DATE |
REVIEW |
Date: May 07
USA
Rating: 10/10 |
"THE only place to stay"
Many thanks to all the previous spot-on reviews of the excellence of this hotel. My husband and I stayed here for 3 nights in April 2007. The Ava is essentially a 5-star hotel in terms of service, cleanliness, and hospitality. It doesn't have the room service, pool, spa, and all the other frills that we never want to use when traveling on vacation. Time is too precious, and there is always so much to see and do.
Athens is traffic-clogged and noisy. After walking around, we would not have wanted to stay at any of the 5-star hotels around Syntagma Square due to the overwhelming traffic noise. Syngrou Avenue is even worse. The Plaka is the only location we would ever recommend. And the Ava is on a quite side street that enabled us to keep the windows open at night and still get a perfect night's sleep.
Eleni went out of her way to help me with some ferry issues in Santorini. What other concierge in Athens would ever have done this? I don't think there is anything this staff wouldn't do to make their guests stay or visit to Greece as good as possible.
Don't even consider another hotel. |
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Date: April 07
UK
Rating: 10/10 |
"Perfect location"
We've just spent 5 nights here and I can honestly say that the hotel lives up to all the recommendations.
We chose an Executive apartment with a seperate bedroom , a kitchenette with fridge and a double sofa bed in the living area.. It was important to have a seperate bedroom as our daughter came with us and she was then protected from the snoring! Actually, this is a very important point not to be underestimated if staying with anyone else.
The location is just perfect; you're minutes away from all the restaurants in the Plaka (lots and lots of them) and you can stroll to the Acropolis entrance in no time at all.
It's easy to get to from the airport. We just travelled on the metro to Syntagma (€15 for the 3 of us) and walked down Amalius Avenue. The hotel is on Lysikratous Street right opposite Hadrian's arch.
The staff were friendly and helpful.
I'd highly recommend this hotel to anyone. |
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Date: April 07
Canada
Rating: 10/10 |
"Loved the Ava Hotel"
This hotel is right in the heart of where you want to be in Athens. You are two minutes from Hadrians Arch, 2 minutes from the Plaka and all the restaurants and shops you want to visit, 5 minutes from the foot of the Acropolis and walking distance to almost all of the sites you want to see while in Athens proper. The hotel staff speak excellent english and are very helpful and friendly. The rooms are very large and clean. I would definitely stay there again and have recommended them to our travel agent and would not hesitate to recommend them to others traveling in that area of the world.
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Date: Jan 07
Brno
Rating: 10/10 |
"As good as everyone says"
We are usually "budget" travellers, but the added expense of staying at the AVA was completed justified by the:
1) excellent location (eatting, the Acropolis, and the proximity to the Metro...who needs a cab?);
2) the incredibly helpful staff (they had great suggestions for everything and were wonderful with our daughter);
3) the comfortable rooms (very clean and pleasant...except why don't European hotels have regular King and Queen mattresses? My wife and I don't love negotiating "the gap"), and
4) the generous included breakfast. We were particularly happy with the breakfast because we were travelling with our daughter who, understandably, gets tired of restaurants.
We had picked the AVA because it offered in-room kitchenettes which we imagined using for take-out or making our own light meals. But, the take-out we had (Asian) was pretty lousy so we just kept going back to restaurants (the Byzantium was particularly good). There aren't proper supermarkets in the Plaka and the kitchenette didn't supplies staples like oil or flour...so maybe getting a kitchenette wasn't worth it for us? |
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Date: Jan 07
UK
Rating: 10/10 |
"Very comfortable Aparthotel"
Good quality furnishings. The staff were really friendly and very helpful with information regarding onward travel and Athens. The comfort level of Aparthotels is superior to a hotel and you still enjoy the luxury of a hotel. It is nice to sit down and relax with a small snack after a busy day if you don't feel like eating out. |
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Date: Jan 07
USA
Rating: 9/10 |
"Great location and view"
+ Perfect location. The staff was knowledgeable and went out of their way
to help us make arrangements. The suite was immaculate,spacious and well
equipped. The view from our large balcony was extraordinary: the
Acroplis to the right and Hadrian's Arch to the left: wow.
- Not the fault of the hotel at all, but memo to self: Remember that most
things will be closed on New Years Day...When you are only in a spot for
a day or two, it is disappointing not to be able to visit attractions. |
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Date:
Jan 07
Finland
Rating: 10/10 |
"Best
possible location in Athens"
I agree with everything positive written about this hotel.
The only advice is that because taxis don't always find this
quite small hotel easily so take your map with you. |
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Date:
Dec 06
USA
Rating: 10/10 |
"The
PERFECT place to stay in Athens!"
First of all, I want to say that I've been to Greece about 20
times and I even lived there for 5 months when I was in college.
I am very familiar with Athens. Having that knowledge I'd like
to say that they AVA Hotel is just wonderful! Our stay was everything
we could have asked for and more.
First of
all, the location couldn't be more perfect. The Hotel is located
in Plaka, which is right in the center of Athens. You are
within walking distance to ALL the major tourist attractions.
The center of Athens is always bustling and there's always
something to do, something to see. If you are into nightlife,
you can't beat Athens, it is the city that truly never sleeps,
it's the most active city in all of Europe. And the center
is full of life 24 hours a day.
Plaka is
lovely, especially if you've never been to Athens before.
There are lots of little stores for shopping, lots of restaurants
& plenty of small markets (if you want to shop for breakfast
food, etc). A lot of the restaurants there are touristy though,
I recommend Byzantino (1 minute walk from AVA) for good Greek
food.
So in addition
to being in the perfect spot, the AVA is small, intimate &
truly European in style. The rooms are VERY clean, and plenty
spacious for a small hotel. The bathrooms are really nice
and the shower is good. The staff is VERY friendly & VERY
helpful. If you need a cab, they'll call one for you. If you
need map, they have them. If you need directions or advice
on where to go, they are happy to help. They are always downstairs
at the front desk, always willing and eager to help.
And by
the way, Athens has a brand new Metro system that is fantastic
and will take you to many other wonderful spots in Athens
for a little change. And if you need a cab, AVA will bring
one right to the front door for you! The cabs in Athens are
among the cheapest in Europe & they are strictly regulated,
so they are all beautiful cars that are clean and comfy (the
exact opposite of NYC for example).
The hotel
is quiet & serene. You don't hear traffic outside while
you sleep. Every room has a small balcony. Every room has
high speed Internet access (my sister brought her laptop and
we were able to check our email while we were there). The
beds are really comfortable. Everyone room has a kitchenette.
We made good use of the fridge and the stove. We had everything
we needed and we were very comfortable.
The AVA
is not a luxury hotel, it's not a high rise & it's not
meant to be. That being said, if you compare the prices they
offer to the luxury hotel prices, you get a really good deal.
I priced many hotels before we went including the Grand Bretagne,
Divani Caravel, Athens Hilton, King George, Athens Plaza &
St. George & they were 2-5 times more expensive than the
AVA, and the reviews (with the exception of the Grand Bretagne)
weren't anywhere near as good. Some people who have left reviews
seem to the think the AVA is overpriced but for the location,
the price is actually very, very reasonable. You will not
find a cheaper hotel that comes close to the quality of the
AVA.
Overall,
I have nothing negative to stay about my stay here. My father,
who is from Athens, was very impressed with the hotel as well.
We couldn't have asked for a more comfortable stay. I would
definitely stay here again! |
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Date:
Dec 06
USA
Rating: 10/10 |
"An
excellent tourist hotel. Very American friendly."
I think that the owners and staff of Ava Hotel rightfully take
pride in their property. The location is outstanding; while
it is in the Plaka district and accessible to everything, it
is on a quiet street away from the tourist shops. As noted in
many other reviews, the staff is outstanding. This is not a
luxury hotel and does not misrepresent itself as one. They try
very hard to satisfy the needs of travelers who want to keep
their costs down without compromising comfort and quality. |
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Date:
Nov 06
Australia
Rating: 10/10 |
"Lovely
Hotel - Perfect Location"
AVA is in the most perfect location for exploring Plaka. You
walk out the front door and everything you need and want to
see is within easy walking distance. The rooms are modern, spacious
and very clean. The views are also great. The staff are very
friendly and most helpful. We would stay here again next time
we visit Athens without hesitation. My
one tip is to get a taxi straight from the airport, do not
muck around with the train as the cost is almost the same,
its a real hassle trying to get a taxi from the train station
to the hotel, no one would take us as it was too short of
a trip, but it was 38 deg and we had two suitcases and a wedding
dress - not much fun walking... |
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Date:
Nov 06
USA
Rating: 10/10 |
"Ideal
location, great service"
AVA Hotel is in a great location to see all the sights such
as the Acropolis, Temple of Zeus and the Ancient Agora. We stayed
in room 301 and had a wonderful view of both the Acropolis and
the Temple of Zeus from our spacious balcony. The
staff were extremely friendly and helpful. We checked in at
2AM and left at 3AM during our stay and they had someone waiting
for us each time and also booked our taxi for us.
The
room was great - having a kitchen was a great way to save
money on some meals and was quite spacious. Breakfast is included
and offers a great choice of food inc. cereal, breads, eggs,
sausages, coffee, tea and cakes.
They
also book tours from local tour operators for you which is
a nice convenience. We booked two tours through them and had
great service.
I
would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone who wants
to see the tourist attractions on foot and likes to be on
a quiet side street away from the hustle and bustle of this
busy city. Shopping and restarants are barely moments away
at the top of the street. |
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Date:
Nov 06
Scotland
Rating: 10/10 |
"Very
Special Hotel!"
This hotel is a gem! When we arrived we were so delighted to
find it was on a quiet street in the Plaka area, with views
of the Accropolis. Inside, the hotel did not disappoint either
- an extremely friendly welcome, and one of the most comfortable
and attractive hotels we have ever stayed in. Our room was one
of the smaller appartment rooms, but was spacious enough, well
appointed, and lots of thoughtfull extras. Breakfast was a delight!
We only wished we were staying longer. Location could not be
better - just beside the historic Plaka area with its great
selection of restaurants, tavernas, and lovely shops, and close
to all the main sites. If ever back in Athens, this will definitely
be our first choice. Certainly not the cheapest, but well worth
it! |
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Date:
Oct 06
USA
Rating: 10/10 |
"AVA
HOTEL - Worth a visit!"
Visited AVA 14 -17 October.
While it isn't the Ritz-Carlton, AVA offers all the amenities
one seeks for a pleasant, comfortable stay. The rooms are large,
the staff is pleasant and helpful with advice and arranging
for taxis (they use a taxi service that charges fair fares);
it's located in a tourist -friendly section of Athens (Plaka)
and walking distance to some of the great archeological sites
in the world, and really good restaurants. Would I stay there
again? Yes, without hesitation. (Try to get a room on the third
floor with a verandah. Get some cheese, crackers, and red wine
and enjoy the Acropolis at night!) |
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Date:
Oct 06
USA
Rating: 10/10 |
"Great
Location and Great Staff"
There are many hotels in the Plaka, but we can see why the Ava
Hotel was ranked so highly. First of all, the staff is very
helpful and are always looking to help. Second, the location
is perfect, near the acropolis and many other important sites.
In fact, we only had to take a taxi twice, to the Archeological
museum and to Lykavittos Hill. Everything else is within easy
walking distance. The location is also nice because you are
on the edge of the Plaka and it is quiet when everything in
the Plaka is busy. |
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