We were nervous about the hotel as our cab drew closer and closer to the Psirri neighborhood. Not the greatest area... shady, sketchy, and full of graffiti and litter. On the up side, it's very close to the main tourist areas of Athens and the historic sites. The hotel itself was beautiful, and service was outstanding. Great bed, great pillows. Perhaps the best breakfast we had during our whole stay in Greece!

A friend had discovered this hotel and recommended it. Steps from the Psiri area with all the great restaurants, a block away from the Thission Metro stop ( so only a 6euro trip from the airport on the metro) and in the thick of things ( plaka , the acropolis, etc.) The hotel was beautifully designed ( and I'm an architect) and the staff was very helpful and friendly. I can't wait to go back.

Our taxi driver wasn't familiar with the hotel, but found it without too much trouble (and the aid of a map). So make sure you know the address! Upon arrival, we were a little disconcerted by the surroundings - dirty dingy and rundown with a big XXX video store nearby. However, the hotel was immaculate looking and really stood out. And although the area looked pretty bad, it didn't seem dangerous and is just a couple blocks from a major tourist area.

Upon entering our room, we saw that they had lit up a bunch of votifs for us. They also quickly brought us a nice tray of sliced fruit and champagne, congratulating us for our Honeymoon (only hotel to do so). The decor was perfect, modern, simple and elegant. We felt very comfortable and the view was half-decent. The shower was excellent, as was the bed.

However, the best thing about Ochre and Brown was the staff. The tall, young man at the front desk was incredibly helpful and obliging. The young lady waiting in the restaurant was also charming. Thanks to them, our stay was the best it could have been.

Another major highlight was the breakfast. It was a grand feast of baked goods, spreads, the ever-popular yogurt with honey and fruit, eggs any way (scrambled with cheese was delicious), etc.

We spent most of our two days walking around Athens stopping at a couple museums and taking in the Ancient Ruins. We made a special trip down to Spondi, which was the best dinner we had in Greece! We traveled by foot, bus and taxi. The hotel is fairly convenient for seeing the sites. However, I repeat the immediate area is a little scummy and you probably shouldn't head north of the hotel as it gets worse.

If you are planning to visit the greek isles by hydrofoil from Athens, like we did, then this is a great way to start your journey. You might be happy staying only one or two nights as there is not so much to do in Athens. Also, I suggest staying at the Sofitel Athens Airport for one night if you are flying out of Athens in the morning or early afternoon.

We arrived at 7 am at the hotel at the peak of the summer vacation expecting that we had to wait until noon before we can check in to our room. We were very pleasantly surprised to find out that go straight to our room with no problem what so ever. The room was very nice (although we were disappointed that the room had no view whatsoever) with spacious bathroom ultra-modern room with sleek design. The room itself is also equally well designed equipped with a DVD and a satelite receiver.

After a bit of a rest, we quickly found out that the hotel is very close to Monasteraki, the best dining area in Athens. The hotel is also very close to some of the most important ancient sites since it is only 10 minutes walking distance from Acropolis. Although I doubt that many of you will visit its restaurant, the hotel has a pretty nice small restaurant, although the breakfast meal was a bit bland.

If you happen to be travelling to Athens for the first time, I would highly recommend this hotel.