Athens Greece is a large and ancient metropolis. Divided into sections and districts, each neighborhood offers various distinctive experiences and can change from a funky bohemian community to high-class business district in the span of a single city block. Hotels in Athens can also range between budget one night stays to resplendent apartments suited to monarchs. Your lodgings in Athens can be anywhere on the spectrum you like and the neighborhoods you choose to stay in can be just as varied. Let us help decipher some of the best hotels in Athens by breaking them down by some of the best in each of the more popular neighborhoods.

The Best Hotels in Athens: Best Hotels in Plaka

The name “Plaka” can be traced back to meaning “Old Athens” and this district would commonly be known today as an “Historic Neighborhood”. Old architecture and preservation of ancient buildings define this area of Athens to the point of the government building elaborate underground tunnels to keep the modern utilities such as electrical power, cable and telephone wiring, and water pipes hidden from view in order to keep from breaking the beautiful illusion of old time Athens.

The hotels in this neighborhood are going to cater specifically to those looking for the old world feel without actually having to sacrifice modern conveniences. Note: hotels in this area are perfect for those looking for a centralized location for all the things to do in Athens.

Electra Palace Hotel

Boasting a rooftop pool that has a stunning view directly to the Acropolis, the Electra Palace Hotel is one of the top hotels in the Plaka district. Traditional and classical architecture blended with modern amenities you’d come to expect from a top tier hotel. Fine dining, reliable and strong wifi signal, spa and fitness center all make this a hotel you can appreciate as a wonderful and centrally located base in which to explore the city.

Being an older building in the historic district, some guests have commented that the standard rooms are on the smaller side but upgrades to larger rooms and suites are available.

Get more info about the Electra Palace Hotel here.

Plaka Hotel

An evening spent at the Hotel Plaka can be one of the more memorable highlights of your Greek expedition. Plush rooms with accessible balconies overlooking the famed Acropolis will give you private moments while taking in the historic beauty of one of the world’s most known landmarks. Or join other hotel guests on the rooftop cafe and bar sipping fine wines and other indulgences as you partake in observing Athens from above.

The Hotel Plaka is located in the center of the must-see museum and shopping area and only a short walk to other desirable destinations in the city.

Get more info about the Plaka Hotel here.

AthensWas Hotel

Even if you are not staying at the AthensWas Hotel, you’ll want to visit the 7th floor to dine at the Sense Restaurant for a fine meal while overlooking the sights Athens has to offer. Guests of the hotel boast of elaborately furnished rooms that welcome travelers with everything they may need at hand. Every room can be your central base of operations while visiting the city as you have your own functional business center and a comfortable private piazza on which to relax and take in the Athens air.

Rooftop terrace views are spectacular and offer different views than even the room’s already wonderful views, be sure to take in the sights from the top.

Get more info about the AthensWas Hotel here.

The Best Hotels in Athens: Best Hotels in Monastiraki

Neighboring the Plaka district to the west is the popular shopping sector of Monastiraki. Alleyways and avenues filled with souvenirs, bustling boutiques, and the big draw is the Monastiraki flea market. Shops of all kinds line the cobbled streets offering merchandise from cheap tchotchke to fine antiques. The storefronts are welcoming you in, the roving street vendors are hoping for a piece of the action and all of this makes for a memorable experience in shopping and in people-watching.

Hotels in the shopping district will be more street friendly and accommodating to those who want to get out and see the gritty and candid side of Athens.

The Editor Hotel Athens

You won’t go hungry for dining options when staying at the Editor Hotel Athens. With a snack bar and deli, a coffee shop and cafe, a trendy bar and lounge, and two restaurants for varying dining experiences, this hotel caters to nearly every style you might want to indulge while staying in Athens. Locally and seasonally sourced Greek foods are served in the newspaper themed “Publisher” restaurant, and the sleek and stylish “Roof Garden” offers more elegant dining fare.

The rooms are modernly dressed and accommodating with updated fixtures and amenities. Your stay at The Editor Hotel Athens is sure to be a pleasurable experience.

Get more info about The Editor Hotel here.

Cecil Hotel

The Hotel Cecil is a smaller property run by a local family giving you the warm embrace of a host family experience such as a small bed and breakfast, but on a larger, classy hotel scale. The high ceiling rooms and polished hard wooden floors keep the rooms feeling open and breezy, especially when you open up to your balcony and overlook the streets below. The spiral staircase winds around an open cage elevator that will fascinate you with its older world charm.

With its focus on family travel, the Hotel Cecil offers a wide variety of room configurations to match your travel needs as well as being pet-friendly for those who are traveling with four-legged companions.

Get more info about the Cecil Hotel here.

The Zillers Boutique Hotel

Boutique and family-run hotels offer an intimate quality to the traveler’s stay and the Zillers Boutique Hotel is a favorite among frequent Athens visitors. Going out their way to accommodate and pamper their guests, the staff of the Zillers Boutique create a luxurious experience for you to relax and take in the best that their capital city has to offer. The sun terrace offers a clear and direct view of the Acropolis, a wonderful atmosphere in which to spend the waning hours of the evening or greet the rising sun each day.

Rooms in this older building have been reinforced and insulated to offer better soundproofing that you will find in many other historic buildings.

Get more info about The Zillers Boutique Hotel here.

The Best Hotels in Athens: Best Hotels in Koukaki

Southwest of the Acropolis landmark and just at the foot of the gentle slopes of Filopappou Hill is the relatively quiet residential neighborhood of Koukaki. This corner of Athens is a nice place to escape the hustle and bustle of the busier touristy thoroughfares. Fine examples of domestic dwellings line the quiet streets in Koukaki and Greek residents go about their lives among the shadows of the capital city.

You will fine upscale hotels that house cafes and trendy restaurants if Koukaki. A short walk or an even shorter ride to the fashionable districts, staying in Koukaki is a great way to withdraw from the urban grind for the evenings.

Athenaeum InterContinental

Over five hundred guest rooms in more than a dozen configurations, from standard rooms to the Presidential Suite, are available at the fabulous Athenaeum InterContinental. A cozy pool surrounded by greenery and a poolside bar will be a fine distraction from the traveler’s woes. If you need more than a quick dip, take advantage of the hotel’s world-class spa and sauna facility. Fine dining is available at the Premier Rooftop, more relaxed meals can be taken in the Cafe Zoe, or at the bar Cafe Vienna.

An aging hotel that regularly updates its appearances to keep guests satisfied with their offerings, the Athenaeum InterContinental is a great luxury stay in Athens.

Get more info about the Athenaeum InterContinental Hotel here.

Hotel@Syngrou Fix

On a smaller scale, the Hotel@Syngrou Fix offers finely appointed rooms in a much more intimate setting. Limited to 25 guest rooms, this highly desirable property is host to exclusive guests that have come to expect superior service from this trendy hotel. On the 5th floor you will find a popular hangout at the bar with views that reach out to the iconic historic sites as well as the streets of rural Athens.

Newly renovated rooms will offer you the latest in amenities and freshly decorated accommodations. Your stay at Hotel@Syngrou Fix will refresh you for your active days out and about the city of Athens.

Get more info about the Hotel@Syngrou Fix here.

Divani Palace Acropolis

This large 250 room hotel was almost shut down before it began. During the initial construction, ancient ruins of a section of the Themistoclean Wall were found as they built the foundation. Instead of destroying such a find, the architecture of the grand hotel was built to compliment the archaeological find thereby preserving the ruins while adding a wonderful feature to the hotel’s draw. In the summer season, the rooftop dining at “Acropolis Secret” offers sleek Mediterranean and Greek fare with a view while downstairs, year round service offers elaborate meals at “Aspassia”.

All rooms have furnished patios and have fantastic views of the surrounding area which is rich in Athenian culture.

Get more info about the Divani Palace Acropolis here.

The Best Hotels in Athens: Best Hotels in Syntagma Square

Syntagma Square is the home district of the Greek government, the National Gardens, and the Parliament. Translating literally to “Constitution Square”, the neighborhood surrounding the government buildings is developed in a neo-classical style and preserving the look and feel of a dignified cultural center. Activity in the area will include dignitaries and diplomats among the occasional demonstrations and protesters at the public green.

Hotels surrounding Syntagma Square are more regal and elegant with impressive facades and plush lobbies. Elegant rooms overlooking the National Garden, lavish ballrooms and ornate convention halls fill the hotels’ common areas while you enjoy your hotel stay in deluxe style among Athens’ elite and influential class.

Hotel Lozenge

Smaller boutique style hotels are difficult to come by in the exclusive area surrounding Syntagma Square. The Hotel Lozenge is a prime example of what to expect from a smaller establishment while maintaining a top tier guest experience suitable for traveling dignitaries and tourist families alike. Small pets are accommodated as well making this location an extremely traveler friendly hotel. Mere steps away from upscale shopping and government offices, you will enjoy the finer class of hotel at the Lozenge.

Beautiful rooms ranging from the standard twin to the elaborate balcony suite, all have modern amenities and are neatly decorated for the convenience of the traveler on the go.

Get more info about Hotel Lozenge here.

Hotel Grande Bretagne

Luxury and affluence are the names of the game when you visit the Hotel Grande Bretagne. Nothing short of the word “royalty” comes close to properly describing this hotel. Legendary in its prominent location at the House of Parliament and Syntagma Square itself, the Grande Bretagne has a reputation of extravagance and luxuriousness that is well-earned. Dating back to the late 1800’s, this renowned hotel has catered to guests from across the globe and of all levels of class.

The standard rooms would be considered top tier suites in other hotels while the Royal Suite comes with amenities befitting its name. Legendary restaurant and spa round out the experience at this illustrious hotel.

Get more info about the Hotel Grande Bretagne here.

Amalia Hotel

Alternatives to the opulent and stately hotels of the area is the Hotel Amalia which offers a stunning stay in the Syntagma Square neighborhood without the fancy frills of the more celebrated properties. If you are looking to spend your days out and about the city and countryside with minimal need to be pampered as an aristocrat, then the Hotel Amalia may be more your speed. The hotel’s restaurant and cafe will provide you fine meals while you enjoy your stay in style.

Perfectly comfortable rooms await you, some with balcony views of the National Gardens, others offer no view and rates are considerably more budget-friendly.

Get more info about the Amalia Hotel here.

The Best Hotels in Athens: Best Hotels in Kolonaki

On the other side of the National Gardens and jutting into the popular viewing area at Mount Lycabettus is the Kolonaki area. This is the neighborhood to visit if you are looking to spend some time among fine dining, finer hotels, and extravagant shops. Art galleries, assorted museums, and upscale shopping on the international scale await you on the streets of Kolonaki.

For the accomplished traveler who may be looking for accommodations of a more august nature, the hotels in Kolonaki will have what you are looking for. Grace and grandeur adorn the area’s hotels in every fashion from the ornate lobby doors to the fine linens at your pillows.

Coco-Mat Hotels

The Coco-Mat properties are fantastic trendy locations to book when looking to stay in the heart of Athens’ Kolonaki neighborhood. Two locations separated by only a few blocks offer two distinct stays, each striving to cater to your traveling needs. The “Jumelle” location has 26 rooms while the “Athens BC” location can accommodate 41 finely appointed rooms. Both offer free bicycle use which can be a wonderful way to stretch out your exploration of the city without incurring taxi costs.

Rooms at the Coco-Mat Hotels focus on traveler comfort and friendly accommodations. Views from the balconies will be stunning in whichever direction your room faces.

Get more info about the Coco-Mat Hotels here.

The Duke Boutique Suites

The Duke takes the concept of a “boutique hotel” to heart and offers an enjoyable stay with all the popular amenities you may expect from a larger hotel chain. Spa treatments, massage, sauna and steam room are only a portion of the wonderful ways to relax at the Duke Boutique. A seasonal rooftop pool and sun terrace will give you a refreshing glimpse of the historic city that surrounds you.

There are fourteen rooms at the Duke Boutique, each of them finely appointed suites in unique configurations. Some offer hot tubs, some offer grand vistas of Filopappos Hill, all offer kitchenettes with stove, microwave and refrigerator.

Get more info about the Duke Boutique Suites here.

Periscope Hotel

An expressive statement in minimalism, the Periscope Hotel is a completely redesigned and re-imagined boutique hotel that becomes the trendy spot to stay in Kolonaki by becoming less. No cluttered lobby and ornately decorated halls, this property is clean and sleek to its core. Enjoy the rooftop spa and hot tub while looking out over the sprawling city stretching out to the foothills.

Periscope’s rooms are clean and polished without delving into empty spartan territory. The stark lines will contrast the comfortable accommodations and form balance between the two. For those that desire stylish and modernized look while enjoying a fine hotel, the Periscope is what you are looking for.

Get more info about the Periscope Hotel here.

The Best Hotels in Athens: Best Hotels in Piraeus

Out and away from the city center but still an important neighborhood district of Athens is Piraeus. The large marine port city is robust in its commercial zones and busy shipping and trade routes, but with over 20 million passengers traversing its port annually, Piraeus is exceptional at welcoming the visitors that are savoring their fist glimpse of Greece upon arrival, or their final farewell as they depart. Built on the commerce of harbor and port city, the neighborhood that built itself surrounding this district is hearty and diverse.

A traveler can find all sorts of hotel accommodations in Piraeus from luxury suites to budget rooms. The bottleneck of transportation blends the finer elements of travel with the reasonable rates of reality.

Piraeus Theoxenia Hotel

Claiming the district’s only five star accommodation, the Piraeus Theoxenia Hotel may be worthy of this claim. Sensing the available niche of a top notch hotel in the port area, Piraeus Theoxenia was built to serve their guests as a premier metropolitan hotel while holding on to the charm and intimacy of a smaller hotel. Taking a dip in the rooftop pool or sunning on the top deck will have you peering out over the port and watching the arrivals and departures of the ferries and ships.

Plush and stately rooms at the Piraeus Theoxenia Hotel are finely decorated and furnished, you will feel will keep you pampered and well cared for during your stay.

Get more info about the Piraeus Theoxenia Hotel here.

Faros I

Less grand in scale but no less fantastic in comfort and service is the nearby Faros Hotel, a fine establishment with 40 rooms for the traveler on a budget. Less expensive accommodations do not equate to inferior accommodations and the Faros Hotel will prove to be a welcoming and perfectly contemporary hotel in the ferry port city. Highly rated among guests and frequented for its proximity to the port, Faros I is a great place to stay when you need to catch an early morning ferry.

The rooms in the Faros Hotel are clean and stylish. Tiled floors and warm wood furniture create a pleasing room in which to stay the night.

Get more info about the Faros I Hotel here.

The Alex

Just a short stroll from the busy port but set back away from the bustling action is the Hotel Alex, a smaller 34 room boutique hotel that offers a mix of high class and accessibility in the busy port city. Clean lines and stark contrast colors are softened with the lush blues and grays that are reminiscent of the nearby sea. Dining at the rooftop terrace will deliver a view over the port and across the city that will make you happy you chose to get away from the mad dash of port life.

The Alex has paid close attention to curate their rooms with sharp lines of design interrupted by soft curves of comfort. Sleeping here will be calming and restful.

Among the hundreds of available hotels in the extensive Athens area, these picks are our favorites and considered to be the best hotels in Athens as considered by each of the six more popular neighborhood locations for travelers.

Get more info about The Alex Hotel here.