The Best Hotels in Athens, From Renovated Historic Villas to Dreamy Bohemian Stays

For years, getting travelers to see Athens as more than a transient city would take some convincing; the extent of their stay at the best hotels in Athens would merely include a brief bucket-list visit to the Acropolis before scurrying off to the Greek islands. As far as we’re concerned, the ancient city has always been more than its cultural landmarks, but the recent advent of new hotels and trendy restaurants is signaling a watershed moment for Athens tourism. With a creative spirit wafting through the historic city center and extending into some of its bohemian neighborhoods, such as Kolonaki and Psyrri, and even to its seafront, international travelers are finally giving Athens a second glance.

Vogue’s Guide to the Best Hotels in Athens

• For an Iconic Property: Hotel Grande Bretagne
• For a Bohemian Stay: Shila
• For a Central Location: The Dolli
• For a Design Moment: New Hotel Athens
• For a Beachfront Escape: One&Only Aesthesis

From historic mansions converted to intimate design hotels, to cool boutique stays that double as art galleries, to affordable bohemian hamlets for the fashion crowd–all featuring glittering views of the historic city skyline from their rooftops, there’s no shortage of sensational stays in central Athens. Recent years have also seen the revival of the Athenian Riviera, the city’s glamorous seaside, once a port of call for Greece’s high society in the 1960s, with a string of new luxury beachfront hotels stretching across the upmarket seaside suburbs from Vouliagmeni to Glyfada.

Below, our list of the 10 best hotels in Athens to book right now.

Hotel Grande Bretagne

When traveling to Athens, visiting Hotel Grande Bretagne is almost as much of a rite of passage as visiting the Acropolis–even if just for a nightcap at Alexander’s Lounge. The legendary Art Deco hotel, located in the heart of Syntagma Square, has been a meeting point for the glitterati since its induction in 1874 and still manages to maintain that same timeless appeal, articulated through the crystal chandeliers that hang from its grand marbled halls lined with gilded gold frames and and original Corinthian columns. Despite its size–there are 320 accommodations on the property– the five-star hospitality and option for premium butler service makes the place feel intimate. While the lavish old-timey bedrooms make an optimal case for breakfast in bed, you won’t want to miss the Acropolis views and sweet Greek treats in the grand breakfast room, followed by a plunge in the rooftop pool to start your day.

Amenities: 2 pools, fitness center, spa, private parking, restaurant, bar

Bonus Tip: Don’t miss aperitivo hour at Il Giardino Segreto in the Atrium of Alexander’s Lounge, where you can pair your glass of wine with an assortment of local delicacies, such as Sifnos cheese and Tinos artichokes.

Address: 1 Vasileos Georgiou A, Syntagma Square Str, Athina 105 64, Greece

Monument

Following the gentle restoration of a neoclassical mansion in the heart of the Psyrri neighborhood, Monument opened just last year as an intimate boutique hotel with only nine rooms, designed to feel like a private residence. In an effort to preserve elements of the historical property, a team of architects and master restorers ensured the delicate restoration of the building’s original frescoes, carved marble balconies, and grand winding staircase, while each of the bedrooms follow that same alchemy with intricate ceiling murals and limewashed walls. While there’s no restaurant on the property (but an authentic Greek breakfast is served each morning with delicacies such as rizogalo, traditional Greek rice pudding), the optimal location positions you in the heart of Athens’s thriving culinary scene. When you return after a day of exploring, you can wind down in the hotel’s ethereal wellness center, featuring a sauna, hammam, and a single treatment room, where massages and facials can be booked upon request.

Amenities: Spa and wellness center, lounge bar, free breakfast

Bonus Tip: Monument has recently introduced a partnership with bespoke art tour company, Arthens, which allows guests exclusive access to Athens’s art scene with personalized and guided excursions around the city.

Address: 11 Kalamida, Athens, 10554, Greece

The Dolli

Since The Dolli opened its doors last year in the heart of the historic Plaka district, its rooftop has become a popular bolt hole for stylish crowds eager to dine amongst the city’s most scenic skyline. (Make sure to order the taramosalata meze.) As the 46-room hotel-mansion is situated at the foot of the Acropolis, the city’s most famous cultural sight, the Parthenon, feels as though it’s within arm’s reach–especially for hotel guests, who get to indulge in these premium views with a cocktail in hand from the rooftop’s heated infinity pool. Though the magic of the Dolli begins the moment you walk through the front doors into a decadent marble lobby where contemporary works by renowned international artists like Alexander Calder, Jean Cocteau, and Pierre Augustin Rose are on full display.

Amenities: Pool, private parking, family rooms, restaurant, bar

Bonus Tip: If you want to explore historical Plaka without a guide, ask for “The Dolli map” from the concierge for a curated selection of insider spots.

Address: 49 Mitropoleos, Athens, 10556, Greece

Shila

You can tap into Athens’s burgeoning creative scene by booking a room at the beloved bohemian boutique hotel, Shila. Stepping inside the small six-suite residence in the city’s trendy Kolonaki neighborhood, you’re immediately immersed in the creative renaissance of modern Athens. It’s a world where old meets new, with an airy bohemian rooftop perfect for jet lag-induced naps and suites featuring patina walls, jewel-toned velvet furniture, and canopy beds. The fantasy doesn’t end there. A selection of clothing from local Greek designers awaits you in the bedroom upon checking in, with love notes like, “We thought you might like these. Want to take them with you? We’ll pack them up for you.” The hotel’s art and furniture is also available for purchase.

Amenities: Rooftop garden, library lounge, breakfast

Bonus Tip: A live-in gallery concept, Shila hosts rotating artist exhibitions, organically showcasing work from painters, photographers, and ceramicists throughout the hotel’s shared spaces and guest rooms that are all for sale; shipping can be arranged on request.

Address: Mantzarou 10 Kolonaki, 10672 Athens, Greece

Mona

In contrast to its smaller and more tucked-away sister property Shila, Mona opened a couple of years ago in the heart of Athens’s cultural downtown, nestled in a labyrinth of the city’s most stylish bars, restaurants, and designer shops, as well as a mere 10-minute walk to the Acropolis, which you can see from the hotel’s sun-drenched rooftop terrace. Mona is the industrial counterpart to its more ethereal sister property, in that it’s housed in a 1950s textile factory with a spacious street-facing (and laptop-friendly!) living room, comfortably optimized for remote work. Mona’s 20 suites, however, maintain the more intimate and bohemian elán that Shila is known for–with gauzy bed canopies and standalone tubs.

Amenities: Rooftop terrace, bar, living room, underground venue space, breakfast

Bonus Tip: During the summer months, Mona’s rooftop plays host to Club Monamour, a rotating pop-up series of social gatherings and creative showcases from local artists and brands.

Address: Kakourgodikiou 4, Athina 105 54, Greece

Apollo Palm Hotel

Last summer, the retro Apollo Palm Hotel opened on a quiet street in the vibrant neighborhood of Psyrri, among the city’s hippest cafes, bars, and art galleries. Its 48 mid-century modern guest rooms surround a tropical courtyard where guests can dine under the shade of a giant palm tree at the wine bar and bistro. Meanwhile, the sun-drenched rooftop cocktail bar offers unparalleled views of the Acropolis–especially at sunset–and is a favorite for guests and locals alike for its assortment of tapas and inventive cocktail list designed by Alekos Alexiadis, the owner of Athens’ beloved Santa Rosa Bar. Catering to the creative class, Apollo Palm Hotel also hosts special musical and cultural events, including open-air cinema nights and Sunday sunset parties.

Amenities: Rooftop terrace, family rooms, restaurant, bar

Bonus Tip: On the weekends, guests can enjoy a Mediterranean brunch on the rooftop terrace.

Address: Kranaou 3, Athina 105 53, Greece

Ergon House

Part hotel, part foodie destination, Ergon House is the brainchild of the two Greek brothers behind Ergon Foods, a fast-growing Greek food company selling artisanal Mediterranean products. Situated under a large glass atrium, the property is host to an expansive marketplace, where among its stalls, you’ll find a deli, fishmonger, butcher, green grocer, bakery, and coffee bar. You can enjoy your epicurean delicacies to-go or at the restaurant and rooftop bar on site. If that wasn’t enough, there are 38 modern hotel rooms above the market, offering a clever solution to that inevitable food-induced coma after you’ve indulged too much–but don’t fret, as you can work it off at the hotel gym before you do it all again the next day.

Amenities: Gym, restaurant, rooftop terrace, bar, free breakfast

Bonus tip: New this month, the brothers launched their latest project: Ergon Bakehouse, a bakery-inspired house with 29 rooms, where you’ll wake up with the smells of sourdough wafting through the air from the downstairs 72h Artisanal Bakery.

Address: Mitropoleos 23, Athens, 10563, Greece

New Hotel Athens

It’s no secret that Athens has been experiencing a creative renaissance as of late. Stepping into the New Hotel is a transportive journey that’ll pluck you from the ancient city and deposit you into this new world of contemporary art and design, dreamed up by renowned Greek art collector, Dakis Joannou. In the rooftop restaurant, Art Lounge, artwork by notable artists like Jeff Koons adorn the walls, while at the ground-floor restaurant, New Taste, an installation made from abandoned pieces of furniture wood, reminiscent of favella trees extends into the lobby. Each of the property’s 79 rooms also host their own living art installation–most notably in the penthouse suite, where a window above the bed frames the Acropolis with such act precision, it almost feels like a painting.

Amenities: Private parking, family rooms, spa, fitness center, restaurant, bar

Bonus Tip: Check out Art Lounge’s extensive library stocked with over 2000 art books.

Address: 16, Fillelinon str., Athens, 10557, Greece

Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens

In 1961, the Athenian Riviera became a holiday hotspot for members of prominent business and ship-owning families when the first 60 cabanas were built along the coastline that’s located just 30 minutes from Athens’s historic city center. In 2019, the opening of Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel set out to revive the glamorous spirit of this bygone era on that same plot of paradise, successfully heralding a new experience of luxury for a modern era. Spread along an expansive 74 acres, the resort features over 300 suites and bungalows, a seafront spa, three private beaches, two pools, as well as eight seaside dining outlets–three of which were designed by cult-favorite interior architect Martin Brudnizki.

Amenities: 2 swimming pools, spa, fitness center, 3 tennis courts, soccer field, basketball court, free parking, restaurants, bar, 3 private beaches

Bonus Tip: Don’t sleep on a spa treatment as the FSAthens Spa won the Spa of the Year: Eastern Europe at last year’s World Spa & Wellness Awards.

Address: 40 Apollonos Street, Vouliagmeni, Athens, 16671, Greece

One&Only Aesthesis

When it came to opening its first resort in Greece, One&Only Resorts set its sights on the resort town of Glyfada, a resort town on the glamorous Athenian Riviera. This November marked the unveiling of One&Only Aesthesis, a 50 acre coastal hideaway nodding to the vibrant 1960s elán that the area is most known for. Redefining the concept of al fresco living, the resort boasts a wide selection of suites, bungalows, residences and villas with capacious outdoor living spaces featuring private pools, fragrant gardens, and breathtaking vistas over the Aegean–best enjoyed from under your outdoor rain shower, if you ask us. Along with property’s three bars, guests can choose between two food venues, varying from a Greek-Italian restaurant helmed by celebrity chef Ettore Botrini, to a new pop-up this season by Spanish chef Paco Morales, who is bringing his signature Andalusian cuisine in a casual setting with family-style dishes designed to share.

Amenities: Pool, fitness center, spa, free parking, 6 restaurants, bar, family rooms, kid’s club

Bonus Tip: New this summer, One&Only Aesthesis is unveiling its partnership with Guerlain, marking the debut of the first-ever Guerlain Spa in Greece.

Address: Leoforos Poseidonos, Glyfada, Athens, 16674, Greece