Where to Stay in Zakynthos: The Complete Accommodation Guide

Zakynthos offers a surprisingly wide range of accommodation — from backpacker hostels where you’ll share a dorm with 20-year-olds who haven’t slept yet, to boutique cliff hotels with infinity pools and sea views that cost more per night than many people earn in a week. The good news: almost every budget finds something workable. The key decision isn’t the budget; it’s choosing the right area.

Choosing the Right Area

This matters more than anything else. Where you sleep shapes your entire experience of the island.

Laganas — For the Party Crowd

Laganas is the most famous resort area in Zakynthos, and for good reason: it delivers exactly what it promises. The beach is long and sandy, the sea is warm, the bars run until 4 AM, and the whole machinery of package tourism — sunbeds, cocktails, English breakfasts, shot bars — operates at full capacity from June to September.

Stay here if: You’re 18-30, here primarily for nightlife and beach, want all-inclusive options, or are travelling with a group who wants guaranteed entertainment.

Don’t stay here if: You want quiet, you’re travelling with young children, you care about the turtle nesting beaches (Laganas Bay is NMPZ-protected), or you want to experience authentic Greek island life.

Price range: Budget to mid-range. The density of accommodation keeps prices competitive. Luxury options are limited.

Practical note: Laganas Bay is within the National Marine Park. Beach rules (no umbrellas below vegetation line, no access after sunset on nesting sections) apply. The party atmosphere can extend to nearby streets late at night.

Vasilikos & Banana Beach — For Peace and Nature

The Vasilikos peninsula stretches south of Laganas Bay toward Cape Gerakas. It’s the quietest, most beautiful part of the island — olive groves, clear turquoise water, and a complete absence of the resort machinery. Gerakas beach (a protected turtle nesting site) is here; so is Banana Beach, Porto Zoro, and a handful of genuinely quiet coves.

Stay here if: You want quiet, you value nature over nightlife, you’re interested in the turtle beaches, you’re celebrating a honeymoon or anniversary, or you want authentic olive-grove accommodation.

Don’t stay here if: You want to walk to restaurants and bars, you need easy access to multiple sites, or you’re on a tight budget (accommodation here runs mid-range to luxury).

Price range: Mid-range to luxury. Small boutique hotels and villa rentals predominate. Very few budget options.

Getting around: A rental car is essentially mandatory from Vasilikos. Buses run but infrequently.

Tsilivi — For Families

Tsilivi is the main family resort on the east coast — calmer, cleaner, and significantly less hectic than Laganas. The beach is organised but not overwhelming. The seafront is walkable. There are tavernas, mini-markets, and a pleasant promenade. It’s well-suited for families with younger children who want the beach-holiday experience without the nightlife.

Stay here if: You’re travelling with young children, you want a proper beach resort that’s not a party scene, or you want easy access to Zakynthos Town (20 minutes north).

Don’t stay here if: You’re looking for authentic rural Greece or you want proximity to Navagio (it’s a 45-minute drive).

Price range: All ranges. Tsilivi has good budget options (self-catering studios), solid mid-range hotels, and some nicer boutique options on the seafront.

Zakynthos Town — For Culture and Flexibility

The island capital is consistently underrated as a base. Most tourists skip it for the resorts, which means prices are lower, restaurants are better, and you get a real functioning Greek town rather than a tourist simulacrum. The Venetian architecture, the harbour, the good tavernas, the morning coffee culture — it’s all here.

The practical argument: you’re 20 minutes from Tsilivi, 25 minutes from Laganas, 30 minutes from Vasilikos. With a rental car, you can reach any beach on the island within an hour. You’re also right by the ferry terminal if you’re continuing to other islands.

Stay here if: You’re an independent traveller, you value authentic Greek life, you want flexibility to explore the whole island, you’re interested in history and culture, or you’re on a budget.

Don’t stay here if: You want to walk to the beach from your room.

Price range: All ranges, with best value-for-money of any area.

Alykanas & Alykes — For Quiet Families

The northern coast villages of Alykanas and Alykes are quieter alternatives to Tsilivi with long sandy beaches, a salt lake (Alykes) that’s worth exploring, and a significantly more low-key atmosphere. Less infrastructure than Tsilivi, but that’s part of the charm.

Budget Accommodation

Hostels

Zakynthos doesn’t have a deep backpacker hostel scene compared to mainland Greece, but options exist — primarily in and around Zakynthos Town and Laganas.

What to expect: Dorms from €18-28 per person in peak season. Private rooms in hostels run €55-90. Basic facilities, shared bathrooms, often a social common area or rooftop.

Booking tip: Most small hostels aren’t on major booking platforms. Search directly on Google for “hostel Zakynthos” and check Google Maps reviews. Booking.com does have a selection but it’s not exhaustive.

Self-Catering Studios and Apartments

The most common budget accommodation type on Zakynthos. Virtually every resort village has dozens of studios — small apartments with a kitchenette, bathroom, and basic furniture. They range from genuinely shabby (avoid) to surprisingly pleasant.

Price range: €35-60 per night for a double studio in shoulder season; €55-95 in peak season (July-August). Two-bedroom apartments for families run €70-120.

Where to find them: Booking.com is reasonably comprehensive. Airbnb lists many that aren’t on other platforms. Some of the best-value options are only bookable by contacting owners directly via Greek-language Facebook groups — ask your hotel on arrival for recommendations.

What to check: Air conditioning (essential in July-August), beach towels (often not provided), proximity to a supermarket.

Camping

Zakynthos has two main camping sites, both operational in summer:

Camping Zante (near Tsilivi) — The most established. Pitches for tents and campervans, basic bungalows, pool, restaurant. €12-18 per person per night for camping. Well-positioned for the east coast beaches.

Camping Paradise (Laganas area) — More party-oriented atmosphere. Good facilities. Convenient for Laganas beach and nightlife.

Both sites fill up in August — book ahead. Neither is quite what you’d get in northern Europe, but they’re functional and cheap.

Mid-Range Accommodation

Mid-range in Zakynthos means €70-150 per room per night in peak season (€45-90 in shoulder season). This is the sweet spot where quality improves dramatically relative to budget accommodation.

Apartments and B&Bs

The best value-for-money in this range is the small family-run apartment complex with a pool — found throughout the island but especially in Tsilivi, Alykes, and Vasilikos. These typically have 8-20 units, a small pool, helpful owners who’ll tell you where to eat, and rooms that are consistently better than equivalently-priced hotel chains.

What mid-range gets you: Air conditioning, clean private bathroom, often a balcony, pool access, English-speaking hosts, breakfast sometimes included.

Notable areas: Tsilivi has excellent mid-range supply — competitive pricing and reliable quality. Vasilikos has beautiful mid-range options in olive-grove settings with more privacy.

Boutique Hotels

A growing category — particularly in Zakynthos Town, Vasilikos, and the Argassi-Kalamaki stretch. Typically 10-30 rooms, design-conscious, personal service. Often significantly better than larger chain hotels at similar prices.

Luxury Accommodation

Luxury Hotels

The top end in Zakynthos isn’t Monaco-level expensive, but it delivers genuine quality. Expect €200-500+ per room per night in peak season.

Zakynthos Town: Several refurbished Venetian buildings have become boutique luxury hotels with rooftop bars, spa facilities, and harbour views. These combine location (central, walkable) with genuine design quality.

Vasilikos Peninsula: The peninsula’s exclusivity and natural beauty support a cluster of high-end hotels and villa complexes with direct sea access, infinity pools, and spa facilities. The Lesante Beach Hotel and Spa is the most prominent luxury property on the island and delivers genuine resort quality.

Around Navagio (northern coast): A small number of cliff-top properties have extraordinary views of the Ionian Sea. Access can be challenging (winding mountain roads) but the visual payoff is exceptional.

Villas

For groups of 6-16 people, villa rental becomes highly competitive with hotels on a per-person basis while offering far more space, privacy, and flexibility. Villas with private pools are available across the island from €300-1000+ per night depending on size and quality.

Booking villas: Booking.com, Airbnb, and specialist agencies like villa-finders.com all list options. For the best Vasilikos villas, local agencies sometimes have inventory not listed elsewhere.

Practical Booking Advice

When to Book

July and August: Book at least 3-4 months in advance. Quality accommodation in popular areas sells out completely. August particularly.

June and September: 4-8 weeks ahead is generally sufficient, though the best boutique options fill earlier.

May and October: Often bookable 2-3 weeks ahead without issues.

Booking Platforms

• Booking.com — Best overall coverage. Most reliable for comparing options. Many properties offer free cancellation.
• Airbnb — Better for villas and unique properties. Often the only platform for smaller family studios.
• Direct booking — Often 10-15% cheaper than through platforms. Many guesthouses prefer this. WhatsApp direct enquiries work well for smaller properties.

Key Questions Before Booking

1. Is there air conditioning? — Essential from June-September.
2. Is there a pool? — Matters if you have children or want to swim without driving to a beach.
3. How far to the nearest supermarket? — Particularly important for self-catering.
4. Is parking available? — Relevant if you’re renting a car.
5. What’s the cancellation policy? — Weather, illness, flights — free cancellation is valuable.

Accommodation by Traveller Type

Final Recommendations

Best overall base for flexibility: Zakynthos Town or the Argassi-Kalamaki area (close to town, 5 minutes from a beach, 20 minutes from anywhere).

Best for peace and natural beauty: Vasilikos peninsula, specifically around Porto Zoro or Agios Nikolaos.

Best for families on a mid-range budget: Tsilivi — good beach, good facilities, safe, affordable.

Best value luxury: Boutique hotels in Zakynthos Town — you get architectural beauty, real restaurants and cafes, and harbour walks, often at lower prices than equivalent resort hotels.

The most common mistake first-time visitors make is choosing accommodation based purely on price rather than location. The cheapest studio in Laganas may cost you nothing financially but deliver a very different Zakynthos than the one you imagined.