Poseidon Athens Hotel

Poseidon Hotel is ideal for leisure travelers who want to combine a beach holiday with some sightseeing. The hotel is set in a compact eight-story building, with a neat and clean lobby area, but the overall vibe is nothing special, with generic decor and only a few abstract pieces of art on the walls to cheer things up. Its saving grace is its proximity to the sea, and the property features beautiful sea views from many of the guest rooms, restaurants, and rooftop pool and bar. It pulls travelers from almost every category (but isn't ideal for business guests), but keep in mind that rates are on par with what can be found right downtown.

Poseidon Hotel is located on a busy highway that runs along the coastline, just across the road from a public beach. It's in a residential area with many shops, supermarkets, restaurants, and bars in the immediate vicinity. The area is well connected by public transport and there's a tram and bus stop in front of the hotel, with connections to the city center and airport. Expect a 35-minute tram ride to Syntagma Square, in the center of Athens. It takes the same amount of time to reach the Temple of Olympian Zeus. By a combination of tram and walking, it's a 40-minute trip to the Acropolis and its museum. Expect a 20-minute taxi ride to the Monastiraki Market, though it can be reached by tram and bus in 40 minutes. Piraeus Port is nearby, with lots of ferry connections to the Greek islands. It's a 30-minute drive to the airport from the hotel. 

The Poseidon Hotel has 89 air-conditioned room, thought don't expect quaint boutique style here. The look across all rooms is pleasant enough, to be sure, but the sharp accent walls and wood-effect floors tiles are offset by tired light wood-veneer furniture, dated bedspreads, and a lack of wall art. Standard features include TVs (some of which are hospital-style wall-mounted tube units), plus free Wi-Fi, phones, and basic minibars. There are no safes or electric kettles. Standard Rooms are on the small side and have budget-looking bathrooms with showers that aren't much better than wet rooms (only a curtain sections them off). The Panoramic View Rooms are more spacious, and have balconies overlooking the sea. However, these rooms also face the busy highway and thus can get a fair bit of traffic noise (though noise between rooms can be disruptive as well). The Junior Suites sleep up to four guests and include separate sitting areas and larger flat-screen TVs; their bathrooms also have shower/tub combos. Family Rooms have connecting doors, and can sleep up to four guests as well. 

For a mid-range hotel, Poseidon Hotel offers a reasonable number of features. A buffet breakfast is included in room rates and includes a huge variety of Greek and Mediterranean dishes plus hot items such as eggs and sausages. There's also a separate restaurant that overlooks the sea and has an a la carte menu of Greek and Mediterranean dishes for lunch and dinner.

The hotel's most attractive public space is arguably its seasonal rooftop terrace, which features a large pool with nice views of the sea. Use of poolside lounge chairs and umbrellas is free, and there are additional lounge chairs available on the public beach across the street. There's also a poolside bar -- Skybar 360° -- where drinks and snacks are served throughout the day. There's another bar right on the beach -- The Place -- but it's only open during the summer months. There's a third bar in the lobby area that serves snacks plus hot and cold drinks throughout the day. The hotel also has two event rooms available that can accommodate from 10 to 150 guests, though they aren't exactly attractive. Free parking is available on-site, though it's limited, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.