The best hotels in Athens
Athens has 8,000+ places to stay, and most of them will waste your time or your money. We reviewed the standouts. these 10 made the cut.
Our Top Picks in Athens
Click any hotel to check availability and book at the best price.
Athens Backpackers
Monastiraki, Athens
Free cancellation & Pay later
Electra Hotel Athens
Syntagma, Athens
Free cancellation & Pay later
Hotel Grande Bretagne
Syntagma, Athens
Free cancellation & Pay later
All Hotels Compared
Side-by-side comparison to help you pick the right hotel. Prices reflect shoulder season averages.
| # | Hotel | City & Area | Price/Night | Score | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Athens Backpackers | Monastiraki, Athens | $45–75/night | 7.8/10 | Budget Pick |
| 2 | Hotel Tempi | Monastiraki, Athens | $65–95/night | 7.5/10 | Best Value |
| 3 | Electra Hotel Athens | Syntagma, Athens | $110–175/night | 8.3/10 | Best Location |
| 4 | Hotel Grande Bretagne | Syntagma, Athens | $125–210/night | 8.6/10 | Most Popular |
| 5 | Plaka Hotel | Plaka, Athens | $130–190/night | 8.4/10 | Hidden Gem |
| 6 | Athens Was | Psyrri, Athens | $150–220/night | 8.7/10 | Romantic Stay |
| 7 | Periscope Hotel | Kolonaki, Athens | $160–230/night | 8.5/10 | Business Pick |
| 8 | Melia Athens | Omonia, Athens | $175–245/night | 8.2/10 | Family Friendly |
| 9 | NEW Hotel Athens | Syntagma, Athens | $280–480/night | 9/10 | Top Rated |
Why These Hotels Made Our List
Every hotel earned its spot. Here's exactly why we picked each one.
Athens Backpackers
This hostel-style budget hotel sits on Makri Street, a short walk from the Acropolis Museum and Monastiraki Square. Private rooms are compact but clean, with shared bathrooms that are kept in decent condition. The rooftop terrace has a direct Acropolis view that genuinely surprises first-time visitors. Staff are helpful with directions and restaurant tips. Best suited for solo travelers or couples who spend most of their time out exploring.
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Hotel Tempi
Hotel Tempi is on Aiolou Street, right next to Agia Irini Square and the flower market, which makes for a lively morning atmosphere. Rooms are small and dated but perfectly functional for a short city stay. The location puts you within ten minutes on foot of the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora, and Syntagma Square. Breakfast is not included but there are good cafes directly outside the door. This is a no-frills option that delivers on value in one of Athens' most central spots.
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Electra Hotel Athens
The Electra sits on Ermou Street, the main pedestrian shopping street, about 100 meters from Syntagma Square. Rooms are well-furnished and comfortable, with solid soundproofing despite the busy surroundings. The buffet breakfast is one of the better hotel spreads in this price range in central Athens. Service is professional and consistent across multiple stays. A reliable choice for travelers who want to be at the center of everything without paying luxury prices.
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Hotel Grande Bretagne
The Plaka Hotel occupies a quiet corner of the historic Plaka neighborhood, just off Mitropoleos Street near the Athens Cathedral. Views from the upper-floor rooms and the rooftop look directly at the Acropolis lit up at night. Rooms are decorated in a traditional Greek style, clean and comfortable without being overly luxurious. The location is walkable to most of Athens' main archaeological sites. Breakfast is served on the terrace and is worth requesting when booking.
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Plaka Hotel
Plaka Hotel sits on Kapnikareas Street in the oldest district of Athens, surrounded by Byzantine churches and narrow pedestrian lanes. The rooftop terrace gives one of the most unobstructed Acropolis views available at this price point. Rooms are modest in size but tastefully furnished, and the air conditioning works reliably in summer. The breakfast buffet is small but the quality is good. If you want to wake up inside the historic city rather than adjacent to it, this is a strong pick.
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Athens Was
Athens Was is a boutique hotel on Agion Asomaton Street, positioned between the Thiseio archaeological zone and the Psyrri neighborhood. The design is modern and minimalist, with the Acropolis visible from the rooftop pool. Rooms are spacious by Athens standards, with high ceilings and quality linens. The ground-floor restaurant is genuinely good, not just a hotel afterthought. This is a strong option for couples looking for a stylish base with good walkability to major sites.
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Periscope Hotel
Periscope Hotel is on Haritos Street in Kolonaki, the upscale residential and commercial district on the slope of Lycabettus Hill. The design is urban and minimalist, with photography-lined corridors and a clean, contemporary feel. Rooms are compact but well-designed, and the neighborhood has excellent restaurants and coffee shops just outside. It is a short metro ride or taxi from the main archaeological sites. Best suited for business travelers or those who prefer a quieter, residential Athens experience.
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Melia Athens
The Melia Athens is on Mitropoleos Street near Omonia Square, a central and well-connected location with easy metro access to the airport and cruise port. Rooms are spacious compared to most Athens hotels in this range, which makes it a practical choice for families. The pool terrace on the upper floors is a genuine bonus during the summer months. Service is consistent with international Melia standards. The surrounding Omonia area is gritty but the hotel itself is polished and comfortable.
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NEW Hotel Athens
NEW Hotel on Filellinon Street, just off Syntagma Square, was designed by the Campana Brothers and is one of the most visually distinctive properties in the city. Every room is different, using reclaimed furniture and custom art installations throughout. The location is excellent, two minutes from Syntagma and ten minutes on foot to the Acropolis. The ground-floor restaurant draws a local crowd, which is always a good sign. Service is attentive and the staff genuinely know the city well.
Check AvailabilityWhere to Stay in Athens
The neighborhood you pick matters more than the hotel.
First time in Athens? Start here.
Book in Syntagma or Plaka. Full stop. You'll walk to the Acropolis, step onto the metro at Syntagma station (Lines 2 and 3), and have Adrianou Street's tavernas right outside. Everything else in this city is a 10-20 minute journey from those two neighborhoods.
Don't get seduced by cheap deals in Omonia. The savings evaporate the moment you factor in taxis or metro rides to get anywhere worth going. Spend the extra $25-40/night to be central and you'll use that money on food instead of transport. We've seen this mistake hundreds of times.
Athens on a budget: what's actually possible
Athens Backpackers in Monastiraki runs $45-75/night and puts you 12 minutes walk from the Acropolis. Hotel Tempi nearby is slightly more polished at $65-95/night. The Monastiraki flea market on Ifestou Street and the tavernas around Plateia Avissinias are genuinely cheap. dinner for two with wine under €25.
The free stuff in Athens is legitimately world-class. First Sunday of the month means free Acropolis entry. The Ancient Agora is $10 entry but the view from the hill is free. A gyros from O Kostas on Aiolou Street costs €2.50. Budget travel in Athens is about timing, not suffering.
Where to stay for the Acropolis experience
Plaka is your best bet. It's the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood in Athens, and from your hotel window you'll see the rock itself. Plaka Hotel on Mitropoleos Street is 8 minutes walk from the Acropolis entrance on Dionysiou Areopagitou. The lanes around Mnisikleous Street are genuinely beautiful, especially in the evening when the day-trippers have gone.
Avoid the Makriyianni area just south of the Acropolis Museum unless you're specifically staying at a design hotel down there. It's fine, but it's a 25-minute walk to Syntagma and the streets are dull. The Acropolis Museum itself is great. 3 hours minimum. but you don't need to sleep in its shadow to enjoy it.
Athens for couples: beyond the tourist circuit
Psyrri is where Athens actually goes on dates. The neighborhood between Monastiraki and Thissio has real bars, proper restaurants, and creative energy that Plaka lost about 20 years ago. Athens Was hotel sits right in the middle of it and earns its Romantic Stay badge honestly. Dinner at one of the mezedopoleia on Leokoriou Street, then cocktails at a rooftop looking at the Acropolis lit up at night. That's the Athens couples come back for.
Timing matters a lot. Avoid the first two weeks of August. half the city shuts down and the heat is brutal. Late September and October give you 22-26°C evenings, sunset at the Philopappou Hill, and hotels charging $30-60/night less than peak. Book a room with an Acropolis view on those evenings and you'll understand why people love this city.
Business travel in Athens: what actually works
Kolonaki is the business district. It sits between Syntagma and Lycabettus Hill and houses most of the consulates, corporate offices, and the kind of restaurants where deals get done over grilled octopus. Periscope Hotel on Haritos Street is a 5-minute walk from the Evangelismos metro station (Line 3) and a straight shot to Athens International Airport in 35 minutes.
Don't underestimate conference season. Athens hosts major shipping, tourism, and EU-related conferences between October and April. The Posidonia shipping exhibition in June is the big one. book 4-6 months out if you're traveling then, because hotels citywide surge 60-80% for that week alone. Syntagma hotels fill first.
What most Athens guides get wrong
They tell you to stay near the Acropolis without specifying which side. The south side (Makriyianni, Koukaki) is quiet and walkable but disconnected. The north side (Plaka, Monastiraki, Thissio) keeps you central for everything else. The difference is meaningful when you're coming back late from Psyrri or trying to catch an early bus on Filellinon Street.
They also ignore noise. Athens is loud. Monastiraki Square gets bar noise until 3am in summer. Rooms facing Ermou Street or Athinas Street are bad choices regardless of the star rating. Always ask for a room facing the internal courtyard or upper floors facing away from main roads. A bad room at a good hotel is still a bad room.
Athens's best neighborhoods
Syntagma and Plaka are where most people should start looking. They put you within walking distance of the Acropolis, the metro, and the best restaurants on Adrianou Street without any taxi dependency.
Syntagma & Plaka 3 vetted hotels The center of everything. Walk anywhere, pay a bit more for the privilege.
The center of everything. Walk anywhere, pay a bit more for the privilege.
Syntagma Square is Athens's beating heart. Constitution Square itself isn't pretty, but everything radiates from it: the metro, the airport bus stop on Filellinon Street, the Ermou shopping corridor, and the start of the walk up to the Acropolis via Dionysiou Areopagitou. Electra Hotel Athens and Hotel Grande Bretagne both sit within a 3-minute walk of the square.
Plaka is immediately south of Syntagma and noticeably calmer. The pedestrian lanes around Kydathineon Street feel genuinely old-world, and the Acropolis looms above you in a way that's hard to find anywhere else in Europe. Plaka Hotel is 8 minutes walk from the Acropolis entrance and the neighborhood empties of day-trippers by 7pm.
Prices here reflect the location. Budget rooms barely exist in this zone. Expect $110-210/night for decent quality. But you're spending less on taxis and metro rides, so the math works out closer than it looks.
Monastiraki & Psyrri 3 vetted hotels Chaotic, authentic, and genuinely fun. The Athens most visitors miss.
Chaotic, authentic, and genuinely fun. The Athens most visitors miss.
Monastiraki is where backpackers land and locals shop. The flea market on Ifestou Street runs daily but explodes on Sunday mornings. Athens Backpackers and Hotel Tempi both sit here, with metro access on Lines 1 and 3 right on your doorstep. The walk to the Acropolis through Thissio takes about 12 minutes and avoids most of the tourist crush.
Psyrri is just north of Monastiraki and feels like a different city. Street art on Sarri Street, proper mezedopoleia, rooftop bars, and a creative crowd that shows up after 10pm. Athens Was hotel is positioned right in this energy, which is why it earns its Romantic Stay badge. This is where Athenians actually eat and drink.
The tradeoff: noise. Agias Irinis Square and the bar strip off Miaouli Street are loud until well past 2am on weekends. Light sleepers should request upper floors or rooms on the quieter backstreets.
Kolonaki & Evangelismos 1 vetted hotel Athens's upscale zip code. Quiet, polished, and slightly removed from the chaos.
Athens's upscale zip code. Quiet, polished, and slightly removed from the chaos.
Kolonaki sits on the lower slopes of Lycabettus Hill and runs from Vassilisis Sofias Avenue up through Plutarchou Street. It's where the embassies are, where the money shops, and where you go for a proper coffee without a souvenir stand next door. Periscope Hotel on Haritos Street is the standout here, and the Evangelismos metro station is a 5-minute walk.
The Benaki Museum and the National Gallery are both in this neighborhood, which makes it a strong base if culture is your priority. You're 20-25 minutes walk from Monastiraki or Syntagma, which is fine for evenings but means you'll use the metro during the day. Line 3 gets you to the airport in 35 minutes with no connections.
Kolonaki prices are premium without always delivering the location advantage of Syntagma. You're paying for quieter streets and better coffee, not proximity to the Acropolis. That tradeoff works well for business travelers and repeat visitors who know the city.
Omonia & Metaxourgeio 1 vetted hotel Central on the map, rough around the edges. One strong hotel makes it work.
Central on the map, rough around the edges. One strong hotel makes it work.
Omonia gets a bad rap, some of it deserved. The square itself has been through multiple attempted regenerations, and the surrounding streets still have issues after dark. But it's also on the green metro line (Line 1) and within 20 minutes walk of both Syntagma and Monastiraki. Melia Athens is here, and it genuinely delivers at the family-friendly level.
Metaxourgeio, just west of Omonia, is the city's would-be arts district. Keramikou Street has some good galleries and the odd decent restaurant. But it's patchy. Two blocks east of the good stuff and you're back in low-end territory. We wouldn't recommend it for a first Athens visit.
If you're staying at Melia Athens specifically, you're largely insulated from the area's rougher reputation. The hotel is well-run, family-friendly, and priced at $175-245/night, which is competitive for what it delivers. Just don't wander south toward Omonia Square after midnight.
Luxury Athens: Syntagma's Top End 2 vetted hotels When price isn't the constraint, these two deliver the full Athens experience.
When price isn't the constraint, these two deliver the full Athens experience.
Hotel Grande Bretagne and NEW Hotel Athens both sit within 200 meters of Syntagma Square and represent the ceiling of what Athens hotels offer. Grande Bretagne has been here since 1874 and its location on Vasileos Georgiou A' Street is simply unbeatable. The rooftop pool overlooks the Acropolis and the Parliament building simultaneously.
NEW Hotel Athens is the design play. The Campana brothers redesigned the interior using deconstructed hotel furniture as raw material, and the result is genuinely striking. At $280-480/night it's expensive even by Syntagma standards, but the 9.0 rating is the highest on our list for a reason. The restaurant on the ground floor is worth a reservation even if you're not staying.
Both hotels are on the Alexander the Great metro stop's doorstep and can arrange airport transfers in 40 minutes on a clean run. If you're celebrating something or treating Athens as a destination rather than a stopover, this is where to stay.
Best Areas by Vibe
Tell us how you travel and we'll point you to the right part of Athens.
Romantic
Psyrri is the move. Rooftop bars on Sarri Street, candlelit mezedopoleia, and the Acropolis lit up at night from virtually every high point. Athens Was hotel sits right at the center of it.
Culture & History
Plaka is the obvious choice, but Kolonaki is underrated for serious museum-goers. The Benaki Museum, Byzantine Museum, and National Gallery are all within a 10-minute walk on Vassilisis Sofias Avenue.
Family
Omonia area with a base at Melia Athens keeps families away from the bar noise of Monastiraki while staying on the metro. The National Archaeological Museum on Patission Street is 10 minutes walk and kids genuinely love it.
Budget
Monastiraki is the only answer. Athens Backpackers at $45-75/night and Hotel Tempi at $65-95/night both put you on the doorstep of the flea market, the metro, and a gyros for €2.50 on Aiolou Street.
Beach Access
Book near Syntagma for the easiest tram access. The Athens coastal tram runs from Syntagma down to Voula and Vouliagmeni in about 50 minutes. Asteras Beach and Yabanaki at Vouliagmeni are the best stops.
Foodie
Psyrri and Thissio are where the serious eating happens. The restaurant strip along Apostolou Pavlou Street in Thissio has some of Athens's best modern Greek cooking, and it's a 15-minute walk from Syntagma.
Location Quality
Is the neighborhood walkable? Are restaurants, shops, and attractions within 10 minutes on foot? How does it feel after dark? We evaluate safety, public transport access, and whether the area has genuine local character or just tourist traps. A hotel in the wrong neighborhood ruins a trip. That's why location carries the most weight.
Value for Money
We compare what you pay against what you get. A €150 hotel with a great location, clean rooms, and helpful staff can outscore a €500 hotel with fancy amenities in a bad area. We factor in seasonal pricing, cancellation policies, and hidden costs like tourist tax and breakfast surcharges. The goal is finding the best ratio, not the lowest price.
Guest Experience
We analyze thousands of verified guest reviews across multiple platforms, looking for patterns rather than individual complaints. Consistent praise for cleanliness, staff, and room quality counts. We also assess the intangibles: does the hotel have character? Would you recommend it to a friend? A soul-less chain hotel with perfect facilities still loses to a well-run boutique with personality.
When to Visit Athens
When to visit Athens and what to pay.
Spring (March-May)
This is Athens at its most livable. March is still cool but the light is extraordinary and the Acropolis crowds are thin. Easter week (dates vary) brings a surge in Greek domestic tourism and prices jump 20-30% for that long weekend specifically. May is nearly perfect: 20-24°C, everything open, and shoulder-season pricing still holding at $85-160/night.
Summer (June-August)
June is manageable. July and August are not, unless you plan around the heat. Temperatures hit 35-38°C regularly and the Acropolis becomes a furnace after 10am. The Athens & Epidaurus Festival runs June through August with performances at the ancient Odeon of Herodes Atticus. genuinely world-class and worth planning around. Hotels run $150-320/night citywide, and anything with a pool or air conditioning books out weeks ahead.
Autumn (September-November)
September is the sweet spot. The summer crowds have thinned, temperatures drop to a comfortable 22-26°C, and hotels come back to $90-180/night. The Athens Marathon in November (the original course from Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium) brings a brief spike mid-month. book 6-8 weeks out if you're visiting then. October evenings on the rooftops with an Acropolis view are hard to beat.
Winter (December-February)
Athens in winter is underrated and very cheap. Hotels drop to $55-110/night and the main sites have almost no queues. It rains regularly in January and February, and the city doesn't have a strong Christmas tourism culture, so some smaller restaurants close for a few weeks. But the National Archaeological Museum, the Acropolis Museum, and the agora are all best visited in winter when you can actually linger.
Booking Tips for Athens
Insider tips for booking hotels in Athens.
Book early for Easter and the Athens Marathon
Easter week in Athens is massive for Greek domestic tourism. Hotels in Syntagma and Plaka sell out 6-10 weeks in advance, and prices jump 25-35% for the long weekend. The Athens Classic Marathon in November does the same for one weekend. Miss these windows and you're looking at double the normal rate or a room in Omonia you didn't want.
Always ask which floor your room is on
Athens hotels are notorious for putting 'Acropolis view' in the listing and delivering a partial glimpse from a 2nd-floor room facing a building. Specify: upper floors (4+), Acropolis-facing, not courtyard-facing. For hotels on Mitropoleos or Adrianou Street, floors 3-5 are usually the sweet spot. A simple email before booking saves a disappointing check-in.
Use the metro over taxis for airport runs
Metro Line 3 (blue line) runs Athens International Airport to Syntagma in 40 minutes for €10 one-way. A taxi costs €38-55 and takes the same time or longer in traffic. The only time a taxi makes sense is with heavy luggage, very early morning departures before 5:30am when the metro doesn't run, or if you're staying in Kolonaki and want a direct drop.
The Acropolis combo ticket covers 7 sites
The €30 Acropolis combination ticket is valid for 5 days and covers the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Kerameikos Cemetery, Roman Agora, Hadrian's Library, and the Lykeion excavations. Buying individual tickets at each site costs significantly more. Get it at the first site you visit and keep it. First Sunday of the month from November to March is free entry at all state museums and archaeological sites.
Avoid Monastiraki Square accommodation during summer weekends
The area around Monastiraki Square and Agias Irinis Square is a bar zone that runs until 3-4am on Friday and Saturday nights from June through September. Rooms below the 4th floor facing any main street will not be quiet. If you're booking Athens Backpackers or Hotel Tempi in summer, request upper floors and interior-facing rooms explicitly. It makes a real difference.
The Athens Riviera tram is free with a transit pass
A 5-day public transit pass costs €8.20 and covers all metro, tram, and bus lines in Athens. The coastal tram from Syntagma Square runs to Voula and Vouliagmeni in about 50 minutes and gives you access to Asteras Beach, Kavouri, and the thermal lake at Vouliagmeni (€15 entry). That's a full day trip for the cost of a coffee if you have the transit pass. Most tourists don't know this tram exists.
Hotels in Athens — FAQ
Everything you need to know before booking hotels in Athens.
What's the best neighborhood to stay in Athens for first-timers?
Syntagma or Plaka. Both put you within a 10-15 minute walk of the Acropolis and right on top of the metro. Plaka is quieter at night; Syntagma gives you faster airport access via the X95 bus or metro Line 3. Skip Omonia for your first visit.
How much do hotels in Athens cost per night?
Budget rooms in Monastiraki run $45-75/night. Mid-range in Syntagma or Plaka sits at $110-220/night. Luxury options like NEW Hotel Athens or Hotel Grande Bretagne push $280-480/night. Prices spike roughly 40% in July and August, so booking in May or October saves real money.
Is Athens safe for tourists?
Yes, broadly. The Acropolis area, Plaka, and Kolonaki are completely fine day and night. Omonia Square and parts of Athinas Street get rough after midnight, and we'd avoid Omonoia metro station late at night. Petty theft near Monastiraki metro is the most common issue. keep your bag in front.
How do I get from Athens airport to my hotel?
Metro Line 3 (blue line) runs direct from Athens International Airport to Syntagma Square in about 40 minutes and costs €10 one-way. The X95 express bus takes 60-90 minutes and costs €6.50. A taxi runs €38-55 depending on traffic and time of day. Don't let unlicensed drivers at arrivals talk you into anything above €60.
When is the best time to visit Athens?
April-May and September-October. Temperatures sit at 18-26°C, crowds are manageable, and hotel prices are 25-40% lower than peak summer. August hits 35-38°C regularly, and the Acropolis becomes miserable after 10am. Greeks largely leave the city in August, which means some restaurants and shops close.
What areas should I avoid when booking a hotel in Athens?
Omonia is the one we get asked about most. The square itself has improved slightly, but the surrounding streets between Patission and Pireos still attract street-level drug activity. Metaxourgeio sounds artsy but is inconsistent. one block feels like a gallery district, the next doesn't. Pay the extra €20-30/night to stay in Monastiraki or Syntagma instead.
Is the Athens metro reliable for getting around?
Very. Line 1 (green), Line 2 (red), and Line 3 (blue) cover most tourist areas. A single ticket costs €1.20 and a 24-hour pass is €4.10. Monastiraki station connects Lines 1 and 3, which makes it the most useful interchange. Trains run until midnight most nights, later on weekends.
Are Acropolis-view hotels worth the premium?
Only if the view is from your room, not just the lobby or a shared rooftop. Several hotels on Apostolou Pavlou Street charge $30-60/night extra for 'Acropolis views' that are actually a sliver between two buildings. Plaka Hotel and Athens Was both deliver genuinely good views without the false advertising. Ask specifically which floor and direction before booking.
What's the difference between Monastiraki and Plaka for hotels?
Monastiraki is louder, more chaotic, and great if you love street energy, the flea market on Ifestou Street, and staying near the metro. Plaka is quieter, more residential, and feels safer at night. Prices in Plaka run about $20-40/night higher on average. Both are about 10-12 minutes walk from the Acropolis entrance on Dionysiou Areopagitou Street.
Do Athens hotels include breakfast?
Mid-range and luxury hotels usually include it, but it's often priced in at a €15-22 markup per person. A proper Greek breakfast at a kafeneion on Adrianou Street costs €5-8. We'd skip the hotel breakfast unless it's genuinely included and the spread is good. New Hotel Athens and Hotel Grande Bretagne are the exceptions. their breakfast is actually worth it.
How far is the Acropolis from most central hotels?
From Syntagma Square it's about 20 minutes on foot via Dionysiou Areopagitou Street. From Monastiraki it's 12-15 minutes through Thissio. From Plaka you're practically at the base, around 8-10 minutes. No central hotel in Athens requires a taxi to reach the Acropolis. don't let anyone convince you otherwise.
Is Athens a good destination for solo female travelers?
Yes, and better than its reputation suggests. Plaka, Kolonaki, and Koukaki are all comfortable solo at night. The Monastiraki area gets louder and more aggressive around the bars on Agias Irinis Square after midnight, but nothing beyond standard city awareness. Greek hospitality culture generally means you'll be looked after, not hassered, in most restaurants and hotels.