Greek Hotels Outshine Mediterranean Rivals with Top Guest Satisfaction in Summer 2024

Greek hotels have earned the highest customer satisfaction ratings among six Mediterranean destinations during the summer of 2024, according to an INSETE report based on the Global Review Index (GRI) for hotels.

The report by the research institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), analyzed hotel performance across Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Italy, France, and Turkey. Greece emerged as the leader with an 87 percent overall satisfaction rate, surpassing its competitors.

The analysis, which focused on the summer season (April-October 2024), revealed exceptional ratings for Greek hotels in services (90 percent) and cleanliness (92 percent). However, the “rooms” category and the quality-to-price ratio scored slightly lower, at 86 percent and 87 percent, respectively.

Key drivers of guest satisfaction

Source: INSETE

Positive ratings for Greek hotels were largely attributed to:

– Food and Beverage: Guests particularly praised breakfast offerings.
– Facilities and Staff: Both were recognized as essential elements enriching the travel experience.
– Cleanliness: While cleanliness received high praise overall, some reviews highlighted hygiene shortcomings.

On the downside, negative feedback primarily focused on the quality of beverages, technical issues like air conditioning, and operational challenges during peak tourist months.

Regional and destination highlights

Greek destinations consistently scored above 80 percent in customer satisfaction, with the Cyclades and Epirus leading the pack. These regions, characterized by smaller hotel units and a strong local identity, demonstrated resilience and high-quality offerings.

In contrast, the Ionian Islands and Attica, while still performing well, received the lowest scores within Greece, though both remained above 80 percent on the GRI scale.

Notably, mainland regions like Epirus and Western Macedonia excelled, achieving 96 percent for cleanliness and 91 percent for the quality-to-price ratio. Attica recorded the lowest overall rating at 84 percent.

Luxury vs. mass tourism destinations

Among Greece’s premium destinations, Mykonos recorded the highest GRI score at 92 percent, cementing its reputation as a luxury hotspot. Similarly, popular but mass-tourism-focused destinations like Paros, Naxos, and Halkidiki outperformed comparable international competitors, showcasing their broad appeal.

Impressive ratings for lower-star hotels

While five-star hotels in Greece achieved the highest satisfaction rates at 89 percent, one- and two-star hotels surprised with strong ratings in value-for-money (89 percent) and cleanliness (96 percent). This demonstrates that even budget accommodations in Greece uphold high standards, according to the INSETE report.

Visitor profiles and feedback

The study, based on data from Shiji ReviewPro, analyzed reviews from various platforms, including Booking.com (56 percent) and Google (23 percent). Greek visitors accounted for 8.2 percent of reviews, followed by travelers from the UK and France.

Tourists from Colombia and Iceland gave the highest ratings, averaging 91.9 percent and 91.7 percent, respectively. On the other hand, visitors from Turkey provided the lowest average score at 81.6 percent.

Greek Hospitality: A competitive advantage

Commenting on the findings, INSETE General Director Elias Kikilias highlighted Greece’s strong performance, even during peak tourist months.

“Greek hospitality continues to meet visitor expectations across both popular and emerging destinations like Epirus and Western Macedonia,” said Kikilias. “Greece’s consistently high ranking in Mediterranean hotel reviews underscores accommodation as a key competitive advantage.”

He further highlighted the role of hospitality workers in shaping the Greek tourism experience, noting their critical contribution to maintaining high standards.