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The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels have a complete list of hotels in Athens and can make reservations for you. The GNTO (see GNTO Services) website also has an extensive list of hotels.

The websites listed in the directory are easy to use and book through, and many offer substantial discounts. Many sites selling flights (see Finding the Cheapest Flights) also offer hotel-booking services.

Athens’ suburbs are vast, and if you choose accommodation on the periphery you will waste a lot of time travelling to the main sights. The most centrally located hotels are in the areas of Plaka, Makrigianni, Koukaki, Monastiraki, Thissio and Syntagma.

High season runs from early July to late September. The period from April to June, plus the month of October are mid-season, and low season runs from the beginning of November to the end of March. Seasonal price differences vary from hotel to hotel.

For all but the luxury hotels, do not be ashamed to try and agree discounts with the hotel management – it is often possible to bargain for prices lower than those quoted, especially if staying for longer periods during low season.

Quoted prices usually include continental breakfast, a standard 12% service charge, and 10% tax. The use of hotel facilities such as gyms and pools is normally free to guests. Rooms in the better hotels have air conditioning, though in the cheaper places you might have to pay extra for this facility, if it is available at all.

If you’ve just got off a plane and need a place to stay, the new Sofitel Athens Airport Hotel is an excellent if rather pricey option (see Sofitel). Alternatively, Plotin Travel (210 353 0440), opposite the Arrivals area, is open 7am–11pm and can help you find reasonably priced accommodation.

If you are travelling alone and looking for cheap accommodation the YHA (see Youth Hostel No. 5 Pangrati) is a good bet. A grade or two up, the Marble House Pension and the Hotel Plaka both have several single rooms. Otherwise, as a general rule, one person in a double pays the full rate, minus the second breakfast.

When booking your hotel, bear in mind that modern hotels tend to be far better equipped. The Hilton and the Athenaeum Inter-Continental both have several rooms specifically designed for disabled travellers.

Most hotels allow one or two children (the cut off age varies from 12 to 18) to stay in their parents’ double room – the extra beds are free, you just pay for breakfast. Many of the better hotels also offer babysitting.