Lodging

The first thing to know is that Greeks are gracious hosts, and they take pride in keeeping even modest establishments in top form and in welcoming guests. When it comes to making reservations, it is wise to book several months in advance for the high season, from June through August, especially at top-end hotels in high-profile destinations like Mykonos, Santorini, and Hydra. Accommodations may be hard to find in smaller summer resort towns in winter (when many hotels close for repairs) and at the beginning of spring.

Many hotels have reduced their prices to remain competitive in the face of the country’s ongoing economic crisis, exacerbated by the restrictions COVID-19 has imposed. Sometimes, especially during off-season, you can bargain down the official prices even further (rumor has it to as much as a quarter of the officially quoted price). The response you get will depend largely on the length of your stay, the hotel's policy, and the demand at the time of your stay. Booking websites and local travel agencies also offer competitive prices, particularly for larger hotels on major islands and in Athens and Thessaloniki. However, if you do find a good price from one of these sources, contact the property to see if they can match the price and do better, or maybe throw in some extras. However you book, check to see if a hotel provides transportation from the airport/port as part of their services; this is a real blessing when arriving on an island. A 13% (9% in the islands) government Value-Added Tax and 0.5% municipality tax are added to all hotel bills, though usually the rate quoted includes the tax; be sure to ask. You will also be required to pay a tourism tax of €0.50 and €4 per room per night, based on the official rating of the accommodation, and you are required to pay the tax at check-in.

In even upscale hotels on the islands and in rural ares, you will probably be asked to put toilet paper in a wastebasket rather than flush it.

The lodgings we list are the cream of the crop in each price category. When pricing accommodations, always ask what's included and what's not. Common items that may add to your basic room rate are breakfast, parking, and use of certain facilities such as tennis courts, the spa or gym, Wi-Fi, etc.

Note that some resort hotels also offer half- and full-board arrangements for part of the year, and these kinds of all-inclusive resorts are mushrooming. Avoid these plans if you can, as being forced to dine at a resort means missing out on experiencing authentic Greek restaurants and cuisine, and that would be a shame. Plus, all-inclusive resorts tend to charge a lot for drinks and other extras, and the so-called reasonable rates may not be such a savings after all. Quite likely, you will find yoruself in a remote location isolated from real Greek life.

Hotels

The EOT (GNTO) authorizes the construction and classification of hotels throughout Greece. Five categories, A–E, govern the rates that can be charged, with hotels in the A category being the most expensive. Ratings are based on considerations such as room size, hotel services, and amenities that include the furnishing of the room. Within each category, quality varies greatly, but prices don't, so the classifications can be misleading. Also, you may come across an A-category hotel that charges less than a B-class, and a C-rated hotel in one town might qualify as a B in another. Plus, the classifications do not take into consideration such important factors as charm, location, ambiance, and friendliness of the staff, so you won't want to rely on them too heavily.

For category A expect the equivalent of a five-star hotel in the United States, although the room will probably be somewhat smaller. A room in a C-class hotel can be perfectly acceptable; with a D the bathroom may or may not be shared. Ask to see any room before checking in.

Official prices are posted in each room, usually on the back of the door or inside the wardrobe. The room charge varies over the course of the year, peaking in the high season when breakfast or half-board (at hotel complexes) may also be obligatory.

A hotel may ask for a deposit of the first night's stay or up to 25% of the room rate. If you cancel your reservation at least 21 days in advance, you are entitled to a full refund of your deposit. Online booking sites, meanwhile, often require nonrefundable payment in full at time of booking, or offer fairly stringent cancellation terms. Be careful when locking yourself into a room. Greece is best enjoyed at leisure, and you may well decide to stay on an island longer than planned, or a ferry may not be operating when you need to get from Point A to Point B.

Unless otherwise noted in this guide, hotels have air-conditioning (klimatismo), room TVs, and private bathrooms (banio). Bathrooms are usually equipped with showers, though some older or more luxurious hotels may have tubs. Beds are usually twins (diklina). If you want a double bed, ask for a diplo krevati. In upper-end hotels, the mattresses are full- or queen-size. One amenity that many Greek hotels offer is a balcony, and always ask for one when booking a warm-weather stay.

Use the following as a guide to making accommodations inquiries: to reserve a double room, thelo na kleiso ena diklino; with a bath, me banio; without a bath, horis banio; or a room with a view, domatio me thea. If you need a quiet room (isiho domatio), get one with double-glazed windows (dipla parathyra) and air-conditioning, away from the elevator and public areas, as high up (psila) as possible, and off the street.

Rental Rooms

For low-cost accommodations, consider Greece's ubiquitous "rooms to rent": bed-and-breakfasts without the breakfast. You can count on a clean room, often with such amenities as a terrace, air-conditioning, and a private bath, at a very reasonable price, in the range of €40–€50 for two. Look for signs in any Greek town or village; or, let the proprietors find you—they have a knack for spotting strangers who look like they might need a bed for the night. When renting a room, take a good look first and be sure to check the bathroom before you commit. If there are extra beds in the room, clarify in advance that the amount agreed on is for the entire room—owners occasionally try to put another person in the same room.

When approached by one of the touts who meet the island ferries, make sure he or she tells you the location of the rooms being pushed, and look before you commit. Avoid places on main roads or near all-night discos. Around August 15 (an important religious holiday of the Greek Orthodox Church, commemorating the Assumption of the Virgin Mary), when it seems all Greeks go on vacation, even the most basic rooms are almost impossible to locate, although you can query the tourist police or the municipal tourist office. On some islands, the local rental room owners' association sets up an information booth.

Airbnb in Greece

Renting out spare rooms and empty apartments and homes on Airbnb (www.airbnb.com) has become a favorite practice of many Greek home owners, who amidst a tough and persistent economic climate are looking for ways to increase their income. In addition, the notion of letting out, for a limited period of time, one's home or summer house agrees with the Greek notion of hospitality, philoxenia, hence Airbnb's popularity with Greek hosts. The range of accommodation on offer varies from affordable basic to high-end luxury. Popular as Airbnb is in Greece, these rentals have been harmful to many Greeks. They cut into hotel business, and for Greek residents they remove rental units from the market, making it much more difficult to find an affordable place to live in central Athens and elsewhere. Plus, a stay in someone's empty apartment or house deprives you of the chance to interact with Greeks as you would in a hotel and enjoying Greek hospitality.

Hotel Prices