29 Best Hotels in Athens, Greece

Located on busy Solonos Street, Academias Hotel, an Autograph Collection boutique hotel under the Marriott brand, is one of the latest introductions to the thriving Athenian tourism evolution. Across from the highly regarded School of Law, indeed this building was previous an annex of the school, it sits on an imagined border between upscale Kolonaki and edgy Exarchia. Entering the airy high-ceiling lobby, you'll immediately be confronted by a glitzy New York--style bar. Black and white marble pave the floor, and black marble counters top the tables and bar, the fixtures are mostly bright gold. The rooms themselves are two-tone black and white, comfortably sized with high-end modern marble finish bathrooms. The hotel's claim to have an emphasis on ancient Greek academia can be spotted with thoughtful quotes from the likes of Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates. The laid-back Japanese fusion rooftop restaurant and bar have the most incredible views of Athens with front and center the Acropolis, and serves extraordinarily good sushi. 

Tucked away in the far corner of Psiri, The Foundry, housed in an early industrial building that fuses vintage mid-century design with restrained luxury, is perfect for couples and families visiting the capital. The suites, many split level or with a mezzanine annex, have open sleeping areas, some stone and brick feature walls and quirky creature comforts like turntables (you can get records at the reception). There's a complimentary drink for all guests served on the rooftop Mediterranean garden bar, which boasts stunning views of Athens' historical center and of course the Acropolis. The only food to be had there is authentic Italian pizza and since the hotel has no restaurant (each suite has a fully equipped kitchenette), the à la carte breakfast comes packed in a lovely little picnic basket either to your room or the rooftop.

Athens's small, modestly priced establishments have generally relied on little more than convenient central locations to draw visitors, but the Hermes goes further, with sunny guest rooms with brightly colored decorative details that feel warm and welcoming, and marble bathrooms. Breakfast is served in the cheerful dining room, and you can enjoy a sunset cocktail at the cozy roof-garden bar before setting off to sample the city's nightlife. A travel concierge can help you arrange day-trips. Family rooms are available on request, and there's a children's playroom.

With a guest list that includes more than a century's worth of royals, celebrities, and heads of state, the landmark Grande Bretagne remains the most exclusive and architecturally majestic hotel in Athens. As you marvel at one of the most eye-knocking views of the Acropolis from the rooftop terrace or rest on custom-made silk ottomans while you call your personal butler (on call 24 hours a day) from your room, you may very well think it is the very best. Built in 1842, the hotel still reflects its original grandeur, with restored 19th-century oil paintings, antiques, and hand-carved details as they were more than a century ago. In lesser hands the result could be twee, but the hotel packs a punch with modern amenities unmatched in Athens with an incredible spa, a choice of exemplary dining and drinking options, and a sleek pool area. The warm, discreet, and knowledgeable staff ensure a memorable stay in one of Greece's most iconic properties.

One of the most historic and luxurious hotels in Athens, the King George is where celebrities often stay, usually in the Royal Penthouse suite with its own Acropolis view private pool, and first impressions tell you why: a spacious lobby in marble, mahogany, velvet, leather, and gold trim lures you into a world where antique crystal lamps and shower stalls with mother-of-pearl tiles raise standards of luxury to dizzying heights. Each room is individually furnished with one-of-a-kind handcrafted furniture, antique desks, and raw-silk upholstery. Heavy brocade curtains are no more than a decorative flourish: the rooms are soundproofed and their lighting calibrated to the natural light. At the Tudor Hall rooftop restaurant, savor Greco-French delicacies and a view of the city skyline stretching from the Panathenaic Stadium to the Parthenon.

This brand-new concept hotel on the central Omonia Square, to coin a new term, is a "glampus" hotel, having a youthful, studenty design, laced with touches of glam club features throughout. Entering the lobby you'll be offered a cool flute of prosecco or icy fruit water. The golden door elevators have grey concrete frames. These themes continue in the breakfast area on the first floor, where on industrial vents hang crystal chandeliers. In the small rooms haughty wallpaper covers one wall, completed with a gaudy golden crane wall light, opposite a full wall mirror. Views of Athens and the Acropolis can be enjoyed from the lively rooftop, where the bar flanks a little pool and Jacuzzi. Every Thursday a guest DJ bangs out dance beats deep into the Athens night.

Opened in the summer of 2021, this boutique hotel is setting the benchmark for the industry in the capital for refined and elegant design, Acropolis views, and trendy touches like a record player or a Polaroid camera in the rooms, not to mention a magic formula to make guests feel well looked after. Located in a leafy corner of upscale Kolonaki, you can just see the Acropolis from most balconies, but for the best views head to the roof top where you can relax, cocktail in hand (you can have a salad or some cold cuts, too). Formerly, the building belonged to the Canadian Embassy, so keeping in the spirit, it really is straight A's for this sensational hotel.

The cutting-edge New Hotel was heralded as an aesthetic triumph in the inner city's ever-changing landscape when it opened, and it maintains its edge, attracting guests who still prefer something avant-garde. Part of the Yes! Hotels chain masterminded by the celebrated modern art collector Dakis Ioannou, it's also the first large-scale interior design project ever undertaken by the noted architectural duo, the Campana brothers. Their personal stamp is evident as soon as you enter the lobby: one wall is a gigantic art piece comprised of broken recycled wood furniture from the old hotel that used to stand here. Upstairs, ultramodern guest rooms with glass bathrooms integrate three retro themes in their decor: the Karagkiozis shadow theater puppets, the traditional evil eye charms, and kitschy vintage postcards of Athens spanning the 1950s to the ’80s decoupaged on walls in striking groups. 

Right behind the brand-new National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST), this seven-story hotel has large, light-filled, and modern rooms that are ideal for families or small groups of friends (up to four). The decor is fresh and minimalistic, with a monochromatic palette and sleek furnishings. Suites include a minikitchen; and then there's the Acropolis Attic (which sleeps two) that has its very own terrace with a stunning view of the Acropolis. Breakfast is minimal and comes in a box delivered to the room (with an option for a good-value kids box). The youthful hotel also prides itself in helping guests integrate to the city by offering off-the-beaten-track advice.

Each room in this boutique hotel with a sleek design and an outstanding restaurant-bar is a little haven of urban cool, thanks to flat-screen TVs, personal stereo/DVD systems, Molton Brown bath products, high-drama high-design color schemes, black minimalistic headboards, and soft, white Egyptian cotton sheets. The service is exceptional—you get a welcome drink and Greek meze platter when you arrive. Psirri's legendary nightlife and flea market are right outside your door—and rooms at the front can get a real feel for that. The Acropolis Grande Suite is the star at this lodging, complete with its own terrace and with a view that one visits Athens for.

Not the bargain it once was, but you do get to stay in a slick-looking, recently renovated hotel with an artfully modernized lobby full of designer furniture in the newly fashionable neighborhood of Koukaki, a 10-minute walk from the Acropolis and literally around the corner from the Acropolis Museum. Bright, comfortable guest rooms have cheery yellow accents and relaxing earthly hues. The rooftop restaurant180 West serves Mediterranean cuisine and cocktails amid enviable Acropolis views.

This comfortable pension offers friendly service and an excellent location in the heart of Plaka—incurable romantics should ask for one of just three rooms looking toward the Acropolis. If you like being in the thick of things, enjoy your buffet breakfast (May–October only) with a view of the famous monument from the shaded roof garden, and ask instead for one of the rooms with the spacious balconies overlooking the café-lined square.

The central location and competitive prices are the main attractions here for most visitors—it's right on one of Athens's biggest, busiest streets, directly across from Parliament, but double-glazed windows (fortunately) and a view to the pretty National Garden keep things peaceful inside. Guest rooms are fresh and inviting, there is a rich buffet breakfast, and the hotel is very close to transport: the airport shuttle is next door, and the metro and tram are just a few steps away.

With a marble atrium lobby, highlighted by the "Blue Man" by George Lappas, as well as a private art collection, Athens's largest hotel is like a world unto itself. Standard rooms have marble floors in the sitting area, marble bathrooms, carpet under the bed, bright cobalt blue or vibrant green fabrics, and business-oriented conveniences like a two-line phone and a work desk. The eighth- and ninth-floor Executive Club level has a private check-in, a lounge with an Acropolis view and a library, complimentary breakfast and evening cocktails, and private meeting rooms separate from the vast conference facilities. The I-Spa features the French Huile d'Olive and Ila organic cosmetics and therapies. The hotel is on a main thoroughfare into the city at the edge of a residential, working-class neighborhood; an hourly shuttle runs to Syntagma Square, about 10 minutes away.

This boutique hotel offers sparklingly clean, coolly contemporary rooms graced with natural light and decorated in nature-inspired neutral shades with jewel-green splashes and designer touches. As minimalist as it is warmly hospitable and comfortable both in terms of amenities and its location, it also has a rooftop bar-restaurant offering a perfect Acropolis view without the outrageous charge that often goes hand-in-hand with it at other hotels.

On the site of the city's former Holiday Inn (it opened its doors in mid-2008), this is among the most technology-friendly Athens hotels. The comfortable, modern rooms are outfitted with large flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, a media hub for digital cameras, PlayStation games, and iPods—there's even a laptop safe that opens with your own credit card. There is also hotel-wide wireless printing and a convenient gym. Another plus is lots of in-house food, including meals at the rooftop café with Acropolis views and at the Ambrosia gourmet restaurant. The nearest metro station that takes you to all the sights (Megaron) is a five-minute walk, and the posh Kolonaki neighborhood is a leisurely 15-minute stroll away.

A popular choice among business guests for its array of conference and meeting facilities, this hotel also offers gracious hospitality to leisure guests who can dine at its Juju Bar-Restaurant, lounge by the large and scenic rooftop pool (which has an all-day pool-bar service), or receive pampering spa therapies at the Peak Health Club & Spa. Its location is great for walking to central areas like Kolonaki and Syntagma as well as several good restaurants in the vicinity.

If you want luxurious elegance, good service, and a great location, this is the hotel for you: rooms from the fifth floor up have a view of the Acropolis, and, in summer, you can bask in the sunshine at the outdoor swimming pool, taking in the view of Athens's greatest monument, or catch the sunset from the rooftop garden—if you're not enjoying some serious pampering in the spa. Located on an attractive backstreet close to the area's museums, its classically decorated, recently renovated guest rooms are comfortable with ample storage space, though some bathrooms can be small. Before setting out in the morning, fill up with one of the city's best buffet breakfasts—sausage, pancakes, and home-baked pies.

One of Athens's most popular hotels, in a restored 1960s building, has minimalist rooms with wooden floors that are furnished and decorated with the creations of local designers. Located right on Monastiraki Square, it offers a perfect view of the Acropolis and makes an ideal location for sightseeing. Some rooms have large windows that magnify the beautiful view of the lively square, Plaka and the Acropolis at the back. The breakfast buffet is located on the rooftop offering even more glorious views, and the breakfast area doubles as one of Athens's most popular bars at night (so expect some noise if you are staying on the floor directly below). Still, the bar is a must-visit to watch the Acropolis sunset.

Reveling in minimalist glam, this attractive and unconventional bright hotel has relaxing and expertly decorated rooms, and two restaurants that feature nouvelle-Mediterranean cuisine—in a centrally located, albeit somewhat dodgy neighborhood (by night and comparably safe Athenian standards). No matter, this is really an excellent central location with easy access to many major attractions (the Athens Central Market, Monastiraki Square, Thissio, and Omonia Square are nearby). The Athenian madness is forgotten quickly as you soak in the hotel's ninth-floor swimming pool with an impressive view of the Acropolis or the in-house sauna and steam rooms. Rooms are simple and relaxing, yet stylish, and are stocked with upscale Korres toiletries; the Wi-Fi is free.

Fun yet posh, this is a crazy-cool boutique art hotel in a slightly sketchy but strategic location near City Hall, Omonia, and the Central Market. Artists were specially commissioned to decorate some of the 63 rooms (most of them suites and many of them family rooms) with happy graffiti works and unique design pieces. All guest rooms are comfortable, with curvaceous lines, uplifting white walls, and art deco modeling, and some are more understated than others, so you get plenty of choice. Dining at the hotel's first-floor gourmet restaurant is an elegant affair, and there is also a small gym.

Attention to elegant detail—the lobby's marble floors, dark wood paneling, and leather sofas—reigns at this small and elegant hotel, a good value that is perfectly located just down the street from the Acropolis Museum. The Hera is, it must be added, just a three-minute walk from the Acropolis itself, and the rooms on the third and fourth floor as well as the restaurant offer a full view of the marble wonder. The guest rooms are done up in soothing dark browns, deep greens, and straw colors. For a romantic dinner or drinks, head to the roof-garden deck where the gourmet Peacock restaurant perches among soaring columns.

A good compromise between the area's budget venues and deluxe digs, this hospitable hotel is down the street from the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, where Athens Festival performances are held in summer, and a few minutes from the Acropolis. Guest rooms are done in light-wood furnishings and muted olive-color, pale pink, or crème walls. The complimentary buffet breakfast is served in the ground-level restaurant. The adjacent light-filled atrium is home to a bar and coffee shop where fine antiques, Greek works of art, and cozy, pillowy chairs offer an intimate vibe. On the roof, there is a terrace with two Jacuzzis (extra charge) and a wonderful Parthenon panorama that you can enjoy while dining at the Point α bar-restaurant. Be sure to take full advantage of the hotel's location and ask for a room with an Acropolis view.

This welcoming guesthouse has a steady clientele who don't mind the basic accommodations and facilities in return for gracious, welcoming service, a convenient location, and unbeatable prices. It is possible to walk to most of the ancient sights (15 minutes to the Acropolis); it is also close to the metro and the Zinni stop on Trolley 1, 5, or 9 from Syntagma Square. Guest rooms are colorful, clean, and quiet, with air-conditioning and rustic furniture (some rooms have shared baths). The family that runs this inn is always willing to help out, and the courtyard is a lovely place to relax. Enjoy the free Wi-Fi access in all rooms and the lobby.

This sleek, renovated concept hotel combines minimalist urban-chic design, amenity-filled rooms, and exceptional service for a truly relaxing experience. Business travelers and urbane globe-trotters love the efficient service, spotless modern rooms, and the old-money, chic neighborhood of Kolonaki. Guest rooms are a bit small with disappointing views, except from the top-floor penthouse, but no one will complain about the sleek design or central location. Many of the city's best shops, restaurants, and cafés are around here, and it's only a short walk to the metro and bustling Kolonaki Square.

The guest rooms in this charming, centrally located hotel offer a comfortable place to rest your head while in the heart of old Athens. This hotel, part of the family-owned chain, which includes the hotels Hermes and Athens Center Square, flourishes in its location; some rooms have views of the Acropolis, which you can also enjoy from the roof garden while sipping an evening drink. The staff is helpful, the rooms small but well kept, and breakfast is served in a glassed-in, taverna-style space overlooking the shopping thoroughfare of Ermou, Syntagma, and the Monastiraki metro. Some connecting rooms—ideal for families—are available.

A handsome house on a pretty residential street, this pension is comfortably old-fashioned, with family paintings on the muted white walls, comfortable beds, hardwood floors, ceiling fans, and balconies in many guest rooms. Though the residential neighborhood (a 10-minute walk south of the Acropolis) lacks the charm of Plaka, it has many fewer tourists, and the metro offers easy access to many of the city's sights. A congenial crowd of visiting students and single travelers fills the place. In winter, lower rates are available to long-term guests, some of whom stay on for a few months. Rates with and without the hearty buffet breakfast, which is served on the fourth-floor terrace with a view of Athens's sacred ancient rocks, are available.