Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens

Hard to say for certain, but this might be the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in. The garden bungalow (a spacious one) was fantastic, and the pool and beach areas are breathtaking. Service was classic Four Seasons — as good as it gets — and the dining was wonderful throughout. It’s expensive, both to stay and to eat, and that’s fine up to a point… but €48 for a Vesper? You do get what you pay for, so it balances out in the end. Nobu was perfection, and breakfast is hilariously good — the bakery and patisserie spread alone is worth the trip. Hard to fault.

For the last part of my birthday trip, I booked a two-night stay at this hotel. Upon check-in, my friend and I were immediately taken aback. Our first impression of the Arion building was that it looked more like an office building than a luxury resort. The lobby decor appeared dated and did not align with the modern images shown online. We also noticed that there were noticeably more people of color in this building, though we didn't think much of it at first. Before even entering our room, we were greeted by a strong curry odor throughout the hallway, which felt very off-putting for a property at this price point. Unfortunately, things only went downhill from there. The room itself smelled strongly of mildew. The patio door looked as though it had been damaged or previously forced open. The outdoor furniture was covered with stiff towels that appeared to be concealing stains or wear on the original fabric. The shower was heavily stained and did not look, feel, or smell clean. At that point, my friend and I began taking photos and videos because this was not the experience we had paid for. There was no way we could comfortably stay in that room, so after documenting everything, we decided to explore the property ourselves to better understand where we went wrong with booking this hotel. During that process, we discovered that the Nafsika building was significantly more modern, better maintained, and free of any unusual odors. We also noticed that we rarely encountered people of color in that building. I don't typically make observations like this, but the contrast was hard to ignore. It genuinely felt as though guests of color were being placed in the older, less desirable building. We returned to the front desk and requested a room change. Initially, the staff member seemed dismissive of our concerns, but after reviewing the photos and videos we had taken, she quickly arranged accommodations for us in the Nafsika building. We also dined at 3 restaurants on the property. While the food was just ok, the service fell far short of what I would consider luxury hospitality. Our servers forgot about us multiple times, and it was difficult not to notice that nearby tables appeared to receive significantly more attention. On a positive note, the beach club was the highlight of our stay. It was the one area of the resort where the service was swift and the atmosphere matched what was advertised online, and we had a wonderful time relaxing by the beach. It truly delivered the luxury experience we had been expecting from the rest of the property. Having previously came from the amazing Amanzoe, which delivered an exceptional experience in every regard, this hotel was disappointing. The cleanliness, aesthetics, and overall level of service simply did not meet the standards I expect from a Four Seasons at this price point. Ultimately, I would be unlikely to stay here again. For the cost, the experience did not justify the price.

We had a fantastic stay. The room was clean and comfortable, the staff was friendly and welcoming, and the location was perfect. Everything was well organized, and we felt at home from the moment we arrived. I would definitely stay here again and highly recommend it.

The hotel was clean, comfortable, and in a great location. The staff were friendly and made us feel welcome

I’m not sure where to start with a review of this property. I was initially a bit apprehensive at the idea of being on mainland Greece, and in an isolated area (would I rather explore another island? Would we get bored at the hotel? Would it feel like a mega-resort complex?) and I can confidently say all my doubts were almost immediately wiped away when we arrived to the property. We stayed a total of 4 nights and spent almost the whole trip on property aside from a morning trip to Athens for sightseeing. Every aspect of our stay was an example of the best Four Seasons experiences we’ve had over the years. Staff are proactive and take ownership across all the different teams. They get to know you quickly and many members of the team greeted us personally - all of it made this feel like an intimate 50 key hotel rather than a massive resort spanning 3 separate areas and an entire peninsula. In terms of building options here, I think it’s personal preference. We were in a Nafsika Sea-view terrace suite with pool. I originally had read that Nafsika was better for families but honestly, while there are a lot of kids at the pool, I never felt like our experience was negatively impacted by families or young kids. The food and beverage options were expansive and high quality. We dined at Matsuhisa, Taverna37, Pelagos, and Avra during our stay and they were all excellent. Pool service was attentive and pretty fast considering the size of the pool area and how busy it always was. We rented a cabana one afternoon which was reasonably priced with excellent service despite being away from the pool. Other highlights: an exceptional breakfast spread (amazing bread and pastries), an amazing, best-in-class hotel gym (squat rack, smith machine, free weights, weight machines, cable machines, etc), heated pools (no freeze shock when getting in), clean, protected beaches, a great spa, and excellent housekeeping. This ended up being a surprise proposal for me and the butler team created a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the engagement and subsequent party for our friends who flew in to celebrate. It was truly perfect from start to finish. Special mention to Giannis, Georgina, and the rest of the incredible butler team, who provided exemplary and proactive service throughout our stay, providing for every need. Also, shoutout to the amazing bartender Giorgos at Avra, who also bartended our engagement party for his amazing service and hospitality (and great drinks). We can’t wait to come back here and I would highly recommend the Four Seasons as part of any trip to Greece. This is, hands down, one of the best properties in the entire Four Seasons portfolio.