People compare places by price and rating. The bigger variable is the type of place, because it determines how much of the island you actually encounter.
| Guesthouse | local, personal, best value |
|---|---|
| Apartment | independent, good for longer stays |
| Small hotel | service without the enclosure |
| Resort | everything provided, least island |
Guesthouses and small family-run places
Usually the best value on the island and frequently the best experience.
What you gain: people who know the island and will tell you things no website will. A local recommendation for dinner. Someone who notices you and asks how your day was. Money that stays with a local family.
What you give up: consistency of standard, some facilities, and the anonymity some people want on holiday.
The first point is the real value. A guesthouse owner is the single best source of information you will have all week — about food, beaches, what is on, and which taxi to call.
Practical notes: contact them by messaging app rather than email, ask specific questions before booking, and expect a warm and slightly informal reception.
Apartments and self-catering
Good for longer stays, families and anyone who wants to cook, as covered in the material on shopping and kitchens.
What you gain: space, independence, lower food costs, your own schedule.
What you give up: breakfast made for you, daily cleaning, and the daily contact with someone local.
Questions worth asking before booking:
- How far to a shop, realistically, on foot
- Is there a fan or air conditioning, and does it cover the bedroom
- Is water and power reliable, and is there a backup
- Is the kitchen equipped beyond the basics
- Is there wifi, and how good
- Are there stairs or a steep approach — this island is vertical
The last question is the one nobody asks and several regret. A place described as a five-minute walk from the beach may mean five minutes down and twenty minutes back up, in heat, with shopping.
Small hotels
A middle ground: service and facilities without total enclosure.
What you gain: breakfast, staff, a pool, predictability, and usually a location that lets you walk out into somewhere real.
What you give up: some cost, and some of the personal contact of a guesthouse.
Often the right answer for people who want comfort but do not want to spend the week inside one property.
Resorts
Everything provided, all in one place.
What you gain: convenience, facilities, no decisions to make, and a genuinely easy holiday — which for some trips is exactly what is wanted.
What you give up: the island. This is worth saying plainly rather than implying.
An all-inclusive arrangement means eating inside the property, which means not eating at the small place that would have been the best meal of your week, and not having the conversations that come with it.
If you book one, the fix is simple: leave it regularly. Take the bus into town, eat outside at least a few times, and treat it as a comfortable base rather than the destination.
Booking well
- Book direct where you can — small places keep more of the money and often quote better
- Ask questions before booking; owners answer quickly and honestly
- Read recent reviews rather than the average
- Check what "beachfront" means here, and what the walk actually is
- Confirm airport transfer when booking
- Book far ahead for festival periods, as covered in the material on events
Booking direct matters more here than in a big city. For a family-run guesthouse, the platform commission is a significant share of a small income, and a direct booking is a genuine kindness that often comes back as a better rate or a room upgrade.
Frequently asked questions
What gives the best value?
Family-run guesthouses, usually — and the owner is the single best source of information you will have all week.
What should be asked before booking an apartment?
Whether there are stairs or a steep approach. A five-minute walk to the beach can mean twenty minutes back up in the heat with shopping.
What is the downside of a resort?
You see less of the island. If you book one, leave it regularly and eat outside at least a few times.
Why book direct?
For a family-run place the platform commission is a significant share of a small income, and direct bookings often come back as a better rate.
