I will be staying at the Hotel Titania in Athens with a group of 40 students in March 2011. We spend 2 nights there prior to a 5 day cruise, then 1 night after the cruise. Has anyone had any experience with this hotel. We are firmly booked, so cannot make changes - but is there any aspect of the hotel we should anticipate or be wary of? Thanks in advance.

tC

It looks like a nice hotel but the neighborhood is a bit seedy. Omonia Sqare, just a couple of blocks away is notorious for the nighttime prowling of junkies and prostitutes. It's not a good place for kids to be out wandering around unchaperoned by themselves at night.

There are a lot of creepy people around Omonia Square at night, but you will be fine travelling as a group. From reading your previous posts, I don't think you intend to let your teens go out on their own in Athens, anyway. If you have group outings arranged for the evenings, that will keep everyone busy, happy, and safe. Athens is a late night city, and the areas around Syntagma, Monastiraki, and Thissio, for example, are perfectly safe.

Omonia is seedy in the daytime, too, at least when I was there on my own.. but it is very obvious.. so.. you won't accidentally be hanging around there.

Hi all, I'm seeing a commonality with your comments about the neighbourhood. I appreciate the warnings. We won't actually be doing too much in the neighbourhood besides sleeping. Our time is pretty busy in Athens. Once we get the students safely tucked into their own beds, maybe the chaperones will slink out and experience the Greek definition of seedy!

It sounds like no one has any concerns or advice about the hotel itself. That is good news for us.

tC

It's a very nice hotel. The rooftop Olive Garden restaurant is well known & supposed to be excellent, but too expensive for me!
It is situated on Panepistimou, a very busy main road, although I'm assuming you will have a coach pick up for excursions & not need to walk from the hotel with all those students? Once you reach the pedestrian area of Plaka & the route around the Acropolis it will feel like a different city!

yiassas - we were told by the travel agent that the rooftop restaurant was a wonderful site - but likely far from our budget. Yes, we will have coaches transport us around and about for our tours. Only 49 days until departure. The students (and the chaperones) are getting very excited.

tC

Your fan club is anxiously awaiting ..can't wait to read about this next teenage travel saga.