The night before I left for Greece, I went out to dinner with a friend. “Athens is good for only one night,” he insisted. “You see the Acropolis, and then you get out of there as fast as you can.”

I couldn’t disagree more.

But I suppose that many visitors who overnight here en route to the islands or a cruise would feel the same way as my friend, especially if they’re only spending a few hours in the tchotchke-plagued Plaka, baking in the sun and being hassled by touts. However, if you take more time to explore, you’ll discover that Athens is full of treasures: genre-defying restaurants, stylish boutiques, extraordinary museums and world-class art galleries, all hidden in crumbling, graffiti-smeared neighborhoods — and even in quiet corners of touristy Plaka.

By day, Athens can admittedly feel a bit scruffy. But in the evening, under twinkling lights strung between alleyways, it takes on a romantic glow. Wine bars hum with conversation, bouzouki music wafts through the streets, and the Greek capital reveals itself as a crossroads of ancient civilization and contemporary hipsterdom.

I relished the chance to spend a full week in town, ostensibly to check out two splashy new hotels (plus do an undercover re-review of the grande dame of Athens). Each day delivered new delights and fresh reasons to love the city. Athens is a place that becomes more beautiful as you get to know it. The more time I spend there, the more I want to return.

The Dolli

Below the Acropolis in Monastiraki, The Dolli has become a favorite of in-the-know travelers since it opened in 2023. Housed in a striking white 1920s mansion that had once been converted into a luxury fabric store, the 46-room hotel strikes a balance between historic charm and modern panache.

A bellhop spotted us unloading from a taxi across the street and rushed over to help. He welcomed us into a swanky, light-filled lobby with mirrored panels, Grecian urns and sculptural cream-toned furniture. Irreverent contemporary art pieces punctuated the space, and a bounty of confections tempted at the patisserie bar.

Since our room wasn’t quite ready, a gracious host suggested lunch at the rooftop restaurant. Our outdoor table offered a breathtaking view of the Parthenon and the Agora. The food was expensive but excellent: zesty avocado salad, tender grilled fish with lemon and olive oil and a garlicky prawn linguine with parsley. We lingered long after our accommodation was ready, reluctant to let the meal end.

Our Deluxe Room, wallpapered in silvery fabric and elegantly decorated in shades of ivory and ash, looked lovely but was cramped, with just enough space for a king bed and a chair. High ceilings and tall windows helped the space feel larger, though there was barely room for two people to unpack in the non-closet that was essentially a bare clothing rack. The bath, accessed by sliding barn doors, was thankfully quite spacious, with a generous vanity, a large shower and a separate WC.

EDITOR PHOTOS (slideshow below)

We spent the rest of the afternoon at the rooftop infinity pool, sipping limoncello spritzes and chatting with fellow guests, including an Italian furniture designer, a French yoga instructor and a South African financier. Time slipped by in a blissfully languorous haze until the sky turned mauve, and suddenly it was time to get ready for dinner.

Throughout our stay, impeccable service defined The Dolli. After we checked in, employees greeted us by name every time we entered the property, even staff members we hadn’t yet met. When a bee became overly interested in our breakfast one morning, a server shooed him away. He then acted as our personal bodyguard, dashing out from his post at the barista bar to deflect any other interloping insects.

Minor quibbles aside — the lack of a closet and the grating pop music in the lobby — The Dolli delivers effortless glamour and peerless style, undergirded by a highly professional staff.

Hotel Grande Bretagne

The historic 320-room Hotel Grande Bretagne is the most famous hostelry in Athens — the queen of Syntagma Square. Opened in 1874, it remains one of the city’s most popular addresses, and when we arrived, the lobby was mobbed. Thankfully, our booking granted us access to the executive floor, to which we were quickly ushered for a private check-in.

Our Grand Suite lived up to its name, with a large entryway, generous closets and tables laden with fruit, sweets and wine. The separate sitting room featured a French balcony overlooking Parliament, along with a stately desk. Beyond the bedroom lay a bath nearly as large, with a massive built-in tub, double vanity and separate shower.

The décor leaned heavily into old-school opulence, with brocade, polished wood and soft lamplight. I felt very important in that room, the sort of dignified place where one might dictate missives to an attaché. But when I knelt to search under the bed for a lost earring, I found a thick coat of dust. The hotel is literally layered with history, for better and for worse.

EDITOR PHOTOS (slideshow below)

After unpacking, we headed to the rooftop pool for lunch, where the scene was decidedly less glamorous than at The Dolli. Rumpled towels, empty glasses and broken loungers marred the small deck. Service was abysmal. Staff looked on with apathy as a guest slipped on wet tiles, and we had to flag down waiters even for menus. After a quick dip in the pool — and a glance at the outrageous prices of the food — we decided to leave and dine elsewhere. This was not the roof terrace I so fondly remembered.

But evening at the Grande Bretagne turned our moods around. With multiple bars and lounges, the hotel could host a self-contained bar crawl (indeed, we tried to visit every watering hole on the premises and still missed a few). The rooftop lounge, packed with American travelers and a few stylish Athenians, was the obvious choice for aperitifs. We snagged seats at the bar and watched the sun paint the Acropolis pink while we sipped gin and tonics.

The Hotel Grande Bretagne remains the number-one choice for dignitaries, celebrities and luxury cruise passengers. If you prefer Old World grandeur and want to spend time in a spa recovering from jet lag, it’s a fine option. But Athens has evolved. This storied hotel is resting on its laurels, and it’s no longer the only game in town.

Anthology of Athens

There are times when I know within five minutes of checking in whether I’ll recommend a hotel. At the 18-room Anthology of Athens, I knew before I reached the front desk. As our taxi pulled up, I thought it had taken us to the wrong address. No way was this dingy-looking building the brand-new Anthology of Athens, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World.

Inside, the soulless lobby confirmed my initial impression, with cheap furniture, an untidy front desk and a massive arrangement of fake flowers and plastic greenery. If a hotel can’t even care for live plants, how can it care for guests?

The disappointing décor was just a hint of what awaited upstairs. Our Superior Room With Balcony had a surprising amount of scuff marks on the walls for a property that had opened in 2024. The balcony looked directly into a neighboring apartment across the street, almost close enough to read the titles of the books on their shelves. And the Lilliputian bath, reminiscent of an airplane lavatory, had a pedestal sink the size of a salad bowl and zero counter space.

EDITOR PHOTOS (slideshow below)

Alas, the room’s worst qualities revealed themselves only after nightfall. When we got into bed, we realized the linens were made of polyester, and the king was in fact two twins that felt like stacks of cardboard pushed together. The walls and doors were as cheap as the sheets. Even the slightest noises in the hallway and neighboring rooms woke us up — repeatedly. Unforgivable.

At breakfast on the roof, there weren’t enough tables, and harried staffers kept having to fuss with umbrellas and fans. They seemed completely unprepared for hot and sunny weather, even though it was July.

Sometimes, a disappointing hotel is a blessing in disguise. Instead of relaxing by the pool, we spent hours exploring, walking almost every street in Plaka and Monastiraki and discovering exceptional places to eat and shop. We also delved into the city’s contemporary art scene, gallery-hopping with an art advisor.

On my next trip to Greece, I certainly won’t be staying at this anthology of aggravation — but I’ll make sure to plan more than just a stopover in Athens.