ZEUS Essence Wyndham Athens Residence

"The hotel itself was okay, rooms were clean the facilities included everything we needed. Location of the hotel seemed to be in an area that was quite run down but there were a couple of good restaurants near by. We had arranged activities which meant we did not spend too much time at the hotel. We had one evening meal at the hotel and it was probably one of the worst meals we have ever had at a hotel or restaurant. It seemed to be microwaved and for 20 euros I expected something to a higher standard. If it wasn't microwaved it certainly wasn't fresh. The breakfast was okay, not the best, nor the worst. The hotel staff were lovely and were always able to help us, arranging taxis etc."

"The rooms were clean and the staff were generally okay, but unfortunately the food was a huge disappointment. We paid for half board and, as it was the end of September, we were the only guests dining at the hotel on our first night. We were served Greek salads that were clearly very cold and had been prepared in advance. They were so chilled that they were actually unpleasant to eat. The portions were generous, but unfortunately that was about the only positive. For the main course, I had rice with chicken and my husband had pasta with beef. Both appeared to be frozen, pre-prepared food that had been reheated rather than freshly cooked. The rice was clumped together and the chicken was very dry and shrivelled, and the beef in the pasta was similarly overcooked. When we mentioned it, the serving staff didn’t really dispute that the food was being reheated. We were particularly surprised when the receptionist explained that the small print states that fresh food would not necessarily be prepared. This was not something we expected when paying for half board, and we certainly didn’t expect the quality to be this poor. We also noticed that bread and pastries appeared to be carried over from previous days, which didn’t give us much confidence in the freshness of the food. Thankfully, there are a couple of lovely restaurants about a 10-minute walk away, so after the first night we decided to eat out for the rest of our stay. It’s a shame because the rooms were clean and the staff were perfectly pleasant. We absolutely loved Athens and would happily return to the city for its incredible history, architecture and atmosphere. However, based on our experience, we wouldn’t choose this hotel again, particularly for half board. I’m honestly surprised by the positive reviews regarding the food, as we found it very difficult to eat. We asked for a refund for the evening meals and were told they’d prepare a spread . On day 3 not wishing to appear rude we gave it another chance and the options were chips/fries, kebab in tomato sauce and another meat which hubby couldn’t decide if it was turkey or lord knows what."

"Where do I start? Arrived at the hotel, whose frontage looked like an old closed up shop with metal doors. Reception area was ok & the staff were excellent on check in. Room was supposed to be a superior room with atrium view. The view was of the airconditioning ducting & a huge graffiti picture. (See photos) There was a dirty espresso cup balanced on hand rail of the balcony, which was still there when we left! The ensuite was so small that you could not open the glass shower door if the bathroom door was open. The shower leaked & flooded the floor badly everytime you used it. We complained, they said it was fixed but it wasn't. Breakfast was in the top floor area & was very good. Sadly, the tables were not cleared & reset so it was difficult to get a fresh table if you went after 9.30am. It didn't help that the waiter spent all his time behind the bar area on his phone! Great location, next to a metro stop which was the saving grace! Good couple of restaurants very close to the hotel. The greek & the asian ones were close by & excellent."