Where to Stay in Athens: Design-Led Hotels That Capture the City's Creative Pulse
Words by Yatzer
Location
Athens, Greece
Where to Stay in Athens: Design-Led Hotels That Capture the City's Creative Pulse
Words by Yatzer
Athens, Greece
Athens, Greece
Location
Athens is a city of layers, where classical heritage coexists with cosmopolitan flair and a distinctly youthful creative energy. Long defined by its monuments, over the past decade the Greek capital has steadily reasserted itself as a destination shaped as much by contemporary culture as by history. What was once seen primarily as a stopover en route to the islands has evolved into a city worth lingering in, animated by an ever-expanding food scene, a thriving bar culture, independent galleries, and a growing community of digital nomads and artists who now call it home.
This renewed vitality has naturally reshaped the city’s hospitality landscape. Hotels in Athens are no longer merely places to sleep between sightseeing visits, but extensions of the city’s evolving identity, engaging with art and architecture, tapping into neighbourhood rhythms and exploring new ways of urban living. Whether you’re planning a weekend city break or a more extended stay that allows for excursions to Sounio, Delphi or Epidaurus, along with day trips to nearby islands such as Hydra or Aegina, choosing where to stay has become part of the experience itself.
The hotels in this guide have been selected for precisely that reason. From revived neoclassical and modernist landmarks to reimagined industrial buildings all the way to a wellness-focused retreat on the Athenian Riviera, this curated selection reflects the many faces of contemporary Athens: creative, confident and quietly compelling.
Artwork by Gerasimos Floratos. Photo by Ana Santl Andersen, © Perianth Hotel.
Set on lively Agia Irini Square between Syntagma and Monastiraki, Perianth Hotel occupies a pivotal urban crossroad, where everyday Athenian life unfolds in full view. Conceived as a nexus of neo-modernist design, contemporary Greek art and mindfulness, the hotel offers a cultured counterpoint to the city’s historic grandeur by celebrating its Bauhaus lineage and vibrant art scene.
The hotel takes over a distinctive 1930s landmark whose gently curving volumes and pared-back geometry exemplify the modernist wave of interwar Athens. Renovated by renowned architects K-Studio with a deep sensitivity to its architectural heritage, the building’s streamlined logic carries seamlessly into the interiors. Terrazzo floors, walnut panelling and marble accents echo the material clarity of the original structure, while bespoke wooden furniture, brass lighting, and blush and sage velvet textiles introduce elements of warmth and tactility. The building’s irregular footprint ensures that each of the 47 rooms has its own spatial character, all opening onto balconies, around half of which enjoy views of the Acropolis, culminating in a penthouse featuring a private terrace with a swimming pool and a jacuzzi set against the city’s most emblematic silhouette.
Photo by Ana Santl Andersen, © Perianth Hotel.
Artworks by Bia Davou, Eleni Vernadaki (ceramic) , Chryssa Romanos.
Photo by Ana Santl Andersen, © Perianth Hotel.
Conscious that travellers encounter antiquity at every turn in Athens, Perianth offers a contemporary counterpoint through a carefully curated collection of over 80 artworks by emerging and established Greek and Cypriot artists. Handpicked by co-owner and art collector Anastasia Sgoumpopoulos, the collection unfolds throughout the hotel as a living, evolving narrative that rewards attentive viewing.
The dialogue between art and design continues at the ground-floor all-day restaurant Anther, where sculptural terrazzo and wood interiors by En-Route Architecture frame Mediterranean dishes rooted in seasonal Greek produce. With a considered programme of Sei-Ki Shiatsu and massage treatments, alongside a soon-to-open Zen centre, Perianth’s approach to mindfulness and art-led ethos serve to reinforce the hotel’s measured and reflective character.
BOOK YOUR STAY
2 Limpona Str., 105 60 Athens, Greece.
Artwork by Petros Moris. Photo by Ana Santl Andersen, © Perianth Hotel.
Photo by Vangelis Paterakis, © Fresh Hotel Athens.
Located in downtown Athens, Fresh Hotel is an urbane, design-driven address that embraces the city’s layered identity with gusto. Recently expanded and redesigned, the hotel balances neo-folkloric exuberance with contemporary clarity, blending understated luxury and genial hospitality while remaining true to its founding ethos of always staying fresh.
Primarily occupying a modernist concrete-and-glass building, the hotel expanded two years ago into a neighbouring neoclassical structure built around the turn of the 20th century. The result is a fascinating architectural hybrid that mirrors its location at the crossroads of historic Athens and the city’s contemporary pulse. The interiors, reimagined by acclaimed designer Paola Navone’s OTTO STUDIO, weave together modernist clarity, folkloric references, and graphic exuberance through a palette dominated by layered blues. Throughout, patterned tiles, hand-painted ceramics, bold textiles, and sculptural furniture create a tapestry of contrasting harmonies that echoes the diversity of modern-day Athens.
Photo by Vangelis Paterakis, © Fresh Hotel Athens.
Pairing comfort with character, accommodation spans six room types, including 12 new suites, 9 of which are housed within the neoclassical extension, with some opening onto private balconies with outdoor showers. Public spaces are animated yet easy going, with a well-equipped fitness and wellness area and flexible meeting and event spaces seamlessly integrated into the hotel’s daily rhythm. Crowning it all is the rooftop, one of Fresh Hotel’s defining features, where expansive views of the Athenian skyline and the Acropolis accompany an all-day bar-restaurant, swimming pool, cocktail lounge and open-air cinema.
Rooted in modern Greek and Mediterranean cooking and shaped by a farm-to-table philosophy, the hotel’s culinary offering further reinforces its connection to place, sourcing seasonal produce from small Greek producers and its own farm outside Athens.
BOOK YOUR STAY
Athinas 59 & Sofokleous Str., 10552 Athens, Greece.
Photo by V-Scope, © Fresh Hotel Athens.
Photo © OKUPA.
Located on the quieter outskirts of Psyrri, within walking distance of the area’s raw-edged energy, Okupa positions itself as a creative urban hub rather than a conventional city hotel. Named after the Spanish verb 'okupar', to occupy, it blends contemporary design with a nod to 1970s aesthetics, shaping a place where travellers and locals intersect through culture, music and communal exchange.
The interiors are the result of a collaboration between interior designer Nohad Boueiz and Andrea Zoumboulis of REMY Architects, who animated the hotel’s common spaces with an eclectic mismatch of furniture sourced from vintage markets, ranging from modernist pieces by designers such as Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer to space-age accents and geometric rugs.
Photo © OKUPA.
Photo © OKUPA.
Photo © OKUPA.
Photo © OKUPA.
The hotel’s 32 rooms adopt a quieter register. Bright and airy thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, their modernist-informed interiors favour clean lines and a neutral base, punctuated by vibrant pops of colour and playful details such as projectors and portable retro speakers. Some rooms open onto plant-filled balconies or view-oriented terraces, softening the boundary between private retreat and city life.
Okupa’s communal spaces are central to its identity. Okupa Kitchen & Listening Bar shifts from a laid-back brunch spot to late-night gathering place, serving seasonal Mediterranean dishes with subtle Levantine inflections, while curated vinyl collections anchor the listening corner. A library, co-working areas and meeting rooms accommodate moments of work and reflective downtime, while the basement hosts a rotating program of events, from movement sessions and supper clubs to pop-up markets. Outside, a courtyard garden and a rooftop pool with Acropolis views complete an address shaped as much by community as by place.
BOOK YOUR STAY
9 Psaromiligkou Str, 105 53 Athens, Greece.
Photo © OKUPA.
Photo © The Foundry Suites Athens.
Set within the characterful streets of Psyrri, The Foundry occupies a 1930s industrial building whose history is deeply woven into the city’s creative fabric. Originally built as a type foundry, hence the name, it later served as a printing house and, more recently, a cultural centre, before being reimagined as a boutique address comprising 12 loft-like, self-contained suites that balance industrial memory with mid-century poise.
The building’s layered past informs every aspect of the design. Across the accommodations, exposed masonry walls, visible cable piping and steel-framed Crittall-style windows recall its utilitarian origins, while hardwood floors and timber furnishings introduce warmth. High ceilings and generous proportions lend a sense of openness, further animated by vibrant pops of colour, mid-century vintage furnishings and bespoke lighting that add character without softening the building’s raw clarity.
Photo © The Foundry Suites Athens.
Photo © The Foundry Suites Athens.
Conceived to provide a lived-in rather than a standard hotel experience, the suites feature open-plan layouts, fully equipped kitchens and built-in workspaces. Ground-floor apartments extend out onto private garden areas, while others incorporate mezzanine levels or wooden box-like structures housing bedrooms, reinforcing the loft aesthetic and ensuring that no two spaces unfold in quite the same way.
Above it all, The Foundry’s lushly planted rooftop garden offers a welcome shift in pace. More than a terrace, it is a carefully cultivated ecosystem populated by over 30 species of plants, trees and herbs, creating a verdant oasis with uninterrupted views of the Acropolis. Here, artisanal pizzas, Greek wines and signature cocktails are served in an atmosphere that feels at once local, relaxed and quietly celebratory.
BOOK YOUR STAY
40 Sarri Str., 105 53 Athens, Greece
Photo © The Foundry Suites Athens.
Photo © The Modernist Athens.
Tucked into a tranquil, leafy corner of Kolonaki, just steps away from the National Gallery, The Modernist Athens offers a composed retreat that feels distinctly attuned to its surroundings. Housed in a 1950s modernist landmark that used to house the Canadian Embassy, the hotel channels postwar clarity and restraint into a quietly confident urban stay.
Thessaloniki-based studio FORMrelated approached the building’s transformation with a disciplined hand, filtering its modernist DNA through a contemporary lens of sleek elegance. Painted in a sombre dark grey, the building’s facades set the tone for pared back yet carefully calibrated interiors where minimalist black and grey surfaces are softened by subtle metallic accents, custom lighting and tactile details. Contemporary artworks, lush plants and DJ-curated playlists animate the ground floor public areas lending the lobby, café and shop (the latter promoting Greek artisans and designers) a low-key social pulse.
Photo © The Modernist Athens.
The hotel’s 38 rooms follow a similarly restrained logic. Available in sizes S, M, L and XL, each room has its own spatial configuration, shaped by custom furnishings, brass details and a muted black-and-white palette that favours calm over ornament. At the top end, XL rooms open onto terraces with outdoor hot tubs and sweeping 180-degree city views, introducing a moment of indulgence without disrupting the hotel’s measured tone.
The Modernist’s streamlined, carefully curated sensibility extends to its culinary offerings, which ranges from fresh pastries and nutrient-packed breakfasts to comforting daytime dishes and artful cocktails curated by Nikos Bakoulis of Athens’ acclaimed The Clumsies and LINE bar. These are best enjoyed on the rooftop, a natural gathering point for sunset drinks framed by expansive city views, which also hosts morning yoga and Pilates sessions.
BOOK YOUR STAY
4 Ioannou Gennadiou Str., 115 21 Athens, Greece.
Photo © The Modernist Athens.
Photo by George Fakaros © Athens Flair.
Discreetly tucked away on a tree-lined street in Kolonaki, Athens Flair occupies a 19th-century neoclassical mansion once home to the iconic Greek actress Elli Lambeti, whose presence continues to bestow the overall building with a quiet sense of drama and cultural gravitas. Comprising just six suites, the restored residence unfolds as an intimate urban hideaway, where layers of Athenian history are reinterpreted with confidence and restraint.
Designed by Danish architect Theophil Hansen, the architect behind some of Athens’s most emblematic landmarks, including the Academy of Athens and the Zappeion Megaron, the listed building has been meticulously restored by DS-Architects with an overriding aim to preserve its architectural dignity while introducing a measured contemporary sophistication.
Photo © Athens Flair.
Photo © Athens Flair.
Photo © Athens Flair.
Original features such as high ceilings, decorative cornices and parquet floors provide a stately backdrop for interiors that balance clean-lined modern elements with vibrant accents and modern artworks, while furnishings draw from an eclectic mix of antique and mid-century pieces, giving each suite its own curated rhythm. Balconies and terraces add an outdoor dimension, culminating in the Cine Flair Suite where a state-of-the-art video projector and a hot tub frame moments of cinematic leisure and rare urban seclusion.
Shared spaces remain deliberately understated. A rooftop bar frames open views towards Lycabettus Hill, offering a composed setting for evening drinks, while a cosy terrace below invites quieter moments to pause and reflect. More residence than hotel, Athens Flair is shaped as much by its cultural lineage as by contemporary Athenian life.
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2Β Delfon Str., 106 80 Athens, Greece
Photo © Athens Flair.
Photo by Vangelis Paterakis, © Kuka Luxury Suites.
Set on a quiet backstreet in Koukaki, Kuka Luxury Suites offers a calm counterpoint to the city’s constant motion. Housed within a typical mid-century Athenian apartment building, just a short walk from the Acropolis and Plaka, the thoroughly renovated aparthotel unfolds as an oasis of understated refinement, where every detail, from materials choices and finishing touches to in-room amenities, has been thoughtfully considered.
Accommodation ranges from suites to one- and two-bedroom apartments, some extending onto private outdoor spaces, including a ground-floor residence that directly opens out onto a secluded courtyard with a swimming pool, and a penthouse crowned by its own terrace and hot tub. Throughout, living areas are thoughtfully arranged with dining spaces, fully equipped kitchenettes and electric fireplaces, reinforcing the sense of unhurried living.
Photo by Vangelis Paterakis, © Kuka Luxury Suites.
Photo by Vangelis Paterakis, © Kuka Luxury Suites.
Photo by Vangelis Paterakis, © Kuka Luxury Suites.
Photo by Vangelis Paterakis, © Kuka Luxury Suites.
Photo by Vangelis Paterakis, © Kuka Luxury Suites.
Interiors by Vangelis Bonios of Studio Bonarchi are defined by soulful simplicity and measured elegance. Clean lines and muted tones form the foundation, enriched by dark timber detailing, organic forms and restrained blush accents. Plush carpets, bouclé upholstery and gauzy curtains soften the atmosphere, while bespoke furniture instil a quiet sense of artisanship. In the bedrooms, walnut headboards, travertine bedside tables and custom brass sconces introduce tactile contrasts. The overall effect is both serene and cohesive, favouring texture and proportion over gesture.
Common areas on the rooftop are geared towards wellbeing rather than socialising. There is no bar or restaurant here; instead, the space is dedicated to a discreet gym and a jacuzzi—the latter available by appointment for private moments of relaxation—with partial views towards the Parthenon adding a quiet sense of place.
BOOK YOUR STAY
6 Korizi Str., 117 43 Athens, Greece.
Photo by Vangelis Paterakis, © Kuka Luxury Suites.
Photo © 91 Athens Riviera, the Resort.
Set along a quietly revitalised stretch of the coastline south of Athens, 91 Athens Riviera is one of the city’s most compelling recent arrivals. Conceived by design-led hospitality brand Domes as a nexus of wellbeing, beach life and gastronomy, the boutique seaside resort reimagines glamping through the relaxed, effortlessly chic lens of the Athenian Riviera.
Rather than traditional rooms, the resort unfolds as a series of 28 luxury cabanas scattered through landscaped gardens and lagoon-like swimming pools, creating a low-key rhythm of sheltered and open spaces. Designed by Chadios Architects, the canvas structures reinterpret safari tents through a Mediterranean lens, combining durability and discretion with an atmosphere of relaxed elegance. Inside, sandy woods, pale linens and tactile textures create a calm, beachy palette, while generous layouts, smartly concealed storage and carefully articulated zones lend the spaces a domestic ease rarely associated with glamping.
Photo © 91 Athens Riviera, the Resort.
Photo © 91 Athens Riviera, the Resort.
Barbarossa Athens restaurant. Photo © 91 Athens Riviera, the Resort.
Many cabanas feature private plunge pools and furnished terraces, encouraging an unhurried rhythm tuned to the coastal setting. This sense of quiet indulgence carries through to the resort’s shared spaces, which are conceived with a members' club-like intimacy. As would be expected, wellness plays a central role, with the Soma Spa offering bespoke treatments alongside thermal and hammam experiences, complemented by a fully equipped fitness centre, eight tennis courts, and a yoga and Pilates program. A 1960s-inspired beach club completes the resort’s laid-back Riviera character.
Finally, culinary life converges at Barbarossa, the celebrated Paros-born restaurant that brings its unmistakable island spirit to the capital’s coast. Set directly on the beachfront, the restaurant champions seafood-driven Mediterranean cooking rooted in Greek island produce, blending polished techniques and detail-driven dishes with a subtle Asian-inspired flair.
BOOK YOUR STAY
A Akti, Alkionidon Avenue, 4, Voula, 166 74 Athens, Greece.
Barbarossa Athens restaurant. Photo © 91 Athens Riviera, the Resort.
Photo © 91 Athens Riviera, the Resort.
If you are planning to visit Athens you should also check our Tiny City Guide for some more recommendations for those who appreciate authentic, design-forward spaces and meaningful experiences. From no-frills eateries reinventing traditional cuisine to groundbreaking bakeries and artful cocktail bars our guide highlights the very best Athens has to offer.
