Greece - Korina Miller [583]
ACCOMMODATION
There is a range of accommodation available in Greece to suit every taste and pocket. All places to stay are subject to strict price controls set by the tourist police. By law, a notice must be displayed in every room, stating the category of the room and the price charged in each season. The price includes a 4.5% community tax and 8% VAT.
Accommodation owners may add a 10% surcharge for a stay of less than three nights, but this is not mandatory. A mandatory charge of 20% is levied if an extra bed is put into a room (although this often doesn’t happen if the extra bed is for a child). During July and August accommodation owners will charge the maximum price, but in spring and autumn prices can drop by 20%, and then drop even further in winter.
Rip-offs rarely occur, but if you do suspect that you have been exploited by an accommodation owner, make sure you report it to either the tourist police or the regular police, and they will act swiftly.
Throughout this book we have divided accommodation into budget (up to €80 in Athens; up to €60 elsewhere), midrange (€80 to €150 in Athens; €60 to €150 elsewhere) and top end (€150+) categories. This is based on the rate for a double room in high season (July and August). Unless otherwise stated, all rooms have private bathroom facilities. It’s difficult to generalise accommodation prices in Greece as rates depend entirely on the season and location. Don’t expect to pay the same price for a double on one of the islands as you would in central Greece or Athens.
Camping
Camping is a good option, especially in summer. There are almost 350 camping grounds in Greece, found in the majority of regions and islands (with the notable exception of the Saronic Gulf Islands), with many situated in picturesque locations. Standard facilities include hot showers, kitchens, restaurants and minimarkets – and often a swimming pool.
* * *
BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE
For more accommodation reviews and recommendations by Lonely Planet authors, check out the online booking service at www.lonelyplanet.com/hotels. You’ll find the true, insider low-down on the best places to stay. Reviews are thorough and independent. Best of all, you can book online.
* * *
Most camping grounds are open only between April and October. The Panhellenic Camping Association (Map; /fax 210 362 1560; www.panhellenic-camping-union.gr; Solonos 102, Exarhia, Athens) publishes an annual booklet listing all its camping grounds, their facilities and months of operation.
Camping fees are highest from 15 June through to the end of August. Most camping grounds charge from €5 to €7 per adult and €3 to €4 for children aged four to 12. There’s no charge for children under four. Tent sites cost from €4 per night for small tents, and from €5 per night for large tents. Caravan sites start at around €6; car costs are typically €4 to €5.
If camping in the height of summer, bring a silver fly sheet to reflect the heat off your tent. Otherwise, dark tents that are all the rage in colder countries become sweat lodges. Between May and mid-September the weather is warm enough to sleep out under the stars. Many camping grounds have covered areas where tourists who don’t have tents can sleep in summer; you can get by with a lightweight sleeping bag. It’s a good idea to have a foam pad to lie on and a waterproof cover for your sleeping bag.
Domatia
Domatia (literally ‘rooms’) are the Greek equivalent of the British bed and breakfast, minus the breakfast. Once upon a time, domatia comprised little more than spare rooms in the family home that could be rented out to travellers in summer; nowadays, many are purpose-built appendages to the family house. Some come complete with fully equipped kitchens. Standards of cleanliness are generally high.
* * *
GREEN STAYS
Park your bags in the countryside and bunk down in luxurious digs that also happen to be sustainable. Top green stays:
Achladies Apartments (Achladies Bay, Skiathos)
Harry’s Paradise (Kalymnos, Dodecanese)
Milia (Kissamos, Crete)
Pine Tree Studios