Hermes Hotel

See more Small Hotels. See best of Athens in Greece.

A clean, comfy and well-placed hotel on the edge of Plaka, perfect for a quick visit to the Acropolis

Plaka is the historic centre of Athens, a hotch-potch of neoclassical tiled houses which tumble down (in some cases almost literally) below the Acropolis. Strict conservation laws make hotel conversions practically impossible, which means that you’re obliged to stay in a modern purpose-built hotel on the edge of the pedestrian area. But that need not be a hardship: this one, like so many of its neighbours, received a total refurb in the run-up to the 2004 Olympics, and came away with the gold medal in the style-for-money stakes.

Its 45 twin bedrooms now sport a calm grey, brown and white trim: wooden floors and headboards, whitewashed walls, all-marble bathrooms. Full-height sliding windows open onto tiny balconies looking either down on narrow Apollonos street (the short straw) or up to the Acropolis (the long straw). The higher the floor, the better the view. Air-con and soundproofing ensure you sleep well, and helpful staff ensure that your sightseeing is equally successful. It may not have ground-breaking design or historic charm, but it’s spotlessly clean, stylishly furnished and perfectly placed for a quick raid on the Acropolis and Plaka.