Located right in the heart of the Greek capital since 1874, landmark Hotel Grande Bretagne makes for a luxurious overnight stay, with suites and services fit for a royal. Although it only takes around 3-4 hours to fly from London to Athens, this journey seemed to be particularly grueling and it’s safe to say that, after arriving in beautiful Athens, I could hardly wait to explore the grounds of the lavish hotel. With breathtaking views of the magical Acropolis, lush Lycabettus Hill and the original Olympic Stadium, it was clear to see that the multi-awarded, 5-star Hotel Grande Bretagne offered everything you could wish for and more; an unrivalled perspective of Athens’ mythical history and deep culture.

The hotel’s extensive infrastructure includes 15 meeting rooms, with the ability to host anything from 6 to 800 attendees. In addition to this, and with meticulous attention to detail, the hotel’s 320 rooms and suites link together charming old-world elegance with state-of-the-art facilities, providing its guests with the best of both worlds, and promising to suit the desires of every traveller.

Due to its prime location, the hotel is within walking distance of exclusive shopping areas, museums and the majority of the city’s other main attractions, although unfortunately, this time around, I wasn’t able to enjoy these as such, being scheduled to set off on my weeklong cruise first thing in the morning. The Acropolis and the milestone of Parthenon are situated within close distance of the hotel, and Plaka – the old historical neighbourhood of Athens – is clustered around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis. Monastiraki Flea Market is also close by, and is ‘the’ place to go for unique antiques and gifts, as well as a selection of hand-made souvenirs.

Over the last 11 years, Hotel Grande Bretagne has been recognized internationally and has been rewarded with an extensive list of rewards, emphasising just how top-of-the-range the hotel is. Back in 2006 and 2007, Hotel Grande Bretagne was awarded with a stream of Philoxenia Awards, including Most Luxurious Hotel in Greece, Best Historical Hotel in Greece, Best Traditional Hotel, Most Luxurious Hotel Property, Best Hotel Restaurant and Best City Hotel, as well as numerous other achievements from bodies such as Travel & Leisure Magazine, Forbes and Expedia. As we well know, the reputation of a hotel or any property, for that matter, can change drastically, and experiences are subjective, but Hotel Grande Bretagne has strived to remain one of the world’s most prestigious venues. In 2015 alone, the hotel received further recognitions such as The Top 100 Hotels 2015: Europe, The Tripadvisor Hall of Fame Award 2015, and Gold Standard Award, whilst ranking among the world’s most elegant hotels list. Does it really get much better than that?