Along with New York, London, Paris, and Rome, Athens is a destination that every well-traveled explorer must visit at least once in their lives if not more. Its historical significance is mind-boggling with thousands year old ruins, monuments, and antiquities beyond compare. The vivacious culture of the people is intoxicating as well with a vibrant art scene, nightlife, and great restaurants with, of course, Greek food. After taking in all that this amazing city has to offer, the savvy and well-heeled guest will often retire to one of Athens most luxurious stays,the Electra Metropolis Athens Hotel.
The hotel is in the center of the city, and within walking distance are many of the area’s most popular destinations such as Syntagma Square, the old town cafés, wine bars and walking streets of the Plaka Monastiraki, Thissio neighborhoods, and the Rodeo Drive of Athens, Kolonaki. Rome’s most famous destination is the Acropolis which is in easy reach of the hotel by taxi or metro.
Any time of day you’ll see a steady stream of worldly well-to-do travelers in bespoke suits and designer dresses coming and going to the Electra Metropolis. Some are there for a short time for a meeting in the lobby, others for a rooftop rendezvous while others are there to stay in the middle of all that Athens has to offer.
The hotel lobby is found in the atrium with a ceiling that soars to the top of the hotel’s ten floors with a centerpiece of the daunting art piece of silver bees flying through the Greek blue sky dominating the area. A wall of wood spires separates the space with an adjacent second lounge and library for quiet moments of reading a novel or the day’s paper. The hotel and, in particular, the grandiose lobby embrace a retro-chic style with high-back velvet blue couches and haute sixties-cool furnishings often filled with business tycoons meeting up for a tet-a-tet or other guests there for an afternoon aperitif.
The name of the hotel is the Electra Metropolis and for good reason. As cool and stylish as the hotel is, the location and views rival the decadence of the hotel. The hotel offers one of the best views of the city’s most famed attractions, the Acropolis. The lines eye view is unobstructed from the rooftop where guests go to gaze upon the city’s ancient man-made marvel as the sun sets.
To begin the historical journey through Athens, guests need not journey from the hotel. The hotel, like many parts of Athens, has historical treasures in and around it. The history of the past 2500 years is found with an elevator ride to the basement floor where the remnants of the Themistoclean Wall, which encircled ancient Athens, is there to see. As you enter the hotel, a curious little church is found under the hotel structure and strangely positioned near the entrance and street. It’s hard not to wonder why someone would build a church there. But alas, the small chapel was there long before the hotel and dates back to the 16th century and is one of Athens many cherished historical sites.
From ancient times to the most modern, the Electra Metropolis Athens Hotel has 216 contemporary rooms and suites which range in size from generous to fit for a god. All offer a modern and elegant décor with comfortable furnishings and exquisite views of the Athens and the Acropolis from the windows or balconies. The rooms have wood parquet floor and all of the mod cons one would expect of a five-star hotel such as the 48’’ Samsung Smart TV, coffee machine as well as cool marble tiled bathrooms and jacuzzi baths.
The culinary scene in Greece is always popular with exceptional Mediterranean food that focuses on fresh seafood and hundreds of types of pastries that are uniquely Greek. Athens is a food mecca with countless fine restaurants, outdoor bistros and cafés offering a wide range of local and international favorites.
Closer to home, the Metropolis Roof Garden is one of Athens’ favorite destinations for tourists and locals seeking a romantic evening. The restaurant sits on the 10th and top floor with a bird’s eye view of the Acropolis. Guest dine indoors with flickering candles and fine linen-covered tables in a chic environment or outdoors, l fresco under the stars. This is a gourmet cuisine with a menu of Greek and international dishes served with haute presentations that could be defined as culinary art.
The restaurant is also known for their extensive wine selection as well as their talented sommeliers who creatively pair their regional and international wines with each dish. Greece has wealth of exquisite varietal wines which just so happened to be the perfect match for Greek fine dining.
There is so much to do in the area from visiting Athens’ countless world wonders and UNESCO world heritage sites to just walking the city streets and taking in all the culture and sites that is Athens. When it’s time to cool off, guest can enjoy time frolicking in the rooftop pool or just lazing about and taking in a few rays. The pool is on the tenth floor of the hotel with 360-degree views of the city, Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill.
As the sun sets, the M bar is the place where hotel guests and Athens haute monde start the evening with creative cocktails under the stars.
Athens is an incredible city with so much to offer the cultural explorer. The Electra Metropolis is the ideal place to stay, close to it all, and offering guests posh accommodations with exceptional amenities and services. For your next trip to Athens, a stay at the Electra Metropolis Athens Hotel offers locations to explore all that this magical city has to offer.