Astikon House

We’d definitely return. For the price, this was a great find and excellent value, with a central spot for sightseeing around Greece and easy access from Syntagma and Monastriaki stations to both the airport and Piraeus cruise port. Rena made us feel welcome and was friendly and helpful. The free breakfast was outstanding, with a buffet as well as made to order dishes, and the fresh squeezed orange juice was the best. Our room was clean, comfortable, modern, stylish, and well appointed, with complimentary water and a Nespresso machine. We arrived late at night, and check-in through the sister hotel across the street felt a little unusual, but it was quick and easy. Easy check-in and checkout, fantastic room, great breakfast and location, all at a good price.

I’m not sure I’d stay here again after my first visit. We were put in Room 305, the only room on the third floor, with the breakfast buffet set up in the corridor just outside the door. Expect to be woken around 7 every day.

We booked two weekend nights at The Marblous Athens, and the hotel seemed clearly overbooked when we got there. The middle aged man at the desk, who may have been the receptionist or owner, said our room had been upgraded to a suite in Astikon House, Room 105, on the second floor across the street. That’s where two nights of misery began. Noise went on all night: yelling and loud conversations, slamming doors, motorcycles, car horns, and sound echoing through the street. There seemed to be no soundproofing at all, and it felt like being at a football field. The curtains were too small to cover the windows fully, so streetlights came through too. We asked that same man to move us. He said another room on the second floor of the same building was available, but would be just as noisy since it was on the same side, only one floor higher. His tone was pointed and quite rude, as if he didn’t care how we felt. With other nearby hotels full for the weekend, we didn’t really have a choice but to stay put. We were told to have breakfast on the third floor of Astikon House. Several guests there were Asian, about 80% by my observation, myself included. Was that a coincidence? Beware if you are Asian.

The location was prime, the rooms were great, and the service was outstanding.