Syntagma / Plaka

Electra Metropolis Athens

★★★★★

The Electra Metropolis is the hotel many Athens regulars recommend when you want five-star comfort, a central address and a rooftop that rivals any in the city, without the price of the grand old names. It stands just off Syntagma Square in the commercial heart of the centre, on the edge of Plaka, so the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum, Monastiraki and the National Garden are all within easy walking distance, and Syntagma metro with its airport line is a few minutes away. The building is modern, but its interiors take their cue from the city's neoclassical heritage: marble, warm wood, elegant lighting and artworks referencing Athens' past. Rooms and suites are spacious by city-centre standards, with a calm, refined style, and the best of them, on the upper floors, have balconies or windows framing the Acropolis — specify an Acropolis-view category when you book if that matters to you. The star attraction is the roof. The Metropolis Roof Garden restaurant serves Mediterranean cooking with a sweeping view over the Parthenon, Lycabettus and the rooftops of Plaka, and the outdoor pool is one of the few in central Athens with an Acropolis view, a precious thing after a hot morning on the rock. Below, the spa offers treatments, a hammam and a fully equipped fitness centre. The service is professional and friendly, and the hotel is part of the Greek Electra Hotels group, which knows how to run a smooth city hotel. It is an especially good choice for couples and first-timers who want a central base with a touch of glamour.

Room strategy: classic and superior rooms face the city and are comfortable and well designed, while the higher categories and suites have the coveted Acropolis views. For a first visit or a special occasion, the upgrade is worth it, because waking up to the Parthenon is one of the great Athens experiences. Some rooms face busier streets; ask for a high floor for the quietest night. Breakfast is a generous buffet, and the rooftop is open to non-guests for dinner, so book a table at sunset early.

The pool and the seasons: the outdoor rooftop pool is the hotel's summer magic, and in the hottest months it is the perfect retreat between sightseeing in the morning and dinner at night. As with all outdoor pools in Athens, it is seasonal, so check opening dates if you are travelling in the cooler months; the spa, hammam and gym operate year-round.

Base math: walk to Syntagma in a couple of minutes, Plaka in five, Monastiraki in ten, the Acropolis Museum in about fifteen and the Acropolis entrance in twenty. The Electra Metropolis sits in the upper-middle price band for Athens five-stars: considerably more than mid-range hotels, but usually well below the Grande Bretagne. The five-star climate resilience fee applies per room per night, at its higher rate from April to October. The value case is the combination of a five-star experience, a central location and a rooftop pool with the Acropolis in view.