I am going to the Greek Islands in late August. We plan to go island hopping to Zakinthos and Santorini, and we want to decide the other islands we will visit as we travel throughout Greece. How difficult is it to get a hotel? Do we need to make advance reservations?

August is when almost EVERYONE in Europe is on vacation. Santorini will be PACKED. I think you need a reservation, although I know people do wait by the ferries with signs to entice you to their hotels (in Santorini). They may not be exactly what you want though.

Deanneb, earlier this week I was having trouble getting a room in Santorini for a weekend in <b>October</b>. (Well, I was having trouble finding a room that met my specifications.) I suggest that if it is important that you get the type of accommodations you want, you make reservations at least for Santorini.

I wouldn't call a trip to Zakinthos and Santorini island hopping, as one is in the Ionian and the other in the Aegean. You will have to go back to the mainland to get from one to the other.

Now for your question about hotels, that is a difficult one to answer. August is high season, so it would be best to make advance reservations. After August 15th (Greek holiday) hotel rooms on many islands are easier to come by, but Zakinthos and Santorini may be exceptions.

If you aren't particular about accommodation it will always be possible to find a room when you arrive on an island. There will be people waiting at the port offering simple but clean rooms for rent. If you want something special, make advance reservations.

deanneb, oddly enough on my first trip to Greece I went to Zakynthos and Santorini. I thought I may have been the only person to do this as the two islands aren't the easiest to get to from each other (I visited with family in Patras in between). I was there in August as well and had no reservations. I travelled all around Zakynthos staying at diffrent hotels with no problem. In Santorini I stayed in Perissia not on the caldera and stayed at Porto Perissia and the Veggera. I've been back to Greece 4 times since then sometimes making resrvations sometimes not in both places you will be able to find hotels it's just how particular you are about where you stay.
Trish

Trish -- Thank you to everyone for the advice. . . . Any recommendations on nice, but mid-range hotels (maybe $150 per nite), beaches or places to visit on Zakinthos? I heard that Lagana is a lot of fun and has a great club scene -- and that you can find decent hotels within walking distance to the &quot;evening action&quot; that are also on the beach?

Also, we were thinking that we would absolutely fly back to Santorini and then do the island hopping in that region. . . . maybe try Mykonos for a few days. We heard that Santorini was more laid back than the other islands, and thought it would be a nice, beautiful place to relax for a few days -- maybe stay at a nicer hotel with a spa on the beach.

Hey -- If anyone recommends other islands in the area. . . . with beautiful beaches and a fun night scene, let me know!!!!

What about across Crete and Rhodes in early / mid September. Will we need to reserve weeks in advance or can we go day by day?

Thanks

hi
check out the following link to book:
http://destinia.com/hotels/hotels--i...rope/greece/en
they generally carry info about the hotels and their locations. hope this of some use to you and that you find something

Just returned from Greece and had some thoughts. I went without reservations and had no problem getting nice clean rooms in good locations very reasonably priced. Most all hotel/inn owners said it is very different in August during high holiday season. Also I concur with someone who said that if you are looking for something particular for accomodations, make reservations ahead of time.
One person mentioned Santorini as layed back-that is not how I would describe compared to some of the other islands. Also the beaches are unique, black and red beach, but not your typical view of a Greek beaches. For typical white sandy beaches without lots of people, Naxos was perfect to me.

bookmarking

August is the high of the High Season, was there in August a few years back and vowed not to do it again.

In Santorini I met a couple from the Neetherlands who had their hotel room booked in advance only to arrive and find the hotel was overbooked. They were shuttled off to a lesser hotel. There was absolutely no rooms to be had no matter how much you wanted to pay. People were sleeping on rooftops , beach, etc.

In Mykonos it was worse, found some people who knew of a woman who was renting mattress space on her rooftop. Spent my first night on her roof with a number of other travellers. She had mover her whole family into one part of the house and rented out the rest of the rooms of her little abode on the cliffs. Remember the communal shower , had to walk thru another persons room to use it. Charged us a $1 for its use.

Have fun.

P.S. In July and August many of the hotels have been taken over by the Tour Operators in Britian and Europe.

Your best hope is to find a family with a room to spare.

Chania Crete was much the same. Arrive at the end of July and left first week of August. I watched the town fill up with no rooms left.

The family I stayed with in Paros was approached every morning with people moving off the Beach looking for rooms vacated by travellers that morning.

The thing is when you arrive you grab what you can and get up at 6 in the morning and start room shopping before the next Ferries arrive. Did that in Mykonos and found a room. Four of us sharing.

Britain is Europe

Well there was a time before the European Common Market where Britian was Britain and Europe was Europe.

Britain being an Isle and Europe the Contintent.

By the Way I did enjoy the experience, up there on the Mykonos rooftop. There is nothing like sleeping under a Greek starry night.