Hotels in Athens

Hotels in Athens: prices, timing and areas

When to book a stay in Athens for less

Athens is cheapest in late autumn and winter. November is usually the bottom of the market, about 40 percent below the yearly average. May is the priciest, at the edge of the season, when rates can run two-fifths higher than the rest of the year. July and August are expensive and very hot, with temperatures above 30 degrees, so for calmer and cheaper sightseeing aim at April or October. The arrival day matters too: Wednesday works out cheapest, Friday the most expensive. For a regular trip, book about two months ahead, as the best rates show up around 60 days before the date and climb after that.

What a stay costs by property type

The spread of prices in Athens is wide, so a hostel bed and a family room are worlds apart. The cheapest sleep is in hostels and one-star places around Omonia and the station; you pay the most for five stars near the Acropolis. Below are indicative nightly rates.

Indicative rates for a double room, outside the May-to-summer peak. In Athens the gap between a quiet November and May can be huge, so check the real price for your dates in the search above.

Where a stay is cheaper and where it costs more

The most popular area among guests is Plaka, the charming district at the foot of the Acropolis, with tavernas and narrow lanes a walk from the main sights. Despite its popularity it has some of the lower average prices in the city. The most expensive is Psirri, a trendy district with bars by Monastiraki. Pagrati is quieter and liked by guests after a good rate, while Omonia and the area around the station are the cheapest starting point. Below are average prices in a few popular districts.

Indicative rates for a double room. The Athens metro reaches the Acropolis and Syntagma in a quarter of an hour, so a base further out is still convenient.

Which stay in Athens suits whom

• First time in Athens. Plaka is the easiest base. From here it is a few minutes on foot to the Acropolis, the Parthenon and the Monastiraki market, with tavernas at hand.
• For families. Plaka and Koukaki near the Acropolis, plus family rooms in mid-range hotels. Easy to mix sightseeing with a shaded lunch break.
• For couples. Psirri and Monastiraki, where the evenings have the most rooftop bars and restaurants. A short walk from there to the floodlit Acropolis.
• Business travel. Hotels around Syntagma and Omonia sit on the main metro lines, so getting around is quick. Close to the business centres and the shops.
• With breakfast. Many hotels near Syntagma and in Plaka include a buffet in the rate, sometimes with an Acropolis view. Handy when you want to set off early, before the heat.
• Near the airport. Hotels around Athens airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) suit an early flight or a layover. The metro and rail run from the airport to the centre without a change.

Example hotels in Athens with prices

From a hostel bed in Pagrati to five stars near the Acropolis, a few Athens names with a from price. Just a starting point, as in May and over the summer the rates of the same hotels can climb noticeably.

From prices for a double room. The same hotel can differ a lot between a Wednesday and a Friday, so check your exact dates in the search.

When Athens costs more

Most tourists pour into Athens in summer, in July and August, when the heat tops 30 degrees and the queues at the Acropolis are longest. May opens the expensive season, so rates rise from spring on. The nicest and cheapest windows are the shoulder months, April to June and September to October, when the weather is warm but bearable and the city less crowded. Late autumn and winter bring the lowest prices, a good time to see the sights without the crowds.