Athenaeum InterContinental Athens

89-93 Syngrou Avenue, Athens, Greece | Tel: +30 210 9206000

A great hotel in the amazing city of Athens, Greece, the Athenaeum InterContinental Athens is centrally situated along Syngrou Avenue, within easy walking distance of the Metro, the Plaka, and even the famous Acropolis.  It is roughly 45 minutes (depending on traffic) from Athens International Airport, and transportation to the port of Piraeus takes as little as 20 minutes.

After a long flight from Canada, the Athenaeum InterContinental won us over with its modern design, friendly staff and our incredibly comfortable Deluxe Room which overlooked the famous Acropolis.

HISTORY

Although it was built in 1982, you’d never know it: the Athenaeum Intercontinental has undergone several extensive refurbishments over the past decade, emerging as a hotel that boasts modern yet warm décor in public areas and accommodations, and uncommonly large rooms.  You won’t find stark, Euro-modernism here: vibrant Mediterranean colors mix with dark, elegant woods and highly polished marble.  One of the hotel’s most recognizable features is the Blue Man Group statue in the center of the main lobby; an excellent meeting place.

The Athenaeum has the largest meeting space of any hotel in Greece, and up to 2,000 people can be accommodated in the sprawling, on-site ballroom.  But the way the hotel is designed ensures you’ll never feel crowded: a dedicated atrium just off the main lobby provides access to the many banquet and meeting rooms, ensuring conference guests and hotel guests have their equal space.

ROOMS

Desk area of our Deluxe Suite. Photo © 2011 Aaron Saunders

There are 543 luxurious rooms and 60 suites at the Athenaeum InterContinental, including a mammoth, 315-square metre Presidential Suite for the business traveler who wants to make an impression. But even regular guest rooms are uncommonly large for Europe.  Our Deluxe Room, for example, was more spacious than the last two hotels we’ve stayed at in North America.

Your room keycard acts as your pass throughout the hotel, and is used to activate the elevators and even lights in some guest rooms.  To use the elevators, slide your card up into the digital box on the right-hand side of the elevator until the red light blinks green, then select your floor.

Superior Rooms offer all the comfort and amenities you would expect from an InterContinental property, but if you can, spring for the Deluxe Room: it features a more spacious sitting area, dark woods and modern furniture, stunning original Greek art, and a generous bathroom with shower, tub, toilet, dual sinks and a bidet.

 

Club InterContinental rooms are situated on Floors 8 and 9, and also boast their own distinct styling, with Mediterranean blue accents and cool, soothing colors. There are 61 rooms and 18 suites, all of which have access to a dedicated check-in desk, a complimentary lounge serving up cocktails, canapés and internet access, and complimentary wet Spa access.

AMENITIES

The Tea Lounge and Bar adjacent to the main Lobby. Photo © 2011 Aaron Saunders

• Cafezoe offers up great food all day, including both Continental and Full breakfast buffets with nearly everything you can think of: pastries, meats, cheese, fruits, juices, and some of the best coffee we’ve had in a hotel in a long time.
• Tobar, located adjacent to the lobby, is a great place to enjoy an evening drink after a long-haul flight or simply a day of exploring the great city of Athens.
• The Café Vienna Tea Lounge features, as one might suspect, tea, coffee and pastries.
• I-SPA by Algotherm is a great way to relax and unwind upon arrival in Greece.  If you’ve booked a Club InterContinental room, you have complimentary use of the Spa’s sauna, steam bath, foot baths, and specialty-showers.

HIDDEN GEMS

Premiere, the Athenaeum's rooftop restaurant. Photo © 2011 Aaron Saunders

• The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle bus from the property to the Plaka district and nearby Syntagma Square, adjacent to the Greek Parliament.  Schedules can be obtained from the front desk.
• Premiere, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, is a must-visit not only for the exquisite food, but for the breathtaking views of the city, including the Acropolis and Mount Lycabettus.  Trust us: the view is remarkable.
• Ask the Staff: Looking for great Greek food or some of the best sites in Athens?  The friendly staff are keen to show off their country’s most famous city.
• iPad App: Start exploring Athens before you even get there with the handy InterContinental Hotels App.  Very useful!
• Local Toiletries: the hotel’s bath soaps, shampoos, gels and conditioners are made by local Athens company Korres Natural Products.  They’re fantastic.

WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE…

• Plaka: an easy 20-minute walk, well worth it for the beautiful parks and historic ruins that line Syngrou Avenue, like Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of Olympian Zeus.
• Syntagma Square: an easy 15-minute walk, next to the Greek Parliament buildings and the Changing of the Guard.
• The Acropolis: roughly 30 minutes, mostly uphill.  It’s certainly walkable, but taxi to the base of the Acropolis from the hotel will only run you €6, so you may want to cab it there and walk back if so inclined.
• Metro: the new Syngrou-Fix Metro station is just five minutes up Syngrou Avenue from the hotel. To go to the famous Plaka district, hop off at Syntagma Station.

AIRPORTS AND CRUISE PORTS

• From Elefthérios Venizélos International Airport: Approximately 40 minutes.
• To the port of Piraeus: 20-40 minutes, depending on traffic.

USEFUL LINKS

• Athenaeum InterContinental Athens Website