The Hostelz.com Review
Athens Backpackers is easy to find and conveniently located next to the Acropolis Metro Station (about fifty steps). The entrance to the Acropolis, Hadrian's Gate, and Temple of Olympian are all five minutes away.
The hostel is owned by an Australian family, so language isn't a problem (if you speak English, that is). Bedsheets, pillow case, towels, and breakfast are all complimentary (although breakfast is nothing fancy, just toast and jam). There are a few computers in the lobby which offer broadband internet access for a small price. If you don't live on the first floor, be prepared to climb stairs because the elevator is extremely small (less than two by four) and doesn't look very sturdy. Bags can be stored on the mezzanine floor, which is above the bar. Anyone can access the mezzanine, so don't leave anything you might regret losing.
The breakfast area turns into a bar/club in the evening and can become quite noisy. If toga parties are your thing, then have a blast. But for those seeking some respite after a long day, not even the fourth floor can escape the din of the midnight revelers. Also, the acoustics of the spiral staircase have a way of amplifying noises.
The room itself is very basic, but generally clean. There are no closets or coat hangers. But there is one bedpost per bunker to fold your clothes in. There is also a balcony and if you live on the fifth floor, you can get a great view of the Parthenon. All in all, this hostel is inexpensive and conveniently located within easy reach of star attractions.
The hostel is owned by an Australian family, so language isn't a problem (if you speak English, that is). Bedsheets, pillow case, towels, and breakfast are all complimentary (although breakfast is nothing fancy, just toast and jam). There are a few computers in the lobby which offer broadband internet access for a small price. If you don't live on the first floor, be prepared to climb stairs because the elevator is extremely small (less than two by four) and doesn't look very sturdy. Bags can be stored on the mezzanine floor, which is above the bar. Anyone can access the mezzanine, so don't leave anything you might regret losing.
The breakfast area turns into a bar/club in the evening and can become quite noisy. If toga parties are your thing, then have a blast. But for those seeking some respite after a long day, not even the fourth floor can escape the din of the midnight revelers. Also, the acoustics of the spiral staircase have a way of amplifying noises.
The room itself is very basic, but generally clean. There are no closets or coat hangers. But there is one bedpost per bunker to fold your clothes in. There is also a balcony and if you live on the fifth floor, you can get a great view of the Parthenon. All in all, this hostel is inexpensive and conveniently located within easy reach of star attractions.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
November 2006
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Athens Backpackers Reviews from the WebHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Great location, super homey atmosphere Stayed here for 3 days, after the most horrendous night in a hostel in the Omonia area (dont go there!!!). At 21 euros per night a bit expensive, but this is well made up for -- Nice staff, fine dorm rooms, perfect location near the acropolis, free coffee, tea and early bird breakfast. Best thing about this hostel though is the interaction with other travelers in the downstairs bar. I met lots of people and had so much fun with them!! — Hugo , Netherlands (2011-04-05) Relaxing with friendly helpful staff in best location in Athens I stayed at the backpackers part of this hostel-Studios from 5th to 23rd November 2009 and it was great. Located within a two-minute walk from Acropolis Metro, five minutes from Acropolis and other historical attractions. It's in the best location in Athens, near many affordable restaraunts and hostel has its own bar three minutes walk away where the simple, healthy breakfast is served -- next door to a launderette. Bar hosts weekly pub quizzes amongst other activities and has the cheapest beer in Athens at 3 Euroes a pint and 2 Euroes a pint during happy hour -- 7 to 8 p.m. All the staff are fantastic, welcoming, friendly, and helpful, I had a blast. The only addition to make the hostel perfect would be a snack machine for chocolate after midnight! There is no kitchen at present as the Greek authority made them rebuild it and change the license law. However, it should be back up and running by January if not sooner. The rooftop bar is only open in summer at the backpackers due to cold weather after October! It's a fun place and I met so many cool people. Will return next year. — Blind Tony , England (2009-11-25) Really nice hostel I stayed here in June, and was impressed right away. The location couldn't get any better, the people were fun, most of the staff were really nice. The kitchen was great, the rooms were sufficiently clean. It was nice to have the rooftop terrace and en-suite bathrooms. Happy hour at the bar and their pub crawl were lots of fun. It's literally right next to the Acropolis, right near the metro Akropoli, and walking distance to almost every attraction. Everything was pretty new and clean, I don't really have any complaints except that there were a few instances where the staff seemed a bit irritated/exasperated with minor requests (I asked them if they could call me a cab). — Marissa , Canada (2008-09-18) Great location, comfortable bed This hostel is centrally located, within walking distance of every touristic attraction. There is a lot of cheap and excellent restaurant around. Cheap beer at the hostel, nice atmosphere. They organize trips to wonderful places but go by your own it is much cheaper and it does not worth the guide and the lunch included. One major deception, the shower, not so great. — Marie-Pier , Canada (2008-01-09) My daughter and I stayed in this bedbug-infested hostel and can not find many positive things to say. The staff was rude, the place was filthy, and we spent the two nights there being bitten by the bedbugs. We couldn't have gotten much sleep anyway with people staggering down from the roof-top. They tell everyone to write in and give them top marks. We will never go back! — debra , canada (2007-05-16) This hostel was good. The staff was very nice and the kitchen/lounge was convenient. The cooked dinner was very good and convenient. The laundry facilities were convenient also. Fairly secure. Only issue was the bathroom -- the showers leak and flood the bathroom and each bathroom comes with a squeegie to clean the water off the floor when you are done. Also, the curtain sticks to you. Other than that, the place was good. — Leanne , Canada (2007-05-10) i am a real traveler of many years, and i think the hostel is a perfect representation of a backpackers. it was clean, safe, spacious. sure they partied and were busy, but the staff i think tried their best to keep us all happy. and i mean if you're a backpacker, you should have some ability to take care of yourself. honestly i believe this hostel is great, definitely the most entertainment i've had at a hostel anywhere, and really highlights the statement "you get what you pay for." so if you want to sit quietly in your room, or avoid meeting anybody i don't recommend this hostel -- i don't recommend any hostels, go to a hotel. athens backpackers, keep up the good work. (and get some O.J. for breakfast). — fred terrio (2006-11-27) This hostel was pretty bad. I chose it based on the great reviews online but was severely disappointed. The staff was highly unprofessional, and it seemed at times that if you weren't (as a girl) flirty with the male staff that you wouldn't get proper service. Additionally, I thought it was extremely dirty and had to ask on more than one occassion for our room to be cleaned. One of the staff members admitted to me that they don't always clean the blankets because it "would be too expensive and wasteful of water." Yuck! The sinks were clogged, the showers would leave a an inch of water on the floor, and the list goes on and on! At one point a staff member even told me to get online and give them a five. Beware travelers! This place isn't that great. Only thing in their favor is that it was in a great location. — LJR (2006-05-31) Ok, so we arrived in Athens at 2 a.m. and showed up at the wrong hostel, Athens Backpackers. Our showing up at the wrong hostel was probably the best mistake ever! They were booked, but "built us a nest" and let us stay there anyway. The staff are amazing, super friendly, and really love to party! The hostel was really clean, has an amazing view, and is really close to the Metro. The rooftop bar looks out at the Acropolis. The bar inside is always stocked and the guys who work there are always looking to drink with the girls who stay there! There were people here from all over, and they were all so nice. If you're looking for a nice quiet hostel, this is NOT the place for you! If you're looking for the biggest partiers in Athens, come here! We LOVE Athens Backpackers and all the boys who work there! — Crazy American #1 (2005-11-06) This place kicks ass. The staff are sound as you like and extremely helpful. It is decked out with all the mod-cons (modern conveniences), it's clean and bang in the center of Athens. It is worth every penny/cent/tolar. The atmosphere is second to none and I made some good friends, albeit I had a short stay. I'll be back. There is a quality chill-out zone with comfy sofas and a big screen showing movies daily, as well as a roof top bar with one of the best backdrops in the world — the Acropolis. The mix of people here is diverse, with lone travelers, oldies, gay gays, hot chicks, stud-u-likes and happy families. Make sure you book in advance because there is understandably a high demand and you don't want to miss out. ENJOY. — Garth McWilliam (2005-07-05) If you're looking to get trashed and not get any sleep, perhaps with a lovely person throwing up all night in the dorm bed next to you, this hostel's for you!
If you're planning on making reservations that just might be honored as you thought, but probably won't be, and are willing to deal with Daniel "needs an attitude adjustment" or any of the other less-than-charming Australians "working" there, once again, enjoy!
Our dorm room had a "bathroom", but it was shared with the drunken louts stumbling down from the rooftop to pee all over everything, the dirt and hair on the floor included. But don't tell Daniel, because you know what's great? He's probably off work in 5 minutes anyway! — Athens Backpackers Sucks (2005-05-10) This hostel was fantastic. It was incredibly easy to find, essentially right around the corner from the Metro station. The staff were really friendly and helpful — they also gave good recommendations for restaurants/grocery shopping. The rooms were very clean, everything is new and bright — with a cute balcony and bathroom in the room, it was great. Also the Internet was cheap. All in all, anything you could want from a hostel. — Anonymous (2005-05-06) Athens Backpackers is one of the greatest hostels I've ever stayed in, and I've been touring Europe for months now. It's just as good as the hostels in Ireland (the best in Europe). Not only was the place clean, safe, and in a GREAT part of the city, but the staff were all so friendly. On my first day there, I asked how to get to Delphi, because I was interested in seeing it. The owner of the hostel actually organized a trip to Delphi just because I had asked, so a few of us went up in a car the next day and had a blast! It was much less expensive and much more fun than any tour could have been. Now for the location — AWESOME! I never had to take the underground Metro system, because I could walk everywhere. Not only that, but you can SEE the Acropolis from the roof of the hostel. And you're literally a 5-minute walk away. The people there were great. Overall, I had an amazing time and would highly recommend Athens Backpackers to anyone who's looking for hostels in Athens. Don't let bad reviews throw you — I almost did, but in the end I decided to ignore them, and I ended up having a great time! — Sarah (2005-04-27) The family staff here rocks! The atmosphere rocked! The view of Acropolis from the rooftop rocked! I met so many cool people. It was very clean. And I didn't feel the need to lock the room. It was the best place ever. There were people who took us to clubs each night. (The club turned out to be this crappy place called Notorious, but we had fun anyway because of the people we were with.) — G. (2005-04-20) One of the nicest hostel staffs anywhere; helpful, generous and polite. The owners, Lispeth and Nick, frequently work behind the desk themselves and do a great job at welcoming travelers. The common areas are also very cool, from the breakfast areas to the low-ceiling mezzanine living room with tons of sitting space. The only complaint I have is that the rooms are not very cozy, feeling more like hospital than hostel, and the bunk beds are a bit squeaky and hard to climb on. Otherwise, it would be a solid 5 from me. — Eugene (2005-03-29)