Hotels & Accommodations in Greece
Hotels in Greece
Hotels in Greece are rated as either LUX (for luxury) or A, B,
C, D, E by the Greek National Tourist Organization according to
the amenities they offer. "A" class is reserved for some of the best hotels
in Greece. Hotels in the "B" and "C" class are
the best choice for the budget traveler. They are very clean and
the service is excellent. Hotels in the D, or E class may lack certain
amenities and usually don't include a private bathroom or shower.
The hotels in Greece provide no indication as to their vacancy status.
One has to park and enter the hotel in order to find out if there
are rooms available, something that makes spontaneous travel a bit
more complex.
The prices vary from place to place and they are regulated
by the Greek National Tourist Organization so within
an area the price variation would
not be noticeable. The prices change from season to season, and
they are always posted behind the door in every room. Single rooms
for a B class hotel can cost between 60.00 - 120.00 €, and double rooms
normally cost between 100 - 150 €. Every hotel is oblicated
by law to post the prices and related accomodations in every room
(you will find the official paper behind the room door).
Tip:Make sure that the price you are quoted includes all the ammeneties listed as being available. In some cases certain ammeneties might be considered "extra" by the hotel owner. Such extras might include using the AC, or certain breakfast menu items. It's best to come to an agreement before you book your hotel or appartment. |
I usually find hotels in the "C" class
a better value since I often do not take advantage of amenities
that larger hotels offer. If you like a bed with clean sheets,
private bath with clean towels, a modest breakfast and nothing
else, then you will be very satisfied with a "C" class
hotel (as a rule) and it will cost between 40.00 - 110.00 € for
a single room, or 60.00 - 130.00 € for
a double.
To make matters a bit more complex, the rating for each hotel depends
on factors like the existence of a restaurant, a pool, and other facilities.
So it is possible for a very nice hotel to end up with an E rating just
because it does not possess extra facilities.
Rooms for Rent
Our personal favorite place to stay in Greece is in rooms for rent in small apartments. They are plentiful in every town where tourists might visit, and they are inexpensive, and clean. They do not offer the accommodations that hotels can afford (like breakfast, wake up calls, restaurants and the such,) but they have their own charm and the owners usually live on the same building. Chances are that if you land on an island in the summer there will be plenty of locals waiting to entice you to stay at their premises.
Rental rooms are different than hotels in that they don't offer a lobby restaurants, communal areas and other luxuries often available at a hotel. Room service varies from one place to the next but in general you can expect your bed sheets, towels, or toilet paper changed every two or three days. You would also have to bring along or buy items such shampoo or extra towels if needed.
On the other hand, rooms for rent often have multiple rooms, and a kitchen where you can cook your own meals. Every room we've ever rented had a television, but most don't have telephones installed.
In general, compared with hotels, rooms for rent offer less services, but more space. Most importantly, they are usually cheaper than hotels that offer similar room accommodations. In smaller destinations, rooms for rent are part of a local family's home-business and they are either part of their home, or attached to it. If you are lucky, you can find a room where you can become close friends with the local neiborhood.
Read more about rooms for rent in Greece
Camping
There are plenty of organized camping grounds in Greece where you can pitch a tent, park your Mobile Home, or just lay in your sleeping bag. They are usually near the best beaches at their location, and most offer running water, communal showers, and toilets.
Free camping is not officially allowed in Greece any more and I always hear stories about campers getting rudely driven off a beach by the local police. Luckily you can always find inexpensive camp sites just about everywhere.
If you stay in organized camping sites you can save quite a lot of money (and you will be closer to nature). Expect to pay anywhere from 5 to 10 Euro per person, and then add some extras depending on what kind of accommodations you need. Accommodations range from a tiny spot on the dirt to unroll your sleeping bag, to tents (maybe another 4 euro), electrical outlet (~4 euro) and the such.
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