Hotel recommendation for the Athens airport

[cpristash]

Unfortunately, there are no flights that can accommodate us after our return to Athens from our Azamara cruise  as they all leave at 6:15 a.m..  etc.  We find it necessary to stay overnight .... due to a 11:00 a.m. flight prefer to stay close to the airport!

Any hotel recommendations are greatly appreciated!

[marazul]

The Sofitel is right across the street from the airport. Just a few steps. We have stayed there a few times and it is a good hotel.  Decent restaurant. And the only choice at the airport.

[cpristash]

$$$$$$?

 

[marazul]

https://all.accor.com/hotel/3167/index.en.shtml?dateIn=&nights=&compositions=1&stayplus=false&snu=false#origin=sofitel

It depends on the date.

[cruisemom42]

Alternatively, 11:00 am is not THAT early for a flight. You could stay somewhere near the Plaka or Syntagma Square and enjoy nearly a full day in Athens and perhaps a nice dinner nearby before heading to the airport the next morning. It's only about a half-hour drive, depending on traffic.

 

[Hlitner]

We have stayed at the Soffitel and it is a perfect location for those with an early flight as it is about a 2 minute walk (just across the street) to the airport terminals..  But keep in mind that there is nothing near the Soffitel (except the airport).  Accordingly, we strongly agree with Cruisemom that if you have an 11 am flight it makes more sense to stay in Athens at a hotel that is within walking distance of Syntagma Square and the Plaka.  Getting to the airport in the morning is not a big deal (just grab a taxi from your hotel) and you will have all the advantages of being in downtown Athens with its many restaurants and attractions.  

 

Hank

[marazul]

Second cruisemom and Hank.  The Sofitel is an option (the only one) when you need it,  but you don't.  If you spend the day there you will be bored to tears. 

One of the times we stayed there we had arrived late morning from the US and we had an early flight to the islands the next day. We arranged to have a private tour pick us up after we checked in and went to Sounio and other places in the peninsula.  That took care of jetlag and boredom at the hotel. 

BTW we used George's Taxi.

[pdmlynek]

I agree with @marazul, @cruisemom42, and @Hlitner about staying in downtown Athens. 

 

However, I understand your concern: it will give you a piece of mind to overnight at the airport.  After all, this is Greece, and things don't always work; cabs may break down, there may be a delay on the metro, there may be a detour, there may be a strike, etc.  There is much to be said about staying at Sofitel at the airport.  We've actually done something similar what you suggest at a different city: we sightsaw the city during the day hoping on the train to the airport late evening, and overnighting at an airport hotel.

 

We typically pack very light, so we sightsee with our packs, but if you'd like to spend a day in Athens without your luggage before going to the airport in the evening, catch a metro, taxi of an X bus to downtown Athens.  You may store your luggage at the following luggage storage locations:

 

The Lockers Syntagma - Automated Luggage Storage

Kolokotroni 9, Syntagma, Athina, off Stadiou, off Syntagma Square; across from National Historical Museum, 37.9773°N 23.7325°E; +30 693 241 2302

 

Lockers4All

Nikis str 2, Athina 105 57, Greece, 37.9762°N 23.7334°E; +30 694 562 4229

 

Luggage storage in Athens

Nikis 17, Athina 105 57, Greece, 37.9745°N 23.7331°E; +30 21 0322 3531

 

Good luck!

 

[cruisemom42]

31 minutes ago, pdmlynek said:

However, I understand your concern: it will give you a piece of mind to overnight at the airport.  After all, this is Greece, and things don't always work; cabs may break down, there may be a delay on the metro, there may be a detour, there may be a strike, etc.  There is much to be said about staying at Sofitel at the airport.

 

I say this good-naturedly because I do understand the point you are making -- however, several of your recent posts make it sound as though Greece is utterly chaotic. I don't really think that is the case, at least not in my experience.  I've arrived at and departed from Athens many times and never had a taxi break down or had the express airport bus fail to materialize. Yes, it COULD happen, and any traveler should be aware of the odds for that kind of thing happening anywhere.

 

But when you think about it, you're in a large city that is well-connected to the airport with multiple modes of getting there. If a taxi breaks down, the driver (or you) can call another taxi. If taxis are on strike you can take the bus or the metro. If you build in a little extra breathing room, time-wise, it doesn't matter if the metro is running behind. And so on. As a last ditch, hotels can usually rustle up a private driver.

 

Snafus happen in countries outside Greece too. I've arrived at small archaeological sites in France and Italy that have confirmed they'd have someone to meet me and open the doors -- then no one shows up.  One memorable day I arrived at the Naples Archeological Museum only to find that the museum opening was delayed because the manager forgot his or her set of keys and no one knew where to find the spares. 

 

The Greek Islands may be a bit more laid back, but even there I've found that careful checking usually yields good results. COVID has done a number on many of the official websites -- they've closed sites and as a result laid off the people who usually update things. In the past, for example, there was a very clear website with info on the boat (it's not really an official ferry) between Mykonos and Delos. That doesn't seem to exist now, but I suspect it will be available again once tourism is fully back.

 

I also have had good luck emailing officials directly. I once had a conscientious ticket agent at Corfu meet me at my cruise ship gangway as I was disembarking, with my ticket for the ferry to Sarande in her hand, due to the tight connection that we had emailed about.  Almost the same thing happened when I needed to buy a return ticket from Delos to Mykonos but not the round-trip (because my ship was arriving to Delos first and then going to Mykonos, but I wanted to stay the full day on Delos).

 

If you want everything to run like clockwork, perhaps Switzerland or Japan offer that experience. Elsewhere, meh, one keeps in mind that roads often have a few bumps, but most of them are not too difficult to resolve.

 

[marazul]

I think this is part of a myth about traveling in southern Europe.  For example, that there are always random strikes in Italy - FALSE, they are rare and they are scheduled on a website months ahead of time.  Or that there are transportation breakdowns in Greece - NOT, at least not any more than anywhere else.  Or, that you are almost certain to miss the boat if you do private tours - NOT so.  These are first world countries with infrastructure and professionals to match.  Inconveniences and accidents happen, but that's life and there are alternatives.  Yes, the level of stress is less and laid-back attitudes are more, but things work well.  Maybe not like at home (wherever that is), but you are not at home.  

 

I will add a similar anecdote to cruisemom's.  We were on Santorini for a few days and planning to take the hydrofoil to Mykonos the next day.  The meltemi winds were blowing pretty hard and, unbeknown to us, ferry companies were canceling routes for the next couple of days.  We arrived back at the hotel in the evening and were surprised to find out that our Greek travel agent had arranged for us to stay an extra night at the hotel, reissued our ferry tickets and adjusted the reservation for the Mykonos hotel.  And I wish we could find that level of professionalism everywhere.

[iancal]

On 8/23/2022 at 10:40 AM, marazul said:

I think this is part of a myth about traveling in southern Europe.  For example, that there are always random strikes in Italy - FALSE, they are rare and they are scheduled on a website months ahead of time.  Or that there are transportation breakdowns in Greece - NOT, at least not any more than anywhere else.  Or, that you are almost certain to miss the boat if you do private tours - NOT so.  These are first world countries with infrastructure and professionals to match.  Inconveniences and accidents happen, but that's life and there are alternatives.  Yes, the level of stress is less and laid-back attitudes are more, but things work well.  Maybe not like at home (wherever that is), but you are not at home.  

 

I will add a similar anecdote to cruisemom's.  We were on Santorini for a few days and planning to take the hydrofoil to Mykonos the next day.  The meltemi winds were blowing pretty hard and, unbeknown to us, ferry companies were canceling routes for the next couple of days.  We arrived back at the hotel in the evening and were surprised to find out that our Greek travel agent had arranged for us to stay an extra night at the hotel, reissued our ferry tickets and adjusted the reservation for the Mykonos hotel.  And I wish we could find that level of professionalism everywhere.

This is why we tend to be very spontaneous travelers when we are on extended land trips.   Over many years the only times we have been inconvenienced was once on a pre announced 8 hour transit strike in Venice and with weather on the Adriatic or Med. 

 

 We have been to Italy numerous times....never encountered a rail strike that caused any significant impact on us.    Exact same for Portugal rail disruptions this past June.  

Edited August 24, 2022 by iancal

[bennybear]

We’ve had some big bumps,  a taxi strike in Greece, and the last public bus at night driving by us when we were at the stop waving at the driver,   Left us with a long walk in the dark to our hotel.  
 

We even had flights cancelled on Santorini due to the meltemi, forcing us to take a very Rocky overnight ferry to make our international flights.
 

An announced Vaporetto strike in Venice apparently Except for the  main essential Routes left us at the main essential route stranded and needing to find a water taxi with all our luggage.   So stuff does happen,  so even thought it’s  not likely it’s always wise to have a plan b and maybe even C. 
 

But we have to learn to roll with the rest,  like our cancelled flight from the south of Italy to Venice due to a Fire closing the Rome airport.    We needed a last minute 700 euro Ryanair flight to Treviso, and then a private car to Venice.   Thank goodness for travel insurance. 
 

 

[marazul]

Yup. Stuff happens everywhere.  Just ask the thousands of stranded passengers in US airports this year. 

Plan B and C should be part of your luggage wherever you go. But Bennybear, you have had your share! 

[bennybear]

14 hours ago, marazul said:

Yup. Stuff happens everywhere.  Just ask the thousands of stranded passengers in US airports this year. 

Plan B and C should be part of your luggage wherever you go. But Bennybear, you have had your share! 

Thanks, but in many decades of travel to be expected,  and it never ruins the trip.  And when we had last spent so much money in Italy on Ryanair and an aborted ATM withdrawal for another 600 Euros, that our bank thought we received,  we decided to throw some away on renting a Ferrari for a short while.   Might as well enjoy it when you’re wasting $.  Makes for crazy stories later🤷‍♀️😂

Edited August 25, 2022 by bennybear