Athines By The Sea — Hotel in Municipality of Vari - Voula - Vouliagmeni

Note: This rating is for the customer service rather than the beach itself which is beautiful. This used to be a wonderful beach. As of this summer (2020) the beach is under new ownership. They still charge you when you enter (now €7/person up from €5) but now when you take a seat on the beach they charge you another €5/chair you use (not even per umbrella). So rather than paying €10 we had to pay €25 for worse service. The shops that sell beach equipment has also been shut down. Up to this point we were taken off guard, but a business can charge, and sell, whatever they want.

After settling in my wife and I were playing 'racket ' (beach tennis) and an elderly man came and told us we needed to move because we were "endangering a baby" (as he motioned to our 3.5 year old daughter). We informed him that the "baby" was our daughter and that she was fine (we intentionally were playing near her so she couldn't go into the water without us). He left and a few minutes later a security guard came and told us we would have to leave the beach and go to the public beach nearby to play racket. We asked him why that was and he said it was "political" (i.e., because the old man complained). We answered that if it was only political and not a rule then we would keep playing. He then claimed it was a rule, so we asked to see the list of rules and he refused and said there wasn't one. At this point two other customers came and claimed we were foreigners spreading COVID (we are expat residents) and we were breaking the law and that he was calling the cops. The security guard didn't make any real attempt to calm the situation down or ask this other couple to exit the conversation. The security guard went on to say that he himself is the rule. I asked for a refund so we could just leave (we had been there only 30 minutes) which he also refused. The other couple then somehow convinced the security guard that I actually knew Greek because "he heard me speaking it" and then the guard refused to speak to me in English.

So in summary, the prices have more than doubled while they have closed down most of the shops that were previously available at the beach. More importantly the customer service (in our experience) was horrible and made for a terrible morning out...

Clean place, lots space even when crowded, the beach itself was really good. Clear blue Aegean waters, soft sand. Lots of sunbeds and parasols. It was our first time there and we were impressed.

What killed it is their hidden fees. We entered the establishment and they have a ticket gate, we were told it's 6 euros per person to enter and the till lady told me that I should go in and there's wooden sunbeds and parasols. We quickly went in, dropped off our stuff and jumped in the water. I noticed a guy going around our stuff so I got out to see what's up and he told me the sunbeds were extra. I questioned him because of what the entrance lady told us and he said it's a separate charge of 10 euros. I paid and got a receipt with the place's name because I was weary of a scam.

Now, 11 euros per person for two tourists visiting Athens for 5 days and who wanted to get a swim in, is no big deal. But their behaviour and less upfront practices left a sour taste and we left immediately.

Their showers and changing rooms are in a sad state. I wouldn't visit again unless I was...

It was my preferred beach. I returned for the first time this year. First positive.. great beach... shallow and warm water. Clean toilets and environment. Now the rest. There is a new management. The entrance (weekday) before was 5 eur, sunbed included. Now it is 6 eur entrance... plus 2 eur for the sunbed! (There is no possibility to not rent a sunbed - unless you want to sit somewhere far from the water). So price went up 60%. Drinks became more than 100% more expensive. Tea 3.5 eur! Frappe 3.5 eur! The last years the bar was manned with 7 or 8 persons... always very busy. Now... one girl and no work. The last years I went several times a season. Now I won't. Free market... much higher prices - considerable less clients. It's more expensive than fancy bars in kifissia. If you go by 2 you already pay 22 eur for one day (including the cheap bus) and not one drink or food. I wonder how many regulars are willing/able to pay. I will go to a traditional beach - where you buy a drink and you get the...