Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens, Greece

Greece › Athens › Hotels › Hotel Grande Bretagne Review
by Santorini Dave • Updated: March 2, 2021

Essentials
• Location: Syntagma Square
• Hotel website: marriott.com
• Hotel phone: +30 21 0333 0000
• Check prices on Booking.com

Exterior of the Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens.

Hotel Grande Bretagne is the best luxury hotel in Athens, located directly across from Syntagma Square and the Hellenic Parliament building.

Hotel Grande Bretagne is the best luxury hotel in Athens.

With an elegant and majestic lobby and heated rooftop swimming pool (with pool bar), the Grande Bretagne also features a beautiful indoor pool, elegant fine dining atrium restaurant, rooftop bar and grill with spectacular views, dedicated cigar lounge, well-appointed fitness center, and world-class spa. Its hotel bar was voted Best in the World by Forbes Magazine. Guest rooms and suites have marble bathrooms with rainfall showers, and are furnished with luxury textiles and museum-quality antiques; some add standalone soaking or hydrotherapy tubs and floor-to-ceiling windows with unobstructed views to the Acropolis and Mount Lycabettus. Located on Syntagma Square, directly across from the Hellenic Parliament building and within walking distance of all of Athens’ major attractions.

Hotel Grande Bretagne – Video

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Hotel Grande Bretagne – Location

Great central Athens location directly on Syntagma Square, across from the Hellenic Parliament building and within walking distance of all of Athens’ major museums and attractions.

  • Address: 1 Vasileos Georgiou, Syntagma Square
  • Nearest Metro: Syntagma (3-minute walk). Metro Line 3 runs from the airport directly to Syntagma station, departing every 30 minutes from 5:30am until about midnight. The trip takes 45 minutes and costs €10 (24€ for groups of 3). The metro station is a 5 to 10-minute walk from baggage claim; elevators are available.
  • Taxi: Airport taxis to central Athens are charged at a flat rate of €38 through the day and €60 from midnight to 5am.
  • Private Transfer: We use and recommend Welcome Pickups car service. Booking through a private car service will cost only a bit more than a taxi – about €40, but can be worth it to avoid the long taxi queue and for the convenience of paying ahead.

Hotel Grande Bretagne – The Basics

  • Ages: All ages are welcome. The Penthouse Suite and Grand Deluxe Suite each have two bedrooms. Children’s menus are offered in all restaurants, and cribs, disposable bottles, high chairs, and rollaway beds are available upon request. Babysitting services may be arranged in advance with the hotel concierge.
  • Pet Policy: No pets are allowed, but service animals are welcome.
  • View: Guest room views are of the hotel courtyard or the city. Many higher-floor city view rooms have excellent unobstructed views of the Acropolis or Lycabettus Hill.
  • Parking: Off-site parking is available for a fee of €10 hourly, or €32 per day.
  • Nice Perks: Complimentary bottled water, Gilchrist & Soames or Acqua di Parma toiletries, butler service (6th and 7th floor rooms)
  • Phone: +30 21 0333 0000
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Website: marriott.com
  • When to Book: Athens’ best hotels book out far in advance, especially during high season travel. For best availability and rates, book two to three months ahead.
  • How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.

Hotel Grande Bretagne – Amenities

  • Pool: Two pools. The indoor heated pool of the GB Spa is 65 sq. meters and surrounded by white marble walls and flooring, reminiscent of ancient Roman baths; open year-round. The 7th-floor outdoor rooftop pool is 50 sq. meters and has pool-bar service and unobstructed views of Lycabettus Hill; open May to October.
  • Spa: The full-service Hotel Grande Bretagne Spa is widely-considered to be the best in Athens. In addition to skin and body treatments, the spa offers services such as self-tanning, makeup, waxing, and manicure/pedicure.
  • Fitness Center: State-of-the-art fitness center with free weights, treadmills, stationary bicycles, and elliptical machines. Available to hotel guests only.
  • Private Pools/Jacuzzis: No private pools. Some suites have jetted hydrotherapy tubs.

Hotel Grande Bretagne – Food and Drink

  • Restaurant: GB Roof Garden Restaurant & Bar features delicious Mediterranean fine dining, an award-winning wine list, and uninterrupted views of the Acropolis, Lycabettus hill, the Hellenic Parliament (smart casual dress code, reservations necessary) • the elegant Winter Garden indoor courtyard restaurant offers European breakfast, light lunch, high tea, and dinner (smart casual dress code) • GB Pool Grill & Bar serves Greek cuisine and light and healthy meals with amazing Mt. Lycabettus views (May to October only)
  • Lounge/Bar: Alexander’s Bar has an exceptional cocktail program and an atraordinary selection of premium spirits • Alexander’s Lounge is a cozy and elegant cigar bar located in the hotel’s inner garden.
  • Breakfast: Not complimentary. An American-style breakfast buffet is offered daily in the GB Roof Garden restaurant for an additional fee.
  • Room Service: Available 24 hours.

Hotel Grande Bretagne – Rooms

  • Room Types: Classic Courtyard View Room (king or 2 twin) • Deluxe City or Acropolis View Room (king or 2 twin) • One-bedroom Courtyard View Junior Suite (king) • One-bedroom Courtyard View Deluxe Suite (king) • One-bedroom City or Acropolis View Grand Suite (king) • One-Bedroom Executive Acropolis View Suite • Two-bedroom City View Grand Deluxe Suite • List of all rooms
  • Smoking Rooms: Guest rooms at Hotel Grande Bretagne are non-smoking only.
  • Wheelchair Accessible Rooms: The hotel offers wheelchair accessible rooms with accesible routes, 32” wide doorways, grab bars, adjustable shower wands, and lowered outlets.
  • Best Room: The opulent one-bedroom, two-bathroom Royal Suite is located on the 5th floor with amazing unobstructed Acropolis views; dining room with table that seats up to 14, media room, and sumptuous living room with grand piano.

Hotel Grande Bretagne – What’s Nearby?

Nearby Restaurants

  • La Greche: The best gelato near Syntagma. 5-minute walk
  • Tazza All Day Bistro & Wine Bar: Flamboyant bistro for Mediterranean-Greek bites, wine, and cocktails – and a breakfast and Sunday brunch. 6-minute walk
  • Avocado: Lovely vegan and vegetarian restaurant focuses on local, seasonal, sustainable, and organic dishes full of rich flavors. 6-minute walk
  • Evgenia: Authentic, and non-touristy family-run Greek taverna serving homemade, traditional dishes featuring seasonal ingredients. Also known as Paradosiako Cafeneon. 7-minute walk

Nearby Bars and Breweries

  • The 7 Jokers: Casual, rock-n-roll bar offering creative cocktails, draft beers, and an excellent liquor selection. 4-minute walk
  • Heteroclito: Athens’ best wine bar, highlighting native Greek varietals, with a special emphasis on natural wines. 7-minute walk
  • Brettos: Cozy bar and distillery offering a wide variety of spirits and cocktails, and a Plaka landmark since 1909. 10-minute walk

Nearby Market or Grocery

  • Foodie’s Convenience Store: Small and friendly shop selling staples, snacks, spirits, and local delicacies. 7-minute walk
  • Bazaar Supermarket: Great supermarket with a wide range range of products and reasonable prices. 8-minute walk

Nearby Attractions

Hotel Grande Bretagne – The Hotel

Exterior of Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens, with taxis out front.

Hotel Grande Bretagne has a great central Athens location, directly across from Syntagma Square. It is within walking distance of all of Athens best museums and attractions.

Hotel lobby with marble floors and plush furniture

The ornate hotel lobby.

Ornate hotel lobby with agents behind desks

Another view of the lobby and its beautiful coffered ceilings.

Entrance to the hotel gift shop at Grande Bretagne in Athens.

Adjacent to the lobby, there is a small shop that sells gifts and treats.

Ornate hotel hallway with plush carpeting and chandeliers

The elegant guest hallways at Grande Bretagne feature plush carpeting, chandeliers, and original artwork.

Hotel room with large window

All guest rooms at Grande Bretagne have sumptuous luxury linens.

Marble-clad bathroom with a rainfall shower.

…and marble-clad bathrooms.

Hotel room with desk, chair, and flat-screen TV.

Another view of a classic guest room at Hotel Grande Bretagne.

Hellenic Parliament building in Athens, as seen from across the street

This room at Hotel Grande Bretagne offers views of the Hellenic Parliament Building…

Overhead view of Syntagma Square in Athens

…and Syntagma Square below. Higher-floor front-facing rooms and suites have unobstructed views of the Acropolis. Back-facing city view rooms look toward Mount Lycabettus.

Courtyard atrium with glass ceilings and palm trees

Interior-facing rooms have views of the hotel’s elegant private courtyard.

Hotel suite with king bed and plush furnishings

Suites add extra space in the sleeping area…

Living area in hotel suite with a couch, chair, and coffee table.

…as well as a separate living area with comfortable furnishings.

Hotel suite with a flat-screen TV and writing desk.

The desk area in suites is separate from the sleeping area.

Marble bathtub in a hotel bathroom.

In all suites, bathrooms include a separate tub and shower.

Double basin sinks in a marble-clad hotel bathroom.

…as well as double basin sinks.

Hotel rooftop restaurant with large windows.

The Grande Bretagne’s Roof Garden Restaurant & Bar features delicious Mediterranean fine dining and an award-winning wine list.

View from above and across the street of the Hellenic parliament building in Athens

From the rooftop restaurant, guests can enjoy sweeping views from the Parliament building…

View of the Acropolis from Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens

…all the way to the Acropolis.

Marble bar, with ornate tapestry hanging above.

Alexander’s Bar has a world-class cocktail program and select wines and spirits. It is named for this gorgeous tapestry of Alexander the Great.

Hotel fitness center with elliptical and weight machines.

The fitness center at Hotel Grande Bretagne offers state-of-the-art machines.

Spa area set up for manicures and pedicures.

The award-winning spa at Hotel Grande Bretagne offers luxury wellness treatments, as well as finishing services like manicures and pedicures…

Spa area set up for hair and makeup services.

…as well as hair and makeup styling.

Indoor pool with pillars and mood lighting

The elegant indoor spa pool is reminiscent of a Roman bath.

Outdoor pool with view of Lycabettus Hill

The hotel also has an outdoor, rooftop pool that is open from May to October. It is served by GB Pool Grill & Bar and has excellent unobstructed views of Mount Lycabettus.

The main entrance to the metro station at Syntagma Square

Hotel Grand Bretagne is well-connected for transit. This is the main entrance of the Syntagma metro station in Syntagma Square, just across the street from the hotel. This station serves a direct train line to and from the Athens Airport.

Entrance to the Syntagma Metro station in Athens

There is even a smaller Syntagma metro entrance on the corner next to the hotel – so you don’t even have to cross the street.

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