Dorian Inn Hotel - Athens, Greece 

Good basic city break hotel
Posted: Thu, Jul 20 2006
This hotel has been refurbished and is OK - it's the area that is NOT OK. We were 3 women finishing our tour of Greece and chose this hotel because of its rooftop pool however our last day in Athens was only mid 20s and the pool is on the 12th floor and the water and the air way up there were too cold to get in but the view and bar facility there was gorgeous. The room was one of the biggest we'd experienced and the 3rd bed was a divan type of bed which was far better than a camp stretcher with 5cm foam mattress down close to the floor which is what we'd had to endure for a 3rd bed at the previous hotel. When we went out to find a restaurant we found ourselves in a scarey area (the street which the Dorian Inn is on the corner of) where people were staggering, doped out, cops galore and a large contingent of coloured and non-Greek men in groups which made us feel vulnerable and we walked (almost ran) along the road trying to find our way to a better street. We could only find cheap fast food places - not a restaurant anywhere - we'd have been OK had we opted to remain in the hotel restaurant and forget about walking. Omonia square is not the place to be and I would never go back to that area. It's a pity about the area because the hotel was good for the budget price we paid.

Good and bad
Posted: Thu, Apr 13 2006
I stayed at the Dorian at the begining and end of a 10 day trip - Feb/Mar 2006. The good included an excellent spread for breakfast and a good location for getting the subway. Most of the time the staff were very nice. Our one supper in the hotel was very filling. Sheets were clean and bathroom was Greek minimal but sparkling. The roof gardens with pool is always mentioned as a high point in reviews but the door was locked and that area was not opened when we last visited Mar 3rd. The bad included a scary alleyway next door (be careful at night in this area) which our first room overlooked and the noise - I gather the hotel is popular with school trips. We were above party central for 3 nights. One remedy for this I guess would be to ask for a room away from the central staircase which funnels noise up from all floors. Not all rooms are equal. They offer some squishy rooms (3 adult women in a room for two with a cot)as well as some nicer accomidations with proper space for three beds and a lovely bath. We luckily had one of these nicer rooms at the end of the trip so we ended on a high note.

Dorian Inn Hotel an Excellent Choice!
Posted: Tue, Mar 28 2006
I am a travel agent with 30 years of travel industry experience and I made the mistake of taking the recommendation of a tour operator and using this hotel for my group. I escorted the trip and nearly lost all credibility with my clients because this place is a dump! The lobby looks ok, but the rooms and the service are awful. The toilet seat in my bathroom didn't even fit the toilet - it was just laying loosely on the top, there was only a hand held shower and a tub, no shower curtain. Towels were thin and rough. The bed was without a doubt the worst one I've ever tried to sleep on. No one slept anyway because of the noise, evidently lots of locals use this hotel for all-night parties. I made reservations for dinner for my group in advance and there was only one poor waitress trying to serve all the guests in the restaurant. It took hours to get our food and everyone was angry. My complaints to the front desk were completely dismissed - the desk clerk just handed me a business card and said I could write them a letter. Spend the money and go to a better hotel. Trust me, you'd regret staying here.

Do Not Stay Here!
Posted: Sat, Jan 28 2006
I am a travel agent with 30 years of travel industry experience and I made the mistake of taking the recommendation of a tour operator and using this hotel for my group. I escorted the trip and nearly lost all credibility with my clients because this place is a dump! The lobby looks ok, but the rooms and the service are awful. The toilet seat in my bathroom didn't even fit the toilet - it was just laying loosely on the top, there was only a hand held shower and a tub, no shower curtain. Towels were thin and rough. The bed was without a doubt the worst one I've ever tried to sleep on. No one slept anyway because of the noise, evidently lots of locals use this hotel for all-night parties. I made reservations for dinner for my group in advance and there was only one poor waitress trying to serve all the guests in the restaurant. It took hours to get our food and everyone was angry. My complaints to the front desk were completely dismissed - the desk clerk just handed me a business card and said I could write them a letter. Spend the money and go to a better hotel. Trust me, you'd regret staying here.

Wouldn't go back...
Posted: Mon, Dec 05 2005
Omonia is a horrible area, lots of cheap stalls, beggers and sex shops. They say they have cleaned it up but it must have been really grim previously. The hotel public areas are fine and the breakfast was good for Greek standards. The rooftop bar commands great views of Athens and there is a rooftop pool which looked clean. The room was ok on first impressions, large with a tv and air con but it was full of mosquitos. We killed about 20 on arrival. There were also mosquitos in the lift and lobby area. For this reason alone I definitely wouldn't go back, there are better hotels for the same cost in nicer areas. Stick to the Plaka.