives of Vidavi and Eratini are given driving wise, in case one has time to spare on evening and want to have less driving next day. Delphi Beach is a few klms outside Eratini, of course you need to drive to Eratini, it's not walking distance.

I like Galaxidi but I believe that people should try and get a bit off the beaten track every now and then. Chrysso or Vidavi, or even Itea and Amfissa are interesting for a sort stay, exactly because no one seems to visit. So a more "authentic" experience. There are still a few things to see and do around. A personal call of course.