Cheap accommodation recommendations

What type of accommodations are you seeking; amenities, location, how many people etc.? What price point do you consider reasonable? Please provide a little more information in order for members of the forum to better help you.

As elsewhere, prices depend on location, type of accommodation and time of year.

July and August are the most expensive months, and the Cyclades are the most famous islands, therefore the most requested.
In the Cyclades islands Paros and Naxos are very popular, so this is where you will find the least "reasonable" prices.

For example the same type of accommodation in Paros in August at €180/night will cost €70 in Kimolos in June.

Ios is frequented in summer by young people, so very popular too (but with lower prices than the other 2).

The basic rule is to book directly with the accommodation itself.
To find them without going through booking platforms, 3 main ways:

1/ Do not book anything and look for it when you arrive on the island.

2/ Check the (more or less) official island websites

3/ An intensive use of Google Maps to display all the accommodations

The basic rule is to book directly with the accommodation itself.
To find them without going through booking platforms....,

There's nothing wrong with using the booking platforms to locate places that meet your requirements and then booking directly with the accomodation. It's actually what I, and many others on the forum, do.

I would recommend using booking.com to search for places. And booking.com has the most reliable customer reviews because only people who have actually stayed at a place can post a review. I've always been able to find accomodations in all ranges of prices on there - from very budget to very luxurious (they even include hostels and apartments). When I find a place that looks good I check that place's own website for their direct booking rates. Usually they are a bit cheaper than booking.com and often include perks that aren't included on booking.com. Although there have been instances when the booking.com price was actually lower than what the hotel was offering for booking directly with them.

When searching on booking.com (or any other booking platform) be sure to check the 'fine print' regarding refund policies and whether you have to pay in advance or pay at location when you actually stay there. I never pay in advance unless they have very generous refund policies.

Thanks for your information. If she is flexible (this for my daughter and her friend - early twenties), are there other islands near Athens that might be more reasonably priced than Paros and Naxos?

are there other islands near Athens that might be more reasonably
priced than Paros and Naxos?

In Cyclades islands:

Andros

Tinos

Serifos

Kimolos

Sifnos.

Amorgos

All are as pleasant and "Cycladic" as Paros and Naxos.
With fewer people, lower prices and more authenticity.

Some pictures of

Tinos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4sAxvcMJY2KAegrE9

Serifos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oKHaiozCg6GChRD36

Sifnos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VzC4AhQsonCjLnkw5

Kimolos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Xu3oPZrM8q93oA9WA

Amorgos

https://photos.app.goo.gl/io2Wwqhzp9cjbHex9

What their budget is is always the best way to determine how you can get recommendations.

I prefer the word economical to cheap since you really don't want a "cheap" place to stay.

When you go and where you go makes a big difference. Also what are their interests and what are they expecting for a trip to Greece?

Third party search engines can be used as a reference but they don't always list all accommodations in a specific location. If you find something that is in their budget range look for a website for that place. You'll get better service and probably a better price.

Some islands/locations will have dedicated websites that may list more options.

I like this website https://www.gtp.gr/ for help for not only accommodations but also a lot of other info.

In the Hotels box enter a location and you'll get a map. Continue to zoom in and you'll reveal accommodations that can be researched. The more you zoom in the more accommodations show up. Then search to see if that accommodation has a web site.

Ios is a party island and can be overwhelming if you prefer something quieter. Naxos and Paros are very popular with a wide range of prices.

My top 3 favorite islands are:

Amorgos
Chios
Tinos.

Lots of other options for islands so it all depends on what the girls are looking for.

Booking.com has the best filters imo for searching