The Margi Hotel – Vouliagmeni, Athenian Riviera

Date of travel : Visited a few times, our last visit being September 2018

We are lucky most years to take a cruise with friends around the stunning Greek Islands, and this boutique hotel is our absolute ‘must go to’ for our pre-cruise stay in Athens.

With just 89 rooms this wonderful little hotel is situated minutes away by foot to the stunning Astir Beach Club, and approximately ten minutes walk into town. Designed with muted colours, hardwood floors, rattan rugs, and candles flickering in small recesses, it’s cosy yet trendy, and the service is excellent. Boasting a fantastic fashionable pool area, with cushions scattered on luxurious lounge beds, olive trees and Bougainvillea plants planted around the area, and a great little bar which is wonderful in the evening for a pre-dinner aperitif. 

There’s a super restaurant at the hotel too, and the hotel have their own organic farm, resulting in the ingredients used in their creations being fresh and healthy. We really enjoy sitting out on the warm summer evenings with a glass of cold wine enjoying the local Greek delicacies, including fresh Octopus, beautiful Greek Salads, and homemade dips. Rooms are very comfortable, with super beds, trendy little ‘carpeted’ balconies, and well equipped bathrooms with good showers. The air con works well too, a must at the beginning of September in Athens!

 In the area around the hotel there are some amazing alternative dining choices. We love the fine dining Ithaki restaurant, with its incredible views over the sea, and the fabulous family run Lozidis Taverna in the town, which offers simple Greek home cooking at its best. The family at Lozidis are so welcoming, and they always greet us like long lost friends, which is lovely.

Only around 30 minutes in a taxi from Athens airport, it’s a great place to stay if you’ve done the sights of Athens before, and are looking for an upmarket beach venue with great dining options. There are places to visit in and around the area too. We took a taxi to Lake Vouliagmeni while we were there, which was a lovely experience. The waters of the lake are refreshingly cool, and you can swim or paddle in the lake which is full of those little skin nibbling fish that love dead skin! It feels very strange to begin with, but after a while you get used to it, and you are literally covered in the little nibblers. When you leave the water you are all polished up and nice and smooth, a spa treatment like no other!

Hopefully we will return again next year. Greece in the summer is so special, and cruising the Greek Islands is a truly wonderful experience, especially when the pre-cruise stay is at the delectable Margi Hotel…

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