The Margi Hotel, Vouliagmeni, Greece

We spent many hours on this terrace of this restaurant in Vouliagmeni

After a hectic summer and autumn, Andrew and I took a short holiday in Greece, to relax and spend some time together. We were lucky to find a perfect balance of sightseeing in Athens and chilling out by the Aegean Sea, by basing ourselves in the lovely beach town of Vouliagmeni.

Although we’ve been doing loads of travelling recently, we realised it’s been several years since we’ve gone somewhere together, just the two of us: not for Andrew’s work, or to visit anyone, or attend any special events. It was high time for some us time.

With all of our travels in Europe, neither Andrew nor I had ever actually made it to Greece. It wasn’t for lack of trying. But whenever we looked at ticket prices, it was so much more expensive than flying elsewhere in the Mediterranean. But finally, this autumn, the fates aligned and a great hotel deal appeared in my inbox.

Getting to Greece from Belgium

For a while now, I’ve been subscribed to a members-only travel deal website called Jetsetter. Every day I’m tempted by their incredible properties around the world, but when I saw The Margi in Vouliagmeni, Greece, I immediately emailed it to Andrew… at the same time as he was sending it to me. The nightly rate was definitely affordable and the hotel looked perfect.

But there was still the issue of flights. Miraculously, we were both able to fly on Brussels Airlines for half the cost of what we had seen in the past for one person. We booked our tickets before the rates could change and were on our way to Greece.

The Margi, Vouliagmeni

Our early morning flight had us in Greece with a full day ahead of us. We met our cheerful cabbie, pre-arranged by the Margi, only to learn he had grown up in Canada! He gave us an overview of the area and pointed out some of his favourite spots to eat on the way to the hotel (more on the food to come).We decided to spend the rest of the day checking out the hotel and relaxing in Vouliagmeni.

So, did the Margi live up to expectations? Mostly.

The pros:

• Simply gorgeous common areas: the lobby, bar, restaurant, terrace and pool area were all stunning. I was particularly impressed by the beautiful lighting and hundreds of candles flickering every night.
• The service was impeccable. The staff members were all friendly and eager to help and give suggestions on what to see and where to eat. They also found us a great deal on a rental car, allowed a free late check-out and generally made our stay flawless.
• The view of the beach and surrounding from our terrace was lovely.
• The area was perfect for our needs – good food nearby, away from the craziness of Athens but yet still within reach of the city.
• Big comfy beds with great linens and pillows.
• Great shower pressure.
• Food at the restaurant was great and there was a full hot breakfast included in our rate.

The Margi Pool

The Margi patio (photo: The Margi)

The cons:

• The rooms themselves were dated and could use a coat of paint and some new carpets.
• The shower, despite the great water pressure, was rather badly designed and could use a re-grouting.
• You need to take a taxi to get to the tram to Athens (about a 7 euro ride)

In all honesty, the cons were not a big deal for us at all and I would definitely highly recommend The Margi. It gave us relatively easy access to the city but also the completely different experience of staying off-season in a beach town. However, if your goal is to stay in the heart of Athens, this is probably not the spot for you.

View of Vouliagmeni from the terrace

Stay tuned for upcoming posts on our Greek adventure including the Acropolis, our drive along the coast and of course, some great food.

Looking for more of our favourite hotels in Belgium and beyond? Visit our Hotel Reviews page to find out where we’ve been sleeping.