Greek Consumer Group Releases Hotel Rights Guide

Knowing your rights before booking and travel can save you a lot of time and trouble. As the summer holiday season peaks, Greek consumer rights group EKPIZO released this week a guide of travelers’ rights at hotels. 

According to EKPIZO, hotel or rented rooms are obliged to:

-Have all the facilities – air conditioning, swimming pool, gym, Wi-Fi, etc – as advertised and agreed on,

-Confirm in writing within three days whether they have finalized the reservation,

-Have a price list posted in an obvious spot in every room,

-If items / facilities / amenities agreed on are not offered, hoteliers are obliged to provide accommodation at another hotel of the same or higher category and pay transfer cost to the new hotel as well as any difference in price.

With regard to reservations and advance payment:

-When making a reservation, the hotel can rightfully request a deposit of up to 25 percent of the total cost of your stay. This amount cannot be less than the going room rate for one day.

Concerning cancellation:

-You are entitled to a full 100 percent refund if you cancel at least 21 days before your planned stay.

-If you fail to cancel within 21 days of your stay, you must pay up to 50 percent of the total cost of your reservation according to hotel policy.

-If you decide to change the duration of stay to fewer days than originally booked, you must notify the hotelier at least 21 days in advance, in which case you will not be charged extra.

-If you fail to provide advance notice (21 days ahead), the hotelier is entitled to claim compensation of up to 50 percent of the agreed upon sum.

On a final note, EKPIZO is encouraging travelers to learn about and select eco-friendly accommodation options, which contribute to the protection of the environment reducing the environmental impact of your holidays.

More specifically, according to EKPIZO the advantages of “green hotels” include:

-Use of energy generated from renewable energy sources,

-Use of energy-efficient appliances such as washing machines and water heaters, with no heating or air conditioning outdoors,

–Offer at least two locally produced and seasonal food products per meal,

-promote environment-friendly transport for goods and visitors, such as public transport, electric vehicles, car sharing or bicycles

-Avoid the use of toxic substances. Indicatively, hotels awarded an eco-label offer eco-friendly installations, bed linen, towels and floors, and cleaning is done with environmentally-friendly detergents,

-Implement waste-reducing practices and more efficient use of water.

For more information or to file a complaint, EKPIZO is advising travelers to contact the Tourism Police, the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) and the General Secretariat of Commerce and Consumer Protection.