The best accommodations Athens

Budget & Tips

Greece welcomes over 26 million tourists every year, making it one of the country's main foreign exchange earners. In Athens, the tourist infrastructure is of course everywhere: you'll have no trouble finding accommodation to suit your budget. A comfortable hotel costs around €90.

Prices can vary from double to triple in some areas, and are negotiable out of season. In high season, on the other hand, rooms are often scarce, and you'll be happy to find one; haggling then becomes impossible. At this time of year, reservations are strongly recommended. Real scams are rare, but if something unexpected and unpleasant happens, don't hesitate to contact the Greek authorities or the tourist police so that they can inform you of your options.

There are youth hostels in most tourist cities, but apart from one in Athens, the others are not part of the International Youth Hostel Federation and therefore do not meet its standards. Nevertheless, they are often the most affordable way to spend the night, and have no curfew. For young people, they are also one of the best places to make contact with their foreign counterparts.

Bed & breakfasts are much more common on the islands. In Athens, they are rarer, and take on the appearance of a small hotel. Domatia (plural of domatio, Greek for "room"), also known as rooms to rent or rooms to let, are generally located on the owner's property, but are independent of it. From a single room to a series of apartments or a complex of studios, the characteristics of home rentals vary widely. Generally open from April to October, this type of accommodation offers a more economical solution, halfway between camping and hotel accommodation. Tourists have their own room, with or without bathroom, with or without kitchenette, but always at reasonable prices. On the other hand, you won't usually be offered meals or breakfast. The owners will often come and tell you about them at bus stops or when you get off the ferries. Be careful, compare prices, find out exactly where the domatio is located and, if possible, look at photos. But don't worry: generally speaking, rooms are clean and functional, even if a few renters are outright swindlers. So never pay more than one night in advance, and don't hesitate to leave if you don't like it. However, this solution will sometimes enable you to make contacts with local people. You can often negotiate better prices if you stay several nights.

To be booked

During the high season, most of the accommodations in and around Athens are full and, more importantly, prices rise, so it is imperative to book before you leave. The booking period starts in many cases at the beginning of the year.

What's very local

Most campsites in Greece are privately owned, with the exception of those run by the EOT. Often reasonably priced, many of them are clean and pleasant enough to live in. However, in the high season, some campsites offer unpleasant surprises for those seeking a minimum of peace and quiet. They are generally open from May to October. After a series of abuses that threatened to harm the beaches even more than pollution, wild camping is no longer permitted in principle. In reality, it's still possible, provided you choose a secluded, discreet spot and check that no prohibitions are posted. Above all, be very careful with fire: if you are the cause of a fire starting as a result of a badly extinguished barbecue, you will be held responsible, and the Greeks don't joke about this. For a list of campsites in Greece, contact the Hellenic Tourist Office.

Wild camping in Greece. Backcountry camping is forbidden everywhere in Greece, even on islands and Athenian beaches. However, it's quite common to see young people pitching tents in hidden coves or even in mountainous regions in summer, in valleys or near rivers. In the countryside or near the sea, this sometimes amuses the locals, who may offer to help you out for a lift or a shower. Others, however, are more recalcitrant, especially owners of hotels or other accommodation, who won't hesitate to call the police - in which case you'll incur a fine of 300 euros... Some of the beaches on the outskirts of Athens are accessible, but others close at night, as they are semi-private. If you're planning to go wild camping in Greece, check with the locals. Take your precautions, but bear in mind that this is one of the European countries most accustomed to this activity. Some islands, such as Aggistri (just outside Athens), Anafi and Samothraki, are renowned for being packed with wild campers in summer, all grouped together on magnificent beaches.

There are five categories of hotel in Greece: L (luxury), A, B, C and D. But beware: these categories are different from those in other European countries, and they only reflect a level of equipment, not the intrinsic quality of the hotel. For example, an excellent hotel that doesn't offer television in its rooms will be in category C, while another establishment, dirty and noisy, could be in category B. So don't rely blindly on these categories, nor expect the same level of comfort from a Greek 4-star as from its French counterpart. This guide therefore does not mention categories, but only describes the quality and a price range of the establishments. Many hotels received subsidies to refurbish their facilities for the 2004 Olympic Games. So, in addition to a new facade and more modern facilities, most establishments have now equipped all their rooms with air conditioning and television.

You may be surprised by the number of hotels called Xenia or Filoxenia, terms which mean hospitality but which do not indicate that the hotels belong to any chain. Rather, it's the hotel owner who's lacked imagination in naming his establishment so! Greek hotel chains are often small, with no more than twenty hotels.

A word of linguistic clarification : you'll often be offered a suite(souita, the Greek word for suite). This does not always mean a luxurious room, as it does in French: in fact, these are sometimes rooms equipped like a studio, often designed for several people, with kitchen and bathroom, and sometimes several rooms. If you're traveling with the family, this may be a more economical option.

For food lovers

For your breakfast, choose the rooftop of a hotel or the terrace of a café in Plaka, Monastiraki and Thissio overlooking the Acropolis or the archaeological sites.

Smokers

In general, smoking is allowed in all outdoor areas of various types of hotel accommodations, and sometimes even indoors. When it is forbidden, it is clearly indicated at the time of booking, or once there, in the rooms. However, in Greece, and especially in Athens, people live almost all year round in the open air, which is a delight for the hardcore smoker.