Semiramis Hotel

The hotel has always been a great addition to Athens but I have the say the service on my recent stay was exceptional. Everyone was incredibly welcoming and hospitable. A special thanks to Eleni in the F&B sector who was so great with our daughter Leila, so much so, she way saying your name on leaving Athens. Ευχαριστούμε!

I could write wonders about the hotel itself, the comfort, the location, the food.. but I especially want to write about the incredible human beings who work here. This is my 4 th stay here, and I really want to celebrate them - everyone from Monica and Anastasia at the reception, to Eleni and her magical team who attend to breakfast, to the cleaning ladies, puts their hearts, souls and joy to serve and to express care. I have never seen such devotion and quality of service and genuine care anywhere in the world. 10 stars all around !!!!

Recently stayed at this hotel for my birthday vacation and quite enjoyed the experience. I was a little apprehensive at first as the decor makes it look like a party hotel that you’d expect in Vegas, Miami, or Ibiza. I grew to like the pink and green glass in the lobby, pool, and hallway but for the room it was a little too much. The other downside to the glass in the room is that it’s showing wear & tear so you’ll see it has some chips in it. The staff were outstanding, everyone was nice and on my first night, the receptionist Niko recommended a local restaurant that was fantastic. I extended my trip by a night and they were very accommodating, as I was able to keep my same room. After check-out I hung out in the lobby for a while as I waited for a friend and they still gave me water. The breakfast and dinner staff were okay, there were 3 star performers that really went above and beyond but I didn’t get their names. The food was good. It’s considered an American breakfast but I would say it’s cooked more European style so the bacon is not crispy and the eggs are more on the runny side. Breakfast has a really good selection of options: fresh fruit, pastries, bacon, sausage, ham, and the orange juice is really outstanding. I have mixed reviews on the location as it’s a 15-20 minute walk to the metro and then maybe 20 minutes to downtown Athens. I would say if you’re on vacation and here to see the sites, it kind of far but seems to be a good place for business professionals. The suburban night life on the weekends is maybe a 5-7 minute walk and has some decent options. This hotel is branded as a 5-star hotel but personally that’s questionable; they offered some nice amenities such as Korres body products, complimentary water and a bottle of wine in my room but this is not comparable to the Ritz Carlton or St. Regis. I’m very loyal to Marriott and this hotel was recommended through their online booking site but is technically a partnership with Design Hotels so while things were different; I feel like this hotel is boarding outside their brand a little. I did read some other reviews were people said it’s not up to “Marriott standards” so I want to point out this is kind of a different hotel chain because it’s technically different from what we’re used to. With that being said, I wouldn’t mind staying here again. Also, posting pictures of the room, two things I didn’t get a pic of were the LED lights on the ground outside the room that will allow you to say you don’t want to be disturbed, the maid is in the room, or you need service and one feature I found kind of cool was a tablet in the room that allowed you to read more on the hotel or request towels or an ironing board to the room.

Overall I had a great stay at the Semiramis Hotel, mainly due to the very friendly and accommodating staff. My initial plan was to stay 3 nights and I ended up extended because the staff made me feel very at home. Even when I wasn't sure of my plans, they allowed me to keep the room until late in the day when I finalized my travel plans. They were prompt to make any changes that I requested and even left me a welcome gift. To be fully transparent, there was a downside: Initially, upon entering the room (which, along with the hotel as a whole had a very funky vibe/80's neon color palette), I was disappointed at the condition: the room was dated and showing signs of wear & tear. I had to request a change of towels because I found a stain. Despite this, the room was cleaned well. I had a standard room overlooking the city and it had a beautiful sunset view. The location in Kifissia was perfect.

Semiramis is a nice hotel, modern, beautiful, where the service is reminiscent of hotels specifically famous for service excellence. I often went there for coffee or breakfast just to enjoy the service, and the food quality was up to par too. On my most recent visit, their buffet (small, but with a good variety of fresh and tasty options) was only half-set up. It's almost as if someone had been called away halfway through the setup and never came back. When I inquired about it, the server said they didn't have too many guests staying there so they decided to only put out half the buffet items (you had to remember and ask for anything beyond that, apparently.) It was "in order to reduce food waste," she explained, though only things like smoked salmon, cheeses, etc. were missing; there was plenty of the cheap stuff on display. During the short time I was there (less than an hour) at least four or five tables were full, which, for the size of the hotel, is not bad at all. Even though the staff provides excellent service, apparently the management has a lot to learn. You can reduce food waste by putting out less and replenishing it often, not cutting your variety in half and charging the same price. It was actually shocking for a place I'd thought so highly of. I know I won't be back for a while; one can grab breakfast at half a dozen places that are a stone's throw away, and another two dozen that are just a 10 minute walk. Shooting yourself in the foot is so awfully unnecessary when you get so very many things right.