NEW Hotel

The NEW Hotel’s location offers the best of both worlds. On one side is the bustling museums district, meaning many of the city’s historical and cultural attractions are within easy walking distance. On the other is the serene National Garden, a beautiful space of landscaped lawns, paths and palm trees.

The rooms and suites have an eye-catching contemporary design, including natural materials, alongside an extensive use of jagged, jigsaw-like shapes and mirrored walls. They feature tailor-made furniture, contemporary handcrafted pieces, solid bamboo floors and floor-to-ceiling windows with street views. The bathrooms have a slightly industrial-chic feel, with hammered copper sinks and fittings, while there are some nods to traditional culture if you look close enough – decorative blue wall lights strongly resemble thenazar amulets traditionally used to ward off the evil eye.

All rooms have TVs and music systems, and you’ll get good night’s sleep here - despite the hotel’s central location, light and noise aren’t an issue, thanks to blackout blinds and soundproof windows.

The main restaurant, New Taste, pays tribute to Brazilian favelas in its eye-catching design, but the food is a broadly Mediterranean affair. Be sure to make it for breakfast – there’s a Parisian chef in charge of the superb breads and pastries, produced by the hotel’s in-house bakery, while you’ll also have the chance to try traditional Greek breakfast foods such as strapatsada, a delicious egg and tomato dish. For food with a view, head to the rooftop Art Lounge – also a great place for an evening cocktail.

The spa is as stylish a space as the rest of the hotel, but less predictable is its creative menu of treatments. Phyto-marine therapies use mineral rich mud and seaweed to drain toxins from your lymphatic system, while a seashell massage uses heated tiger clams from the South Pacific. There’s even an aromatherapy treatment which claims to combat jet lag. Suitably refreshed, head for a workout at the high-tech gym, where you’ll find weights and cardio equipment.

Thanks to its central location, the NEW Hotel is well placed for exploring Athens' main attractions, with Constitution Square just 200 metres down the road, historic sights nearby and an abundance of shops, galleries and museums on your doorstep.

Culture vultures will love the hotel’s location, right in the heart of things and a stone’s throw from several famous monuments. These include Hadrian’s Arch, built for the Roman emperor almost 1,000 years ago; the Ancient Agora of Athens, a millennia-old meeting space; and, most iconic of all, the Acropolis and the Parthenon. Once you’ve had your fill of ancient history, make for the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST), the only institution of its kind in Greece.