Has anyone used the Dilos web site to book a hotel in Greece? Is it reliable, trustworthy, etc.?

I contacted them last summer for an inquiry and got a very quick answer from them. However I did not make my booking through them since the prices I got for the requested hotels, were not that interesting. <BR>

Laura, I have 1 response and 1 post on Dilos. At the top of the page type-in dilos in the "Search" and click-on "Greece" & "Find". I would say they are reliable, trustworthy, etc. and as Joelle mentioned very quick to respond. I used them because the hotels weren't answering my e-mails, for Feb. bookings you'd think the hotels be looking for business??? I did like the security of them faxing me the *paid* hotel vouchers so if I had any problems I'd have my CC company and this Greek travel agency with whom they do business on *my* side. Of course check-out the prices between the hotel's website and Dilos. HTH Regards, Walter <BR>

When planning our trip with another couple to Greece and Turkey last summer I also contacted them for an inquiry and got a quick answer. I passed the info to my friend (who was in charge of hotel reservations in Greece) but he ended up doing all the bookings (except for Rhodes which I did myself) through a travel agency in Athens (basically because he would have to prepay Dilos as opposed to the travel agency, which we paid when we got there). <BR> <BR>What I didn't like in the Dilos scheme (and for that matter also the travel agency in Athens) is that rates were fixed in US$ ... but one actually pays in GDR. To calculate the amount of GDR to be charged on one's cc they use an exchange rate they is obviously unfavorable. By the time one gets the cc statement one realizes that the amount charged in US$ is quite higher than the negotiated quote. In our case this added to about a 5% overcharge. <BR> <BR>IMO there's no reason for rates in Greece to be fixed in US$. Inflation is pretty low (when we got there beginning of July last year, the exchange rate was GDR 300 for the dollar - the Oanda site gives 304 as of today). As a matter of fact, many hotels will give you rates in GRD (in our case, Rhodes' one did). Finally, one should also take into account the difference between direct hotel reservation and tour agent package cancellation policies. The hotels (at least the ones we used) had a 48-hour notice - no fee policy. I have no idea on how things work at Dilos but I used a similar scheme in Turkey and cancellations had to be done a week in advance and there was a 10% fee. <BR> <BR>Therefore, Laura, do shop around and if you conclude that Dilos' rates are interesting ask them to write down all "rules" of the game (exchange rates they'll be using to convert their rates to US$, cancellation policy, cancellation fee, etc). Walter may witness that unfortunately one does need it from time to time! I wouldn't worry about their reliability and trustworthiness ... they've been in the market quite a while now and I didn't hear a single word against them. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR>

hi i used them for my honeymoon. they answered every question and had the best rates. however i told them where i wanted to stay.

I was just trying to make a reservation direct with Hotel Byron in Nafplion for late August, they told me they were completely full. <BR> <BR>I contacted Dilos with the same dates, Dilos CAN get me a room for the same date! apparently the travel agencies get first priority. <BR> <BR>The arrangement is, that the full amount has to paid in advance to Dilos, and Dilos gives you vouchers to present at the hotel (guess computer system networks are a little behind the times in greece!). <BR> <BR>Dilos now quotes & charges your credit card in Euros, so presumably the exchange rate is whatever your CC company uses. <BR> <BR>There is a stiff cancellation fee (50 Euros), but no charge for modifications to the reservation (with minimum 2 day notice). <BR> <BR>I'm not sure if I'll use them...I'd rather not pay full in advance. <BR> <BR>Incidentally, the daily room rate quoted for Hotel Byron, by Dilos, was 64 Euro = $61 = 21,520dr (based on today's exchange rate at Yahoo)

I'm not sure if I'm the right person to say, because although I've been making reservations for a trip to Greece, I haven't actually been there yet. <BR> <BR>That said, I've been very impressed with Dilos' responsiveness. I sent them a fair number of e-mails about this and that, and they always got back to me within a day or two. <BR> <BR>This is a little off the subject, but I've also had a terrific experience with Likouris Travel on Mykonos. They helped me book a flight between the islands, and even though the overall cost was low (and therefore they couldn't have been making much in commission), they were very helpful. (This isn't an ad, just my own personal observation!) <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>