Three guests. It sounds simple, but if you’ve ever tried to book a hotel for an odd-numbered group, you know exactly how quickly it becomes a headache. Most hotel rooms are built for two — a couple, a pair of friends, maybe a business traveller who ordered too much room service. The moment a third person appears, you’re looking at a rollaway cot wedged against the bathroom door, or paying for a second room that nobody actually needs. Neither option is good value, and neither makes for a relaxed holiday. If you’re planning a trip to Athens with three people — whether that’s two friends and a partner, a parent travelling with two adult kids, or three colleagues making a work trip actually enjoyable — a Athens apartment for 3 guests in a central neighbourhood is almost always the smarter move.
The Cost and Comfort Math Nobody Talks About
Let’s be direct about the numbers. A decent three-star hotel in central Athens that actually sleeps three comfortably (meaning a proper triple room, not a rollaway situation) typically runs €150–220 per night in peak season. Many groups end up booking two rooms just to avoid the awkwardness, which pushes that figure to €200–280. Split three ways, you’re paying €70–90 per person, per night, for a space where you can’t sit together, share a coffee in the morning, or spread out after a long day walking the Acropolis.
A two-bedroom apartment in Plaka or Monastiraki, by contrast, gives three people two proper bedrooms — one person gets a room to themselves, which, depending on the dynamics of your group, might feel like an actual luxury — a shared living area, a kitchen, and usually a balcony or terrace. Nightly rates for a well-positioned two-bedroom in these neighbourhoods typically sit in the same price range as that hotel double room, sometimes less. Divided by three, the per-person cost is genuinely hard to argue against.
Then add the kitchen factor. Even if you only use it for breakfast and the occasional late-night snack run avoided, a kitchen in central Athens saves real money. Cafés and restaurants in Plaka and Monastiraki are wonderful — and you should absolutely eat out — but not having to buy three hotel breakfasts every morning at €15–20 a head adds up fast over a five-night stay.
Why Plaka and Monastiraki Work So Well for a Small Group
Location is everything when you’re sharing accommodation, because the fewer logistics you have to coordinate as a group, the easier the trip becomes. Both Plaka and Monastiraki sit at the foot of the Acropolis Hill, which means the most important sight in Greece is walkable from your front door — typically 10–20 minutes depending on exactly where your apartment sits and how fast your group walks.
Monastiraki Metro Station puts the whole city within reach: the Athens Riviera is roughly 30–40 minutes by Metro Line 1, Piraeus Port (for island ferries) is about 25 minutes, and the airport is accessible by Metro Line 3 without a transfer. For a group of three arriving on different flights or needing to leave at different times, this matters. You’re not dependent on a single taxi booking or trying to coordinate a shuttle.
The Monastiraki Flea Market is essentially on your doorstep — a sprawling weekend market (though traders operate throughout the week too) that’s excellent for an hour of wandering before the main sightseeing begins. And Plaka’s pedestrianised lanes, filled with tavernas, coffee spots, and hidden gems in Plaka that most tourists miss, are the kind of neighbourhood you actually enjoy coming home to at the end of the day.
For groups specifically: the streets here are manageable on foot even with luggage, there’s no need to hire a car, and the central position means you can split off and regroup easily if your group has different energy levels or interests during the day.
What Self-Check-In Actually Looks Like for Three People
One underrated benefit of apartment stays for small groups is the flexibility of arrival. Hotels have reception desks that technically solve this problem, but there’s still the awkward moment when one person arrives first and has to wait in the lobby while the third is stuck in traffic from the airport.
Most quality apartments in Athens — including those managed by Athenian Ascents — use a digital lock or key lockbox system, which means each member of your group receives check-in instructions in advance and can arrive completely independently. If one person lands at 2pm and two others are on an evening flight, nobody is waiting for anyone. Instructions are clear, support is available by message, and the apartment is ready when you get there. For a group of three where everyone has slightly different travel schedules, this is genuinely useful.
Where to Stay for This Trip
The Hidden Gem of Plaka 2BD is worth looking at closely if you’re a group of three. It’s a two-bedroom apartment in one of Athens’s most characterful neighbourhoods — close enough to Plaka’s main lanes to feel central, but tucked away from the noise of the busiest tourist streets. Two people get a bedroom each (or two share one, giving the third their own space), and the apartment itself is set up for comfortable daily living rather than just sleeping and leaving.
For groups who want to feel the pulse of the city a bit more directly, apartments in the Monastiraki area keep you steps from the Metro and the flea market, which is useful if island day trips are part of your plan. If you want to understand the differences between the two neighbourhoods before deciding, the Monastiraki guide breaks it down clearly.
Compare the final price for the same apartment, dates and guest count, including taxes and cancellation terms. View Athenian Ascents apartments and check availability on our official site; prices and terms may differ by channel.
Three guests doesn’t have to be the awkward number. In a two-bedroom apartment in central Athens, it might actually be the ideal one.
Compare your Athens stay
View our apartments and check the total price and cancellation terms for your dates.