The Athena provided the exact experience we sought for a short stay in London. Our teenagers had never been to London, and we had an extended layover from another trip, so we booked close to Paddington Station to get to and from the airport quickly. The strip of beautiful old homes weaved together on a square made for a fantastic setting. It is located off of a main road with plenty of restaurants to choose from and easy access to public transport. The hotel staff were so pleasant and helpful, and the check in went smoothly and quickly. We loved the authenticity of the building with small, steep, creaky stairs; a quaint, surprisingly roomy room with a double; located on the third floor with a pleasant breeze coming through the windows and a tabletop fan to keep cool in the summer. The bathroom updates were nice and the hotel overall added to our inner London experience, with character and charm. The continental breakfast is a nice way to end the stay, along with the option to hold bags. We may have found the quarters tight if we intended to spend any time other than sleeping and freshening up, but we went to explore London, not stay in the room, and we sought and appreciated the character of the property.
