Had high hopes for this hotel having secured a good deal on-line. When we arrived the reception hall was impressive and the staff very helpful. Unfortunately although our room was spacious, the bed was hard and uncomfortable, there were stains on the walls and the electrical goods were outdated. Certainly not luxurious and much more a tired 3 star than 5 star.

Rooftop pool and bar might have been impressive but it was February and they had been closed and locked off so we couldn't use them. This information is not provided on the website so we were disappointed. Breakfast was fairly terrible- promising looking buffet but very sub-standard food that had sat under a heat lamp for far too long. Would not recommend unless you get a very good deal, aren't looking for anything special and don't mind being a bit out of the centre in a less-than-desirable neighbourhood.

Dangerous neighbourhood.
Food was ok.
Coffee in breakfast sucks.
The room was a bit dirty especially bathroom.
Five stars? I don't think so.

We were forced to left our very bad booked hotel (Balasca, Athens) and the nearest was this shiny, clean hotel Athens Classical Imperial. There is no mistake with this hotel! Perfectly clean, comfortable, with nice, warm rooms and perfect room-service. Karaiskakis square is OK, but backstreets are not advisable.

This is a comprehensive review of the "Classical Athens Imperial Hotel" to give it its full name and avoid any confusion. Before I booked, I read the TripAdvisor reviews of this hotel and they were totally inconsistent. It was unusually hard to me to form any view. This is the primary reason that I am writing this review now.

The Athens Imperial is a 10 storey (including basement) hotel forming the South-West corner of Metaxaghorio Square, a few steps from the Metro station by the same same. The hotel's placement so close to an inner city station is a great asset and one of the reasons I chose this hotel.

I arrived on bus 051 from the Kifissos (Peloponese) bus station, around 5 minutes away. The nearest bus stop is the first after the bus turns right after passing under the railway line. The hotel is barely a minute's walk in the same direction.

In the past I have paid way too much for appalling hotels in the most touristy areas of Athens and too little for hotels in less good areas. I got it right this time.

The reception is immediately to the left of the entrance and was manned by a receptionist in a smart suit and tie. The check-in process one of the smoothest and most professional I have ever encountered. The were no forms to fill. I was asked a few simple questions while he typed at his computer, a sheet of paper was printed and I signed. That was practically it.

When asked, I feigned a knowledge of Athens and was given a map and a spot-on overview of the different areas, what to see and do complete with notes. I was extremely impressed. Quality staff are rare, sadly even in five-star hotels. I immediately felt better about my day-before booking.

As in the model of some of the older grand hotels, this one has an unnecessary number of smaller than expected lifts (elevators) all in the same place. The idea is that you never have to wait very long nor share with people you don't know. This was immediately touching upon arrival and, being on the eighth floor, I can vouch that there was always a lift with open doors waiting for me. This is a design feature, not yet mentioned in these reviews, which, in a small way, adds to the quality of the experience.

The hotel is unusually five-sided in plan with a central full-height atrium and guest rooms either facing outside to the streets or towards the central atrium (and other rooms). My room faced the atrium but as occupancy of the hotel was low and I was on the top floor, I did not feel my privacy was compromised facing 'inwards'. If the hotel were full and my room were on a lower floor then I think I would be compelled to keep the curtains closed.

The room was simply superb. It was spacious, beautifully lit and furnished with very expensive-looking wood furniture including a hefty king-size bed with luxurious fine cotton bedding and quilt. There was also every facility or amenity I have ever found in a hotel room: tea & coffee making, flat-screen TV with on demand movies, wired & wireless internet (at no extra charge), iron and ironing board, minibar (expensive), safe (included), a mini hi-fi system, direct dial phone, room service menu, fluffy white bathrobes and slippers. The bathroom was one of the more spacious I have come across with separate bath with shower and shower cubicle, hairdryer, toiletries (shower gel, shampoo, body lotion, shower cap, shoe-shine cloth, sewing kit and bar soap), large mirror, again good lighting and all tiled in a marble effect ceramic.

I have had over fifty stays in five-star hotels and this room is one of the best, if not the best, I have stayed in.

It is hard to find fault but I would say that the room was too hot upon arrival. Bearing in mind that this is the coldest time of year, it had been heated especially for me and cooled down to bearable warmth while I was there without ever using the heating. Secondly, and nit-picking for the sake of trying to find something negative, the shower rail above the bath was off horizontal. I suppose I could also mention that the sophisticated TV system took some navigating just to watch TV. It was easier to view my bill than BBC World.

Breakfast was without fault. I was the first to arrive shortly after the 7 a.m. opening time. There was a generous buffet comprising pastries and brioches, a choice of yogurts, cold meats and cheeses, preserves, breads, fried eggs, omelette, scrambled egg, boiled eggs, sausages, bacon, fried tomatoes and much more I can't remember. It was not just the variety of the breakfast spread, it was the quality. For example, Greek yogurt is known as the best in the World. Here there were three different fat content yogurts available (10%, 2% and 0%) pre-served in small glass bowls in a glass-fronted fridge. The sausages looked home-made, sliced into small pieces and grilled. There were two highly professional staff who between them brought a jug of coffee and hot milk to my table upon arrival and took away my used plates when I was at the buffet. Full marks - the best hotel breakfast experience I have ever had.

Many reviewers comment negatively on the immediate location of the hotel and this should be addressed directly. Metaxaghorio Square itself is fine, if, like almost all of Athens, a little busy with traffic. On the South-East of the square is a huge car-park of a taxi-rank and there are traffic police permanently in the square to manage the taxi drivers. The small side-streets behind the hotel do appear to be host to brothels, evidenced by an open door with a light just inside, among far more mundane things like bakeries, supermarkets, kebab houses etc. I would say, if you prefer not to see the seedy side of Athens, don't go down the backstreets. In this hotel you are practically on a Metro station so you don't need to. However, I wandered around the locality and felt perfectly safe at all times. No one approached me or ever gave me reason for concern.

Overall, I believe this a among the finest of hotels that Athens has to offer. The location is superb for transport connections but don't go wandering around the seedy backstreets if you don't want to see what goes on. I think the hotel is a bargain at its current rates. Highly recommended.

I stayed the night of 27th December, 2011 and booked a standard double room for sole occupancy through Hotels4U.com for £55. If you have any questions, please ask.

Tim Millea.