Hotel Grande Bretagne — central, historic, luxurious — feels like a player in itself. And the view …
The moment we arrive at our grand hotel we race to the banister of the rooftop bar like children at the window of a toyshop. We stand for a long time, marvelling at the magnificence.
The curious thing about arriving in Athens is that it doesn’t really matter what time you get there; the impact is always the same. This time, for instance, we turn up at midnight.
It has been a long day: flights, cars, rain, trains, a lot of waiting around, all the inconveniences of travel. But as we check into the Hotel Grande Bretagne, off Syntagma Square in the city centre, the concierge revives our flagging spirits. “The rooftop bar stays open until two,” he says, his face genial, as though he understands our beleaguered state. That’s 2am, incidentally, for Australians unused to being out beyond 9pm.
Ten minutes later, with our bags waiting in our room, we take the lift to the top of the hotel and step out onto the terrace, the breeze temperate on our tired shoulders. And with the sound of Greek music playing in the background, there it is: the Acropolis, high on its regal mound, its spine ghostly against the stars. In a world full of monuments and wonders, man-made and natural, surely there are few as magnificent as this ancient citadel. We race to the banister like children at the window of a toyshop and stand for a long time, marvelling at its magic, its presence. Nobody here seems to mind our gawking. They’re used to it. We don’t even bother with a drink, but head to bed thrilled with the knowledge that this sight will still be here when we rise.
Athens is a city often unfairly maligned. Not unlike Rome, it carries the burden of its antiquity heavily. Its treasures are among the great jewels of the world, drawing millions of tourists each year. Yet its relics do not lie in stillness; around them flows the push and pull of city life.
Like Rome, Athens is also its nation’s centripetal force. It is Greece’s political, mercantile and cultural hub. More than three million people live here. More than seven million visit annually. It is frantic, it is chaotic, yet the hot days among the olive trees have a charming rhythm. Sure, life here can be crazy. But it can also be sweet.
We have arrived for a few days in this urban jungle before heading to the Greek islands. Partly this visit is to dip into the history of the remarkable Hotel Grande Bretagne, which in 2024 celebrated its 150th anniversary. Its longevity alone is worth honouring – only a handful of hotels around the world claim to be older. But staying here is more than an exercise in respecting the past. It is an experience in itself.
The heritage dates, actually, to 1842, when the property was built as a mansion for a wealthy businessman (the usual story). In 1874 the estate was used for the first time as a hotel, beginning a 50-year odyssey of transformation that saw the premises grow into one of Europe’s grand centres of luxury, refinement and comfort. (It was also Greece’s first fully electrified hotel and, in those days, one of the few with private bathrooms, making it a magnet for royalty and high flyers).
As it is noted in plaques and books you’ll see in the lobby, this is a hotel that has “borne witness to all the major events in recent history”, from being occupied by Nazis during World War II to playing a hosting role in both the 1896 and 2004 Olympics. You get the sense these walls have seen a lot. Conflicts come, wars go, the hotel endures. A little like the Greek people themselves.
For today’s guests, there is something grounding in staying in a place that feels like it is not only part of the fabric of the city but a player in the city life itself. From our balcony overlooking Syntagma Square we can see the changing of the guard in front of Parliament every hour. As we’re visiting during Easter, we also witness the beautiful Greek Easter parade that winds directly beneath us. From here we can also head out on foot to the ancient town centre of Plaka, at the base of the Acropolis, and, in the opposite direction, the boutique shopping area of Kolonaki.
The neighbourhood deserves exploration on foot. Head in any direction and take a seat at a cafe. You’ll soon realise you’re sitting beside a landmark of historic note: the Panathenaic Stadium, say, or the Holy Church of Saint Nicholas Rangavas, an 11th-century building once ravaged by cannonballs.
These are grand moments. But there’s plenty to see in the smaller corners too. This being Easter, we are swept up in several religious parades and unexpectedly visit several Orthodox churches with beautiful ornate domes. Wedged between the monuments and churches we find boutiques, bars and galleries, and a lively street life that absorbs guests easily.
Then, there’s Plaka, where the cobblestone streets are filled with tourist shops and an endless parade of restaurants. Even with the crowds, you can find places here to sit in the shade of an olive tree eating a Greek salad – get the capsicum and onion variety – and drinking €3 ($5) wines. You’ll sit alongside loquacious Athenians who refuse to let the sun set on good times. One lunchtime, after a leisurely few hours eating and drinking, we get up to pay our bill. “Why are you going so soon?” our waiter rebuffs us, genuinely perplexed. We have to laugh.
Then again, you could have all your meals at the Hotel Grande Bretagne, where the GB Roof Garden Restaurant & Bar looks over the landmark that has dominated the Aegean for 2500 years. After our first late-night visit, we are back for breakfast, hitting the Greek buffet hard. Stuffed with Hellenic treats – from yoghurt to fruit to a selection of pastries including bougatsa, galaktoboureko and tyropitakia, eggs served Greek-style (with feta, obviously) and bottomless coffee that arrives in silver jugs – we sit in silent awe of our surrounds.
We’re back again for dinner for elevated Med cuisine such as monkfish with couscous, and green beans with kefalograviera cheese, pistachios and grilled cherries. A lot of the time we eat in silence, speechless at the view.
It somehow feels miraculous to sit here, in a world of war and catastrophe, gazing at a symbol of endurance that has seen it all come and go. And is still here.
Checklist
Getting there: The Athens Metro stops at Hotel Grande Bretagne (1 Vasileos Georgiou A, Syntagma Square, Athens; marriott.com/en-us/hotels/athlc-hotel-grande-bretagne-a-luxury-collection-hotel-athens). Trains run from the airport; the stop is Syntagma. Or taxis have a fixed fare of €50 ($90) airport-city centre.
Stay: The more I travel, the greater I value top-level, well-positioned hotels. This is one of the best located hotels I’ve encountered, central to everything. The property has 320 rooms and suites, and several dining spaces and bars. The decor is decidedly and defiantly old world and abundant with charm. There’s no Scandi-style minimalism here. Expect chintz drapes, marble bathrooms, fresh cut flowers, and a general more-is-more aesthetic. I love it. The Grande Bretagne has a rooftop pool and an underground spa and sauna that is a sanctuary from the madness of the streets. The hotel is in the Marriott Bonvoy Luxury Collection. Rates from €480 ($860) in low season, and €790 in high season.
Eat and drink: The GB Roof Garden Restaurant & Bar is essential. There’s nothing like eating with one of the world’s greatest views (gbroofgarden.gr). Outside the hotel, try the Papadakis restaurant in Kolonaki, run by Greece’s top celebrity chef Argiro Barbarigou. This is Greek food with an elevated edge in alfresco surrounds (and there’s an Acropolis view).
Do: Visitors are admitted to the Acropolis every hour; pre-buy tickets online. There will be a crowd. Nevertheless, the effort is worth it and the views of the sparkling white city spread out below will make you linger
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