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Those who love their own reflection will no doubt be bewitched by the dark reflective surfaces that abound - the walls behind and in front of the bed are mirrored, along with the black door and dividing wall for the ensuite.

Throw in a circular bar, a couple of hot tubs and the option to order light bites, and the rooftop can stake a claim - alongside the price - to being one of the major lures of this hip 220-room property, the fourth hotel by Tel Aviv-born hospitality group Brown Hotels to open in the Greek capital.

For a similar eco-village in the wilderness feel, try Onar on Andros, just a couple of hours by ferry from Athens. Built from stone, wood and river reeds, with white and Meteora escorted tours earthy interiors, the cottages make the perfect base to get away from it all. In the protected wetlands of Ahla Valley, this collection of 14 cottages lies between a white-sand beach on a secluded bay and a rockpool fed by a waterfall.

Take in the imposing Chora town on a rocky hill on Serifos, and the vineyards and olive groves of Sifnos, where trails lead to little monasteries or a medieval fortified village (be sure to try the local speciality of mastelo - goat or lamb marinated in red wine and cost of taxi in athens greece cooked in ceramic pots). Why settle for one island when you could squeeze in lots more?

You can also hire a catamaran complete with skipper and Delphi airport bus chef to sail round the less-well-known Cyclades. Tick off Serifos and Sifnos, Naxos and Paros as well as the wild, mountainous island of Kythnos. 

For some dramatic mountain and lake scenery, head to Epirus in northern Greece, where you can stay in a lodge in the heart of the Zagori region, visiting cheese farms and vineyards as well as quaint villages with medieval arched stone bridges spanning babbling rivers.

A separate visit explores one of the six remaining monasteries once the day-trippers have left, ending with a magical view of the sun dipping behind the rocks. Six nights' B&B costs from £1,660pp with flights (Alternatively, follow the gods, who, according to Greek legend, chose the Pelion peninsula between Athens and Thessaloniki for their revelries, but which is blessedly free from mass tourism.

At night, dine on organic fresh produce from the vegetable garden. A week's B&B costs from £1,255pp with flights and transfers (Also in the Cyclades, The Rooster has just opened on the under-the-radar island of Antiparos, best private tours in Thessaloniki greece offering a luxuriously contemporary take on an authentic Greek hotel. With 17 beautifully designed suites, villas and houses, it is an ideal place to relax, with plenty of privacy and space. Take a boat trip from the beach to explore the coast, which is scalloped by more than 70 beaches, or head inland on one of the networks of old shepherds' footpaths piraeus bus to Thessaloniki explore this lush island Pelion taxi which feels a touch more Scottish Highlands than Cyclades.

We parents, meanwhile, are taking the window this unannounced babysitting shift has afforded us to soak in the view, which is stupendous - an almost-360-degree panorama of Athens, including the famed Acropolis, which lies a couple of miles away.

Inntravel has a ten-night walking trip in September starting in Athens, including B&B but not flights, from £1,095pp (inntravel.co.uk). On volcanic Milos, explore the lunar landscape and soft sandy beaches along a shoreline that also features sea caves.

We vow to rise early and reach the ancient site before the midday sun and the crowds and fail miserably, instead hoping on a subway train at around 11.30am and ascending the slopes to the pillared Parthenon and the other glorious monuments and sanctuaries in the former city - built in the 5th century BC - amid heaving crowds and best private tours in athens greece in blowtorch heat.

Hire a boat to see the best bits, pottering around the coast to stop at Galazio beach, which is accessible only by water, and minivan transfers to marvel at the natural rock arch of Kamara. Better still, head over for lunch at one of the tavernas on Paxos's smaller, vine-covered neighbour, Antipaxos.

But it is worth it to be greeted by superb views of one of the most picturesque harbours in the Aegean, with its colourful red-roofed houses, all of which are listed buildings. Arriving at the laid-back Dodecanese island of Symi is part of the experience - too small for its own airport, it is reached by ferry from Rhodes.



We opt for cooked-to-order pancakes with chocolate sauce, watermelon, good coffee from a high-end Douwe Egberts machine and croissants, before taking advantage of the hotel's handy location in Omonia Square, which has a metro station just three stops from Akropoli - the station for the Acropolis.

Swim in rocky coves a short drive away, and visit the Diros Caves - one is more than a mile long that can be explored during a 40-minute boat trip. A week's B&B costs from £647pp, excluding flights (cittadeinicliani.com).

Still, we sleep well on the sumptuous king-sized bed and in the fresh light of day appreciate the hotel's efforts to inject some stylish avian-related quirk into the interior design, typified by the bare lightbulb by the bed held in the beak of a wall-mounted bird sculpture, the golden egg chairs in the foyer and the banquettes housed in birdcage-style frames in the dining room.