Where to Stay in Athens, Greece

Athens is a city that is both modern, lively, and gritty and also an open air museum with a regal sense of epic history. It’s an excellent juxtaposition of ancient meets modern. While it can often be overshadowed by the Greek islands and seen as merely a pit stop en route to whitewashed buildings and sparkling blue seas, Athens has a lot to offer as a vacation destination.

Whether you’re looking for shopping, history, cute cafes, or trendy nightclubs, Athens has it all. You really should plan to stay for more than a day or two if you really want to get a good feel for the place. And the best part is that Athens can be done at just about any budget.

Like with any large tourist destination, choosing where to stay in Athens can be daunting. Which neighbourhood and how to choose which hotel in that neighbourhood? I’m hoping to make that decision a bit easier for you by showcasing some of the top rated and my favourite options in the city. I’ve mainly chosen hotels and hostels that are nearby to the city’s main attraction: the Acropolis and Parthenon. No matter what your budget there are Athenian accommodations to suit you.

Budget

Bedbox Hostel

Bedbox Hostel is one of two of my picks that have seemingly fine names, until you delve a little deeper. Bedbox gets its name from the fact that each bed has a curtain and solid dividers at the head and foot, essentially turning it into a box. When you say it out loud though it sounds a bit too close to a critter you hope to never run into.

Name aside, I enjoyed my stay at Bedbox in Athens. I had a bunk in a 6 bed female dorm and found the bed reasonably comfortable, the storage lockers were more than big enough, and the location was excellent – right between Ermou Street shopping area and Monastiraki Square. I also enjoyed getting a little work session in on their top floor balcony.

Thanasis Place

If you’re travelling on a budget, Thanasis Place would make a great option. They have have both male and female only dorm rooms as well as mixed gender rooms available. One thing that drew me to them, besides their 9.4 rating on Booking.com, was the fact that their beds include curtains. One of the biggest hurdles I had to get over with hostels was the lack of private space so I love when beds have some type of privacy curtain. It’s a little thing that makes a big difference.

The rooms are Thanasis Place are bright and airy. In room storage lockers are big enough to store your valuables such as a laptop, purse, or day bag but don’t expect to fit your entire backpack or suitcase in them. Reviewers raved about the cleanliness of the property as well as the fact that it’s close to cafes and restaurants. At €13 a night, you’re not going to find better value in Athens.

Kimon Hotel

The cozy atmosphere, personalized care & attention to details create the special character of Kimon Hotel in central Athens. Located in the Plaka neighbourhood, they’re only a 5 minute walk from the Ermou Street shopping area. They also have a lending library where they encourage you to borrow a book and leave a book. Great way to expand your travel reading.

Kimon Hotel has five different rooms style, one of which is the single budget room, which is why I’ve placed them in this category. The rooms are small but are fully equipped and perfect for the solo traveller. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning which is welcome in the hot Grecian summer.

Midrange

Novus City Hotel

Contribution from Mal Hellyer from Raw Mal Roams. Follow on Instagram.

Novus City Hotel is a great mid-range option for staying close to all the main tourist attractions.  Situated just off Omonia Square, 1 km away or 15 minutes walk from Monastiraki. There is also a Metro station on the Omonia Square so you can get easily anywhere within the city. The hotel features functional, spacious rooms, free parking, free WiFi and a free breakfast.

The best part of staying at Novus City Hotel was its rooftop swimming pool overlooking the Acropolis! After all day of sightseeing ancient ruins in Athenian heat, we loved taking a dip in the rooftop pool! There was also an excellent and fairly priced restaurant next to the pool with the same gorgeous view! Prices start at £100 for a double room.

Tip: Go to the rooftop of the hotel after dusk and enjoy the Acropolis all beautifully lit up

14 Reasons Why

Just 200m from Monastiraki Square, 14 Reasons Why is full of Instagram charm. Think giant clothespin benches, neon signs, and plants galore. Pale millennial pink walls, oil diffusers, and geometric furniture will greet you in each room along with a flat screen tv, coffee maker, and minimalist private bathroom. Each room truly looks as if a popular lifestyle blogger has styled them. That might not be everybody’s thing but I’m ready to move right in!

The location means that you’re super close to attractions like the Temple of Hephaestus and the Ancient Agora and only a 15 minute walk from the Acropolis.

Luxury

AthensWas Hotel

AthensWas is a luxury boutique hotel in Athens situated in the beating heart of the city and just a breath away from the Acropolis Museum, the sacred Acropolis Hill and Plaka (Old Town). Boasting an incredible location, right on Dionysiou Areopagitou pedestrian street, AthensWas offers 5 star design rooms and utterly luxurious suites and basks in magnificent views overlooking the most prized neighbourhood of Athens.

They blend both the historical and the modern in their room design, which is an accurate representation of modern Athens. Paying homage to the luxurious, classical Athenian era and the minimalist simplicity that the current age, clean, uncluttered lines dominate the interiors of AthensWas.

They also offer a full range of services, as you’d expect from a luxury hotel. Beyond the basic business centre and a fitness room they can also provide personal training sessions and in room massages, which is a step above and beyond to make your visit to Athens truly memorable.

Perianth Hotel

A neo-modernist marvel, Perianth Hotel celebrates contemporary Greek culture in the heart of its ancient capital, Athens. Sharing space with the Zen Centre Athens, this is a hotel designed to let you rest and recharge after a busy day of sightseeing.

I love how the hotel is filled with contemporary Greek art. They know that you will likely spend many hours out and about looking at ancient art and wanted to balance that with new work.

If you really want to pamper yourself, book the penthouse suite which comes with a private pool and jacuzzi with a stunning view of the Acropolis.

Booking.com

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