I highly, highly recommend this hotel! The staff gave us a very good first impression. Mattina met us with a huge warm smile. Andreas and Nick were always welcoming and accommodating. The area is quiet but two short blocks either direction and you are either on your way to the Acropolis or in the middle of souvenir shopping in the Monastiraki square. Syntagma is 10 mins away, and you have rooftops bars within 5 mins walking distance. No need to rent a car. Monastiraki train station is about 10 mins away, Syntagma station about 15 mins. That is if one does not get distracted by the souvernir shops.
It’s a boutique hotel so no big lobby and no pool but the whole building is very clean. Housekeeping can clean the room everyday if that’s your choice. Toiletries were more than adequate, I barely had to use the ones I packed. The room on the small side but more than enough for two. The beds were comfortable. They do not have a dining area and breakfast was in a restaurant around the corner, so not a buffet. But the food was healthy, delicious, and the portions were generous. Will definitely stay at Esse Athens the next time we visit.