Novotel Athenes

Skimpy

The hotel has decided to economize by not providing air conditioning or hot water. The thermastats in the room did not work. There was no air conditioning in the room even during days when the temperature was over 90. The water for showers and shaving was never more than lukewarm. The hotel itself was nice, but it was in a very dirty, run down area about 15 blocks from the nearest metro stop.

Ultra Modern Hotel in Less than Desirable Part of Athens

I was very pleased with the interior of the Novotel Athenes. It's very modern and everything looked brand-new. Aside from the location (near Omonia, which is not a very good part of Athens anymore, and not near any tourist attractions), I was disappointed when I was given a smoking room. The room was immaculate but the cigarette smoke permeated everything, making it unpleasant for us. When I called the front desk to complain, they simply said that they didn't have any other rooms available and they did not offer any assistance in removing the odor (housekeeping had already left). Other than that, the room was pretty spacious, good lighting, gorgeous bathroom and nice toiletries and linens, and it even had a little pot to make coffee and tea right in the room. The gym was simple but had a functional elliptical trainer, towels, and a big flat panel tv. The swimming pool also looked welcoming from the rooftop, but I didn't get a chance to check it out. Breakfast is not included, and costs a whopping 15 euros (I did not partake). I think it's a shame that such a nice, modern hotel is located in such a rough part of Athens. I probably would not go back again due to the bad location. If it were located in a safer neighborhood and closer to the tourist attractions, then I would return in a heartbeat. If you are not a tourist and the neighborhood does not bother you, then I would definitely recommend this hotel. Just make sure to specify whether you want a non-smoking room in advance!

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"Overpriced Without Regard to Complimentary WiFi"

As a busy professional and traveller, I was amazed how one amenity wasn't complimentary such as WiFi. I had to travel all the way to Syntagma Sq, Athens, Greece. for it (WiFi) during my stay. For a high and price rating hotel, I hoping for complimentary WiFi; but I would recommend only if the guest can do without WiFi. Comfortable bedding, good customer service and lack of checkout receipt!

We were sorely disappointed...

This hotel was a big disappointment. It's not very close to a metro line and forces you to walk through sub-optimal neighborhoods (for up to a half mile) to get there. There are no sheets on the bed, but rather, a comforter that apparently has it's cover changed daily (we felt that was a little suspect). There were grime stains in the shower and dirt stains on the floor. There was only one front desk person working after 11pm (when we got there) and after 2 requests for sheets, we finally had a security guard bring them to us (only to find out they were the extra covers the comforter).

Nice Hotel, Bad Neighborhood

The hotel was nice however, when our friends picked us up to go out, they told us not to walk outside by ourselves at night, it was semi-dangerous. You can tell somewhat when you are there but because the normal tourist areas in Athens are generally dirty anyway, you may not fully realize. The pool area was very nice and easy access. The hotel overall is a little warm, air conditioning was not really working so well.

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Excellent Hotel, Scruffy Location

Title says it all.

Nicer hotel than I was expeting

Really cool and modern inside. Felt very European and hip. Rooftop restaurant was yummy, a little pricey, but had interesting things i wouldn't have had otherwise. The night view from the roof was unbeatable with the lit up acropolis in the distance. Realized too late that the "Larissa" station on the metro system was indeed the closer stop to find hotel on foot. A couple of euros for internet use in a separate lobby lounge was very handy. A very roomy room at a good price. We thought the neighborhood a bit rough, but then we could see, it was a bit tough all over compared to the smaller town we come from; don't be put off, it's not dangerous, people live in the neighborhood after all. I loved the handy rooftop pool for mid-day cooling off and view. We didn't have the breakfast at 15euros because we got frappe and fresh bakery at every turn on our way to the metro.

novotel

The hotel room, building, and facilities were nice - what you would expect from a 4-star hotel. We were happy with the pool (one of the reasons we chose this hotel) - while the weather was not warm enough to swim, we were able to spend a lazy afternoon by the side of the pool. The location of the hotel is not near all of the tourist areas (acropolis, agora, etc), but it is a close walk to the subway stop. Also, we only spent 1-2 days site-seeing and spent the rest of the in other areas of Athens, so it didn't really matter to us to stay exactly next to the tourist areas. One thing about the hotel that bothered us was that they charged extra for almost everything else besides the room that you would expect/want from a hotel -- internet, movies, even a converter (they only had a limited amount and suggested that we buy one from the guest shop). The staff was also not very helpful in terms of suggesting where to go in Athens. All in all though, we were satisfied with our stay, although I do not think I would pay the regular price for this hotel (happy that we found a discount through hotels.com!)

Great hotel, so-so location

I had never stayed at a Novotel before. The decor was contemporary and the furnishings were sleek. The hotel was very clean. It's the first time in a long time that I've been in a hotel with windows that open, and it was great to experience the fresh air at the end of the day. The staff was well informed and helpful. All the hotel employees I encountered spoke excellent English. The hotel was within walking distance (several blocks) of the subway station and, although I never felt unsafe, the area around the hotel was not very inspiring.

Goo hotel in a bad neighborhood

If you want to be more close to the main Athes atractions, dont stay in thi hotel. The rooms are nice,and the staff too; but when you come tired at night you dont want to walk 10 to 15 minutes to the hotel. Also, the roof restaurant was closed die to "inconvenient weather".

We loved this hotel!

Novotel Athenes was a GREAT place to stay!The room was comfortable and clean and the bathroom was really nice. We were impressed that it was so modern..even had a flat screen t.v. The gym was also a plus. The breakfast was quite good. The only negative was that it wasn't located right by the Plaka area, but it gave us a chance to walk there and see how the locals live...not just the tourists!