One Night in Athens

Q: I need a really special hotel in Athens for a two-night stopover on my way back from Santorini in September. My partner is dreading the stay, so I would like to impress her with a really funky boutique hotel or something else that stands out from the crowd. - Jim Laskan

A: The Grande Bretagne is the grande dame of Athenian hotels and was once the home to the first king of modern Greece. It has hosted a host of royals and world celebrities and is "the" place to stay. The original marble lobby, neo-Baroque furniture and Persian rugs remain, while a renovation in 2003 gave it an chic rooftop pool, spa and a restaurant that will make you feel on top of the world (www.grandebretagne.gr). However, if you prefer something less classical, there are a surprising number of contenders. Fresh Hotel is a trendy design hotel with white minimalist interiors contrasted with splashes of colour. Rooms have wooden floors, chrome and leather furniture and plasma TVs. A rooftop pool and bar, surrounded by tempting cream sofas, has a great Acropolis view (www.freshhotel.gr). The oddly-named Classical Baby Grand Hotel vows guests from the start with a funky reception designed as a garage, with check-in desks placed in two vintage Mini Coopers. The Athens fashion crowd flock to the Moët Champagne bar and the restaurant named Meat Me. Unsurprisingly, each room is individually styled with themes ranging from comic book style to fairyland to Greek Byzantine decor. There is no pool but it this could be the coolest hotel in Athens (www.classicalhotels.com). Another hotel with individually styled rooms is Hotel Fox, whose 61 rooms are designed by 21 artists. They range from start mimimalism and street art to Japanese manga and spaced-out fantasies. Use the free wi-fi or rent an iPod and a bicycle to get out and about. Your mini-bar contains pre-packaged picnic-style bags, but these go with a "movie" or a "hangover". Expect many quirky extras (www.hotelfox.dk). Finally, for a hotel with a harbour view, try 71 Nyhavn. Designed in an old warehouse, the rooms retains exposed wooden beams updated with every luxury and soft leather furnishings. A surprising twist is the hotel's subterranean gourmet restaurant, which has a street-level view of passing feet (www.71nyhavnhotel.com). (1/8/10)