Hotel Layover Sleeping Accomodations?
Nov 5th, 2007, 06:17 PM
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Hotel Layover Sleeping Accomodations?
Hi...I am wondering if anyone can give me info on finding sleeping accomodations during a LONG layover in Athens, from 1:00 am to 11:00 am? We have this very long layover coming and going. Also, where are the best places to exchange currency? Thanks!
Nov 5th, 2007, 06:38 PM
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Find a cheap hotel in Central Athens and take the express bus in from the airport. Check the Pan Hotel, Arethusa Hotel and Amazon Hotel, they're all within a few short blocks to Syntagma Square where the bus stop is located.
You can exchange currency at the airport if you don't have an ATM card.
You can exchange currency at the airport if you don't have an ATM card.
Nov 6th, 2007, 01:02 AM
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Budget permitting, Sofitel would be your best option, as it is only a few minutes walk from arrivals and departures in the terminal. It is expensive, though.
For a hotel in central Athens, with a 1:00 AM arrival it would be about 3:00 AM by the time you got your bags, made your way into the city, and settled into a hotel room. You would have to check out around 8:00 AM to get back to the airport in time for your flight, so that would give you about five hours to sleep.
There is a Holiday Inn about 15 minutes from the airport, which is also on the expensive side, but less so than the Sofitel.
Unfortunately Sofitel and Holiday Inn are the only two hotels near the airport. Your other option would be to camp out in the terminal.
For a hotel in central Athens, with a 1:00 AM arrival it would be about 3:00 AM by the time you got your bags, made your way into the city, and settled into a hotel room. You would have to check out around 8:00 AM to get back to the airport in time for your flight, so that would give you about five hours to sleep.
There is a Holiday Inn about 15 minutes from the airport, which is also on the expensive side, but less so than the Sofitel.
Unfortunately Sofitel and Holiday Inn are the only two hotels near the airport. Your other option would be to camp out in the terminal.
Nov 6th, 2007, 03:50 AM
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It seems to me your options are the Sofitel which is very nice and remarkably quiet considering that it is located right in the airport or just trying to get some sleep right in the airport.
Perhaps you could try the Sofitel on the first leg and if it seems to work for you, reserve for the return trip.
Perhaps you could try the Sofitel on the first leg and if it seems to work for you, reserve for the return trip.
Nov 6th, 2007, 07:33 AM
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With arriving at 1:00 am I am concerned with taking the bus or subway, so a taxi is what I was thinking. We have a connecting flight the next day to the islands, will we need to pick up our luggage, or shouldn't it be checked all the way through? If we don't have to get our luggage, my thought was we could get into Athens within an hour, sleep, get bkfst, see the Acropolis and then get a taxi back to the airport. Am I crazy for thinking we can do this? We arrive at 1:00 am and then leave at 3:00 pm. Thanks everyone!
Nov 6th, 2007, 08:17 AM
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Kimbies, you are confusing us! First you say you onlly have until 11 am. now you say it is 3pm (1500 hrs). Which is it?
If u have until 3 pm, that means you don't have to be back at the airpot until 1 pm (1300 hours).
Yes, the bus DOES run 24/7 and that time of wee hours, it takes about 45 minutes.
About not having to pick up luggage -- unless you are flying in on Olympic & taking an Olympic to an isle, yes you will have to pick up luggage.
Supposing you CAN get to a hotel & hit the sack by 3 am, and are able to drag yourself out of bed by 8 am, that's when the Acropolis opens.
HOWEVER, your ticket costs 12 Euros & admits you to all 6 major ancient sites... but u would have time for only one. What a waste. Better to do some general orientation sight-seeing in and around Plaka etc.
In your post #2, you finally tell us that your layover is between an international flight & an island flight. I assume u will then fly/ferry back to Athens or Piraeus for your journey back to (US?UK?). Why not do your Athens sight-seeing at the end? Even 1.5 days would be better than 5 hours.
Of course we don't know how long your trip is, so can't see if there's any 'wiggle-rooom." please share.
If u have until 3 pm, that means you don't have to be back at the airpot until 1 pm (1300 hours).
Yes, the bus DOES run 24/7 and that time of wee hours, it takes about 45 minutes.
About not having to pick up luggage -- unless you are flying in on Olympic & taking an Olympic to an isle, yes you will have to pick up luggage.
Supposing you CAN get to a hotel & hit the sack by 3 am, and are able to drag yourself out of bed by 8 am, that's when the Acropolis opens.
HOWEVER, your ticket costs 12 Euros & admits you to all 6 major ancient sites... but u would have time for only one. What a waste. Better to do some general orientation sight-seeing in and around Plaka etc.
In your post #2, you finally tell us that your layover is between an international flight & an island flight. I assume u will then fly/ferry back to Athens or Piraeus for your journey back to (US?UK?). Why not do your Athens sight-seeing at the end? Even 1.5 days would be better than 5 hours.
Of course we don't know how long your trip is, so can't see if there's any 'wiggle-rooom." please share.
Nov 6th, 2007, 09:09 AM
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Sorry for the confusion, it was late and I had a headache last night.
We do get in at 1:00 am and leave at 3:00 pm. We arrive in Athens on Lufthansa and then depart on Aegean.
Now I am confused regarding the luggage. Thought we could check it the entire way through from Denver to Mykonos. Details: United to Frankfurt, Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Athens, Aegean from Athens to Mykonos. Can't we check our luggage all the way through?
On our return trip we fly from Santorini to Athens and arrive at 2:25 pm, then depart the next morning at 6:00 am. So, about the same amount of time for a layover.
I have been to Athens previously, and was able to walk around Plaka, but unable to get to the Acropolis. I would really like to see it.
Sorry if this is confusing for everyone...maybe this is why I'm getting another headache. Thanks, though for the suggestions!
We do get in at 1:00 am and leave at 3:00 pm. We arrive in Athens on Lufthansa and then depart on Aegean.
Now I am confused regarding the luggage. Thought we could check it the entire way through from Denver to Mykonos. Details: United to Frankfurt, Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Athens, Aegean from Athens to Mykonos. Can't we check our luggage all the way through?
On our return trip we fly from Santorini to Athens and arrive at 2:25 pm, then depart the next morning at 6:00 am. So, about the same amount of time for a layover.
I have been to Athens previously, and was able to walk around Plaka, but unable to get to the Acropolis. I would really like to see it.
Sorry if this is confusing for everyone...maybe this is why I'm getting another headache. Thanks, though for the suggestions!
Nov 6th, 2007, 10:12 AM
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Kimbies, now that we know your flight departs at 1500 rather than 1100 it makes more sense to go into Athens for your layover.
Can you check your luggage straight through to Mykonos? I doubt it, since you will be switching to a domestic flight at Athens, and you will probably have to clear customs upon arrival there, but I could be wrong. At any rate, do you really want your luggage to be handled by three different airlines enroute?
Can you check your luggage straight through to Mykonos? I doubt it, since you will be switching to a domestic flight at Athens, and you will probably have to clear customs upon arrival there, but I could be wrong. At any rate, do you really want your luggage to be handled by three different airlines enroute?
Nov 6th, 2007, 10:19 AM
#12
As I understand your itinerary, you will go through immigration in Frankfurt and customs in Athens.
You should be able to check your bags through to Athens w/o any problems. But you can't check them all the way to Mykonos.
You should be able to check your bags through to Athens w/o any problems. But you can't check them all the way to Mykonos.
Nov 6th, 2007, 10:46 AM
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Thanks for the info, everyone. So it looks like there is an agreement that we can check our bags through to Athens. That will probably work best anyhow if we are going to go into Athens to get a room.
Am I crazy for thinking we can get through customs, get our luggage and get to a hotel, at that time in the morning by 2:00 ish? Then get some sleep, bkfst, see the Acropolis and then get back to the airport by 1:30?
Am I crazy for thinking we can get through customs, get our luggage and get to a hotel, at that time in the morning by 2:00 ish? Then get some sleep, bkfst, see the Acropolis and then get back to the airport by 1:30?
Nov 6th, 2007, 11:23 AM
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Kimbies, 2:00ish is a bit optimistic, but assuming no flight or baggage delays, you should be at your hotel by 2:30 AM. Athens Airport is small by int'l standards, so once you have your luggage it won't take you long to get to the taxi/bus area. Since a taxi would take you straight to the hotel, that seems a quicker alternative to the bus.
The next morning you should have a few hours for sightseeing if you can drag yourself out of bed.
Domestic flights require you to be there an hour before departure. Have a good trip.
The next morning you should have a few hours for sightseeing if you can drag yourself out of bed.
Domestic flights require you to be there an hour before departure. Have a good trip.
Nov 6th, 2007, 01:46 PM
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Our trip is somewhat of a package deal. We were supposed to take ferries or the hydrofoil between islands, but they weren't able to line these up. Some kind of problems with them in Greece...so, when we go from Mykonos to Santorini, we now have to fly back to Athens, 2 hour layover, then flight to Santorini. So, we're trying to make the best of the time and itineraries we have to follow.
Nov 6th, 2007, 02:08 PM
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Kimbies, if you are traveling sometime between now and next March (if you mentioned the date I missed it), the catamaran providing direct connection between Mykonos and Santorini isn't running - it's a summer-only service. That is probably why you have to go back to Athens to get to Santorini.
Gaspard's suggestion to take the morning ferry to Mykonos is a good one, and you could still fly back to Athens for your connection to Santorini. Nevertheless, your current plan is workable, so if you already have the flights reserved, go for it.
Gaspard's suggestion to take the morning ferry to Mykonos is a good one, and you could still fly back to Athens for your connection to Santorini. Nevertheless, your current plan is workable, so if you already have the flights reserved, go for it.
Nov 6th, 2007, 02:31 PM
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The FlyingCat 4 stopped running at the end of October http://www.ferries.gr/hfd/, so that's why you have to go back to Athens.
Nov 25th, 2007, 09:34 PM
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First of all, the subway from the airport does not run at night and I am pretty sure that is true of buses as well.
I would stay at the Sofitel at the airport, literally across the street from the terminal. Get up early, take the train into town, to the Acropolis station (there is a map on the train that will show you the connections). Visit the Acropolis in the morning as soon as they open, and then hop on the train back to the airport, picking up your bags at the hotel on the way.
The trip into town is maximum one hour door to door.
The best place to get cash is from an ATM machine - best rate, lowest commission - and you need not worry about opening/closing times of banks.
I would stay at the Sofitel at the airport, literally across the street from the terminal. Get up early, take the train into town, to the Acropolis station (there is a map on the train that will show you the connections). Visit the Acropolis in the morning as soon as they open, and then hop on the train back to the airport, picking up your bags at the hotel on the way.
The trip into town is maximum one hour door to door.
The best place to get cash is from an ATM machine - best rate, lowest commission - and you need not worry about opening/closing times of banks.
