Acropole Hotel — Hotel in Municipality of Piraeus

I spent eight nights (over four different visits) at the Acropole Hotel during my recent extended visit to Greece, and it has now become my de-facto home away from home while in Athens/Piraeus. Each stay lasted from one to four nights, and I was in a different room each stay, so I certainly got a good look at the facilities there.

All rooms were equiped with a bar fridge, hairdryer, digital television, air-conditioner, electric jug with coffee sachets, and ensuite bathrooms. They were clean, well kept, and it was a surprise to see the hotel name embroidered into towels and other bedding.

CONS: I did find the pillows were so thick that I had to resort to using spare towels to make a pillow, although happily I did not need to do this on every visit.

Shower stalls are too small and constrained, but this is a common complaint for many hotels in Greece.

Guests are not able to phone out using the in-house phone system, which is only good for calling down to reception.

PROS: The hotel is close to all the major ferries servicing the islands, as well as being close to the M1 Metro (subway) line.

The bus stop for the X96 bus to/from the Athens International airport is within a couple of hundred metres of the hotel. Be aware however that the bus trip between Piraeus and airport can take up to 90-minutes depending on traffic conditions and time of day, so plan accordingly.

While the shower stalls are mostly cramped, the water was always hot. In fact, it can get too hot, so if you are travelling with children, I advise you to monitor their use of the shower to ensure they do not scald themselves.

The two main female reception staff, Maria and Lefkosia (I hope I got that right!), are extremely friendly and helpful. They seem to share the day shifts between them while a male staffer covers nights.

The hotel changes its WiFi details every day. Updating both user name and password seems like overkill to me, however, I commend the hotel for taking online security seriously.

If you are looking for an overnight or short-stay hotel in Piraeus, I can highly recommend...

The location is fine for the port (though it’s still a 25-minute walk to the ferry terminal), but this hotel fails at the one thing a hotel should do: provide a decent night’s sleep.

The beds in our room were completely unacceptable — sagging so badly that when we lifted the mattress we discovered several slats missing, along with a broken headboard. It felt like trying to sleep on a collapsing hammock. On top of that, the soundproofing was practically nonexistent. You can hear everything from every room around you, as well as every conversation happening in the echoey reception area downstairs.

And then there’s the parrot. For reasons that defy common sense, the owner has decided to keep a parrot in the hotel itself, even knowing how bad the soundproofing is. At exactly 7am, the bird begins whistling nonstop, echoing down the hallways and into every room. Sleep beyond that point is impossible. This is one problem that could be so easily fixed — remove the poor creature, give it a proper home, and stop making life miserable for paying guests.

The bathroom was also in a bad state, with black patches that looked like mold and fixtures clearly needing a deep clean or renovation. Overall, the hotel feels neglected and not maintained to a basic standard.

When I complained about the broken bed, I was offered a token 11% discount (around €8). Frankly, it was insulting given the circumstances. I refused, and instead I think it’s important to warn other travelers: this place is not worth it.

Yes, it’s close to the port, but when you add up the broken bed, the mold, the paper-thin walls, and the parrot-alarm at 7am, the hotel fails completely at its one job. Pay more elsewhere — ideally somewhere that includes an airport transfer (this hotel charges €70) — and you will be far better off.

The only redeeming feature was the incredibly lovely and friendly reception staff, who were a pleasure to deal with. Unfortunately, their kindness is wasted on a hotel that fundamentally cannot provide the most basic service of all: a good...

NOT BICYCLE FRIENDLY! The hotel refused to allow me to bring my bicycle indoors for safe keeping overnight. Never before in all the hotels and guesthouses I’ve stayed has this request ever been refused. And to make matters worse, there was a perfect space in the corner of the lobby, hidden from view, not obstructing anything; but they refused on the stubborn assertion that it was their policy!

Dear Xenia S,

I’m writing in response to your reply to my Google review.

I’m sorry I didn’t inform you in advance about having a bicycle, but would it have made a difference? I would have still been told to “no” because that’s what your staff have been trained to do. All 3 members of staff I spoke to explicitly said it was the hotel policy and there was nothing they could do about it. As such, I feel that your reply is disingenuous.

Your comment that the hotel lobby is not a designated parking area displays the contempt with which you see your hotel patrons. Clearly you have no interest in accommodating perfectly reasonable requests and you should not be in the hospitality industry.

For your information, I did try the parking facility next door and they were as accommodating as you were. A total disrespect for bicycles and cyclists.

Your response has only served to antagonise me further and your complete lack of understanding and remorse...