The Acropolis, centered around the imposing Parthenon, is one of Athens’ top sites, literally, as the ruins perch 500 feet above the city. For more views, take a hike (or a funicular) up Mt. Lycabettus to see the sunset from its 745-foot summit. You’ll find plenty of tavernas and touristy shops in Plaka, but for high-end boutiques, bars and restaurants, head to Kolonaki. After dark, the nightlife heats up in Karitsi Square, Psirri and Panormou.
If flying to/from Athens, the main airport is ATH Athens International Eleftherios Venizelos. A rather new airport and rather efficient.
Flying Private: There are several FBO options available.
► Wikipedia information on ATH Athens International
The best source to check which airlines are servicing the airport.
Glyfáda / Athenian Riviera
Size: 303 rooms and suites
Style: Contemporary / Sophisticated
Year Opened: 1958
Most Recent Renovation/Update: 2018
Interior Designer: Meyer Davis Studio of New York
Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens, the former Astir Palace south of Athens, now the first Four Seasons hotel in Greece.
Three different accommodation settings allow for a pleasingly personalized vacation at Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens. Choose from laid-back Arion, bustling Nafsika, or deluxe beachside at The Bungalows – and it’s all just 30 minutes from downtown Athens. Spend a day taking in the historic wonders of ancient civilization, then return to the Athens Riviera for unwinding and relaxing. Several eateries vie for attention, from sophisticated Greek seafood at Pelagos to tapas and tostadas at Helios. An airy spa incorporates the teachings of Hippocrates with ancient remedies and wellness secrets.
2023 #35
I AM A FOUR SEASONS PREFERRED PARTNER
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
• Upgrade of one category, based on availability at time of check-in
• Daily full breakfast for two people per bedroom, served in a hotel restaurant or through In-Room Dining
• $100usd (or more) F&B or Spa Credit
• Guaranteed late check-out at 4pm
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
and more
central Athens
Size: 43 rooms and suites
Style: Contemporary / Modern Design & Lively
Year Opened: 2022
Xenodocheio Milos is named not directly for the island of Milos but for chef Costas Spiliadis’s Milos restaurants, and you’d be right to suspect that this Athens city-center luxury hotel features a kitchen that’s substantially above average. The accommodations, too, are a cut above, walking the line between minimalism and warmth, with comforts that mark this as a proper high-end luxury boutique hotel. It’s got a spa of its own, as well as facilities for Pilates and yoga; the restaurant, Estiatorio Milos, serves an artful interpretation of traditional Mediterranean flavors, and attracts locals and guests alike.
The world-renowned estiatorio Milos proudly presents the very first luxurious gastronomy 5* hotel in the heart of Athens. A place where “philoxenia”, the sacred art of making a stranger feel like home, derives from taste, iconic simplicity and world class hospitality.
The world-renowned estiatorio Milos proudly presents the very first luxurious gastronomy 5* hotel in the heart of Athens. A place where “philoxenia”, the sacred art of making a stranger feel like home, derives from taste, iconic simplicity and world class hospitality.
PART OF MY MICHELIN PARTNER PORTFOLIO
PART OF MY DOMINIQUE DEBAY PORTFOLIO
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
central Athens
Size: 79 rooms and suites
Style: Cutting-Edge & Lively
Before it was the New Hotel, you see, it was the Olympic Palace, a fairly representative bit of vaguely utopian mid-20th-century modernism. As it was showing its age, Jouannou elected to gut it — but rather than send its contents to the junkyard, he hired a pair of genius Brazilian interior architects, Fernando and Humberto Campana, to make a new hotel from the pieces of the old. Everything went back in; every door, every beam, every piece of stone, and the result is salvage like you’ve never seen it before.
At bottom, however, it’s the traditional virtues of hospitality that make the New Hotel something more than just an art installation. These rooms have substance to go along with their style, never sacrificing comfort for impact. An inventive modern Mediterranean restaurant keeps guests fed, a gym and wellness center are soon to open, and the location, near Syntagma Square, is absolutely central, offering easy access to the best of Athens, old and new.
I AM A VIRTUOSO PREFERRED PARTNER
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
• $100usd (or more) F&B or Spa Credit
• Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
and more
central Athens
Size: 320 rooms and suites
Style: Traditional Elegance & Lively
Year Opened: 1874
The Hotel Grande Bretagne is a bit of a departure for a Greek luxury hotel: rather than some sprawling compound out on a rock by the Aegean, this one is a Victorian mansion right in the bustling heart of Athens. Yes, you read that right — the meticulously restored facade is all Victorian, and wouldn’t look out of place alongside some of London’s classic hotels.
Perhaps that’s why Winston Churchill was a fan, back in the original glory days of the Grande Bretagne. We say glory days because this grand old hotel allowed itself to fade a bit in the later decades of the last century — but after a two-year, obscenely expensive renovation, it is back in fighting form. The decor isn’t so different, merely better; every oil painting, every piece of antique furniture restored to its original 1842 spendor. The rooms are palatial, elegant, yet tastefully pared down to avoid antique overload. Some have balconies overlooking no less a landmark than the Acropolis — obviously these are the ones to have.
I AM A VIRTUOSO PREFERRED PARTNER
PART OF MY MARRIOTT STARS PARTNER PORTFOLIO
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
• $100usd (or more) F&B or Spa Credit
• Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
and more
Glyfáda / Athenian Riviera
Size: 141 rooms and suites
Style: Contemporary
Year Opened: 2023
Designer/Architect: Hi
The new “it” place to go when visiting Athens.
Ancient mythology and modern luxury come together at One&Only Aesthesis. Tucked away on the glamorous Athenian Riviera (just a stone’s throw from Athens’ legendary landmarks), this mid-century-inspired seafront resort features 141 keys including rooms, bungalows, residences and villas, three restaurants serving and three bars and curated experiences from daily excursions with a Pardo Yacht to the unique experience of foraging in the Drymos forest within the resort, and guided signature tours to a sandal artist in the heart of Athens.
I AM A VIRTUOSO PREFERRED PARTNER
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
• $100usd (or more) F&B or Spa Credit
• Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
and more
► My Virtuoso Athens Information Page
Here is a good place to start for some additional information on quality Hotels, Water Adventures and Activities.
► WIKIVOYAGE: Athens Greece Page
A great resource for all the basic information you need for Athens, Greece.
Greece General Information
including Visa & Entry Requirements
The Western Coast of Greece General Information Page
Greek Aegean Sea General Information Page
or leave a comment below
page updated: August 2024
images courtesy: Wikimedia Commons, Athens Greece Tourism Board
Please Note: All Hotel / Resort / Cruise / Services Amenities are subject to availability and may have changed since the date of this being published.
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