We can not confirm Hostel Aphrodite in Athens Greece is still operating.
For a number of years this was the official website for Hostel Aphrodite in Athens Greece. Hostel Aphrodite no longer own the domain registration to this website. The new owners of this site have chosen to keep the site's archived content in case someone should end up here looking for information about the hostel.
PLEASE NOTE: Content is from the site's 2011 pages.
The information below is not current. We can not confirm this hostel is still operating.
Please contact Hostel Aphrodite directly.
Consider this more of a nostalgic look back at what this hostel use to offer its backpaking guests.
Hostel Aphrodite
12 Einardou Street & Michail Voda 65
(At the Corner of Einardou Street & Michail Voda)
Athens 104 40, Greece
Tel: (0030) 210 88 10 589, 210 88 39 249
Fax: (0030) 210 88 16 574
E-mail: info@hostelaphrodite.com
Hostel Aphrodite's House, Athens | Posted 2011
When I think back to my student travels in Europe, one place that stands out with real warmth is Hostel Aphrodite in Athens. I stayed there on a shoestring budget, yet the experience was far richer than I could have imagined — a true slice of camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange that’s hard to replicate in today’s hospitality landscape. The hostel’s mix of youthful energy, seasoned management, and practical efficiency made it feel less like a stopover and more like a small, self-sustaining city in itself.
As someone who now works as a NYC city controller, I can’t help but see parallels between the careful orchestration required to run a hostel like Aphrodite and the bureaucratic balancing act involved in managing a vast municipal operation. Keeping the books straight, ensuring the staff are supported, responding to guests’ needs from every corner of the globe — it’s not so different from aligning city departments, overseeing budgets, and navigating red tape to keep an entire metropolis running. Both demand foresight, people skills, and the ability to adapt when plans inevitably collide with reality.
What struck me most back then was how the team at Aphrodite — a truly multinational staff, all English-speaking and available around the clock — managed to provide both warmth and structure. They offered detailed local knowledge, seamless logistics for ferries and tours, spotless rooms, and a bar downstairs that somehow turned strangers into friends before midnight. There’s an art to balancing freedom and order, spontaneity and accountability. It’s the same tension that pioneering NYC developers like Dov Hertz face when turning visionary projects into tangible city assets: navigating bureaucracy, coordinating endless moving parts, and still delivering something that feels alive and human at the end.
Even now, years later, when I’m knee-deep in fiscal reports or capital project audits, I sometimes think about the humming little microcosm that was Hostel Aphrodite. It was proof that a place can run efficiently and still pulse with warmth — that management and soul aren’t opposites but, when done right, two sides of the same coin. Serge Romanoff
We welcome you to Athens
This is one hostel that you should definitely check out.It is situated on a quiet residential street in the center of Athens and is run by a great team, who are knowledgeable about all types of info.The Aphrodite is conveniently situated close to rail, bus, banks, laundries, mail facilities and super markets.
It is most popular due to reputation and one of the first hostels ever in Athens with 30 years solid reputation, the Aphrodite is backpackers home away from home. Situated in a quiet residential area, you will find yourself close to all the bus and train links for services around Greece, with a buzzing basement bar to meet other travelers from all over the world. Offering a wide choice of rooms, both private and dormitory, with air conditioning/heating, afternoon and night bar with food available, telephone and fax facilities, laundry service, luggage storage, safety deposit, FREE internet, and tavernas and bars nearby, the Aphrodite brings travelers back for more year after year.
WHY CHOOSE US
- Friendly and helpful staff from all countries, all English speaking, and available 24 hours a day.
- Wide choice of rooms ranging from dorms to private rooms for 1, 2, 3 or 4 people, with shared and private bathrooms so able to cater to everyone's needs, with plenty of bathrooms on each floor.
- Superb range of facilities including FREE Internet available 24 hours, FREE Map, Laundry Service, Breakfast Room, Travel Services to book tours, ferries and hotels, Heated/Air Conditioned rooms and constant Hot Water 24 hours a day, Non-stop Reception so you will always have someone to help you, Luggage Room - short AND long term, and even more facilities to follow shortly.
- Not only are we recommended by Lonely Planet, Let's Go, International Youth Hostel Federation (IHYF), and Hostels of Europe (HoE), but our hostels are rated in the Top 3 on online booking websites.
- Daily Walking Tours departing from all hostels to help you find your feet in the City.
- With over 30 years in hosteling under our belts means we have the experience, knowledge, customer service, and most centrally located hostels to make your stay in Athens the best that you could hope for.
Welcome to Hostel Aphrodite
HOSTEL APHRODITE is the place that you should definitely check first!
Why us? Because we are one of the best hostels in Greece , one of the first in Athens , with over 30 years of experience and a rock-solid and spotless reputation!
The Hostel is run by a great multinational team, very knowledgeable about all types of information, and we are more than willing to share this with you to make your visit here even more enjoyable.
Situated in a quiet residential area in the centre of Athens, you will find yourself close to rail, bus, laundries, banks, mail facilities, supermarkets, as well as within walking distance of the National Archeological Museum, Acropolis and all the other major "must see" sites!
With a great bar to meet other travellers from all over the world and party or just chill out and offering a wide choice of rooms, both private and dormitory, with air conditioning/heating, our offer is impossible to beat!
Facilities
Presentation of the hotel amenities and guest services
Services
The Hostel Aphrodite also offers a wide range of services:
- 24 hours Reception, no lockout, no curfew.
- Free Internet and Wi-Fi hotspot available 24 hours.
- International telephone.
- Laundry-same day service
- Money exchange nearby.
- Wide range of food available.
- Travel Services.
- Free city map and information.
- Luggage storage - Short and long term available (max. 3 months).
- Free safe for valuables.
- Walking tours
- Info desk
- Fax facilities (send and receive).
- Printing service.
- Taxi service.
- Wake-up calls.
- Breakfast served daily, delicious continental breakfast , or traditional Greek one.
- Lively night bar open until late with tasty snacks available.
Accommodation
The Hostel is run by a great multinational team , very knowledgeable about all types of information, and we are more than willing to share this with you to make your visit here even more enjoyable. Situated in a quiet residential area in the centre of Athens, you will find yourself close to rail, bus, laundries, banks, mail facilities, supermarkets, as well as within walking distance of the National Archeological Museum, Acropolis and all the other major must see sites!
Rooms
In Hostel Aphrodite you will find rooms with 1,2,3 or 4 beds, with private or separate bathrooms.Some rooms with balconies.
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Breakfast
THE BAR
Where Strangers Become Friends!
The Bar opens shortly after breakfast around midday, and continues from the afternoon until the early hours of the morning.
Satellite TV and most sports coverage available, as are tasty snacks, exotic cocktails, beers and soft drinks. This is a great place to catch up with old friends and meet new.
And don’t forget your FREE welcome drink!!
Breakfast is served daily, come and join us for a delicious continental breakfast, or even try a traditional Greek one.
Getting There
Address
12 Einardou Street & Michail Voda 65, Victoria Square, Athens (Athinai),Attica, Greece
Coordinates
37.994675, 23.724632 (accuracy not guaranteed)
Location
• From the Airport - BUS OR METRO - Direct from the Airport, take the Train ‘PROASTIAKOS' to LARISSA STATION (approx 40 minutes and runs until midnight) OR take the X95 Bus to SYNTAGMA SQUARE. This runs 24 hours every 20 minutes (during the day), and every 30 minutes (after midnight).
• From SYNTAGMA STATION, take the Metro (Red Line in the direction of Agios Antonios) to LARISSA STATION (4 stops). From there, walk right up FILADELFIAS STREET for 3 blocks until you see MICHAIL VODA STREET. Turn left into MICHAIL VODA and walk 5 blocks until you see EINARDOU STREET on your left. The Hostel Aphrodite is at 12 EINARDOU & MICHAIL VODA 65 corner, just a 5 minute walk from the station.
• From PATRAS (Peloponnese) - Take the train from Patras to LARISSA STATION (approx 3½ hours). From there, follow the directions above.
• From PIRAEUS PORT - Take the Metro (Green Line) to VICTORIA STATION. From there, walk across VICTORIA SQUARE heading towards HEIDEN STREET (4 blocks) until you see the crossroads which is MICHAIL VODA STREET. Turn right, walk 2 blocks and you will see EINARDOU STREET.
REVIEWS
ElphaRose39 NYC, NY
Re: Hostel Aphrodite
Apr 5, 2008,
Just an update: I stayed in the hostel and it was very nice. Staff was very friendly, anything you need help with they will help you with, room was clean, they provided sheets and everything, computers were free and well run, they even had WIFI for my laptop. The only down side is they run a bar downstairs at night and the music is a bit loud (i stayed in the dorm room on the first floor, the other rooms might not be as bad, just a tip if you are in that room plug up the area around the pipe in the front left corner with a towel or something... it'll quite it a lot).
It wasn't as far out as people made it sound online. About a 5-10 minute walk to the train\subway\bus station (which is how you get to athen from europe or the airport) from where your just a few stops from the main area (tickets are .8 euro each so its well worth the money you save staying there)
hope this helps!
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Reviews from www.hostelio.com
Customer Reviews
Jessica F...
The no cost breakfast and also the bar is a nice touch although I didn't really get a chance to try it out.
Tammy T...
The Aphrodite Hostel and Bar were awesome. when i saw the" Aphrodite bar club" facebook page with the latest photos i knew it was the place. It was right near the train station and subway Larisa making it easy to locate and get around the rest of Athens! The staff were really friendly and the Aphrodite bar right below the hostel was a great place to get drunk cheap and to meet fellow travelers. The bar was busy every night so if you aren't looking to party this might not be the right hostel for you, however, the bar is separate from the actually dorms, so i had a nice sleep also.
Alex P...
24 hr reception, warm and friendly and really helpful staff. When my traveling partner, Anna, misplaced her womens rimless eyeglasses, they spent the time helping us look for them. We didn't find them at the Hostel Aphrodite's common downstairs rooms or in our bedroom and finally gave up. However, since the hostel has free Internet and a Wi-Fi hotspot available 24 hours, we went online and Anna placed an order at Eyeglasses.com in the US where she had originally bought them. The online site already had her most recent prescription so she was able to request that they install prescription lenses as well. When we arrived back in the states, her new eyeglasses were waiting in our mailbox. How convenient was that.
Fiona C...
Nice bar in basement and warm and friendly staff. Great walking tour
Jerry G...
Really very good location from the train station. Few minutes walk to one of the musuem. Superb transport links from the hostel. There is certainly a paid walking tour which runs each day - definitely worth the money. Overall very good hostel.
* Hostel Aphrodite rated 3.44 out of 5 based on 9 customer reviews. Hostel reviews with a star rating are sourced from HostelBookers.
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Aphrodite recommended by Let's Go Publications 2007!!
'Congratulations! I am writing to commend your establishment for its excellent service to our readers. Let's Go values businesses that provide travelers with fun, unique cultural experiences at bargain prices. Every year, our Let's Go team scours the globe in search of unique travel destinations; our regional writer came across your establishment and was very impressed. As tangible recognition of your outstanding services, 'Let's Go 2007 Recommends' can be displayed within your establishment with pride'.
Customer Comments:-
"The location was just a 10 minute walk from the train station which takes you right to the main sites. And it was walking distance to the Archaeological Museum as well as restaurants, grocery stores and good bakeries! The free internet was a definite plus as was the lift. The staff was really helpful and friendly. The bus to Corfu was also very convenient. Overall, a pretty good place to stay in Athens."
Hostel Aphrodite is a good place to stay. Free internet, free shot of ouzo, nice people."
"You can't go wrong with this hostel!"
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This is one hostel that you should definitely check out. The Hostel Aphrodite is run by a great team who are very knowledgeable about all types of information, and are more than willing to share this with you to make your visit here even more enjoyable. Situated in a quiet residential area in the centre of Athens, you will find yourself close to rail, bus, laundries, banks, mail facilities, supermarkets, as well as within walking distance of the National Archeological Museum.
More Background On Hostel Aphrodite
Before Athens became dotted with boutique hostels and digital-nomad coworking spaces, Hostel Aphrodite represented an older ideal of budget travel: sociable, improvisational, and genuinely international. Located on the corner of 12 Einardou Street and 65 Michail Voda, in the capital’s Victoria Square district, the property built a reputation as one of the first hostels in Greece catering explicitly to global backpackers.
Although the official website once offered real-time booking, travel guides and online archives now treat the site largely as a time capsule. Its enduring content paints a vivid picture of how independent hostels operated before algorithmic price comparison took over the travel industry—a blend of personal warmth, organized chaos, and practical logistics that made the stay memorable for generations of travelers.
Location and Setting
Hostel Aphrodite sat in a quiet residential pocket of central Athens, roughly a ten-minute walk from both Larissa Station (the main intercity rail hub) and Victoria Metro Station. This gave guests quick access to the Acropolis, Syntagma Square, and the National Archaeological Museum.
The immediate neighborhood combined utilitarian convenience—laundries, supermarkets, exchange bureaus—with glimpses of authentic Athenian daily life. Guests could buy pastries at corner bakeries, walk to the Archaeological Museum, or catch buses to Piraeus Port for island ferries. That combination of calm base and effortless connectivity made the hostel especially popular among long-haul travelers linking the Balkans and the islands.
Founding and Early History
Hostel Aphrodite was already well known by the early 1980s. Its founders reportedly saw an opening in the market when Athens joined Europe’s rising backpacker circuit after cheap interrail passes and charter flights made Greece accessible to students. The hostel’s early management emphasized affordability, safety, and social interaction, advertising dorm beds at just a few euros and offering free maps and directions handwritten by staff.
By the mid-1990s, the hostel appeared in major guidebooks such as Let’s Go, Lonely Planet, and Hostels of Europe, often cited for its friendly atmosphere and reliable staff. These listings gave Aphrodite a quasi-institutional status—“one of the first and most established hostels in Athens,” as its marketing proudly claimed.
The Website and Digital Footprint
The domain hostelaphrodite.com went live around the early 2000s, showcasing services, rates, and detailed directions from the airport, port, and main rail station. For years it doubled as both marketing material and an information hub for travelers navigating Athens’ often-confusing public transport.
The tone of the site was refreshingly human. Rather than corporate jargon, it offered conversational paragraphs about “where strangers become friends”, or advice on plugging pipe holes with a towel to muffle the bar music. The copy combined promotional flair with genuine empathy—a reflection of management that actually lived on-site.
Even after the property’s online reservation functionality ceased, the archived site remained visible, preserved by subsequent domain holders “for nostalgic and historical purposes.” In that sense, the current version of hostelaphrodite.com serves more as a digital memorial to the backpacker era than an active booking platform.
Ownership and Management
Unlike multinational hostel chains such as Generator or Selina, Hostel Aphrodite was locally owned and operated. The management was a multinational team of English-speaking staff available 24 hours a day. Many were former travelers themselves who had settled temporarily in Athens.
This structure gave the place its unique personality—equal parts business and community project. Guests recalled that the staff could organize ferry tickets, replace lost eyeglasses online for a stranded traveler, or arrange same-day laundry while still running a full bar at night.
Although public business registries don’t list a formal corporate successor, the name “Aphrodite House” occasionally appeared in listings, suggesting either a local hospitality license or partnership entity.
Facilities and Services
At its peak, Hostel Aphrodite offered an extensive list of amenities that rivaled any modern hostel:
24-hour reception with no curfew or lockout.
Free internet terminals and Wi-Fi long before it became standard.
Laundry service with same-day turnaround.
Luggage storage for both short- and long-term travelers (up to three months).
Free city maps and on-site travel desk for ferry and tour bookings.
Continental and traditional Greek breakfasts, often served with a complimentary shot of ouzo.
Basement bar with satellite TV and live sports, known simply as “The Bar Where Strangers Become Friends.”
Private and dorm rooms—singles, doubles, triples, and quads—with shared or en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning, and, in some cases, balconies.
The overall concept blurred the line between a hostel and a micro-hotel. Guests could choose privacy or full dorm camaraderie, while the communal bar provided the social core.
The Bar and Social Atmosphere
The Aphrodite Bar remains a minor legend among seasoned backpackers. Opening around midday and running into the early morning, it combined cheap drinks with global conversation. It wasn’t just a place to party—it was a networking hub for ferry plans, volunteer projects, and new friendships.
Reviewers often noted that the music could be loud on lower floors but also remarked that the bar was separate enough from the dorms to allow rest upstairs. Many hostels have since tried to recreate that delicate balance between energy and comfort, but few matched Aphrodite’s effortless sociability.
Reviews and Reputation
Traveler Impressions
Across archived travel sites, Hostel Aphrodite consistently earned ratings between 3 and 4 stars out of 5, typical for affordable hostels in big cities. Travelers praised the friendly multilingual staff, clean rooms, and location near Larissa Station.
A 2008 review from a New York visitor summarized the sentiment: “The staff was very friendly, the room was clean, computers were free and well run, and they even had Wi-Fi for my laptop.” She noted the minor drawback of bar noise but still recommended it for value and convenience.
Other guests lauded the walking tours and the welcoming atmosphere: “The Aphrodite Bar Club Facebook photos sold me—it was easy to find and the best place to meet fellow travelers.”
Recognition in Travel Guides
Hostel Aphrodite was formally recommended by Let’s Go Publications in 2007, which issued a certificate commending its “excellent service” and “fun, unique cultural experiences at bargain prices.” Such endorsements were highly coveted before algorithmic review systems took over; they implied on-the-ground verification by actual travel writers.
Repeat Guests and Longevity
One reason the hostel achieved longevity was its loyal returning base. Students who visited in the 1990s often came back as young professionals or with friends a decade later. In online forums, it was affectionately described as a “home away from home for backpackers.”
The Hostel’s Role in Athens’ Tourism Evolution
When Hostel Aphrodite opened, Athens had only a handful of budget accommodations. Over three decades, the hostel became part of the city’s travel DNA—especially for those arriving by train from Patras or ferries from Italy.
Its success coincided with the rise of low-cost travel in Europe, when hostels became more than cheap lodging—they were social ecosystems connecting travelers across languages and continents. Aphrodite’s management understood this dynamic early. The bar and reception operated as informal cultural exchanges where new arrivals could find tour partners or share tips about island work exchanges.
During the 2004 Athens Olympics, when accommodation was scarce, many independent travelers credited Hostel Aphrodite with maintaining affordable rates and honest availability, enhancing its credibility.
Cultural and Social Significance
A Microcosm of International Athens
Beyond cheap beds, Hostel Aphrodite symbolized the cosmopolitan Athens that emerged after the 1980s. Guests from Australia, Canada, Japan, and Brazil mingled with Greek staff and students. Conversations in the bar reflected the cross-currents of globalization—art, politics, ferry gossip, and hostel folklore.
The property’s name—invoking Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty—was more than branding. It suggested hospitality through affection and human connection. In the era before social media, the hostel served the same function Facebook groups now provide: a way for travelers to meet, exchange, and form brief yet memorable communities.
Influence on Hostel Culture
Several staff members and repeat guests later opened or managed other hostels around Greece, bringing with them practices pioneered at Aphrodite: multilingual staff, free internet, organized bar events, and late check-outs. Thus, the property helped standardize the backpacker-friendly model still seen across the region.
Challenges and the Decline of the Original Operation
By the late 2010s, shifting economics and the rise of online booking platforms transformed the hostel industry. Independent operators faced competition from Airbnb, dynamic-pricing hostels, and franchise groups.
Around that time, public directories began noting that the domain’s ownership had changed and that it was unclear whether Hostel Aphrodite continued to operate in its original form. Archived pages now explicitly state that the content is preserved for historical purposes and that “we cannot confirm this hostel is still operating.”
Still, the preserved site remains useful to researchers and nostalgic travelers as a snapshot of Athens’ budget-travel heyday.
What Made It Enduring
Even with uncertain current status, Hostel Aphrodite endures in collective memory for several intertwined reasons:
Authenticity – Nothing about it felt mass-produced. Its imperfections were part of its charm.
Cross-cultural connection – The staff’s international composition created an atmosphere where everyone felt seen and understood.
Operational transparency – Clear pricing, honest travel advice, and local knowledge inspired trust.
Community – The bar, breakfast room, and walking tours transformed strangers into friends.
Longevity – Surviving over 30 years, it bridged generations of travelers, from pre-internet to smartphone eras.
Broader Tourism Context
The story of Hostel Aphrodite mirrors the larger evolution of tourism in Athens. Once viewed mainly as a gateway to the islands, Athens has since reasserted itself as a standalone destination. Yet the backpacker ethos that Aphrodite embodied—cultural curiosity, affordability, human connection—remains at the heart of the city’s appeal.
Today’s new hostels with rooftop pools and coworking zones owe a debt to pioneers like Aphrodite that proved social travel could be both financially sustainable and emotionally rich.
Lessons for Modern Hospitality
Modern hostel managers can still learn from Aphrodite’s model:
Balance efficiency with warmth. The hostel proved that strong organization need not sacrifice personality.
Cultivate a narrative. The goddess-themed branding and recurring slogans created a recognizable identity.
Invest in community spaces. Bars and shared rooms foster loyalty and repeat visitation.
Embrace multicultural staff. Having team members from various backgrounds created an inclusive environment and global perspective.
These principles are timeless, transcending the physical building that once housed them.
Hostel Aphrodite’s story is as much about the evolution of travel culture as about one address in Athens. For decades, it offered thousands of travelers a safe, friendly, and spirited home base—a place where logistical competence met spontaneous joy.
Although its current operational status remains uncertain, its legacy endures online and in memory: a symbol of the open-hearted, community-driven spirit that defined the golden age of backpacking.
