Athens Smart Stay Apartment

The apartment itself was roomy, clean, and well equipped, and it's good value if your stay goes smoothly. Our first night was a mess, though: a key was missing, we couldn't get in, and none of the contact options for the host worked. After waiting hours, we had to pay for another hotel. We could check in the next day. The host charged us for one fewer night, but didn't cover any of the extra hotel cost. Later that afternoon, an email arrived saying our booking had been cancelled and we had less than an hour to leave. I'd never heard of a host cancelling a stay like that. We couldn't meet that deadline, so €50,- was kept from our card as a “security deposit.” We eventually got it back, probably after we involved the Ministry of Tourism and Tourist Police. If a problem comes up, don't expect the host to help.

The place was a miserable stay, and the location added to it. Traffic was noisy from every side, bins smelled, and the buildings and streets looked worn and covered in graffiti. There wasn't much to eat nearby, especially on Sunday or Monday. Our visiting family worried about our safety, and children in the area asked us for money every day. We also only had one key, which made planning difficult. Inside, the floors were dirty enough that I showered with sandals on. I found huge hairballs under the beds, and there were roaches and worms, though thankfully the ones I saw were dead. Traffic and squeaky bunk beds made a lot of noise. One bathroom never had hot water; the other had a badly arranged shower, so the curtain touched you and water spread across the floor, a fall risk for my elderly grandparents. When we asked questions, we were told to check the guide, but we couldn't access it. Save yourself the trouble and stay somewhere else.

The apartment matched its photos, and we had a nice stay. It's close to the central station and a metro stop, so getting to the city centre and attractions was quick. A large supermarket nearby was handy for picking up groceries. There was some traffic noise on the street, which could bother someone sensitive to it, though my travel partner didn't mind. I also appreciated that the owner got back to me the same day when I had a small issue. I'd recommend it.

The neighbourhood felt a bit sketchy to us. We saw needles outside the apartment, some people shouting or urinating in the street, and quite a bit of rubbish. The location itself is convenient for a bus and metro stop, though women travelling alone or families with kids may want to be cautious. Inside, the apartment was nice and had what we needed, and the price was good. The building could use repairs, including to its broken glass windows. The host situation was the bigger problem: we couldn't get in on the first night, and the host didn't respond. There was confusion the next day, then things seemed sorted, until an email said we had to leave in under an hour. We went to the police station for advice, and they made a report. A complaint was filed with the ministry of tourism, and hostelworld was also informed. It could be a pleasant Athens stay if everything goes as planned, but don't rely on the host if it doesn't.