this is stated on their website...


Payment is requested in cash but we also accept major credit cards.

In high season credit card details required to secure reservation.


Why don't you email them and insist on paying with credit card prior to arrival?
As per greek law, you can cancel any booking 21 days before arrival free of charge. This means that in order to secure your booking, he must have your cc details...
Have you given them to the hotelier?

Hi

Make sure you bring hard copies of your emails, particularly confirmation of your booking. I would reconfirm the booking say 2 weeks beforehand, making sure that the hotel in turn acknowledges you. Personally, I avoid pre paying any amount unless it is a prerequisite to secure that accommodation.

worldinabag

No hotel in Santorini will let you arrive in August without requiring at least 30% of the total amount.
This is legal, as per Greek law, and very much practiced.

I am pretty sure that the hotelier in best case will ask for the credit card details of the OP, as a guarantee.

21 days and less before the arrival the hotelier has the right to charge cancellation charges.

For the same reason, all non refundable rates that you can find in on line engines, are illegal, since every booking can be cancelled free of charge 21 days before arrival

We stayed in Old Oia Houses 2 years ago and it was for a reservation in late July. We did not pay a deposit as they didn't ask for or want one, and paid on arrival. We withdrew cash at an ATM in Oia and paid, actually it was not until the last day of our departure and we looked for the owners to pay. Our reservation was fine, we just reconfirmed a week or so before. Same thing happened to us for a booking in Maui, no deposit and pay in cash on arrival (albeit for diff reason, as alot of US condo type accom is not geared up for international transactions, nonetheless reservation was fine).

Odin, the hotelier didn't even have your cc details?

If he accepted a booking without cc details, or a deposit , i am sure he is the exception to the rule

That is the way the hotels conducted their business before the days of the internet. It's rare to find now, but it's nothing to be worried about. If they still do it, more credit to them.

Malista Clausar - no ccd no deposit and no problem. A bit worrying I admit, but reconfirmed couple weeks beforehand as we had booked in the Jan. It's an English lady who owns the houses with her Greek husband, very nice people.

Odin,

This must be the english influence on the Greek husband...

So we now have a list of over 10 Santorini hotels in our budget that seem very good in the Firostefani area - our choice.
Seeing that we are arriving on Sept.29 do you think we should book ahead or take our chances and see the actual rooms before we commit?
I think nearly all are offering us discounts over the internet rates, even free car hire.

There will be plenty of rooms available in Firostefani upon arrival in late September, so if you want to do it that way you certainly can. But ask yourself if you're prepared to schlepp your luggage around, up and down all the steps and alleyways, while you do so.