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Questions on Santorini hotel and changing it with Booking.com

Posted by (Bay Area, CA, US) on

Hello fellow travelers,

As I research for my May Greece trip, I'm finding such a wealth of useful information here! I really want to thank everyone for their posts!

After reading some good reviews, I booked the Argonaftes hotel in Firostefani, Santorini, for 3 nights using Booking.com. They noted that it's a non-refundable and non-changeable reservation, which seemed ok.

Then I got an email from the hotel saying they're about 2/3 of a mile uphill from the nearest bus stop and warning that it'll be difficult with luggage. They go on to say that if any of the info. about the room or their rules don't work, to cancel for free. That doesn't seem to jive with Booking's non-cancellable policy.

I expect to have a small wheeled suitcase and a backpack, but as a small, older woman with various joint problems, their warning about the long walk uphill is worrisome. I'm in reasonable shape, and expect to be able to do Greece, but don't want to have a heart attack with this long uphill effort! I see on youtube videos that the pedestrian paths have rounded cobbles, which also look tough to walk with a wheelie. I would like to cancel this hotel and and am considering the Hotel Atlantis in Fira as a more central option. Two questions:

1) Any experience with cancelling and rebooking such a reservation on Booking.com without a penalty, when the hotel claims you can cancel for free? Maybe the hotel will let me cancel, but Booking won't?? I don't want to end up paying for both hotels!

2) If I can't cancel with Booking.com, are there actually bus stops closer to this hotel in Firostefani that you know of? Or can taxis get close at a reasonable charge??

Thanks for any help.

Posted by
17417 posts

I have canceled “non-refundable” reservations made through booking.com successfully when I had a good reason. It is the hotel that sets the policy, not booking.com. You have the hotel’s assurance that it is OK, so it should be. Keep that email in case you need to show it.

Here’s how it works: when you hit the “cancel”button for the reservation, you will get a warning that it may not be possible, or something like that, and asking if you want to proceed. You say yes. And there should be a place to give the reason. They then send your request to cancel to the hotel, who should agree, because they said they would. And then you get your refund.

At least that is how I did it.

Posted by
3148 posts

A more accurate estimate of the distance between your hotel and Fira's main bus stop is 1/2 mile, and much of the walk will be on sidewalks, meaning roller bags will not be much of a hassle. You will, however need to be alert for those parts of the walk that require you to walk on the road itself, since there's a lot of traffic there. And FYI- there's a walking route from your hotel to the bus square that you can take without walking on a road except for the last .1 of a mile. It's true that a walk from Fira back to your hotel will be uphill, although it's not that steep, and certainly not heart-attack-steep whatsoever. I guess it just depends how mobile you actually are.

Posted by
13 posts

Thank you Lola and Lee for your prompt and useful replies. It's good to know that if needed, I could cancel and rebook and how to do it. And helpful to know that the uphill's not that steep to the hotel.

I walk hills regularly for exercise, but without pulling a wheelie and carrying a backpack! It seems like I and my shoulder rotator cuff should withstand this walk!

With your info, I think I'll just stay at the current, simple Firostefani hotel I've already booked, although the Hotel Atlantis in Fira looks wonderful and well worth the big splurge (it would be $800 more for the 3 nights)! It's got caldera views, has a pool, etc., but since I'll mostly be out and about and I'm not on my honeymoon, I don't have to switch. Thanks again.

Latha

Posted by
3397 posts

I second Lee's reassurance ... your hotel is just at the Fringe of Fira, and very easy to access... The Main N-S road is 25 Martiou, and has a sidewalk I think most of the way ... but parallel to it, just about 50 yards to left is a "hidden lane" .... smooth & flagstoned, between low houses, which all the locals use, pushing their baby carriages or pulling shopping carts. When I stay in FIrostephani with friends, we walk DOWNhill toward Fira using the scenic rimside path, but coming back to the hotel, we use this "hidden lane". ... my hotel is a lot farther than yours -- and I'm also a small older woman -- and this walk is very doable.

It's not quite clear where you will be coming from... are you arriving at ferry dock or airport? If you want to use public transit, then u need to bus from either to the Fira "bus yard". Here's a good Google Fira MAp - https://tinyurl.com/bddjxmjk - Find the bus station, Just Inland from the big Museum of Prehistoric Thera. The most Crowded part of your walk will be North thru the Main Square (which is really just a traffic-jammed "wide spot in the road"). Stay on LEFT sidewalk, keep goiing N to where you see TRIANA TAVERN on this map... go left toward Rim, and the first turning will be that "hidden lane." Your hotel will be just north of this ..

Another alternative that can be cheaper than a taxi or car service, tho taking longer.. is a possible shared-transfer service -- this website offers a range -- https://www.viator.com/Santorini-tours/Port-Transfers/d959-g15-c112 -- skip the costly ones, and do some online inquirers about which of the lower-price ones (from about €14) might work for you.

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