JOUY31

I am afraid you will have to pay for it.

gpapadop

Unless you have mucho dinero to blow on breakfast at the hotel, you can step outside and all around the Syntagma square are places you can buy food in MUCH more affordable prices. I always love the gyros sandwiches! And try the greek fast food chain "goodys" if you are into this kind of food, infinite times better than McD's. Have a drink in the bar of the hotel at the top overlooking the city! And stay away from the Citibank branches...Greeks like to bomb them lately:-)

troyb

Staying here now, nice place. Got a nice platinum upgrade, but they should call the courtyard view what it really is - a back alley view.

puchalskir

Did they upgrade you to a suite? I'm curious, I'll be staying there for my birthday in a couple weeks.

Did you have to ask for the upgrade?

Thanks.
Rich

troyb

Yup suite. I believe it was pre-blocked because I noticed the room number on the key booklet before I asked what type of room I was in.

ucsf_med

Is the free breakfast on all paid nights or do the terms of the rate/package specifically mention breakfast included? I'm not seeing any mention of included breakfast in the paid rates on the dates I'm interested for October.

I read in the thread that the breakfast is definitely not included in award nights, but what about cash and points (I've been to a property where the breakfast was included with C+P but not with award nights)?

mauld

Unless your reservation specifically mentions that breakfast in included with your rate--- it is not. Platinums, do not generally get free breakfast at Starwoods. So unless you got a mention of free breakfast with your reservation, you'll be paying for it--- and the cost can be quite high.

troyb

Definetly not free breakfast on all paid nights. If I remember correctly, breakfast at the rooftop restaurant (which I think is the only place you can get breakfast), was around EUR 30. Decent spread but nothing great, it was more about the view.

LTN Phobia

Could someone tell me if the restaurant and/or room service food at Grande Bretagne is of good quality, please?

leo-chan

It was good in February this year when I was there.. Had dinner at GB Corner and breakfast up at the breakfast room...

Booked the cheapest available Classic Room and was upgraded to a Deluxe Suite with Lycabettus Hill view

Look up the butler, Spyros! He's great!

troyb

Restaurant and room service are OK, nothing great, especially considering the prices. I was disappointed by the breakfast - given that they have an awesome view from the rooftop, a really good breakfast would have been perfect. Room service was generally good quality but again, nothing memorable, and certainly on the expensive end even by room service standards.

LTN Phobia

Thank you for your replies.

Food was not exactly cheap but was of good quality (I had a dinner), so I was happy with that. I didn't have breakfast because I had to do quite a lot of things in the morning and ran out of time.

Everyone at the hotel was so lovely and service was impeccable. The manager who happened to be hanging around the front desk somehow addressed me by name even though I hadn't met him or told him the room number. That was rather impressive. The butler (who wasn't Spyros) was lovely too.

This is definitely going to be my favourite hotel in Athens. It's definitely the best Starwood property I have stayed at so far.

ajacpril

Planning to stay at the property next month. Does anyone know whether they have parking on site and what they charge per night. Secondly, if this is an expensive option, are there reasonably priced public parking lots withing walking distance?

sc flier

I had not previously noticed the link to this hotel's history on its website. I found it interesting and so am posting the link to it here.

claes059

Pictures of my stay: http://travel.webshots.com/album/578274117GMdNSW

In july 2010 I travelled from Amsterdam to Athens. I transferred from the airport with the fast and busy metro. The Metrostop is just in front of the hotel. So that’s very easy.
Upon my requests the hotel did upgrade me to a deluxe terrace room with a wonderful view of the Acropolis!!! They spoiled me and put me on the butler floor! They told me it was a big exception, but hey I was really happy.
For this floor one has to be checked in on the executive floor: butler lounge. Upon entering this lounge I was somewhat surprised since I was so small. And especially when the butlers were there , almost no space. . I guess they could have made it more spacious and luxurious, regarding the style of this Grand hotel. So the hotel could offer a real club/executive lounge for the guests.
Checkin was efficient and friendly. I could make a choice between cool glass of water or the champagne. It was great because it was around 40 degrees C outside!

The butler accompanied me to the room. Upon entering the room, my first reaction was it was rather small. The view from terrace was however Wonderful ( I know it is not a Whotel, but it was really Wonderful and Wow!) I could see the Olympic stadium, the Parliament building, the Sytagma square and of course the Acropolis with the beautiful ancient Parthenon. I have seen so many gorgeous views in my life but this one is for me one the most wonderful of them all!
The terrace offered two chairs and a table. One pleasant aspect is the hedge, it gives some privacy.

The deluxe room was luxurious and the bed was very comfortable. Everything one can expect of this category of Grand hotels was in the room. I did have a problem with the lights however, I could choose between all the lights on, or only the small bedlights. I would have preferred some more choices concerning the lightning.
A flatsquare tv was in a tv cabinet. I noticed the same in the Sheraton Brussels suites, the hotel has changed this for the better! If one puts the flatsquare tv on the wall, it would give this room much more space. And I do think these kind of design tv’s do not belong inside of a tv cabinet…

The marble bathroom was beautiful and offered a deep bathtub with a combi shower, no separate shower. Upgraded bath amenities of Gilchrist&Soames. So everything one needs for a relaxing bath.

I was very eager to see the swimming pool and the rooftop terrace. The pool area offers a relatively large bar, the pool itself is rather smallish. One section on the left of the pool offered sunbeds. The personnel at this bar was very friendly and smiling. I felt at home!

At the rooftop terrace I ordered a Mojito, they told me Greek style, 17 euros, I believe. It tasted very good and strong. Together with the view of the Acropolis what could one have more? Well I was hungry after my trip and decided to have dinner while having this kind of view. I asked the waiter if I could get a table with this great view when I decided to have dinner here.
Only one or two guests had dinner here. I really wanted to have the first row of tables with amazing views, but this was not possible. The idea was to locate me behind everything, behind or near the glass in the restaurant, etc. But I did refuse, I wanted my view ofcourse. So finally I was located at the end and in the middle of the restaurant where I did have a view of the Parthenon... Service was ok here. I asked for some Greek specialties but it appeared most of the menu did not offer Greek dishes. I did manage to order a Greek salad though and a lamsrack, advised by the supervisor. The recommended Greek wine tasted very good, strong and deep. So no need for the Wines of the World’s, my favorite Marques de Riscal.
The small breads tasted very well, but I did not know how to use the large bottle with two spouts. I noticed now, some of the waiters were acting a little arrogant, like I should know how to use it. Well first I asked for some butter. When they served the butter to me, I thought I was acting so foolish and just asked a nice waiter how to use it. One nice waiter showed me how to use it, and I was happy with this. I noticed several other guests with the same problem having dinner. Not one waiter helped them out.

The Greek salad was tasteless, like it was made in a factory. The feta was very dry. I know now for sure since in the restaurant of the Sheraton Rhodes this salad was heavenly good! The lamsrack was also rather tasteless and dry, served with some small portion of tasteless spinach in puff pastry ( cost 36 euro).
But hey, the view was so beautiful, and this was the main reason to have dinner here.
Since I did not like the food, I had only cappuccino for dessert and it tasted well. So, the drinks are perfect here, but the food can be much better. I told the waiter I did not like the food but he seemed not very interested.

Well in the meantime many guests entered the restaurant. So it became busy. It appeared to me that some waiters acted rather arrogant to the guests and also to me. One moment I did not feel comfortable since three of them were staring at me at the side, how I was eating my lambsrack. I have had dinner in many upscale restaurants but have not experienced this before, except for the Sheraton Cesme in Turkey.
I guess when so many celebrities stay here, a waiter can choose to have an attitude like this.
I noticed an older couple who did not act like they were VIP”s, but just guests who wanted to enjoy a dinner with a wonderful view. Well, it was painful to see how they were treated. They were offered tables with no view or hardly any view. They walked away and came back, and went away and finally had a table with a sort of side view. I almost wanted to give them my table, since it would be so romantic for them.
Many tables were still free and other guest took the nice tables with grand view. Besides me tables with better views stayed free.

During breakfast in the rooftop restaurant is was always very busy. The first time I was very lucky, I had a small sort of high Bartable and chair with prime view. In general the buffet offers a good selection of breads, pastries but a small selection of cold cut meat, fruit, fruit juices, yogurt and warm dishes . I liked the very fine scrambled eggs, the ham and Greek low fat yoghurt. The scrambled egg in the buffet was presented in a rather small bowl. In general the quality of the breakfastproduct was ok, but it was not really special.
The served coffee is American, for me it tasted like tea. I asked for the double espresso with milk, this tasted better but it was not the best coffee I have tasted. At one moment one waitress stopped me with her hand as a sign to stop me, when I asked another double espresso. It had never happened to me before, really never. When I asked her later, she told me it was too busy, every guestswas asking something and she could not cope with this, I think.

I met some guests who had dinner in the rooftop restaurant. They did have the same experience as I did and they told me the food was much better and much more economic in another restaurant.
When I had a talk with the supervisor of the butlerfloor, she told me she would have a talk with the restaurant. She told me afterwards I did not have to pay for the food, but only for the drinks since I liked them. So I was rather positively surprised and experienced the good service of this supervisor.

In general all public spaces were well kept and spacious. I had a quick look in the Alexander’s bar and the Wintergarden and was impressed. Just like you expect in a Grand hotel as the Grande Bretagne.

Personnel is in general very friendly and my butler was very service minded.

I did not have time to visit the Spa and fitnessroom, I was too busy to visit the museums ( new Acropolis museum is a must) and ancient places in Athina!

The hotel has a perfect central location for visiting the ancient sites and is close to the Plaka and shopping streets. ( Ermou f.i.)

It would be great to return to this beautiful luxury collection hotel in Athens, and to the room with terrace with the wonderful view of the Acropolis. However I will not have dinner at the rooftop restaurant if they do not improve their quality and their kind of service/attitude. But I do wish to have the enjoyment of a perfect drink with a view here, albeit not on the first row of tables since I was not allowed!

Pictures of my stay: http://travel.webshots.com/album/578274117GMdNSW