How do I decide between Imperial Palace and Imperial Plus for a weekend break?

If the hotel is part of the experience — if you want to linger over breakfast, use the room as a retreat, and feel like the accommodation itself adds to the weekend — choose Imperial Palace. If you want a high-quality, smart base optimised for getting out and exploring the city — with city views, rooftop access, and efficient service — choose Imperial Plus. Both share the same central location advantage.

Thessaloniki for a Weekend: Why It Keeps Surprising First-Time Visitors

There is a reason Thessaloniki regularly appears on “underrated European city break” lists and it is not because it is short of things to do. It is because visitors arrive expecting a pleasant Greek city and leave having eaten some of the best food of their lives, walked along a Byzantine seafront at sunset, and explored a compact historic centre dense enough to cover on foot in two days without once feeling rushed.

The question most people ask before booking is not “what will I do?”, the city answers that readily. The question is where to stay: somewhere central enough to walk to everything that matters, comfortable enough to actually rest, and good enough value that the weekend doesn’t require justification.

This article covers two properties that answer that question directly: Imperial Palace | Classical Hotel and Imperial Plus | Urban Smart Hotel. Both are in the heart of Thessaloniki. Both are operated by Imperial Hospitality. Both have a strong case for being the right choice, depending on what kind of weekend you are planning.

By the end of this piece, you will know which one fits your trip.

Understanding Thessaloniki Before You Choose Your Hotel

A weekend in Thessaloniki has a natural geography. The city’s walkable centre runs roughly 3 kilometres along the waterfront, from the port and the Ladadika district in the west to the White Tower and the Ano Poli (Upper Town) in the east. Aristotelous Square, a large neoclassical plaza designed by Ernest Hébrard, sits in the middle, connecting the pedestrian shopping street of Tsimiski to the seafront.

Almost everything worth seeing on a short break is within 20 minutes on foot of Aristotelous Square: the Rotunda, the Roman Agora, the Kapani market, the waterfront promenade, multiple Byzantine churches, and the museums of Byzantine Culture and the Archaeological Museum.

Both Imperial Palace and Imperial Plus are a short walk from this hub. View the exact location of both properties here.

This means that regardless of which property you choose, your weekend begins the moment you step outside.

Imperial Palace | Classical Hotel: For the Weekend That Deserves Space

Who Is It For?

Imperial Palace is the right choice when the weekend itself is the event. Couples celebrating an anniversary. Families visiting Thessaloniki with children. Anyone who wants generous space, an unhurried breakfast, and the feeling of having somewhere substantial to return to at the end of a full day exploring.

The Rooms

The rooms and suites at Imperial Palace are designed with classical style as a priority.

The suite options at Imperial Palace are particularly well-suited to couples on a longer stay (2–3 nights) or family configurations where multiple guests share a room and space has a direct impact on the quality of the stay.

Breakfast at Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace breakfast is a proper sit-down affair, the kind of morning meal that sets the pace for a relaxed day. A wide spread of hot and cold options, Greek dairy and pastries, fresh fruit, eggs, and savoury selections served in an unhurried environment.

For a leisure weekend, this matters. A good breakfast is not just food, it is the moment where you plan the day, refill twice, and leave feeling ready. It is a measurably better start than a coffee grabbed from a bakery near the hotel.

Best For: Imperial Palace

Couples on a city break who want space and a classical ambiance
Families with children who need room to move
Guests celebrating a special occasion
Travellers who prioritise a full, leisurely breakfast as part of the experience
Anyone planning 2-3 nights and wanting a hotel that feels substantial

Imperial Plus | Urban Smart Hotel: For the Weekend That Moves Fast

Who Is It For?

Imperial Plus is the right choice when the weekend is packed. When the itinerary has multiple neighbourhoods, several restaurant bookings, and a plan to be out by 9 AM and back after midnight. When the traveller wants a room that is genuinely comfortable. When the rooftop bar at the end of the evening is important.

The Rooms

The room and suite offering at Imperial Plus is smart and purposeful. Every room is designed to function well, proper beds, real blackout curtains, good climate control, and enough desk space to plan the next day before you sleep.

For a weekend break, the standout categories are:

Executive King Bed with City View and Balcony: The most popular choice for couples. A king bed, a private balcony with views over central Thessaloniki, and the kind of room you want to come back to after a long day of eating and walking.
Executive Junior Suite with City View and Balcony: The upgrade that makes sense for a celebratory weekend or a 3-night stay. More floor space, a separate seating area, and a larger balcony. If you are in Thessaloniki specifically for a break, not just passing through, this is the room that will make the trip feel like one.
Deluxe King Bed with City View: The well-calibrated option for guests who want a city-view room without the balcony premium. Comfortable, functional, and properly designed.

Breakfast at Imperial Plus

The Imperial Plus breakfast buffet is built for people who have a plan for the day and want to execute it without losing time. A wide selection of hot and cold options served in a format that lets you eat well and be out the door in under 30 minutes, which on a packed weekend itinerary is exactly what you need.

The Rooftop: An Evening Destination

The Eleagnos Rooftop Garden at Imperial Plus is one of the more genuinely useful amenities for a weekend guest. After a day that has involved the Kapani market, two Byzantine churches, three neighbourhood coffee stops, and a long lunch somewhere in the Ladadika, you want somewhere to sit down with a drink and watch the city from above without going anywhere.

The rooftop provides that. Panoramic views over central Thessaloniki, a proper drinks selection, and enough calm to make the transition from day to evening feel like a natural pause rather than an afterthought.

Best For: Imperial Plus

Couples who want a modern, smart room with city views
Weekend travellers with a full itinerary who want an efficient, central base
Guests celebrating with a balcony room and rooftop access
First-time visitors to Thessaloniki who want to be within walking distance of everything
Short stays of 1–2 nights where the city is the focus

Location: What You Can Reach on Foot From Both Hotels

Both properties share the same fundamental location advantage: central Thessaloniki, walkable to everything that matters on a weekend break.

Aristotelous Square in Under 5 Minutes

The city’s main square is the anchor of every Thessaloniki weekend. It connects the shopping streets to the waterfront, hosts the best people-watching in the city, and is surrounded by the cafés and bars that make Thessaloniki feel like a city that takes leisure seriously.

The Seafront Promenade in Under 8 Minutes

The long waterfront walk from the port to the White Tower is the evening ritual of Thessaloniki. On a weekend break, you will do it at least twice: once in daylight to understand the scale of the city, and once at sunset to understand why people keep coming back. From either hotel, it is under 8 minutes on foot.

Ladadika in Under 10 Minutes

The historic Ladadika district, former warehouses turned into one of the most atmospheric dinner destinations in northern Greece, is where the weekend evening should be spent. Dozens of restaurants, a scale that feels human rather than touristic, and a wine list culture that treats Greek varieties seriously. Both hotels place this within a 10-minute walk.

White Tower in 12 Minutes on Foot

The 15th-century tower at the eastern end of the waterfront is the city’s most recognisable landmark and the default meeting point for anyone in Thessaloniki. The museum inside is worth an hour; the view from the top is worth the climb.

Ano Poli (Upper Town) in 25 Minutes on Foot or 10 by Taxi

The Byzantine walled upper town, with its Ottoman-era timber houses and sweeping views over the Gulf of Thermaikos, is the weekend half-day excursion that most visitors remember most. From either hotel, a short taxi ride or a longer uphill walk gets you there.

Practical Information: Getting There and Getting Around

From the Airport

Thessaloniki Makedonia International Airport (SKG) is 15 km from the city centre.

Taxi: 20–25 minutes, approximately €18–22 to the centre.
Bus: Under €1, approximately 45 minutes, stopping near Aristotelous Square.

For a weekend arrival on a Friday evening with luggage, the taxi is the right call.

Getting Around Thessaloniki

For a weekend break centred on the historic city centre, you will not need transport for the vast majority of your itinerary. Thessaloniki’s walkable core is compact enough that almost everything is accessible on foot from either hotel.

For Ano Poli, the cable car (teleférique) from the upper town back to the centre is both practical and scenic — check local operating schedules on arrival.

Parking

If you are driving to Thessaloniki for the weekend, paid multi-storey car parks are available within a 2–3 minute walk of both properties. The team at either hotel can advise on the closest options. Contact Imperial Hospitality directly to arrange guidance before arrival.

Direct Booking and Current Offers

The best rates at both Imperial Palace and Imperial Plus are available through direct booking. The current offers page lists active weekend packages, early-bird rates, and promotional prices, which on a 2-night leisure stay represents a meaningful saving.

Booking direct also gives you more flexibility for date amendments, which matters when weekend plans occasionally shift.

FAQ: Weekend Break at Imperial Palace and Imperial Plus

Which hotel is better for a couple’s weekend break in Thessaloniki?

Both work well for couples, but the right choice depends on the type of weekend. If you want a room you can settle into, spacious, classically designed, with an unhurried breakfast, Imperial Palace is the better fit. If you want a city-view balcony room, rooftop access, and a base that’s optimised for going out and coming back, the Executive King with Balcony at Imperial Plus is the stronger choice. Both are within the same easy walking distance of Aristotelous Square, Ladadika, and the waterfront.

Are Imperial Palace and Imperial Plus family-friendly?

Imperial Palace is the more naturally family-friendly option, with larger rooms and a breakfast experience suited to an unhurried morning with children. The classical design and spacious layout accommodate family configurations more easily than a compact urban hotel. Imperial Plus is better suited to adult couples or solo travellers. Both properties can accommodate specific family requests, contact the team via the Imperial Hospitality contact page to discuss requirements before booking.

How far are the hotels from the White Tower and Ladadika?

From both properties, the White Tower is approximately 10–12 minutes on foot along the seafront. Ladadika is under 10 minutes on foot. Both are among Thessaloniki’s most important weekend destinations, dining, drinks, and evening walks — and the central location of both hotels makes neither feel like a commute.

Is breakfast included in weekend rates?

Breakfast availability depends on the specific rate selected at either hotel. The Imperial Palace breakfast and Imperial Plus breakfast are both worth including for a leisure weekend, one slow and expansive, the other efficient and varied. Check the offers page for weekend packages that include breakfast at a combined rate.

What is the best room category for a special occasion weekend at Imperial Plus?

The Executive Junior Suite with City View and Balcony is the standout choice for a celebratory weekend at Imperial Plus. A separate seating area, private balcony over the city, and the Eleagnos Rooftop Garden as an evening venue make it a self-contained experience that requires no upgrades or add-ons to feel complete.

Can I walk everywhere in Thessaloniki from these hotels?

For a standard weekend itinerary: the waterfront, Aristotelous Square, Ladadika, the Roman Agora, Modiano market, the Byzantine churches, the White Tower, yes, entirely on foot. Ano Poli (the upper town) involves a significant uphill walk, which some guests prefer to tackle by taxi on the way up and on foot (or cable car) on the way down. Both hotels are positioned at the optimal point for a walking-first weekend in Thessaloniki. See the full location overview here.

The Bottom Line

A weekend in Thessaloniki does not require a complicated logistics plan. It requires a central hotel, a full first day, and a willingness to eat more than you planned.

Both Imperial Palace and Imperial Plus solve the central hotel part of that equation. What they offer beyond location is different enough to make the choice meaningful: one gives you space and classical elegance; the other gives you smart efficiency, city views, and a rooftop for the evening.

Neither requires you to compromise on the things that matter most for a weekend break: being in the centre, being comfortable, and being able to walk out the front door into one of the most interesting cities in southeastern Europe.

Browse the current direct booking offers, review the full accommodation options across both properties, and get in touch if you have a specific request before you book.