Q. Do I have to have a Hostelling International (IYHF) membership card to stay at the Plakias Hostel?
A. No. There is only one hostel in Greece that is member of the Hostelling International, The Athens hostel on Victor Hugo St. All the other hostels are independent.
The front of bungalow 3
Q. Are there any other hostels on Crete?
A.There are 3 hostels on Crete, at Iraklio, Rethymno and of course here in Plakias.
Q. Are there any age limits?
A. We've celebrated a 76th birthday in the hostel and one wonderful lady who stayed two weeks was 80. We do have reservations about taking children under 5 as they would be sharing with other people.
Q. Are there any limits on how long I can stay?
A. No. Stays of over 3 months are not unusual.
Q. Do you have any single or double rooms?
A. No. We have 6 large bungalows that are all the same with 4 bunks in each, making a total capacity of 48 people.
Q. How much does it cost to stay on the hostel?
A. The price for a bed is 9,00 EURO (about US$ 12.30) in spring and autumn and 10 EURO (about US$ 13.50) in July & August. There is a cheap weekly rate.
The entrance to the hostel
Q. Do I need to make a reservation?
A. At Easter and during the period July to September the hostel is full most of the time. It is "first come - first served". You can telephone a few days before you arrive during reception hours to check availability on (+30) 28320 32118 from anywhere in Greece. At other times of the year it is safe enough to just arrive.
Q.When is reception open?
A. Reception is open from 9am to 12 noon and from 5 to about 8.30pm. If you arrive in the afternoon just leave your bags in the reception and wander off to the beach until after 5pm, PLEASE do not try to find a vacant bed. If you arrive at night try to find a vacant bed and pay in the morning.
Q. Where is Plakias?
A. About 35km south of Rethymno, a large town on the north coast of Crete. There are about 6 buses a day from Rethymno to Plakias during the peak season, the last being at 19:30hrs. During the winter there are just two buses a day, the last being at 14:15hrs. In the spring and autumn the bus schedule is somewhere between the summer and winter timetables.
A PDF document with a description how to get from Athens to Plakias