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The feel is different at 18 Micon Street in Psyrri, where the reception and dining area resemble a trendy Athens café. Hidden behind a plain grey façade, it features industrial touches, like walls of cement, wood and brick (all actually wallpaper, but you’d never know without touching it), paired with distinctive pieces of furniture, such as the long, custom-built dining table.

The morning when I visit, the table is set for breakfast, and a handful of guests greet each other and the receptionists before serving themselves treats from the red SMEG fridge and the small buffet. In the 1950s, the building was a warehouse owned by one of the city’s first tool merchants. Now, it features 15 luxurious, modern guest rooms, all in the minimal style of the reception, but personalised with individual touches.

A former warehouse turned into a lively hotel with a strong personality, 18 Micon Str. checks all the boxes of a great venue. It's difficult to put your finger on what exactly makes this place stand out so much among its competitors in the area, but it might as well be the interesting mix between the story of the of the building reflecting its industrial past, outstanding design, impeccable quality of the service and awesome location.

"18 Micon Street is a trendy new hotel in an abandoned warehouse in Psiri with feature walls (exposed brick, prints of blown-up watch cogs) and handmade furniture"

"The Parthenon is framed in the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Acropolis Loft"

A former tool warehouse, this 14-room hotel still has an industrial vibe: trompe-l’oeil cement, brick or wood wallpaper, angular bedframes, steel clothes hangers. With open-plan layouts, even standard rooms feel like lofts. Several rooms have large terraces; the Parthenon is framed in the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Acropolis Loft. There are two family rooms, one with fun, green bunk beds. Breakfast is served in the ground-floor lobby, with picture windows for watching life drift by in Psyrri, a neighbourhood with a village feel, home to leather craftsmen, antique dealers and mezze joints.

"This abandoned warehouse was repurposed into an intimate hotel with a cool, industrial feel. Distinctive design, warm service, and a lively"

An intriguing jumble of graffiti-ed cottages, antique shops, and ouzeris, Psiri is one of the most characterful districts in downtown Athens. Traditionally an area of tanneries and tinsmiths, these days it’s full of shabby chic bars and small hotels. Partly pedestrianised, it’s a great place to wander at will, stopping for iced coffee at Barrett, home cooking at Nikitas, and cheap cocktails at Cantina Social.
It’s a five-minute walk to Monastiraki flea market and metro station, with direct links to the airport. Just beyond is the old town of Plaka. You can walk to the Acropolis in under 20 minutes.

"A sleek Athens hideout that pays homage to its Psiri neighbourhood’s industrial past and creative present"

Athens is about as modern as any ultra-ancient city gets – an exhilarating mix of grungy and grandiose, it is dominated by the magnificent silhouette of the Acropolis, dotted with ancient Byzantine churches sitting alongside derelict buildings and lively local tavernas nestled up next to genteel Michelin-star restaurants. Legendary excitement-chaser Lord Byron himself described this city in 1823 as “the only place I ever was contented in” – a testament to Athens’ enduring sense of vitality and welcome.