Hotels and other accommodations in Greece
Accommodation and hotels while visiting Greece out of high season is cheaper. The best time therefore for finding cheaper accommodation in Greece during the the summer are the months of May & June or September. Everything is cheaper then and the weather is still beautiful without the heat of high summer. Self-catering accommodation is always a good choice for people travelling on a budget.
On landing at any port throughout Greece you will always find people holding notices advertising their studios, apartments or rooms to rent. Rooms will be as varied as their landladies and landlord but you will be pleasantly surprised at the overall high standard of facilities at such low prices , with en-suite bathrooms (showers rather than baths), balconies and washing lines to peg out your washing.
Cooking facilities are crucial for the budget-conscious traveller and ‘studio apartments’ often have compact and well-equipped kitchens that gives you the opportunity to make your own breakfast, light meals and drinks which leaves you money to spend on other things. At the very least a studio will provide a gas ring to brew coffee on, and a frying pan or saucepan. It’s amazing how creative you can be with fresh local vegetables and a few eggs! Consequently, most of these self-catering places do not offer breakfast.
A large proportion of accommodation is self-catering today and you should expect to pay perhaps around 5 euros per night more than if you were staying in a basic ‘room’. However, you will easily save the extra cost in one night of home cooking. If you pick a room attached to a taverna, you will be expected to eat there so, for any stop of more than a day, independent rooms are a more economical option. Most of the hotels, on the other hand, include breakfast in their prices.
Finding cheap accommodation in Greece
If you are travelling out of high season you can always bargain for cheaper prices from those people waiting at the port with rooms or studios to rent. This also applies to hotel rooms. However this is not really recommended during the high season as most places, or certainly the best places, are fully booked in advance during this time.
Thus, if you can only travel in July or August it is essential to look on-line as most of the accommodation now have their own web pages with emails and telephone contact numbers. It is still worth trying to bargain prices even in July or August as hoteliers would rather have all their rooms full, even at a reduced cost, than keep them empty trying to get the best price.
When agreeing a price make sure that this is the final price as some places charge extra if you use air-conditioning. Most of the official municipality web sites throughout Greece include lists of all available registered accommodation with contact details.
Types of Accommodation in Greece
Rooms for rent
In Greece it is a longstanding tradition to offer rooms for rent to tourists. Everywhere, in the tourist centers, there are signs with the sign Rooms to let. If you want to spend little and like to immerse yourself in local customs, this solution may be for you. There are many of them in the tourist centers of the province and of various types.
Studios
Studio means the studio apartment with bathroom and kitchenette.A solution suitable for those looking for particular atmospheres. Studios have become the main accommodation schema in the smaller Greek islands since rooms to rent are declining because the tourism demands.
Villas
If you have more financial means, you can try to rent a villa equipped with every comfort. The villas offered for rent are generally spacious, located on or near the sea shore and in a panoramic position. It is a valid alternative to a hotel.
Camping
There are about 340 areas equipped for camping with a license from the State Tourist Office. Free camping is prohibited in Greece and anyone who breaks the law faces heavy penalties. However, no one will ever fine you for parking your camper outside the permitted areas.