Kolonaki
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In Kolonaki, the Athens Key recommends three hotels:
St. George Lycabettus, situated on Dexameni Square, and an excellent choice to walk all around Athens unless you have a mobility problem, since the hotel is located on a hill. St. George Lycabettus was just voted and have won the Gold Award as the Best Greek Lifestyle City Hotel at the Hospitality Awards 2017. It so happens that the hotel is built where the Mantzavelakis building used to be, where my own father used to live during the dark years of the German occupation.
Located high above the upmarket shopping streets of Kolonaki, Periscope, a member of Design Hotels, is a boutique city-hotel offering minimally decorated rooms and suites with state-of-the-art facilities. Each comes with free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, CD and DVD library, and pillow menu. Bathrooms are stocked with luxurious toiletries, bathrobes and slippers. Complimentary fruit, snacks, and beverages can be enjoyed throughout the day in the lounge. There are 22 refreshingly minimal guest rooms and suites, including a penthouse with an open-air hot tub and 360° views of the city. Periscope’s rooms possess a minimalist aesthetic that exudes tranquility. All rooms feature wooden floors, are soundproof, and have Simmons mattresses as well as glass-encased showers with modern fixtures and fittings. Understated luxury defines the décor, where modern interiors meet the latest technology.
Coco-Mat Hotel, is located on 36 Patriarchou Ioakeim Street in this most high-end district in Athens. It offers elegantly designed rooms with a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. Some rooms open to a balcony with Athens views, while others feature a seating area. You will find a coffee machine and a kettle in the room. Rooms include a private bathroom equipped with a shower, while free toiletries are also offered. Free WiFi is available throughout the entire property. Several shops are available on site. Free use of bicycles is available at this hotel. The surrounding area boasts an abundance of modern bars, restaurants and premium boutiques.
St. George Lycabettus, situated on Dexameni Square, and an excellent choice to walk all around Athens unless you have a mobility problem, since the hotel is located on a hill. St. George Lycabettus was just voted and have won the Gold Award as the Best Greek Lifestyle City Hotel at the Hospitality Awards 2017. It so happens that the hotel is built where the Mantzavelakis building used to be, where my own father used to live during the dark years of the German occupation.
Located high above the upmarket shopping streets of Kolonaki, Periscope, a member of Design Hotels, is a boutique city-hotel offering minimally decorated rooms and suites with state-of-the-art facilities. Each comes with free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, CD and DVD library, and pillow menu. Bathrooms are stocked with luxurious toiletries, bathrobes and slippers. Complimentary fruit, snacks, and beverages can be enjoyed throughout the day in the lounge. There are 22 refreshingly minimal guest rooms and suites, including a penthouse with an open-air hot tub and 360° views of the city. Periscope’s rooms possess a minimalist aesthetic that exudes tranquility. All rooms feature wooden floors, are soundproof, and have Simmons mattresses as well as glass-encased showers with modern fixtures and fittings. Understated luxury defines the décor, where modern interiors meet the latest technology.
Coco-Mat Hotel, is located on 36 Patriarchou Ioakeim Street in this most high-end district in Athens. It offers elegantly designed rooms with a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. Some rooms open to a balcony with Athens views, while others feature a seating area. You will find a coffee machine and a kettle in the room. Rooms include a private bathroom equipped with a shower, while free toiletries are also offered. Free WiFi is available throughout the entire property. Several shops are available on site. Free use of bicycles is available at this hotel. The surrounding area boasts an abundance of modern bars, restaurants and premium boutiques.
Museums
Museums and galleries abound in Kolonaki. The Benaki Museum, inside a preserved neoclassical manor house, and the Museum of Cycladic Art are two of the finest private collections in the country. Two smaller museums to be found in Kolonaki are the Museum of the History of Greek Costume and the Theater Museum. Across the street from Vassilissis Sofias Avenue are the Museum of Byzantine and Christian Art, and the War Museum of Athens.
Churches
Philikis Etaireias Square
The one and only square of Kolonaki, offering some green respite and a couple of benches to rest, is named in the honor of Philikí Etaireía, the revolutionary secret society founded by Greek merchants in Odessa in 1814 to overthrow Ottoman rule in southeastern Europe and to establish an independent Greek state. Busts and statues of prominent leaders of the society adorn the small park and remind Athenians that freedom did not come so easy!
Shopping
There are literally hundreds of stores within Kolonaki, covering all tastes and budgets. You may want to visit kombologadiko, a unique store on 9 Amerikis St., selling all sorts of quality worry-beads in various materials and techniques, or visit kombologadiko.gr.
Dine & Wine
- Filippou, 19 Xenokratous St., Kolonaki, Res. tel.: 21 0721 6390 Greek restaurant
- Il Postino, 3 Griveon St., Kolonaki, Res. tel.: 210 364 1414 Italian restaurant
Coffee | Pastry | Snacks
- Dexameni, Dexamenis Sq., tel.: 210 722 4609, serving traditional mezze plates, ouzo, tsipouro & coffee all day long. Open daily 10.00-02.00
- Filion Cafe, 34 Skoufa St., tel.: 210 361 2850, a bistro located in the heart of Athens serving fresh coffee, drinks and beverages, Greek traditional cuisine and homemade desserts
- Ratka, 30-32 Haritos St., tel.: 210 729 0746, quality bistro-like restaurant & bar
