Stefanakis Hotel & Apartments

Set among lush vegetation in the coastal suburb of Varkiza, Stefanakis Hotel & Apartments is an aparthotel rather than a full-scale resort. The complex brings together a main hotel building and a separate apartment block, with balconies, an outdoor pool for summer use and enough room to settle into a slower rhythm than central Athens allows.

That makes it a practical base for divers who want the coast first and the city when convenient. You can return to air conditioning, a private bathroom and your own balcony, then decide whether the evening calls for the hotel bar, a nearby restaurant or a trip towards Athens. The hotel's website is available in English and Greek.

The setting also suits couples, families and anyone who prefers a proper apartment when the holiday lasts longer than a weekend. There is a 24-hour reception, free WiFi throughout the hotel and nearby public parking, so the useful details are covered without turning the place into a wristband-and-buffet operation.

You are in Varkiza, Greece, on the Athens Riviera rather than in Athens itself. Central Athens is roughly 12 miles away, while Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport is about 12 miles from the property. The location gives you access to the capital without asking you to sleep in the middle of its traffic and evening noise.

Varkiza Beach, an organised beach with restaurants, bars and cafés, is roughly 0.1 mile away. The coast is the immediate attraction here: windsurfing is available at the beach, and the area also offers choices for water-skiing, bicycling and yachting.

Vouliagmeni is about a ten-minute drive away, with further dining options, Vouliagmeni Beach and Lake Vouliagmeni close by. If you want a wider choice of places to eat, that nearby coastal district is the obvious direction; if you want a meal without organising transport, several restaurants are within roughly 0.2 mile of the hotel.

The room choice comes down to how much space you want around you once the day has involved salt, wet kit and the usual collection of bags that somehow multiplies during a dive trip. The Twin Room is the straightforward option for two, with two single beds, a private balcony, air conditioning, a private bathroom and soundproofing.

For a group of up to four adults, the Apartment is the more useful proposition. Its full kitchen gives you somewhere to store and prepare food rather than making every snack dependent on restaurant hours. It belongs to the separate apartment block, so it suits guests who value living space over a conventional hotel-room layout.

Every room has a balcony, LED television, satellite channels, telephone and free WiFi. A minibar is also available, which is handy for keeping water cold when you come back tired and overheated. Heating, non-smoking rooms and a lift add a few practical comforts, while private bathrooms include either a bath or shower, toiletries and a hairdryer.

Breakfast is available in the breakfast room, and you can also have it in your room. That is the sort of small detail that matters when the morning starts early, or when the previous day's diving has left you more interested in toast than conversation.

There is one bar at the complex, along with a minibar in the accommodation. The bar gives you somewhere on site for a drink without putting your shoes back on and launching an expedition. For a fuller meal, Varkiza supplies the nearby options: O Charis, Sxara - Psaraki and Piatsa Kalamaki are all roughly 0.2 mile away.

Vouliagmeni, around a ten-minute drive from Stefanakis, brings more dining choices and several bars. The accommodation is not built around a stated all-inclusive or half-board formula, so you have the flexibility to eat locally, use the apartment kitchen or keep things simple with breakfast and a drink at the hotel.

The outdoor pool is the obvious place for a low-effort afternoon when you want water without another timetable. It operates during the summer and sits in a pleasant setting among the vegetation, with pool and beach towels available. The sun terrace, garden, outdoor furniture and shared lounge give you several places to sit, read or simply allow the day's exertion to catch up with you.

The beach adds more active choices if you still have energy in reserve. Windsurfing is available there, and Varkiza also offers water-skiing, bicycling and yachting activities. None of that requires pretending that every afternoon must become an organised adventure; you can just walk to the shore and decide how ambitious you feel.

For a day away from the water, the hotel can arrange or support cultural excursions to Corinth, Delphi, Mycenae, Epidaurus and Sounio. Athens remains close enough for its historic sights, including the Temple of Olympian Zeus, while Lake Vouliagmeni offers a nearer change of scenery. Board games and puzzles are available in the common areas for evenings when the most strenuous activity you can manage is choosing a piece.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out runs until 11:00. You need to let the property know your arrival time in advance, while the 24-hour reception can help with air or ferry tickets, car hire and other arrangements. Luggage storage, a tour desk and private or express check-in and check-out are also available.

An airport shuttle and a wider shuttle service can be arranged through the hotel. Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport is about 12 miles away. If you are driving, free public street parking is available nearby without a reservation, which is a useful point on this part of the coast where a car can make beach-hopping and excursions easier.

Free WiFi covers all areas. Laundry and ironing services are available, and pets are welcome on request without an extra charge. Cash is not accepted at the property, so plan to pay by card. Children of any age are welcome, with cots and extra beds available according to the accommodation option and availability.