Beginning with the mainland, there is lots to experience in Greece. The country is inarguably one of the most memorable holiday destinations in Europe. A visit to Greece begins with sampling the mainland and crowning if off with a visit to the more than 6000 Cyclades islands. And all these islands feature excellent hotels, villas and even villages. Of course the mainland too has its fair share of first-rate hotels, but the Cyclades Islands are something else. As a traveler, there is a wide variety of hotels to choose from. The mainland and each of the Cyclades Islands have varying types of hotels.

Samos, Greece by Aanjhan Ranganathan

Tour operators understand your budget constraints and can find something affordable. Accommodation ranges from the most expensive and exotic to the moderate but excellent. It all depends with your budget and how much you are willing to part with. However, rather than have tour operators organize your trip at additional costs, how about doing it yourself? It is easy to find cheaper flights and moderate accommodation but still have fun once you land in Greece.

Available Options

You need to understand some few facts before venturing out to look for hotels in Greece. Firstly, Greek hotels are categorized as follows; Luxury, A, B, C, D, and E. There are six groups, each ranked according to varying metrics. Like star ratings used in other places, Greek hotels are ranked according to size of rooms, amenities on offer and services. Unlike most American or European hotel classifications, the Greek don’t consider cleanliness or comfort. They also don’t consider friendliness in their ratings.

Make no mistake however, that doesn’t mean the hotels are unclean, unfriendly or uncomfortable. On the contrary, Greek hotels are some of the best in the mentioned areas when rated against other celebrated holiday destinations. These aspects are a must have that don’t have to be considered in classifications. In terms of price, a limiting budget can do well with class D and E hotels. Unfortunately, you forego some luxuries in these classes, for instance hot water, private bathrooms and food.

Evia island, Greece by Agnee

Understanding Hotel Classifications

But that doesn’t mean this is always the case. There are some instances where class D and E hotels may have hot water, or private bathrooms, but it is not always guaranteed. The price range for these hotels is almost similar. If looking for something on the upper end but moderate in price, class C hotels are most appropriate. Here, the hotels give food, private bathrooms, hot water and other quality amenities.

But when looking for ultimate luxury, class A and B are most recommended. Class A and B hotels are famous for the array of amenities available for customers. You get to enjoy continuous hot water supply, private bathrooms, quality food amongst other things. Luckily, the rent prices are controlled by the tourist police of Greece. That means standardized charges for the various classes of hotels. Hotels are required to post a sign detailing the maximum cost of a room behind the door.

Touristorama is a unique website that provides a plethora of information about the Greek islands including tourism, accommodation, and leisure actvities.

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A view looking along Glen Rosa, Arran / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by uplandaccess

And as much as it might be thought ‘Scotland in miniature’ is an exaggeration or simply marketing hype, the truth is there isn’t much of Scotland you can’t experience when you’re on Arran.

Arran’s Landscape

Starting with the island’s landscape, Arran is a particularly mountainous isle, not only producing some of the country’s best postcard photographs, but offering a fantastic array of walks for experienced and amateur walkers alike.

From leisurely walks to climbing challenges, try setting off from the village of Blackwaterfoot on the west coast and heading north towards Lochranza. It’s a beautiful walk, benefited tremendously by simply looking left – you’ll have an unrivalled view of the stunning Kintyre for the entire journey.

If walking isn’t your thing, what about a relaxing stroll through one of the islands many beautiful villages?

Home to no more than a couple of hundred people each, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll be blown away by one of two things – the sheer tranquillity of sitting outside, drink in hand, watching the world go by on an island that seems to be completely removed from any type of hustle and bustle or the simple friendliness of the people who are so proud of their island and love to share its intricacies and delights with everyone.

And if you’re looking for something a little more cultural or historic, how about Brodick Castle, a castle that’s still standing strong after 500 years?

Brodick Castle, Arran / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Magnus Hagdorn

Anyone for Whisky?

Or Arran Distillery, perhaps, if you’re partial to a wee dram? Although having only been established for just over 15 years, Arran Distillery produces some of the country’s finest single malt whisky and is the only distillery in the whole of Scotland that is allowed to use the famed Scottish poet, Robert Burns, on its labelling.

It’s also worthwhile keeping in mind that on top of the island’s ability to provide beautiful walks with stunning scenery, quaint villages to enjoy a relaxing time in and a range of popular attractions, there are also a number of golf courses on the island, courses that have arguably some of Europe’s most favourable backdrops.

The Isle of Arran is one of those destinations that people very often skim over when deciding on where to visit Scotland, as they can feel visiting a more well-known place will be more beneficial to the time they have.

But with so much to see and do and on an island that can at times seem like it’s completely your own, where else in Scotland would you need to go?

Matthew Bettoli writes for Cottages and Castles, who can provide comfortable Arran holiday cottages for your next Scottish holiday.

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