Arion Athens Hotel

The three-star Hotel Arion's crowd has a distinctly hipster cast. This is all well, considering that the Arion is situated in Psyrri, which at night morphs from funky retail district into clubland.

First you'll note the utterly swank reception. Wonderfully lighted and outfitted in beiges and faint yellows, it's a clear cut above most mid-range hotel reception areas. You could be forgiven for thinking that you'd accidentally stumbled into a decidedly non-Cheapo hotel.

The Arion’s 51 rooms have a dramatic, bold modern atmosphere. Elaborate bed units combine padded headboards with attached lighting and bedside tables. Exciting bed units aside, many of them feel quite sparsely decorated and fit into the overall minimalist-modern feel of the place. All are equipped with air conditioning, satellite television, and mini bars.

Bathrooms completely fit the hipster mold: wide mirrors, marble tiling, and cute free-standing half-globe sinks. Bathroom details are all well done, from knobs to faucets to toilet brush holders.

If you want lots of light in your room, be sure to request a room in the front or the back of the hotel. The rooms on the interior are particularly dark. We saw one at midday and had to bolt for a coffee, so sleepy did its dusky vibe make us.

A final highlight is the roof garden. In a city chockablock full of stunning roof garden views, Arion's roof garden with its translucent sky blue railing is quite remarkable.

Breakfast is included. Free wireless Internet is available throughout the hotel.