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Syntagma Square
ATHENS 10563, GREECE
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- Price Range:
Top end
- Neighbourhood:
Syntagma
- Atmosphere:
Opulent and Busy
Lonely Planet Review
The grande dame of Athens hotels, the luxurious Grande Bretagne, fronts Syntagma Square with an elegance that almost upstages the Greek parliament. With luxurious fittings and polite and helpful service, it's one of Europe's classic old hotels.
Originally opened in 1874, the hotel is where the wealthy and famous have traditionally stayed in Athens. The decor - plush and very much fin de siècle drawing room in style - is elegant without being fussy or overwhelming. There's a huge variety of rooms to choose from, including a sumptuous selection of suites and some rooms with Acropolis views. All the facilities are present, including excellent room service. There's a rooftop pool, screened by plants, as well as a business centre, gym, indoor pool, and spa with full treatment options. Staff are well trained, cheery, and efficient, and will happily help with any request. The sunny side of the hotel's facade is a favourite basking place for a pair of veteran Syntagma dogs. Encouragingly, the hotel (following the old adage) seems disposed to let them lie.
Review by author Andy Symington
How To Get There
From Eleftherios Venizelos Airport (ATH):
Distance to the Hotel Grande Bretagne is 27 kilometres, approximately 40 minutes' drive.
Travel information. Metro line 3 to Syntagma Square departs every 30 minutes and costs 6 EUR. A taxi to the hotel should cost around 25 EUR. The hotel also offers a transfer service (surcharge); this must be pre-booked.
Getting around. Athens' metro is cheap and frequent. The service operates from 5.30 a.m. to midnight and a single ticket costs 0.80 EUR. Yellow taxis can be hailed on the street. A speedy tram links Syntagma to Glyfada on the coast. Prices are all subject to change.
Driving directions. From Eleftherios Venizelos Airport, take the Attiki Odos highway (pay toll) and follow the signs to Katehaki Avenue.
Take the K2E exit to the elevated road, then the 16K exit which leads to the Ymitos Ring for Katehaki Avenue.
Follow this road until exit Y1 for Katehaki and Messogeion Avenue. Turn left in Messogeion Avenue and follow the signs to Vas Sofias.
From here, follow the road for approximately 1 kilometre until you reach Syntagma Square and the Hotel Grande Bretagne.
Nearby Points of Interest
- Syntagma Square opposite
- Acropolis 1 kilometre
- Kallimarmaro (ancient Olympic stadium) 1.5 kilometres
- Ancient Agora (archaeological site) 1.5 kilometres
- National Archaeological Museum 2.5 kilometres
- Plaka (old town) 0.5 kilometres
- New Acropolis Museum 1 kilometre
- Herodes Atticus (amphitheatre) 1.5 kilometres
- Omonia Square 2 kilometres
- Piraeus (Port of Athens) 8 kilometres
Check-in/Check-out
Earliest check-in:
2:00 PM
Latest check-out time:
12:00 PM
Author Tip
The Numismatic Museum is just around the corner in a fabulous neoclassical building that was once the residence of the archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann. It's got a vast collection of coins from all eras.
Curious Fact
Among the numerous famous and infamous people to have slept here is Adolf Hitler, when the hotel served as German HQ during WWII.