When in Athens: Redefining the modern hostel experience in the heart of Greece

Set in a listed neoclassical building in Exarchia, one of Athens’ most authentic neighborhoods, When in Athens was born out of a moment of reinvention. After years in the high-pressure world of ship brokerage, owner Athanasios Kyriakou wanted something more meaningful — a business rooted in connection, not competition. Over coffee with a friend, the idea surfaced: a hostel for mature travelers who still crave community but prefer calm over chaos.

From the start, Athanasios has set out to create what he calls a “human-centered hostel” — where team members act as concierges and cultural guides, not just receptionists. Guests don’t just check in; they get local recommendations, personalized island itineraries, and the kind of connection that often turns into friendship.

When in Athens chose Cloudbeds as its core platform from day one — and the reasons were clear. Its intuitive design means new receptionists can be fully trained in just 10–15 hours, while cloud-based access lets Athanasios and his team manage the property from anywhere. With Cloudbeds Payments, they can charge guests directly within the PMS or send secure Pay-by-Link requests — eliminating manual card entries and costly errors.

And through seamless integration with RoomPriceGenie via the Cloudbeds Marketplace, they’ve unlocked smarter, dynamic pricing that keeps revenue growing effortlessly.

As Athanasios puts it,

What I love about Cloudbeds is that it never stops improving. There’s a team behind it constantly making it better, adding new features and integrations that actually help us day-to-day.

When in Athens operates in a competitive, seasonal market. To stay agile, Athanasios needed flexible revenue tools and data-driven insights.

With Cloudbeds, he gained visibility into the metrics that matter most — payments, occupancy, and channel reports — allowing him to track performance, identify trends, and make smarter strategic decisions.

This clarity helped him shift his channel strategy in a way that better aligns with his target audience: socially aware, culturally curious travelers who value connection over cost.

When in Athens runs on what Athanasios calls an anthropocentric philosophy — people at the heart of everything. That applies to both guests and staff.

“We’re not just a business about numbers. If a guest has a personal emergency, we’ll offer a refund without thinking twice. Being human comes first.”

That mindset extends to hiring. Athanasios doesn’t care about degrees or previous experience — he looks for kindness and curiosity. Cloudbeds’ intuitive design supports this by making onboarding quick and painless, even for team members with no prior hospitality background.

“I don’t care what someone studied. I care if they’re kind, if they want to learn, if they care about people. Cloudbeds helps me train them quickly so they can focus on guests, not systems.“

With Athens’ climate and culture attracting an increasing number of digital nomads and long-stay travelers, When in Athens is already expanding. The brand is adding four private apartments — When in Athens Residences — nearby, with future plans for a hybrid space combining private rooms and coworking areas.

Cloudbeds’ modular platform is designed to scale seamlessly as the vision grows — uniting operations, payments, and reporting under one roof.

“Athens today feels like what Berlin was ten years ago — full of energy and opportunity. With Cloudbeds, we’re ready to grow into that future.”