Greece has emerged as the cheapest holiday destination in the European south this month as far as accommodation is concerned, and the fourth in the whole of Europe, according to Trivago, the world’s biggest accommodation comparison website.
The data from the German-based site concerns hotel prices from 50 cities and 24 countries in Europe, and show that the average online rate for a one-night stay in Greece this month stands at 92 euros, down from 100 euros in the same month last year, i.e. an 8 per cent decline. The only countries cheaper than Greece are Bulgaria (57 euros/night), Romania (61 euros/night) and Hungary (81 euros/night).
Among other southern European countries, Spain and Portugal were found to have an average rate of 102 euros/night, for Cyprus it was 113 euros/night, Turkey was 137 euros/night and Italy was 139 euros/night.
The average rate at Athens hotels has also dropped, but by just 2.2 per cent, reaching 88 euros/night from 90 euros/night in June 2012. Compared with five years ago, the decline amounts to 22.8 per cent, from 114 euros/night in June 2008. That makes Athens the 13th most economical city among the 50 European cities surveyed, but compared with the other capitals in the European south in terms of accommodation, it is the cheapest: Madrid fell by 2.8 per cent year-on-year to 101 euros/night, Lisbon soared by 30 per cent from last year to 130 euros/night and Rome declined by 4.4 per cent to 154 euros/night.
As for Istanbul, which has been rocked by demonstrations and riots in the past week, its average rate this month is 146 euros/night, up 3 per cent from last year. Barcelona has the same rate, climbing 0.7 per cent from last June.
British tour operator Six Star Holidays, which specializes in luxury packages, has included Greece in its new destinations for upmarket vacations in Europe. The home page of the company’s website promotes Santorini and Athens. This month it also has Greece as its recommended destination and cites Oia on Santorini among its recommended destinations for wedding trips.
Meanwhile, Aqua Vista Hotels formally announced that the Alta Vista hotel at Imerovigli on the island of Santorini is the 17th boutique hotel to become a member of the international hotel unit management and marketing company. Alta Vista belongs to Cypriot pop star Michalis Hatziyiannis.