Just so you know I don’t always support the Greeks and our mentality….we tried to find an apartment in Athens during the Olympic track and field sessions and we thought we may as well use the suggested by the organizing committee agent. Do you want to know what is the cheapest offer we got? $2400 for 6 days. This is for a 3rd class apartment (theoretically close to the stadium). Let me just rephrase that….. $400 per day!!!! A letter of complaint soon to follow to Athens2004 but I thought to share this with you all first.
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Re: Outrageous prices in Athens during the Olympics
But I'm sure this is just the tip of the rip-off/gouge-em-to-death pyramid. How about transportation costs, restaurant costs, etc., etc. Not to mention the heat, crowds, and who knows what else... As rotten as TV is, I'm happy to get my Olympic "experience" via the tube.
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Re: Outrageous prices in Athens during the Olympics
when you say "near the stadium" can you give me more specifics? Presumably proximity costs extra.....and how many total would ocupy the space, to divide the cost? And in the meantime, have you found something else less expensive?
Those of us not smart enough to get in on the TAFN tour are scrambling to find accomodation.
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Re: Outrageous prices in Athens during the Olympics
>when you say "near the stadium" can you give me more specifics? Presumably
>proximity costs extra.....and how many total would ocupy the space, to divide
>the cost? And in the meantime, have you found something else less
>expensive?
Those of us not smart enough to get in on the TAFN tour are
>scrambling to find accomodation.
I don't really know what they mean by close to the stadium because although distances in Athens are very small, traffic may change those distances to marathon races. On the other hand the metro is rather fast so I wouldn't anticipate problems to get to the stadium as long as you find a way to get to a metro station. They charge 20% more if the apartment is close to the stadium. So if you ask them for a place far away from the stadium but close to a metro station, it will be cheaper.
The quote was for 2 people, 6 days minimum stay.
I haven’t find anything cheaper yet but I will start looking again. TAFN tours are also very expensive I have to agree.
Shoul the forum regulars get special prices??.... hehehe....
As for someone who said that $400 is not bad, keep in mind that we are talking about Athens not Santorini or a Pacific Ocean resort. I rent my little apartment in Athens for $300 a month. Maybe I should throw my tenant out and rent it to Olympic visitors.
As for airplane fairs, my friend and I are flying to London, then to Milan, then to Salonika, then by train to Athens. We split the trip (night stops at London and Salonika) so it should be fun. This is only going to cost $1300 each. Airplane fares at the same period from Arizona to Athens start at around $2500-$3000 each.
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Re: Outrageous prices in Athens during the Olympics
A friend whose son is on a national team and lock to be in Athens told me that the Greek government is somehow in on the rental action to the tune of $100plus per night per person on the deal his family arranged on a condo in the Athens suburbs. Apparently they are trying to defray some of the costs involved in not building the venues.
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Re: Outrageous prices in Athens during the Olympics
This doesn't seem expensive to me at all. Maybe it's because I live in London at the moment and have become blase about costs - my 1 bed apartment costs over $400 a week and it is by no means special. Europe is incredibly, amazingly crowded compared to the US and is commensurately expensive - everything costs more here in Europe. Athens only has a pop of 3.5m and covers a tiny area. Space is at an absolute premium, so property prices are sky high.
Seriously, $2,400 for 6 days is a really good deal. It's a lot less than I expected. If London gets 2012, expect to pay double that. Letters of complaint to the organizing committee will be a waste of time - they have enough on their plate.
My suggestion - get the time off work, rent a huge TV, stock up on beer and spend two weeks sitting in your favorite chair. That's what I plan to do.
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Re: Outrageous prices in Athens during the Olympics
>
. Letters of complaint to the
>organizing committee will be a waste of time - they have enough on their
>plate.
"Certainly, he can present a bill for such services. After all, we are not Communists..."
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Re: Outrageous prices in Athens during the Olympics
>This is for a 3rd class apartment (theoretically close to the stadium). Let
>t me just rephrase that….. $400 per day!!!! A letter of complaint soon to
>follow to Athens2004 but I thought to share this with you all first.
You don't get out much do you? Save the letter, $400 a day sounds reasonable to me. It's Athens, not Peoria and the dollar is very weak right now - good for American exports, bad for American tourists.
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