Please recommend a hotel in Athens , Plaka or not?
 

We need a good hotel recommendation for a 1 night stay in Athens in May. We're taking a flight out back to the States the next day and are not sure whether we should stay near the airport or stay in the Plaka area to enjoy the sites. Anyone know how long it takes to get to the airport from Plaka? Also, we don't want to spend more than $150 a night. Any suggestions?

Hi,<BR>Whether or not you should stay in the Plaka area or near the airport depends on a couple of things.<BR>1. Where will you be arriving from?<BR>2. What time is your flight to the US?<BR>There is only one hotel at the airport, that is the Sofitel and it is expensive.<BR>Rafina is nearer to the airport than Athens if you decide to avoid Athens traffic.<BR>Re. travel time - it varies a lot depending on time of day, day of week etc. I would guess 1 hour - 1 and 1/2 hours.<BR>Plaka is a pleasant area to roam around and would make a nice end to your trip. If you have not been there before then I think it is worth the effort, even if it involves an early morning start.<BR>Re. hotels in Plaka area:<BR>The Electra Palace - wonderful location, pretty expensive<BR>The Plaka Hotel - good location, seems nice enough from the outside but I haven't stayed there.<BR>Athens Gate - where I stay. This is about 10 minutes walk to the Plaka, is reasonably priced and has a lovely rooftop bar / restaurant.<BR>Search the other posts on this site for more reccommendations re. Athens hotels, there are quite a few.<BR>

We were in Athens last May for one night before flying back to the States as well. We stayed at the Astor Hotel Athens (Syntagma Square) www.astorhotel.com It was 93 euros (at the time about $85) a night for a double room including breakfast. The rooms were clean and simple and the open-air rooftop balcony with perfect view of the Parthenon was awesome! The location was great- walking distance to the Plaka, Acropolis, flea market, etc. I'd go back again. Oh- and allow yourself the 1.5 hours to get to the airport (although we left at 4:00am and had no traffic to contend with)!

A vote for the Plaka area. Definitely.

Did you feel safe when you were traveling around Greece/Athens? I keep hearing things about how unsafe Athens is a block from the Plaka? Would anyone advise going with the family to Athens/Greece next month for spring break with all that is going on? Thanks-

Hi Dutyfree<BR>I was in Athens in october and it is true it is swarming with police, especially around the Syntagma Square. Having said that and just about put you off, I also felt as safe as houses, I travelled on the metro up to Kifissia and down to Piraeus and thoroughly enjoyed it all. Most people in Athens seem to speak excellent english now so you always have plenty of people to help with directions and the greek people are the most hospitable and gracious towards tourists.<BR>Most cities, maybe all in Europe are pretty alert right now and with good reason so no matter where you choose it will be similar with lots of security but life goes on. Please don't be put off, you will have a great time.<BR>To Travlindiva<BR>Allow 1 hour to the airport by bus which leaves from Syntagma Square just south of the metro station. I love the Plaka, it is fun and totally unique.

We stayed at the Attalos- great position on the edge of the Plaka.Good for strolling around choosing somewheer to eat. Good views of the Parthenon from the bedroom balcony. Simple but very clean and relatively inexpensive. I'm sure it didn't take longer than about 20-30 mins to get to the airport. Hotel will summon taxi for you and may be able to advise on time to allow depending on time of day.

Thanks folks! I think we will be going the Plaka route after all, since this is a first time in Athens. We will be coming flying into Athens, in the morning from Santorini and flying home the next day at about noon. So, it may be worth a stay in the Plaka area even though the commute will be cumbersome.

The Elektra Palace is closed for renovations until July, 2004, I believe. Otherwise, it's got a great location in Plaka, and is very nice, but a little pricey (for some). My choice would be the Plaka Hotel -- location very good, not quite as nice, but also not as expensive. A good choice for many, I think.

Athens feels safer than London to walk around - in all areas. It's been cleaned up a lot recently, and is looking great! Have a drink at the bar in Hotel Grande Bretagne!

I'll second the vote for having a drink at the Grand Bretagne. We were in Athens for three nights and originally wanted to stay at the Grand Bretagne, but a &quot;cheap moment&quot; decided not to spend that much and stayed at the Electra Palace in Platka instead. We couldn't have been happier. I didn't see the attraction of being in the Syntagma Square area. It is primarily stores, business, and government buildings. At night it's almost dead. The Platka has so much atmosphere! The Grand Bretagne was a beautiful and grand old hotel, but we were thrilled we WEREN'T staying there.

I agree that the bottom line is what time you'll get to Athens for your one day/night there and how early you'd have to leave for the airport. But assuming you have four or five hours in addition to sleep time -- I'd go for the Platka!! You can stay near an airport anywhere in the world and it will all be alike.

Another vote for Plaka; we like the Acropolis View Hotel--friendly, reasonable, clean, quiet, and about 10 min. walk from Plaka.

If you have more time available, or want a special dinner by all means try the GB Corner. However, I prefer, for the atmosphere alone, The Winter Garden. For around 100EUR you can have a couple of sublime cocktails (made perfectly), hamburger's and one of their self-indulgent desserts for two.

Try the Herodion or the sister-property Philippos.
Both of them have been recently fully renovated ,their rate include a good breakfast,and are near acropolis the Herodion has a great roof top bar that has a great view of the Acroplis short walk to the heart of Plaka the Philippos is around the corner from the Herodion. I made 2 trips to the airport and 2 trips to the Philippos all were les than 1hr and about 16 - 22 euro this was in Nov 2003. I did the same thing as your going to do flying back to Athens from Santorini they have a website www.philipposhotel.com

Don't miss the Plaka at night. It has such atmosphere, with all the music and the lively restaurant scene. Althogh it's been over 20 years since we were there, I'll never forget that place. Our hotels-both class C - were dumps. The first had a 5 inch hole in the bathroom floor and the second turned off the air-conditioning in the middle of the night, when they thought you were asleep. The trouble was that it would wake you up as you would be drenched in sweat. But it was all part of the scene.

One thing I want to do next time I'm in Athens is see a demonstration of traditional Greek dancing. Yeah, it's hokey and kitschy -- but I wanna see it! (I think everyone should one time.) Has anyone seen such a show? How did you find it? Details?

Has anyone stayed at the YWCA in Athens?
Any impressions to share? Would it be suitable for two elderly women?

Thanks!