Because I rely so heavily on reviews, I like to provide any readers a thoughtful response. This place is one like no other on Earth and I’m so glad we chose this place to stay while in Athens. The photos on the AirBnB site do not do justice to the breathtaking view and the apartment is architected to make the most of this asset. First, the apartment is minimally furnished so to highlight the stone lining the apartment walls, the sitting benches and the bedframe. To be within a contemporary stone structure looking at an ancient stone structure is an experience that can be found only here. Second, the bed (which is super comfortable) is situated to maximize the view. Waking up and not having to barely move to see the Acropolis in its full glory, a sight we’ve all seen countless times in photos, is a treat of a lifetime. Let me also add, the stone bathroom is huge!
Another great thing about the apartment is how it is right in the middle of everything. Still, it very quiet for being in such a lively locations, although you will hear church bells ring. I believe there is only one other tenant in the building, the rest are perhaps business offices although I noticed no one else coming or going during my stay. Regarding safety, the door to the apartment is like a steel bank vault door – I doubt it could be blown open with dynamite. Also, being 6 floors up, I am grateful there’s a lift.
I also want to mention that I was able to do an early checking in to drop off luggage with the cleaning woman. In fact, because I encountered a personal issue as I arrived, she was very kind and helpful to me. She does a thorough job as the apartment was super clean and fresh.
The communication with Claris and the entire management team was top notch. I had the feeling they really cared that my husband and I had a great experience.
These apartment attributes more than make up for a couple of the apartment quirks. The entrance door to the building is locked at night and opened in the morning. That’s a good thing, but know that during the day the entire building is open, and often we found the glass entry doors propped open. Be aware of your surroundings.
The projector that is featured so prominently in the AirBnB photos seems to not have been working for some time. The management team did sincerely want to fix it for us and sent a very nice maintenance person our first night to fix it. This gentleman spent an hour or so trying to get it to work good enough, but he needed more time and equipment because it had yet to be mounted on the ceiling. We declined the management team’s offer to have a more technical person work on it as we wanted to maximize our time in Athens. We did find out that the projector was new, but because the apartment had been rented back to back, there was never enough time in between tenants to set it up. Claris and team did work to make amends for this.
Know that there is little storage. There’s a small closet with a dresser and hangers, but you will likely need to stash your luggage somewhere in the living space because if you put them in the closet you can’t the dresser drawers don’t open. Also, there is no electrical outlet in the bathroom. I had to use the provided hair dryer in the kitchen. If you dry your hair this way, know that you can open the closet door to see yourself in the mirror.
Now for a couple very minor details and tips. There are several banks of light switches in the apartment. It’s an amazing array of light configurations, but as the apartment seems to be exclusively used by AirBnBers, it would be handy to have the switches labeled. We never did find the switch that turned on the closet light. The bathroom could use another towel bar (and another hand towel please) and a vent. The alternative is to leave the bathroom door open when you shower or else the room will fill with condensation. There was no kitchen towel so we reserved a bath towel for kitchen use. Finally, be careful when getting out of bed, especially in the middle of the night, as you will need to step on the sitting bench then to the floor.
Thank you Claris and team for a fantastic stay.