Near-perfect hotel overlooks one of the most remarkable ancient sites

The place

The Dolli at Acropolis, Athens

Check-in

Despite the extravagance of Le Salon (the lobby), the concept is to make guests feel like they’re entering a living room, and check-in is informal, albeit deeply curated. I sink into a sofa among expensive art and am soon presented with an iPad, alongside a silver tray containing a glass of sparkling wine and two colour-coordinated mocktails.

The Dolli in the heart of Athens.Credit:

The look

Entering this 1925-era neoclassical mansion-turned-boutique hotel is like stepping inside a jewellery box containing the most prized treasures of a modern Aphrodite. Soft mirrored panels reflect sumptuous salt-and-pepper marbled floors, brass accents, plump furnishings, soaring stucco ceilings and tiered silver trays of Greek sweets such as loukoumi and chocolate almonds. A high-gloss patisserie spread in the lounge is complimentary for guests.

A welcome retreat – the hotel pool.Credit:

Owned by Grecotel, run by second-generation hotelier Mari Sifounakis, the historic property features 46 rooms and suites over five floors and embodies a feminine energy, with curvy details, circular furniture and natural materials. The art collection is astounding: ancient Greek vases date back to the 4th century BC, there are chairs by 20th-century French artist Jean Cocteau, an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus mask from the 6th century BC and a ceramic work by Picasso.

But it’s the submersible installation on level five that earns this property one-of-a-kind kudos. The rooftop infinity pool all but laps at the Parthenon. It feels so close you could flick it off the Acropolis with your finger.

The room

Junior suite … light, bright, with soaring ceilings.Credit:

So high are the ceilings I almost lose my head while craning to sight the rain shower in the marbled ensuite of my 26- to 30-square-metre Deluxe Room. It’s 3.5 metres high, while the room doors are just shy of that at three metres. It’s a compact space but highly functional and design-forward. Think textured grey raffia wallpaper featuring vine-like motifs and custom-made furniture. Athens’ golden light pours in through elongated windows and there’s an open wardrobe as well as a bar with treats. A thoughtful inclusion is a small pedestal on which to place a handbag or other luggage loose ends that are perpetually doomed for the armchair.

Food + drink

An alluring, art-filled atmosphere.Credit:

The Dolli’s Rooftop Restaurant sits on level five and has both indoor and outdoor seating, with an elevated deck staging sunset vistas of the Acropolis. Disappointingly, the menu forgoes traditional Greek dishes for a contemporary hodge-podge of options, including a raw bar, sushi and sashimi, and mains such as lamb chops and scorpion fish. Breakfast is a delight, with a Bloody Mary station and local delicacies such as strapatsada (eggs with tomatoes). The Library Bar on the ground floor serves cocktails and all-day eats.

The rooftop all-day restaurant has killer views.Credit:

Out + about

Straddling Plaka in the Old Town and the more contemporary side of the city, the stay is within walking distance to the major ancient sites, as well as the boho ’hood of Psyri. If you’re craving rustic Greek food, it’s a 15-minute walk to To Kati Allo, which serves heaped plates of Greek salad and grilled lamb, chicken and pork, fresh from the spit.

The verdict

It’s almost impossible to fault this jewel box overlooking one of the world’s most remarkable ancient monuments.

The essentials

Deluxe Rooms from €760 ($1339) a night. Two rooms accessible. Mitropoleos 49, Athina 10556, Greece. thedolli.com

Our score out of 5

★★★★½

Highlight

The rooftop pool is one-of-a-kind. It’s also fast becoming a necessity in a city that sizzles into the high 30s in summer.

Lowlight

My stay coincides with a serious wildfire that breaks out near Athens. It’s beyond the hotel’s control that the Acropolis sits under an ominous black cloud as I dine on the rooftop.

The writer stayed as a guest of The Dolli.