Monastiraki / Plaka

Plaka Hotel

★★★★★

For travellers who want to be in the absolute centre of Athens at a sensible price, the Plaka Hotel is hard to beat. It stands at the corner of Kapnikareas and Mitropoleos streets, on the edge of Plaka and a couple of minutes' walk from Monastiraki Square, with the Byzantine church of Kapnikarea and the busy shopping street of Ermou just around the corner and the Metropolitan Cathedral a short stroll along Mitropoleos. From here, everything that matters for a first visit is on foot: the Ancient Agora and the flea market in five minutes, Syntagma Square in ten, the Acropolis entrance in fifteen to twenty, and the souvlaki grills of Mitropoleos and the bars of Psirri at the end of the street. Monastiraki metro, with direct trains to the airport and Piraeus, is minutes away. The hotel has 71 rooms in a bright, minimalist style, with plenty of natural light, and it is marketed as an Acropolis-view hotel: some rooms look up to the Parthenon, and so does the roof garden, which runs a snack bar where you can have a drink or a light bite with the monument floodlit above you. The style is simple rather than luxurious, but the rooms are clean, comfortable and well maintained, and the staff are friendly and helpful, as the steady flow of guest awards suggests. There are family rooms made of two connecting rooms, useful for parents with older children. It is the kind of hotel that does the essentials well and leaves you to spend your money on the city, and its location makes it one of the most practical bases in Athens for a short stay.

Who it suits: the Plaka Hotel is ideal for first-timers on a moderate budget, solo travellers, couples and families who want to walk everywhere and do not need resort facilities. Because it is in the commercial heart of the centre, the streets around it are busy by day and lively in the evening, and quieter at night than the bar streets of Psirri. Light sleepers should ask for a room on a higher floor or away from the street.

Choosing a room: standard rooms are compact, as is usual in central Athens; rooms with Acropolis views are the ones to book if your budget allows, because the view from bed is unforgettable. Family rooms with two connecting rooms suit parents with children. Breakfast is served daily, and the roof garden snack bar opens in the warm months for drinks with the view, so check its season if you are travelling in winter.

Price and value: rates are moderate for such a central address, peaking in summer and dropping considerably from November to March. The climate resilience fee applies per room per night according to the hotel's category, and is lower in the winter months. If you plan to be out sightseeing from morning to night and want to save for food and day trips, this is one of the smartest bases in the city.