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The cost of accommodation in Crete is
generally far lower than in northern European countries. It is quite
easy to find accommodation on the spot, except in the summer months
(especially the first half of August) where you might encounter difficulties
in some places. At that time it is best to reserve in advance if
you can.
Reserving in advance will also avoid having to search around
for an appropriate place immediately after arriving somewhere. The
growing level of information that you can get over the internet helps
to avoid this often tiring and stressful beginning of a stay in Crete.
Most of the accommodation on Crete consists of hotels of
every conceivable size. On the North coast they tend to be larger
but in the less developed resorts as well as in the interior they
are often very small (a few rooms) and quite simple and are more "rooms
for rent" than hotels in the real sense of the word. Nowadays
though, even simple rooms will have an attached bathroom, will almost
invariably be clean and more and more have air-conditioning. They
also have the advantage of getting you a little closer to the real
Crete and its people.
You can also find more and more studios
and apartments with cooking facilities. Great if
you stay a little longer, have children or don't want to have
to eat in restaurants all the time.
Crete still has comparatively few holiday houses and villas for rent but the choice is growing fast.
There are only a few youth hostels on Crete: in Heraklion, Rethymnon
and Plakias. They cost around € 7per night. A membership card
is not required. The better ones are in Rethymnon and Plakias.
Crete holidays - Find interesting travel guides and book hotels and flights to Crete.
For those who are planning longer stays
Renting houses
It is quite easy to rent a house or a flat on Crete. The legal hassle (contracts)
is kept to a minimum or ignored. Prices vary a lot depending on location
and standards as well of course as the length of rental. For long term rental
(one year or more) the city of Chania is one of the most expensive place
in Greece and prices will be in the region of € 4 per sq.meters (cheap
and low standard) to well over € 6 per sq.m for better accommodation. Prices
are naturally lower out of the cities although in some popular places where
the demand outstrips what is on offer rental prices can be quite silly.
If you turn up as a foreigner you are likely to be asked for a little bit more
(and sometimes a lot more) than what a local would pay so it is not a bad idea
to negotiate a rental with a local friend or acquaintance. Apart from checking
the ads in the local newspaper (inevitably in Greek) a very good way to look
for a rental is to ask in the local kafenion of the area you have set your
sights on.
The winter alternative
If you want to spend a winter on Crete you might be able to stay in apartments
for free (or very little money). There is no tourism and apartment complexes
stay empty. The owner will often prefer to have someone responsible staying
there and making sure that everything is OK. This might also entail a little
maintenance work. It is an interesting and cheap alternative to Crete in
the summer months. But beware, it can be lonely and cold (these apartments
are built for the summer months so you may need to buy a gas heater).
There are also quite a few foreigners living in Crete but not staying in the
winter and they might be interested in renting their place over that period.
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