Athens Family Hotels with Play Areas

A play space matters in Athens because the sights are hot, crowded and made of marble: by early afternoon in summer, children need shade and somewhere to move. A hotel garden, play area or games corner turns the midday break into play time, and a rooftop pool or seaside playground lets the family reset before an evening walk through Plaka.

The Electra Palace Athens is the most practical city base for young children. The five-star in Plaka has a hotel garden that gives children a safe outdoor space to play, which is unusual this close to the Acropolis, and a rooftop pool with Acropolis views for the afternoon. Babysitting is available for parents who want an evening at the rooftop restaurant, and the two restaurants serve children's portions on request. Its Plaka address means the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum, the National Garden and Syntagma are all within walking distance, so sightseeing can be split into short outings with play breaks at the hotel in between.

Two hotels near the centre offer indoor play spaces, useful in the midday heat. The Divani Caravel, in the Kolonaki and Hilton area, has a dedicated children's play area, a rooftop pool with Acropolis views and a full spa, three restaurants including the family-friendly Fyllopolis all-day dining, and on-site babysitting at a surcharge; children under 12 stay free in their parents' room. The Crowne Plaza Athens City Centre, in the quieter Ilisia district, has a board games and puzzles corner, an outdoor swimming pool and a roof garden restaurant, with babysitting arranged through reception, a 10-minute walk from Megaro Moussikis metro and about 2 km from the Acropolis.

The Stanley, on Karaiskaki Square, offers space of a different kind: its rooftop terrace, Cloud 9, covers more than 1,500 square metres, with a swimming pool, a lounge bar and an open-air restaurant, the largest hotel rooftop in Athens. Family rooms have baby safety gates, cribs and playpens are free, and the kids' menu covers breakfast and dinner, which helps with toddlers. The Athenaeum Smart Hotel on Syngrou Avenue suits families on a budget, with family rooms for two adults and two children, a kid-friendly breakfast buffet and on-call babysitting, about 15 minutes by public transport from Syntagma Square.

For a true playground, the Four Seasons Astir Palace in Vouliagmeni is the answer. The seaside resort, about 25 minutes from central Athens, spreads across a pine-covered peninsula with three private beaches with shallow areas, a daily kids' club for ages 4 to 12, a children's playground, baby safety gates and cots, and seven restaurants with children's menus. It feels nothing like a city hotel, which is the point in July, when Athens is at its hottest. Many families combine a few nights in Plaka for the sights with a few nights at the Astir for beach and play time before flying home.