This website is the result of a long journey which started when I moved to Greece with my husband and two young children. I am originally from the Netherlands and, in a 'previous' life, I used to be a (somewhat frustrated!) economist working for international organisations in Paris.

When in 1998 we came to live in Athens, we started taking every opportunity to hit the road (or sea) and explore different parts of the country. Some(lucky)times we stayed in wonderful hotels, but we also spent a few too many nights in absolutely dreadful ones. Finding the perfect little place to stay became sort of a hobby, which developed into something more when I started writing about them.

In 2002, I published the guidebook “Great Small Hotels in Greece”. Four years later my second book came out: “Around Greece in 80 Stays”, a coffee table-cum-guidebook I made together with photographer André Bakker. In between, I also co-founded a network of small hotels in Greece with a view to promoting these establishments abroad. I left this network a few years later so as to be able to fully focus on my writing activities and start preparations for the next book.

This website is here to complement my books. You will find additional pictures and (continuously) updated information about many of the hotels and guesthouses that featured in my two books, as well as presentations of new finds. I still regularly travel around in Greece, and discover newly opened great small hotels, inns and guesthouses as I go along. Thanks to this site, I won't have to wait until my next book comes out to share these with you.

You can't make bookings on-line through this website (coming soon though!). However, I have provided full contact details of each hotel on this website, so you can contact the owners or managers directly by email, phone or fax. Should you have any problems reaching a place (or you don't get a response), feel free to send me a note so I can check what is going on.

My search for wonderful small hotels and guesthouses continues, and if you know of any place you think I should go and try out, please do tell me about it!

Jacoline Vinke 

Photographer André Bakker graciously provided many of the pictures on this website. Just like me, Andre is from the Netherlands and now lives in this beautiful country. You can see more of his work on his website www.andrebakker.com.