Regents Explorer - Athens pre-cruise hotel Divani Caravel indicative of what Regents is about these days?

[Reveuse]

This is the view from the Divani Caravel hotel standard room. Has anyone stayed at the Divani Hotel for the pre-cruise stay? Any suggestions to stay in Athens for a pre cruise stay other than the Divani Caravel hotel? 

[jeb_bud]

That looks like a pretty tight shot. I wonder what a wider angle photo might show. 
 

Regent is putting us there for our pre-cruise night before our May 14 cruise Athens to Istanbul. I’m generally most concerned with the inside of a hotel. I’m very interested to hear about the experience of anyone who has stayed there. 

[cwn]

Look it up on trip advisor or a site like Booking dot com. Should have more pictures and visitor comments. 

[Techno123]

Athens as a city is quite tatty in places - a mixture of historic sites and run down, graffitied buildings so it's not unusual to have that sort of view even near nice hotels. I believe they have a view of the Acropolis from the roof. We booked our own hotel when we stayed and could practically 'touch' the Acropolis from the roof top restaurant. I think it was the Athen's Gate but quite a while since we stayed there and not 5 star. 

[douginct]

We have taken three Regent cruises so far and generally have not been very pleased with the pre-cruise hotels.  For our next cruise, we took the rather meager credit and booked our own hotel and will take a taxi or car service to the pier.  For a luxury line, they should do better with the hotels included.

[RachelG]

We always take the hotel credit and book our own hotels.

[cwn]

6 minutes ago, RachelG said:

We always take the hotel credit and book our own hotels.

We do too. I hate the packed buses from the hotel dumping the Regent passengers  at the port at the same time….

The credit usually comes close to covering the transportation and hotel cost and we travel at our on pace by ourselves. Check in is a breeze because we miss the crowds.

[RachelG]

3 minutes ago, cwn said:

We do too. I hate the packed buses from the hotel dumping the Regent passengers  at the port at the same time….

The credit usually comes close to covering the transportation and hotel cost and we travel at our on pace by ourselves. Check in is a breeze because we miss the crowds.

Totally agree.  Much nicer to arrive at the ship on your own rather than in a tour bus which is packed.

[jabbawocky]

Not sure what the rooms are like but the Electra Palace looks classy and the rooftop restaurant has amazing views. Highly recommend it for dinner. 

[jhenry1]

We stayed at the Divani  Caravel  in May with Regent for our cruise from Athens to Israel on Explorer. The hotel wasn’t that bad but not a great location. The picture you posted doesn’t look like where we stayed but I will say the rooms were just okay and the breakfast venue was like a large cafeteria not great. Definitely not what we are use to with Regent. Over the years we have stayed in some great hotels with Regent but this one was down on the list. Good luck.

[Linda VH]

I know it’s very pricey but the Grand Bretagne is a wonderful hotel with a great rooftop restaurant/bar.  We stayed there with a group before a Regent cruise and loved it and the surrounding area.  

[GOARMY]

Reveuse:

 

FWIIW--

 

Two stays at Athens both incident to three-day stay-overs after first, a Radisson Voyager 2005 cruise; and second, a few years later, again aboard Voyager after Radisson had become Regent.  Our former Travel Agent, with previous experience in Athens, booked us at: 

 

NJV Athens Plaza.  2 Vassileos Georgiou A' Street, on Syntagma (Constitution) Square.  The Bretagne is almost next door.     

 

Granted, these were more than a few years ago. 

 

Room rate(s) about 1/2 of Grand Bretagne.  So-close to Parliament Building(s); two magnificent museums of antiquity (about everything in Athens has that flavor, for better or worse); and best, the Acropolis.  

 

Wonderful experiences, complete with noting how the locals paid attention to, and took care of, street dogs at the doorways of even the higher-echelon hotels.  The Plaza was certainly in that category.  Our endearing memory of Plaza remains one from the initial visit.  Were advised that, as the room we had booked was not-yet ready, we would occupy a "room with a view" on an upper floor.  That was an understatement.  Upon entry, the attendant opened the blinds to our balcony.  And there--seemingly within touch, was the Acropolis. Words fail.  

 

This proximity made several trips there by foot convenient.  And, the night view from our balcony with lights illuminated (often from construction equipment--as significant repairs within the complex were underway) was quite dramatic. All this at no additional cost. 

 

Just something to consider.     

 

GOARMY!

 

[IotaEtaPi]

We are also booked at the Divani Caravel Hotel for a post cruise night through Regent. You can view traveler's photos on Trip Advisor. I'm not seeing any that look like the photo you posted. While this wouldn't be my first choice of hotels (and not to what I would consider up to Regent standards), we will only be there for one night so not a huge issue for us.

[DeepFreeze63]

On 9/10/2022 at 11:44 AM, Reveuse said:

This is the view from the Divani Caravel hotel standard room. Has anyone stayed at the Divani Hotel for the pre-cruise stay? Any suggestions to stay in Athens for a pre cruise stay other than the Divani Caravel hotel? 

Stayed there 5years (i think) ago on a Regent 3-day pre-cruise excursion. The excursion was marvelous; that hotel was horrendous! I wrote a write-up on this Board upon return home. 

We stay ed for a few days before the Divani at the Hilton, just p the street, and loved the Hilton.

Our Divani room was dark and the bath shower was designed/built such that it overflowed during use. The eating area in the basement felt like a modified swimming pool and was dangerous to walk around in. Luggage for Regent group departure was delayed an hour due to Divani. I wrote critique to regent.

Yes, find another hotel if Regent allows such for excursion participants.

[bebop bonnie]

Pre and post cruise hotels with Regent have been for me a mix of awful to very good.  It's frustrating to have such a magnificent sailing experience that begins or ends with a hotel that is way below the quality of the Regent experience.  Regent Airport pick up upon arrival, to the hotel  is usually pretty good.  But from hotel to the port I also do my own transport.

 

And to answer Reveuse's original post, several times I've stayed at and loved the Grande Bretagne.  And many years ago I stayed at and really liked the Electra.

[gb58]

We fly to Athens on Saturday 17th, to join the Explorer on Sunday. Regent has put us up in the Grande Bretagne for our overnight.

[Pcardad]

The DIvani looks like a Russian attempt to copy a Hilton...

 

[Reveuse]

On 9/10/2022 at 10:55 AM, douginct said:

We have taken three Regent cruises so far and generally have not been very pleased with the pre-cruise hotels.  For our next cruise, we took the rather meager credit and booked our own hotel and will take a taxi or car service to the pier.  For a luxury line, they should do better with the hotels included.

 

[ON cruiser]

For what it may be worth, we stayed at the Electra Palace hotel in Autumn 2018, and it was great. Had a junior suite, very comfortable and a huge balcony. Restaurant was excellent--outdoor dining option (albeit smoking is allowed on the terrace so be careful where you sit) with killer views.

 

Were we to return to Athens, and I hope at some point we do, we would return to the same hotel. 

[CINGULARONE]

We will be on our first Regent (39th overall) cruise in late April (Athens to Istanbul).  After doing much research I decided to book my own hotel, at what I hope is the somewhat nicer King George.  I now might need to look at the Grande Bretagne

[Fitstylist55]

5 hours ago, CINGULARONE said:

We will be on our first Regent (39th overall) cruise in late April (Athens to Istanbul).  After doing much research I decided to book my own hotel, at what I hope is the somewhat nicer King George.  I now might need to look at the Grande Bretagne.

 

King George and Grande Bretagne basically have the same location. If you want more classic, old world styling, choose Bretagne. King George is more

contemporary. Have fun!

[NYC-London]

Unfortunately, as Regent continues to cut costs it will affect the overall experience and one way to cut costs it to provide a lower grade hotel. Over the past few years I have noticed that the hotels 

Regent uses are not what they used to be and most of the time we now take the credit and book our own and the credit covers the cost of a nicer hotel. Even if it doesn't, there is a lot to be said about the peace of mind of being able to arrive without hassles.

 

It is also nice to arrive at the port on our terms without having to deal with the bus - I will never forget one cruise we were all on the bus ready to depart for the port - they asked if we had our passports and then required us to show them and it appears that one couple could not locate theirs. First they emptied all of their hand luggage and then all the luggage had to come off the bus so they could look for their passports (turned out to be in the pocket of the jacket one of them was wearing on the plane) and then we had to get out to identify our bags before being reloaded onto the bus. Instead of getting to the port at 12:30, it was closer to 3:00pm. If this had been me, I would be apologizing non-stop to the other passengers, that did not happen here. Since that incident, we have always arranged our own hotel and transfers.

[Camillus112]

BROKE MY RIGHT HAND, EASIER TO WRITE IN CAPS, SORRY.  I FEEL FOR YOU; BUS TRANSFERS HAVE BEEN LESS HAN ACCEPTABLE.  WORST MEMORY WAS RECENT 12/14-21 GRANDEUR CRUISE TRANSPORT FROM  MIAMI INTERCONTINENTAL TO SHIP.  WE WERE ASSIGNED BUS NO. 1 AT 11AM AND ALL OTHERS SHOWED UP AND PUSHED THEIR WAY THROUGH , WHILE NOBODY CHECKED THEIR ASSIGNMENTS.  MANY IN MY GROUP WERE TRAMPLED.  BETTER TAKE A TAXI!!!

[Pcardad]

29 minutes ago, Camillus112 said:

BROKE MY RIGHT HAND, EASIER TO WRITE IN CAPS, SORRY.  I FEEL FOR YOU; BUS TRANSFERS HAVE BEEN LESS HAN ACCEPTABLE.  WORST MEMORY WAS RECENT 12/14-21 GRANDEUR CRUISE TRANSPORT FROM  MIAMI INTERCONTINENTAL TO SHIP.  WE WERE ASSIGNED BUS NO. 1 AT 11AM AND ALL OTHERS SHOWED UP AND PUSHED THEIR WAY THROUGH , WHILE NOBODY CHECKED THEIR ASSIGNMENTS.  MANY IN MY GROUP WERE TRAMPLED.  BETTER TAKE A TAXI!!!

Transfers have been horrible for many years. I experienced what you described and booked a car for every cruise after.

[awatt]

On 9/11/2022 at 7:39 AM, jabbawocky said:

Not sure what the rooms are like but the Electra Palace looks classy and the rooftop restaurant has amazing views. Highly recommend it for dinner. 

Loved the Electra Palace,

! Highly recommend it. Had a suite with terrace and Acropolis view.