Athenian Riviera Hotel& Suites

If your ideal Athenian base includes a proper beach rather than a hotel pool pretending to be one, Athenian Riviera Hotel & Suites puts you in Vouliagmeni, on the city’s southern edge. The hotel combines balconies, air conditioning, a seasonal outdoor pool and an on-site restaurant, so you can keep the day simple when that is exactly what you want.

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside Greek. That matters when you are arranging an early start, asking about a car, or trying to explain that the coffee should arrive before the first serious conversation of the day. A 24-hour reception, concierge service and luggage storage keep the practical side of the stay reasonably straightforward.

The address works particularly well for couples who want the coast within reach and Athens available for a day out. You can spend the morning by the water, return for lunch beside the pool, then decide whether the evening calls for the hotel bar or a walk towards the local restaurants.

You are in Vouliagmeni, Athens, at Danais 7 & Armonias Vouliagmeni. Vouliagmeni Beach is a two-minute walk away, while Astir Beach is about 0.5 miles from the hotel and Lake Vouliagmeni about 0.7 miles. The coast is not a decorative view on a brochure; it is the reason this part of Athens feels different from a city-centre base.

Local eating is close at hand. Silver Star is about 0.3 miles away, Ithaki about 0.4 miles, and Louizidis about 0.5 miles. For a drink outside the hotel, Oak Cava is around 0.5 miles away. The protected site of the House of Apollo Zoster is roughly 0.5 miles from the hotel, giving you something more substantial than another round of checking the weather app.

The Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum are both about 11 miles away, so this is a coastal Athens stay rather than an old-town doorstep address. Eleftherios Venizelos Airport is about 11 miles away. Elliniko Metro Station is around 6 miles away, making a car, taxi or arranged shuttle worth considering if you are carrying more than a small day bag.

Balconies are the useful feature here, not just a line in the room description. You can take your first coffee outside, let the room air out after a day in the heat, or sit down without having to turn the bed into a makeshift chair. Outdoor furniture is available on the balconies and terraces, and some rooms open towards the garden while others offer a sea view.

For a couple, the Double or Twin Room with Balcony keeps things uncomplicated, while the Junior Suite gives you more room to spread out and includes a private bathroom. If the evening deserves a little more ceremony, the Executive Sea View Suite with Hot Tub and the Penthouse Comfort Suite with Hot Tub add the sort of bathing arrangement that can rescue a tired night from becoming an early bedtime. The family and triple categories are the practical choices when more than two people need to fit under one roof.

Air conditioning is fitted throughout the units, with soundproof rooms and soundproofing also part of the hotel’s room offering. A refrigerator, coffee machine and kettle help when you return wanting cold water and something immediate rather than a full social engagement. Private bathrooms come with towels, slippers, bathrobes, a shower, hairdryer and toiletries; selected superior rooms have a spa bath or hot tub. Daily housekeeping keeps the room in order, while the flat-screen television includes satellite, cable and streaming services for the night when the most ambitious activity is finding a programme worth watching.

Armonia Restaurant - Bar is the hotel’s main eating and drinking address, set beside the pool on an open-air terrace. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with international cuisine rather than a narrow single-country menu. That gives you somewhere to eat without leaving the hotel when wet hair, tired legs or simple laziness make outside plans look over-organised.

Breakfast is served as an American buffet. You can also have breakfast in your room, while room service is available on request. Special-diet menus can be arranged on request, and a snack bar covers the smaller moments when a full meal is more commitment than appetite.

The same Armonia space works as a bar lounge, with drinks and coffee available on site. A minibar and tea-and-coffee-making facilities in the accommodation give you a second line of defence against late-night thirst. If you prefer to go out, restaurants and bars in Vouliagmeni are within walking distance, including Silver Star, Ithaki, Louizidis and Oak Cava.

The seasonal outdoor pool gives you an easy alternative to walking down to the coast, especially when you want a short dip rather than a full beach operation. Pool and beach towels are available, and the sun terrace, garden and outdoor seating provide places to sit with a book, a coffee or the determined expression of someone doing absolutely nothing.

For a little more movement, the hotel has a small, fully equipped fitness room. Bicycle rental is available, and cycling gives you a way to see the Riviera at ground level rather than from behind a car window. Temporary art galleries and cultural excursions add options for a non-beach afternoon, while the concierge and tour desk can help organise the practical side of getting out.

The hotel can arrange excursions including boat trips, islands, waterfalls, markets and snorkelling. A spa offers massages, facials and a sauna, with beauty services also available, including manicures, pedicures, hair treatments, hair styling and make-up. Babysitting is available for families who need an adult-sized hour to themselves.

Check-in starts from 15:00 and check-out runs until 11:00. You need photo identification and a payment card at check-in, and you should tell the hotel your expected arrival time in advance. The reception stays open around the clock, which is useful when flights and sensible sleeping hours fail to meet one another.

An airport shuttle service is available for an additional charge and should be arranged with the hotel. Car hire is also available. Nearby public street parking is free, but spaces cannot be reserved, so arriving by car may require a little patience rather than a carefully controlled parking plan.

Free WiFi covers the hotel, and luggage storage, concierge assistance, a tour desk and express check-in and check-out are available. Laundry and dry-cleaning services can deal with the less glamorous evidence of travel, while a safety deposit box is available at reception. The hotel accepts cash, Visa, Mastercard and American Express.