janehoya

I cancelled an upcoming stay as well for August. Thanks for all the intel.

Single_Flyer

At the property now. My room has coffee/tea making supplies; so I guess they are back!

I used a TSU and am in a Grand Suite Acropolis View on the 6th floor with a terrace. the hard product is very nice (though no tub only a shower). The neighborhood isn't the greatest but if you go a block or two away from the busy front street/highway it is quieter.

I was told as a Globalist I get breakfast as well as a 20 Euro credit per day.

Warriorconcept

Thanks for the report, will be there for 5 nights in September. By the neighborhood not been greatest, do you mean feeling unsafe or just loud/busy?

Single_Flyer

I haven't felt unsafe (but also not been out around the area at night). It's just on a busy street/highway as many have noted. If you go a few streets behind the hotel there are some little grocery stores and residential area. Seems pretty safe to me.

Breakfast is buffet on the 8th floor. You still have to wear gloves when picking out food. No option to order off a menu that I could find. The buffet food is fine but nothing impressive.

I don't think the property is as bad as others have said. It isn't fantastic, I would say it should be a Regency rather than a Grand to be honest.

I took a taxi/Uber in to the Acropolis this morning for 3 Euro. I've been taking the bus as well just because I enjoy public transit.

Warriorconcept

Good to know, thank you and hope you have a great trip!

david55

The area used to be a red light district.... my guess is some the neighborhood still has that feel. I get the impression that the hotel is basically set up for large tours and less high end cruise ship passengers ( which would stay at the Grande Bretagne) waiting to embark. The location is not really close to anything note worthy.....you can't just walk out and be at the foot of the acropolis or in the Plaka like most hotels. Guests would come out of the hotel directly into a tourist bus to go see the city.

Single_Flyer

Finished my four night stay in a suite. Overall my experience was not as bad as others in this thread.

My two biggest complaints are the breakfast (felt more like a Hilton Garden Inn) and the location of the property. The service was not great but nothing to ruin a stay. I like the rooms and the roof top pool is really nice (if you can find a lounge chair). I found the rates to be very reasonable.

If you want to see pictures or hear more of my impressions, I posted about it here: https://singleflyer.com/2021/07/24/grand-hyatt-athens-review/

david55

Great Review. I still can see no compelling reason to stay there....loyal to Hyatt or not.

Warriorconcept

As a new globalist I am debating between keeping this reservation and swapping to the Hilton next month. Rates seem similar but I'm only gold with Hilton...

david55

The Hilton's location is not great either....kind of far from most of Athens sites.......and a recent post warned that the Hilton's best asset ( it's pool....one of the largest in Athens) is closed for a year for remodeling.

Warriorconcept

Good point, I'll keep the hyatt booking.

craz

To me at least Location is very important and that leaves 2 great hotels unfortunately both Marriotts and Cat 7s, #1 Grange Bretagne and 2nd King George(next door to GB) $ wise the KG is usually cheaper but The GB is just so different and Grand!. Both have many things going for them but 3 things they both have is Location,Location,Location.

I bused it from ATH, but theres a subway stop right there as well. The Palace is a 2 min walk as is the changing of the guard a must see. The old sections are a short walk and even The Acropolis is walkable as is Zeus temple and the arch across. Main shopping street is 2 mins are all the restaurants you will need

Nothing imo compares to walking out of my Hotel and simply being in the middle of it all

david55

But if you wanted to venture away from big corporate hotel chains.... Athens has a plethora of great small boutique hotels that take pride in service, comfort and most important location.

craz

Well then The King George is perfect, it isnt large and most everything is next door at The GB, I believe its usable for those staying at The KG but not 100% sure (same owners). But its not ultra modern but a classic place.

But I agree Id rather be in the heart of it at a non-chain then either The Hilton or Hyatt. To me nothing beats walking out the main door and simply being in the midst of it all, I guess those who want emptiness wont like it. Ive stay in the sticks at newly opened hotels and cabbed it (it was cheap) but after switching to a hotel in the thick of it that wasnt nearly as Grand I liked it much better since it was in the heart of it all, or stayed where public transport got me anywhere and everywhere and still prefer being in it by simply walking out of my hotel. Theres no right or wrong to it but simply what each person prefers.

Flying Buccaneer

I booked five nights at the Grand Hyatt Athens at the "Member Bed and Breakfast" rate of 107 Euros a night. After reading these posts for the past month, I was really second-guessing my decision to stay there and briefly considered booking the Hilton instead to take advantage of my Diamond status. I decided to stick with the Grand Hyatt, and I am glad I did. I have to say a lot of the concerns brought up in this forum were not issues for me.

I checked in around 11 p.m. my arrival night, taking "Athens Airport Taxi" from the airport. The lobby was lively, and the agent who checked me in welcomed me as a Globalist and explained the benefits: upgraded room upon availability (but none were, which I verified at Hyatt.com), bonus points, etc., plus the 20 Euro/day credit at the lobby bar, restaurant on the 8th floor, and at the pool. He also explained breakfast would be served on the 8th floor restaurant between 7 - 11 a.m.

My room was a deluxe king. It faced another building to the south, opposite the north side where the construction might be an issue. The room was a good size with wood floors, basic furniture, and a bath with shower (no tub). There were two bottles of water on each night stand, and there was a welcome note on the table next to the window. In addition, there was a large bottle of still water, a mini bottle of ouzo, and some dried fruits. Most important, the bed was comfortable and the air conditioning worked well, a big issue with the 108-degree temperatures Athens recorded two of the days I was there. Noticeably missing were a refrigerator (which I suspect was the hotel's attempt to get guests to use the minibar) and a teapot. (I didn't use a suite upgrade when I booked because I didn't have any; this is the stay that puts me over 50 nights for the year.)

I enjoyed breakfast each morning. Perhaps it has changed a bit since previous posters commented on it, but there was a wide selection of hot food, fruits, pastries, and other foods. The hot foods were not outstanding: scrambled eggs, fried eggs, plain omelets, bacon, tiny sausages, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, beans... the standard breakfast buffet fare. The cold side had fresh fruits (watermelon, sliced peaches, pineapple chunks) as well as some fruit cups. There were also salads (greens, traditional Greek, quartered tomatoes, etc.), cheeses, cold meats, spreads, assorted yogurts, and toppings. There was also a station with sweet pastries (including mini apple tarts and lemon tarts) and another with savory pastries, including a very good spinach pie cut into squares and small cheese pies. There were also pancakes, but I did not look closely at them.

The staff in the breakfast room was always pleasant and attentive, even when the place was crowded. I did not mind having to wear the blue gloves, and I saw staff members remind guests who approached the buffet without them to put them on. I arrived at 9:30 a.m. the first morning, closer to 7 a.m. the others. Arriving earlier meant better seating (next to a window), but the buffets did not look any more picked over at 9:30 a.m. than they did at 7 a.m.

Other than breakfast, I did not eat at any of the restaurants, but I did visit the lobby bar each evening while I was there. The bartenders were always sociable and attentive. The prices were pretty high, but my 20 Euro per day Globalist credit was enough to get two glasses of Nissos and leave a tip.

Regarding the location, I did not have a problem with it. Yeah, there are a few night clubs across Andrea Syngrou Avenue from the hotel, but there are also some hotels, a Mikel coffee shop, and other businesses. I never crossed the busy avenue, nor did I go south of the hotel on the avenue. As you walk north (northeast actually) on Syngrou Avenue, there is the construction site, the Onassis Stegi (performing arts center), another construction site, a conference center, the Intercontinental Athenaeum Hotel, and then some smaller business. A little farther up (about 10 minutes from the hotel by foot) is the National Museum of Contemporary Art, which I highly recommend. It's in what used to be a brewery for Fix beer and has an interesting collection. It's not exactly the Tate Modern (it does charge 8 Euros), but it's worth a long browse. The rooftop has nice views of the Acropolis. The museum is next to a metro station, which would be the closest one to the hotel. I never took public transportation, so I cannot speak for how easy it is to use.

The Plaka is about 30 minutes by foot from the hotel. Yes, I did walk it a few times in the heat. 100+ degrees in Athens is actually not as bad as 90 degrees in Tampa (or Washington, New York, or Nashville, for that matter). I also took Ubers (which are actually taxis) to the Plaka and back a few times, and I think the most expensive fare I ever paid to the Plaka was 6 Euros. I did summon a taxi from Monastirika one afternoon, and the fare to the hotel was 8 Euros. Other than rides from/to the airport, that was my most expensive fare.

I know we all have our preferences about this, but I actually prefer staying a little out of the touristic centers of cities. As an example, my spouse and I did a trip to Madrid in early July. We spent 4 nights at the Hyatt Centric Gran Via, which we enjoyed, but I actually preferred the two nights we spent at the Hyatt Regency Hesperia because it was away from the crowds of Gran Via. (In fairness, the Hyatt Regency is next to a metro station so still convenient to everything in Madrid).

I did not notice any large tourist groups while I was at the Grand Hyatt, but it was definitely full of tourists. Most seemed to be from the US from the conversations I heard and people I spoke to in the elevator. One evening in the bar, I overheard a middle-aged foursome discussing their cruise, so I assume it is a hotel for many passengers pre/post-cruise. There were also families and couples who seemed to be interested in sightseeing. I assume the hotel's low rates, which had risen to the 150 Euro range by the time of my stay, attracted many of them.

One of the reasons I did not eat any meals besides breakfast at the hotel was because there are some wonderful tavernas in the neighborhood behind the hotel. I imagine most guests never explore the tree-lined residential streets behind the hotel. Just exit the hotel's front door, turn right onto Leontiou (the street between the hotel and the construction). Walk one block and there is Naif, a nice coffee shop that seemed to have a heavily LGBT clientele. I went there twice for coffee and another time for a sandwich. Walk another block to my favorite taverna, Kalamakeri. An ice cold Fix beer, an order of tzatziki with pita, and a Greek salad is about 10 Euros. They also had more substantial meals that were priced reasonably, but I stuck mostly to cooler foods while I was in Athens because of the heat. I also tried Ta Filarakia, which was a few blocks from Naif. The fried meatballs with potatoes, bread, Greek salad, and 1/2 liter of wine were 15 Euros. Both places appeared to be sole proprietorships where one person took the order, prepared it, and served it to you while you sit at a table under a tree on the sidewalk. To me, that's a much better experience than eating at a hotel restaurant or even the most highly-recommended restaurant in a tourist center.

For those who want to self-cater (even though my room lacked a refrigerator), a Lidl supermarket is a five-minute walk from the hotel.

There is one feature of the hotel that stands out in today's COVID world: COVID testing is available between 10-11 a.m. and 4-5 p.m. The hotel partners with a local clinic, and the prices are reasonable. The PCR test is 60 Euros and the rapid antigen test is 30 Euros. If you go to the clinic in Piraeus, the costs are 40 and 15 Euros, respectively. I did the rapid test one morning at about 10:15 a.m. and received the results by email at 12:45 p.m. My wait was only about five minutes and the test itself was over in a minute, including having the nurse record my information. The hotel was also happy to print my results, as well as my UK Passenger Locator Form.

Overall, this is a good, not great, property. There were some housekeeping inconsistencies: no fresh towels one day, and water was not replenished two days. In addition, just about any tourist activity requires a taxi/Uber or a long walk. However, at the rate I paid, I would consider it a bargain. I would stay again without hesitation even if the rate were a little higher, especially if I could use a suite upgrade.