Review: Sofitel Athens Airport

Ben Schlappig
August 15, 2018
18

Sofitel Athens Airport bottom line

The Sofitel is a great option for anyone looking for the most convenient place to stay before or after a flight from Athens Airport. Our renovated room was nice, though I found the club lounge to be disappointing.

So I recommend this hotel if you do want the most convenient option for staying near Athens Airport, though it comes at a price.

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Rick Guest
April 16, 2019, 9:48 pm

Nothing like no competition. My wife and I will most likely be staying here only because we have an 08:00 flight the next day (boarding starts at 7:30), check-in, security, on and on. We're coming in from Santorini, late afternoon the day before departure and will skip the trip back into Athens, where we would have stayed when we first entered the country three weeks earlier. The room reviewed here compares to the one we...
Nothing like no competition. My wife and I will most likely be staying here only because we have an 08:00 flight the next day (boarding starts at 7:30), check-in, security, on and on. We're coming in from Santorini, late afternoon the day before departure and will skip the trip back into Athens, where we would have stayed when we first entered the country three weeks earlier. The room reviewed here compares to the one we had last week, when we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express at Dubai airport, the difference being about 100 euros (less for the HIE). We'll walk over to the departure hall around 6 AM and and hang at a Priority Pass lounge for an hour, pickup up some light breakfast maybe and move on. Thirty bucks for a burger? As an Accor member, I'm appalled by the greed and the lounge? What a rip.

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Marco Dupre Guest
August 20, 2018, 3:47 pm

With just half an hour metro run you could be in the city center. The metro stations are just in front of the marvelous Hilton and Great Bretagne hotels. This hotel is very basic and so expensive for Athens. The club room is very sad... Service room is so overpriced. A full greek meal in Athens costs 20 euro... 14 euro for a defrost pizza.....

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3M Guest
August 17, 2018, 6:58 am

I stayed at the hotel for one night in January 2017. I think it is an excellent property and a distinguishing feature of an otherwise unimpressive airport. I enjoy the Sofitel brand.

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Kostas Guest
August 17, 2018, 6:02 am

Theres also an express non stop bus to city centre, 6 euros one way, i think X56.

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Phillip Diamond
August 17, 2018, 2:54 am

I have to say, that for me, fresh fruit at a hotel breakfast is a good marker of quality!
I will, however, disagree that getting into Athens is a slog! The metro makes it really easy and as others said, you can arrive directly at Syntagma Square. Aside from the King George and Grande Bretagne, the New Hotel is only a 5 minute stroll from there. Fresh hotel is one stop further on a different line while a number of other SPG properties are dotted around the centre.

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Michalis Guest
August 17, 2018, 2:47 am

Thank you for replying my comment. Let me remind you that with a 300 to 700% in taxation recent years (depents the ocassion) there is simply no tax evasion thing.

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Ngls Guest
August 16, 2018, 7:56 pm

As a Greek who lives abroad, while I agree with Michalis' comment above regarding the prices and the quality of the Athens Sofitel, I am totally against the practices of "negotiating a better price" with cash. This is a blatant suggestion to support tax evading businesses who despite being the most (only?) profitable part of the Greek economy, want to avoid paying their (un)fair share of taxes like everyone else in the country. These businesses...
As a Greek who lives abroad, while I agree with Michalis' comment above regarding the prices and the quality of the Athens Sofitel, I am totally against the practices of "negotiating a better price" with cash. This is a blatant suggestion to support tax evading businesses who despite being the most (only?) profitable part of the Greek economy, want to avoid paying their (un)fair share of taxes like everyone else in the country. These businesses often don't pay their employees benefits and they make them work 7 days a week for the whole "season" as they call it in Greece (summer season). Thus, I would stick to paying with a credit card as per usual and asking for a receipt.

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Michalis Guest
August 16, 2018, 5:02 pm

As an owner of a small hotel business in Cyclades i have to say that the rates of the hotel are terrible both for stay and food.
This is due to the fact that leftist government had increased vat from 5% to 13%, and from 16 to 24% on dinning, plus 4 euros per night tourist tax plus upcoming property tax.
You can use train for 10-12 euros roundtrip and book a place...
As an owner of a small hotel business in Cyclades i have to say that the rates of the hotel are terrible both for stay and food.
This is due to the fact that leftist government had increased vat from 5% to 13%, and from 16 to 24% on dinning, plus 4 euros per night tourist tax plus upcoming property tax.
You can use train for 10-12 euros roundtrip and book a place nearby Syntagma square or other central area at a fraction of a cost. Airbnb is fine too. When in Greece, always use cash so you can negotiate a better price.

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Anastasia Member
August 16, 2018, 3:28 pm

Lucky,
I love your reviews, but I gotta say, in this one you seem picky. The breakfast looks perfectly fine to me. No fresh sliced fruit? Honestly not the end of the world. I can't speak to taste/quality, but base don the pictures at least, I'd be more than happy with a free breakfast as above.

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ChristianJ Guest
August 16, 2018, 8:07 am

We had a similar stay to Mark Martin in that we got a non-renovated room and my biggest gripe was the shabby nature of the furnishings and the quality of the bed and pillows as well. Service in the ground floor restaurant was not great and they seemed confused about everything. As most have stated, the only reason to stay at the hotel is due to an early morning departure. Sadly they get away with...
We had a similar stay to Mark Martin in that we got a non-renovated room and my biggest gripe was the shabby nature of the furnishings and the quality of the bed and pillows as well. Service in the ground floor restaurant was not great and they seemed confused about everything. As most have stated, the only reason to stay at the hotel is due to an early morning departure. Sadly they get away with high rates, mediocre service and dated rooms since they are the only hotel right at the airport. On our last trip we stayed at the HIX "Airport" but it is about a 10-15 minute ride away down the highway on the way to central Athens. It was ok but also somewhat outdated and over priced. Not sure why they don't build anything else at the airport or close by since they definitely need it.

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Paolo Diamond
August 16, 2018, 12:43 am

It's not really that far to Athens central: the train takes you right to Syntagma Square , ie 20 metres to the K.George and the other SPG next door. I'd rather go into the city, although for a very short overnight perhaps the Sofitel makes sense. But for 16 or 18 hours or more, I'd go downtown.

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Joan New Member
August 15, 2018, 10:18 pm

I'm pretty sure our airbnb in Athens' Koukaki neighborhood, just south of the Acropolis, was less than 40km from the airport.

I think we paid less than 50 Euros for a daytime taxi to the airport.
Those with more time than cash might choose the Metro. It is a longish haul.

The 2 bedroom apt with full kitchen and full bath had a base rate under $75.
Our hostess stocked it with bread,...
I'm pretty sure our airbnb in Athens' Koukaki neighborhood, just south of the Acropolis, was less than 40km from the airport.

I think we paid less than 50 Euros for a daytime taxi to the airport.
Those with more time than cash might choose the Metro. It is a longish haul.

The 2 bedroom apt with full kitchen and full bath had a base rate under $75.
Our hostess stocked it with bread, cheese, cold cuts and yogurt for breakfast.

We had a blast on our last night in Greece. Enjoyed a great dinner out, in that fantastic city.

I don't think it was too much of a hassle.

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George Member
August 15, 2018, 3:03 pm

Does anyone have other recommendations for a quick overnight near the Athens airport?

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JohnC Guest
August 15, 2018, 1:12 pm

I stayed last year for one night about a year ago. My room was nice and no complaints. Also, it was pretty cheap to go into Athens itself from the hotel. And the convenience of the hotel to the airport is the best thing about it.

I would stay there again in a heartbeat.

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memmie leblanc New Member
August 15, 2018, 11:20 am

I love this hotel because it means I'm in Greece on my way to my favorite island. I'm pretty sure club rooms come with Hermes toiletries. You might want to check that.

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Christian Guest
August 15, 2018, 11:06 am

You must have had a short connection. The rail link to the airport is great.

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Albert Stein Guest
August 15, 2018, 10:32 am

I've stayed there many times. But not really by choice. It's not horrible. The restaurants are OK and the bar is "airport bar plus" but I would never choose to stay there if I had the option of going into Athens.

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Mark Martin Gold
August 15, 2018, 10:21 am

I had a dismal stay there in June. My rate was much higher (250 Euros) and I was given a regular room. The room was not renovated with pretty torn up furniture.

The worst part was the mattress. By far the thinnest, most wore out, uncomfortable mattress I have had in a hotel in a long time.

Airport hotels really only can sell location and sleep quality. The location was amazing, but if you can't...
I had a dismal stay there in June. My rate was much higher (250 Euros) and I was given a regular room. The room was not renovated with pretty torn up furniture.

The worst part was the mattress. By far the thinnest, most wore out, uncomfortable mattress I have had in a hotel in a long time.

Airport hotels really only can sell location and sleep quality. The location was amazing, but if you can't deliver on a good night's sleep, then why are you in business.

I say skip this hotel unless you have the status to get into a renovated room. I gave it 2 of 5 on TripAdvisor

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Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

Rick Guest

April 16, 2019, 9:48 pm

Nothing like no competition. My wife and I will most likely be staying here only because we have an 08:00 flight the next day (boarding starts at 7:30), check-in, security, on and on. We're coming in from Santorini, late afternoon the day before departure and will skip the trip back into Athens, where we would have stayed when we first entered the country three weeks earlier. The room reviewed here compares to the one we had last week, when we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express at Dubai airport, the difference being about 100 euros (less for the HIE). We'll walk over to the departure hall around 6 AM and and hang at a Priority Pass lounge for an hour, pickup up some light breakfast maybe and move on. Thirty bucks for a burger? As an Accor member, I'm appalled by the greed and the lounge? What a rip.

Marco Dupre Guest

August 20, 2018, 3:47 pm

With just half an hour metro run you could be in the city center. The metro stations are just in front of the marvelous Hilton and Great Bretagne hotels. This hotel is very basic and so expensive for Athens. The club room is very sad... Service room is so overpriced. A full greek meal in Athens costs 20 euro... 14 euro for a defrost pizza.....

3M Guest

August 17, 2018, 6:58 am

I stayed at the hotel for one night in January 2017. I think it is an excellent property and a distinguishing feature of an otherwise unimpressive airport. I enjoy the Sofitel brand.