Hi,
Can anyone tell me of any cheapish rooms on Symi and Tilos around the port areas or not too far away! We are on each island for about 3-4 days at the begining of October. Many thanks for any help.

I don't know Tilos, but Symi is very upscale. So by cheap in Symi, you mean maybe 100 euro?

Have you checked out http://www.symivisitor.com/

Loads of accomodation on there and they are very helpful.

I wouldn't call Symi upscale?? It's very beautiful though!

You'll have no problem finding accommodation on any Greek island in October. It's near the end of the season and room and hotel owners usually let rooms go cheaply.

Charley, I'm no expert, but of the seven islands we've visited, our three days on Symi gave me the impression it was more upscale. Our meals there were fantastic, but clearly the MOST expensive we had in Greece. We seemed to be surrounded by very wealthy but very low-key, rather than ostentatious visitors -- many in really fantastic private yachts. I didn't mean it was upscale in the usual "fancy high rises" sense, but rather that it seemed to me to be a real "billionaires' hideaway". Even the harbor seemed to be surrounded much more with designer shops than with the usual T-shirt and souvenier places. Admittedly that could have been a false impression, but that's what I got out of it. Yes, I loved Symi.

Neopolitan. Do agree that private yachts stop off and there is one particularly upscale restaurant in the harbour, but would still not say it was an ostentatious place. There are plenty of package holdays and day trippers from Rhodes to bring it back down to earth!

Don't miss walking up the Kali Strata up to the the old town. There are some great restaurants up there and also fantastic views.

". . .but would still not say it was an ostentatious place."

Yes, that's my point. It's not at all ostentatious -- but quietly upscale.
We had a fantastic dinner and great wine at Hellinkonian, where the owner took us to the wine cellar and we chose a great wine, then he helped us choose food to go with the wine rather than the other way around. Also another great place was Mylopetra (sp?), where I listed our meal and then wrote in giant letters --THIS WAS TRULY A GREAT RESTAURANT.

Neopolitan, do you mind if I ask where you are from? This may have a bearing on our differing perspectives!

Let's just agree that Symi is beautiful and well worth a visit!

I'm originally from Ohio. Have lived in Florida for 32 years. But I'm not so sure we disagree.
There are two kinds of upscale -- one is all about show, the other is about quiet, unreserved refinement. Hotels and even homes along Eloundra in Crete are UPSCALE and showy. I found Symi, totally NOT showy, but visited by people with as much wealth as those at Eloundra. Sort of like the "old money -- new money" thing.