How to get cheap accomodation on ios/paros/naxos?
Jul 21st, 2016, 12:15 PM
#1
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How to get cheap accomodation on ios/paros/naxos?
I plan to stay in either ios, naxos or paros in the first two weeks of August and I wonder what are my options in order to land a cheap and very basic accommodation (i need just to sleep somewhere since most of time i'm either on a beach or a party)?
-By using accommodation search engines (i.e. expedia, kayak...) I have only found hotels, which seem to start at 70€/day and that's too much. Where I can search for rooms in private settings?
- Would be risky to not book an accommodation, but rather search it on arrival? I did this last year and and I got 15€ per night in the middle of the season, but not on Cyclades.
-By using accommodation search engines (i.e. expedia, kayak...) I have only found hotels, which seem to start at 70€/day and that's too much. Where I can search for rooms in private settings?
- Would be risky to not book an accommodation, but rather search it on arrival? I did this last year and and I got 15€ per night in the middle of the season, but not on Cyclades.
Jul 21st, 2016, 03:53 PM
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Hi
Phew, tough ask! You may have more luck posting your question here - https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...-europe/greece. Good luck.
Phew, tough ask! You may have more luck posting your question here - https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...-europe/greece. Good luck.
Jul 21st, 2016, 05:02 PM
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Try www.booking.com as well as trying a google search for "Ios rooms to let" as well as for Naxos and Paros. Believe it or not, €70 in August is not a lot of money. If you're a camper try Far Out Camping on Ios.
Jul 21st, 2016, 09:55 PM
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The fact is, cheapest rooms on any island aren't listed on the Internet at all, and don't take credit cards either. They get their business from return customers, and don't want to give part of their profits to booking engines and credit card companies. First two weeks of August is a bad time to turn up on an island without pre booking, but if you wait until the last week of August and the first week of September it will be much easier to find a cheap room on any of those three islands.
Jul 22nd, 2016, 01:16 AM
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Just to add: if you mean Aug 2016 (next week) you had better get busy looking for a room. I agree with brotherleelove that €70/night isn't a lot for August, the make or break month for most Cyclades islands.
Off the top of my head Ios would be the best island for you to start looking, as it seems to have a lot of backpacker-type accommodation. All three islands have people waiting at the port with rooms to rent, but pickings will be slim at the beginning of August. Early arriving ferries will give you the best chance.
Off the top of my head Ios would be the best island for you to start looking, as it seems to have a lot of backpacker-type accommodation. All three islands have people waiting at the port with rooms to rent, but pickings will be slim at the beginning of August. Early arriving ferries will give you the best chance.
Jul 22nd, 2016, 02:47 AM
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@MmePerdu: airBnB is all booked and nothing can be found up to €30/night.
@brotherleelove2004: Thanks for providing magic sentence "rooms to let". I was able to google some stuff for even under €30/night.
@Heimdall: yes, I mean the next week. And I can't pay €70 for accommodation only since that's my wanted daily budget. Nevertheless, if getting a room for affordable price fails, there is always camping available for €10/day.
@brotherleelove2004: Thanks for providing magic sentence "rooms to let". I was able to google some stuff for even under €30/night.
@Heimdall: yes, I mean the next week. And I can't pay €70 for accommodation only since that's my wanted daily budget. Nevertheless, if getting a room for affordable price fails, there is always camping available for €10/day.
Jul 22nd, 2016, 04:37 AM
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Good luck! There is usually something available when you get off the ferry, but it's better to have something booked in advance for at least the first few days. That gives you time to look for something more affordable after you arrive. The island I usually go to (Antiparos) is so busy in August that even the campsite is full.
Jul 22nd, 2016, 08:24 AM
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Italian friends of mine wanted to go to Folegandros in August and search on the spot for something cheap, although i was trying to persuade them not to....
Finally the got off the ferry, spent the whole day searching for any type of accommodation, everything was full and they spent the night on the beach, waiting for the next ferry to Santorini.
This won't happen in Naxos probably due to the large size of the island.... but i would be very skeptical about Ios and also Paros.
Usually you will find locals with room offers of lower budget waiting at the port.... but 15-20 Euro per night in August for any type of room, doesn't sound very realistic....
I have always avoided the Cyclades and all other islands in August, due to the large crowds... with the only exception of Santorini, where i was working.... That was an unforgettable experience
Finally the got off the ferry, spent the whole day searching for any type of accommodation, everything was full and they spent the night on the beach, waiting for the next ferry to Santorini.
This won't happen in Naxos probably due to the large size of the island.... but i would be very skeptical about Ios and also Paros.
Usually you will find locals with room offers of lower budget waiting at the port.... but 15-20 Euro per night in August for any type of room, doesn't sound very realistic....
I have always avoided the Cyclades and all other islands in August, due to the large crowds... with the only exception of Santorini, where i was working.... That was an unforgettable experience
Jul 22nd, 2016, 09:13 AM
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"The island I usually go to (Antiparos) is so busy in August that even the campsite is full."
oh dear....
clausar: "Italian friends of mine wanted to go to Folegandros in August and search on the spot for something cheap, although i was trying to persuade them not to....
Finally the got off the ferry, spent the whole day searching for any type of accommodation, everything was full and they spent the night on the beach, waiting for the next ferry to Santorini."
@clausar: did the same happen on Santorini?
But I have to admit that I underestimated tourist market saturation in Greece (or maybe just in Cyclades) during August. It's true that last year I went on Corfu(Kavos), in the same peak season, and I got a room for a €20/night, same happened in Croatia. Maybe I just got lucky or maybe Kavos/Corfu is different story comparing to Cyclades.
oh dear....
clausar: "Italian friends of mine wanted to go to Folegandros in August and search on the spot for something cheap, although i was trying to persuade them not to....
Finally the got off the ferry, spent the whole day searching for any type of accommodation, everything was full and they spent the night on the beach, waiting for the next ferry to Santorini."
@clausar: did the same happen on Santorini?
But I have to admit that I underestimated tourist market saturation in Greece (or maybe just in Cyclades) during August. It's true that last year I went on Corfu(Kavos), in the same peak season, and I got a room for a €20/night, same happened in Croatia. Maybe I just got lucky or maybe Kavos/Corfu is different story comparing to Cyclades.
Jul 22nd, 2016, 10:35 AM
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Hi jimbeam,
Clausar makes a good point: the larger the island the more likely you are to find last minute accommodation, so Naxos and Paros would offer the best chances, although you will end up with what's left over, which may be out of the way. Folegandros and Antiparos are both very small, and when accommodation is gone, it's gone. Another island I wouldn't turn up at in August without pre-booked accommodation is Koufonisi, and there are others.
Don't assume you can find a vacancy at a campsite in August, either. Lots of people have the same idea as you, so campsite pitches get booked up well in advance. If you want to go to Ios, check out http://www.faroutclub.com/camping/index.php which has a good reputation. I don't know if they still have vacancies, though.
Clausar makes a good point: the larger the island the more likely you are to find last minute accommodation, so Naxos and Paros would offer the best chances, although you will end up with what's left over, which may be out of the way. Folegandros and Antiparos are both very small, and when accommodation is gone, it's gone. Another island I wouldn't turn up at in August without pre-booked accommodation is Koufonisi, and there are others.
Don't assume you can find a vacancy at a campsite in August, either. Lots of people have the same idea as you, so campsite pitches get booked up well in advance. If you want to go to Ios, check out http://www.faroutclub.com/camping/index.php which has a good reputation. I don't know if they still have vacancies, though.
Jul 22nd, 2016, 01:16 PM
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Jimbeam,
They had booked the Santorini portion months in advance, and didn't have a problem.
I have experienced Oia being totally full though during August, when even the tiniest private room was rented....
I can't speak of the other areas, such as Kamari and Perissa, but i can imagine that it should be easier to find something there.
As Heimdall said, the type of accommodation you are looking for you can only find on the spot.... room owners do not cooperate with booking engines, and very often they are not even legal..
They had booked the Santorini portion months in advance, and didn't have a problem.
I have experienced Oia being totally full though during August, when even the tiniest private room was rented....
I can't speak of the other areas, such as Kamari and Perissa, but i can imagine that it should be easier to find something there.
As Heimdall said, the type of accommodation you are looking for you can only find on the spot.... room owners do not cooperate with booking engines, and very often they are not even legal..
