She might be well over a century old, but this neoclassical Grande Dame still captures the imagination of travellers coming to the Greek capital.

From rockstar royalty to heads of state, everyone who’s someone makes the “GB” their port of call while in Athens. Built in 1842, and found right at the heart of the Constitution Square, you’ll find no other hotel as closely linked to the city’s history,- and its present- as the Hotel Grande Bretagne. Be prepared for a succession of uniquely Greek experiences and a hotel with a sense of place. From the comfort of the Alexander’s Bar terrace, guests sip on cocktails while watching the changing of the guards unfold in Syntagma Square below. The most romantic tête-à-tête in Athens is found at the GB Roof Garden restaurant terrace where al fresco dinners come with uninterrupted views of the Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill, while afternoon tea amid the floral displays of the Winter Garden is practically a rite of passage for the city’s well-to-do. For undiluted Old World opulence with the service to match, the Hotel Grande Bretagne still holds the crown.