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AthensWas Boutique Hotel, Athens

Dionysiou Areopagitou 5, Athina 117 42, Greece (show on map)

If you want to stay exactly where the pulse of ancient Greece beats, AthensWas Boutique Hotel is pretty much unbeatable. Situated right on Dionysiou Areopagitou—the legendary pedestrian promenade walked by Socrates and Plato—this five-star spot sits directly in the foothills of the Acropolis. Its quirky name is a playful nod to the continuum of time, bridging the “Athens that was” with the vibrant city it is today.

Instead of copying ancient columns, Greek design firm Stage Design Office took a completely different approach. Spearheaded by designer Stavros Papayiannis, the hotel’s aesthetic is a sleek, gorgeous homage to Athenian “classic modernism” from the 1930s to the 1970s. It beautifully pairs the city’s nostalgic, mid-century golden era with clean, minimalist lines.

The building itself is a showcase of premium local craftsmanship. The interiors are swathed in rich Greek walnut wood and a stunning variety of domestic marbles. In fact, it features the exact same white Pentelic marble used to build the Parthenon. Scattered throughout the spaces are iconic furniture pieces from legendary designers like Le Corbusier, Ettore Sottsass, and Franco Albini.

The absolute crown jewel of this 21-room property is its rooftop. Up at the hotel’s SENSE Restaurant, you can sip a cocktail while staring face-to-face with the illuminated Parthenon. It’s an intimate, design-forward oasis that lets you experience ancient history without feeling like you’re sleeping inside a dusty museum.

Expert reviews

New York Times review:

“The 21-room AthensWas, with its clean-lined Classic Modernist interiors, is steps away from the Acropolis Museum.”

Featured in New York Times’ 36 Hours in Athens.

Lonely Planet review:

“The location, a two-minute walk to the east gate of the Acropolis, couldn’t be better. Staff are friendly, adding a warm touch to the minimalist decor, and standard rooms have big balconies overlooking the pedestrianised street.”

Telegraph review:

“A revamped apartment building fitted out with a collection of modern classics, this 21-room Design Hotel is all about location, location, location. From the boxy rooftop restaurant, you can almost reach out and touch the Parthenon.”

Guest rating

4.7 out of 5.0

Ranked 2nd in Athens


This an aggregated guest review rating of AthensWas Boutique Hotel, Athens. We have taken customer review ratings from hotel booking sites, search engines, the official hotel website and other travel platforms. This is the average of all those ratings. We only list places that have a guest review rating of at least 4.0 out of 5.0


What guests liked


Value for Money

93.23 %

Ranked 3rd in Athens


We use a smart algorithm to determine the value for money each hotel offers. The score is based on a combination of aggregated guest review ratings and the average nightly rate. The higher the percentage, the better the overall value you receive for the price you pay.


Location

Recent guest reviews

5.0
Varuni

22 March 2026

Hotel walkable to most tourist attractions but most of all with exceptional staff

We loved the hotel mainly because the staff were so friendly and accommodating. The following members of the team went above and beyond in helping our stay comfortable - Marisanti, Valantis, Themistoklis, Nikos and John. The restaurant staff at breakfast was very helpful too - Irini and Katerina, We only had breakfast in the restaurant.
Thank you everyone for helping our stay exceptional. We will come again with our daughter when we can to visit Athens again and will definitely stay there.

Nothing

5.0
Tony

22 February 2026

Perfect hotel for our short break

Location, staff, restaurant

A very small lift.

5.0
Paulina

28 January 2026

very nice hotel

Perfect location, a few steps from Acropol. Very close to the center of Athens, with an amazing view from the restaurant. Staff friendly. Totally recommend

5.0
Ali

24 January 2026

Forget other options

Location couldn’t be better than this. Less than a minute walk to metro station, less than a minute walk to acropolis entrance, less than a minute walk to best part of Plaka, less than a minute walk to Zeus temple. The location will blow your mind!!!

I can’t complain for anything

4.0
Kamran

13 January 2026

We enjoyed the stay

Location was really good

It was a basic property

5.0
Mirjana

6 January 2026

Happy to be here

Located in beautiful pedestrian street near Acropolis and Acropolis Museum. Got a complimentary upgrade room, very much appreciated. We could make a coffee or tea in the room and enjoy sitting on a terrace. Comfortable bed, excellent breakfast with a stunning view. Very nice staff.

4.5
Dušan

5 January 2026

Overall, we had a very pleasant stay.

Excellent hotel in a great location.
The staff is friendly and helpful, the beds are very comfortable, and the hotel is modern and well equipped.
Highly recommended.

There was noise from external units in the first room, but the staff quickly moved us to another one.

5.0
Gtrinidad

17 December 2025

Great stay, would definitely come back. The breakfast was amazing.

The hotel was perfectly located, close to museums, the acropolis and restaurants. A perfect home base for your stay in Athens. The staff was very welcoming and helpful.

Beds were comfortable, but it was two twin beds pushed together, one was higher than the other, so you could not lay across the bed, you had to be on one side or the other.

5.0
Daniela

17 December 2025

One amazing choice for Athens, location, service and fresh food, SENSE restaurant best choice for a quiet special evenin

The location is very nice, not too busy area, Plaka, Psiri, Monastiraki… everything in walking distance. Amazing breakfast a la carte and prepared at your order,the staff make tou feel like you know them forever. They know you by name and offer unbelievable hospitality, help with every matter.
Recommend to use their transfer everywhere, their partner is also perfect.

Always coming back to them!!!
Thank you once again to Demtris the Hotel Manager and his team, Katerina the best 👏 together with Margarita and Themis and everyone else we didnt get their names.
Thank you for everything, and for making our stay so beatiful.

Dont miss Sense Restaurant, such a great experience of 12 delicious 😋 dishes along with great Malagouzia.

5.0
Albert

14 December 2025

Good location, clean and nice coffee

Staff were super friendly. Breakfast is another highlight. Good location.

I couldn’t open balcony door because balcony side is super loudly i think second units of AC located that side. Also bathroom countertops was very low for me.

5.0
Vicente

28 November 2025

Great Athens adventure at Athenswas hotel

Very helpful and attentive staff
Our room was great, very comfortable, well appointed

Nothing

4.5
Tal

24 November 2025

Excellent hotel — we really enjoyed our stay!

Great location, truly helpful and warm staff, and a wonderful breakfast with a beautiful view of the Acropolis.

We stayed with our baby in the Executive Suite, which was clean, spacious, and very comfortable. It has two bathrooms and doors that separate the space into two rooms, so our baby could sleep peacefully in one room while we relaxed in the other.

Personally, I find wall-to-wall carpeting in hotel rooms difficult — it feels outdated and gives the impression the room isn’t clean, even though it actually was.
The elevator is quite small, and there are stairs leading to it, which makes accessibility more challenging.

5.0
Pauline

5 November 2025

Highly recommend and would return

Friendly staff boutique type hotel in an excellent location

Nothing to dislike. Staff so lovely. Nothing too much trouble and always greeted with a smile.

5.0
Enrique

31 October 2025

We would definitely stay here again.

The location was excellent. And walking distance to the acropolis and plaka

Nothing. Everything was to our satisfaction.

5.0
Amanda

27 October 2025

A perfect well run boutique hotel ideally situated to explore Athens.

Design element to the room, spacious, balcony, ideal location on the edge of the Plaka. Acropolis view from rooftop terrace. Excellent degustation menu at the hotel Sense Restaurant.

5.0
Paul

14 October 2025

Perfect location with great hospitality and comfort.

Superb location for casual walks or visiting the Acropolis and surrounding sites. Exceptionally friendly and helpful staff. Room was large and comfortable with excellent bathroom. Despite overlooking the pedestrian area, the doors provided good soundproofing for comfortable night’s sleep. The breakfast was excellent. The hospitality and welcome gifts were also greatly appreciated. We’d happily stay here again.

Not Applicable

5.0
Allan

13 October 2025

Perfection in Athens

AthensWas is a charming, elegant, comfortable oasis in the heart of Athens' old city, a short walk to the Parthenon and other sies, close to lots of restaurants and shopping. The staff is fantastic. The breakfast is excellent. We enjoyed our stay immensely.

One cautionary note forfolkswithmobilityissues. There are a few steps up to the elevator and more to the restaurant.

4.5
Margaret

7 October 2025

Brilliant location with helpful pleasant staff and very nice rooms.

Location is perfect for visiting all the main attractions in Athens. Very good view from the restaurant.

No bar as such (restaurant is upstairs) but drinks can be ordered in the downstairs sitting area but probably easiest to put on room tab as paying by card took a while to complete.

4.5
Eileen

7 October 2025

A lovely hotel in a great location. Would stay again

Staff were polite, friendly and helpful. Breakfast was exceptional and you could order from the menu and food and drink were brought to the table. Room was a good size and the shower was great

Unfortunately the Roof bar was unavailable late evening for a drink. It seemed to be only for the restaurant users. A bar was available on the ground floor.

4.5
Rachel

29 September 2025

central location for sucking the marrow out of athens

AthenWas is very centrally located for Acropolis visiting and viewing. There are also a ton of good restaurants nearby. I liked that it was small and the breakfast with a view was fabulous. A generous size room especially with the balcony which was much appreciated as my partner is a tall guy. I wish the restaurant with a view was open for drinks and more causal dining rather than just a set multi course menu. We ended up not dining there.

You do get some cigarette smoke from the street on your balcony if you are the lower floors. (We were on two)

5.0
Marie

22 September 2025

Friendly professional staff, restaurant superb

Central location and views from restaurant

Nothing

5.0
Nanette

18 September 2025

Such a gorgeous hotel to stay in complete with a rooftop view, comfortable rooms & friendly staff

Breakfast was delicious with an amazing view over athens

Fitness centre could have had a bit more equipment or free weights

5.0
Robin

12 September 2025

Nice modern Hotel in a great location.

Location, staff and excellent breakfast every morning included.

Shower was small.

5.0
Carl

8 September 2025

Loved our stay and will definitely recommend to anyone looking for a stay in Athens.

Loved the location as well as the excellent service provided.

4.5
Ekaterini

8 September 2025

5 star hotel near the Acropolis

The 5 star facilities with the view of the Acropolis from the balcony.

I would have preferred a buffet breakfast.

4.0
Kim

1 September 2025

A great start to our holiday in a beatiful location with excellent views.

Excellent location & amazing views. Staff were very pleasant and friendly. Breakfast was really good and the view from the roof-top restaurant was spectacular.

Room furniture and fittings were a little tired. Also very expensive but that’s probably due to the location and views.

5.0
Tracy

27 August 2025

Staff were so helpful! Breakfast and coffee fantastic!

Everything! Location was the best!

4.5
Jason

22 August 2025

Great location, lovely view, delicious breakfast

Lovely room with beautiful view of the Acropolis....very centrally located and convenient to the pedestrian area of the city center. Breakfast was excellent

The gym is nothing to write home about...there's also no pool or spa....but we weren't really there for any of those things in the first place....

5.0
Dajani

14 August 2025

The perfect spot with the perfect team

Everything!

The location

The food

The people
They make you feel like family and take care of you, especially Themis at the feont desk, he really went out of his way to make our stay memorable.

The room
Very spacious and well designed

Maybe invest more in the fitness corner

4.5
Hazel

5 August 2025

Perfect for a short city break, excellent service and high standards.

Fantastic location, walking distance of everything.

Musack played in small corridor outside room early in the morning.

Hotel facilities

Food & Drink

  • - Restaurant
  • - Bar
  • - Breakfast in the room
  • - Snack bar
  • - Special diet menus (on request)
  • - Kids' meals (additional charge)
  • - Wine/champagne (additional charge)
  • - Fruits (additional charge)
  • - Coffee house on site

General

  • - Room service
  • - Non-smoking rooms
  • - Family rooms
  • - Lift
  • - Safety deposit box
  • - Soundproof rooms
  • - Car hire
  • - Heating
  • - Non-smoking throughout
  • - Air conditioning
  • - Designated smoking area
  • - Shuttle service (additional charge)
  • - Airport shuttle (additional charge)

Reception services

  • - 24-hour front desk
  • - Express check-in/check-out
  • - Tour desk
  • - Luggage storage
  • - Concierge service
  • - Private check-in/check-out
  • - Invoice provided

Activities

  • - Fitness centre
  • - Massage (additional charge)
  • - Evening entertainment (additional charge)
  • - Beauty services
  • - Facial treatments
  • - Waxing services
  • - Make-up services
  • - Hair treatments
  • - Manicure
  • - Pedicure
  • - Haircut
  • - Hair colouring
  • - Hair styling
  • - Body treatments
  • - Spa/wellness packages
  • - Fitness
  • - Fitness classes
  • - Personal trainer
  • - Pub crawls (additional charge)
  • - Walking tours
  • - Bike tours (additional charge)
  • - Tour or class about local culture (additional charge)
  • - Aerobics (additional charge)

Outdoors

  • - Garden
  • - Terrace
  • - Sun terrace
  • - Outdoor furniture

Entertainment & family services

  • - Babysitting/child services (additional charge)

Cleaning services

  • - Laundry (additional charge)
  • - Dry cleaning (additional charge)
  • - Ironing service (additional charge)
  • - Daily housekeeping

Transport

  • - Airport pick up (additional charge)
  • - Airport drop off (additional charge)

Miscellaneous

  • - 24-hour security
  • - Key card access
  • - Security alarm
  • - Smoke alarms
  • - CCTV in common areas
  • - CCTV outside property
  • - Fire extinguishers
  • - Breakfast takeaway containers
  • - Delivered food is securely covered
  • - Access to health care professionals
  • - Thermometers for guests provided by property
  • - Face masks for guests available
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