Hotel Grande Bretagne, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Athens

We stayed here on our recent visit to Athens The location of the hotel, the beauty of the hotel and the customer service was superb from check in to check out. The breakfast as well as rooftop dinner on the 8th floor was marvelous. I would stay here again.

We stayed 5 nights and 6 days at the Hotel Grande Bretagne. Breakfast on the rooftop each morning took our breathe away. You have a wonderful view of the Acropolis, the services is phenomenal, and there are many breakfast options. There are many other wonderful things to say about the hotel, but this memory will stand out forever.

This richly decorated grand dame has great service, good air conditioning and a fabulous roof top bar. The swimming pool is small but the area around the pool is pleasant. The downsides are that rooms are on the small side (it is an old building), breakfast is hideously expensive and the shop, which includes clothes and shoes, is closed on Sundays. The hotel is in a great location and if you are lucky, you can see the changing of the guard outside parliament, from your room. It is an expensive hotel and the cost may not suit all budgets.

I recently stayed at the Hotel Grande Bretagne and, unfortunately, found the experience disappointing—especially given the hotel’s storied name and supposed luxury status. The room itself was tired and worn, with cooling that never quite worked properly, leaving the space uncomfortably warm. The curtains also failed to fully block out light, which made rest difficult—especially when already jet-lagged and exhausted. Also experienced the smallest shower imaginable in a Deluxe Suite, had to leave the door open which flooded the bathroom. On the service side, the standout was the butler—attentive, responsive, and professional—who stepped in when other departments seemed slow or unresponsive. That level of service was appreciated and, frankly, the only part of the experience that lived up to the hotel’s reputation. However, on the morning of my departure, I ordered in-room breakfast, which arrived 30 minutes late—adding unnecessary stress to an already tight travel schedule. In terms of luxury, this hotel doesn’t deliver. It feels more like a 3-star property with a historical façade, but it’s clearly in need of significant investment in its infrastructure and guest comfort. It’s very busy, likely due to its name recognition, but the actual experience does not match the prestige. Would not return or recommend to those expecting true bespoke luxury.

The staff here were incredibly friendly, and service was impressively prompt, sometimes almost too prompt. At breakfast, our plates would be cleared sometimes before we were done, and water glasses were refilled before we’d even made it halfway through. While it showed great attention to detail, at times it felt like we were being rushed instead of allowed to linger and relax. The property itself is stunning, steeped in history and located within easy walking distance of the best parts of Athens. That history comes with trade-offs: the rooms are quite small, closet space is minimal, and the bathrooms are tight—just one sink and a door that actually bumps the toilet seat when it opens. On the plus side, the shower had excellent water pressure, far better than the low-flow ones we have to deal with in most U.S. hotels. We also visited the spa, where we enjoyed a wonderful couples massage. The facilities were excellent, with multiple steam rooms, saunas, and even a foot bath area - we ended up spending a lot of time there. Overall, it’s a beautiful hotel with thoughtful service and plenty of character. That said, the rooms felt cramped for the price, so next time we might look for something a bit more spacious and affordable.