13.06.2023
You are probably familiar with the star rating on hotels, which signals the level of facilities, service, and comfort you can expect. What many people do not realise is that Greece also has a parallel system for smaller accommodation, including furnished apartments and villas, using "keys" rather than stars. Here is how it works, and whether it is worth pursuing if you own a property you intend to let.
Greece classifies tourist accommodation in two ways, depending on the type of property. Hotels, integrated tourist resorts, hotels in traditional buildings, and organised camping sites are treated as main tourist accommodation and are rated on the familiar star scale. Furnished rooms and apartments, the smaller-scale accommodation that includes many holiday villas, are treated as secondary tourist accommodation and are rated on the key scale instead. In both cases, the classification certificate is issued by the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, based on an inspection carried out by an accredited certification body. This sits alongside the operating side of letting a property, which involves registration with the tourism authorities.
Both systems are points-based. A property earns points for its facilities, amenities, and services, and must reach a set threshold to qualify for each category. In broad terms, the more and better the facilities, the higher the rating. Hotels are rated from one to five stars, with five reserved for luxury properties offering the fullest range of services. Furnished rooms and apartments are classified from two keys at the lower end up to four keys at the top. The detailed point requirements are technical and are assessed during the inspection, so the practical question for most owners is less about the exact scoring and more about whether classification is worth pursuing at all.
For an owner, a key rating allows you to offer services such as breakfast or a reception, much as a small hotel would. Because the classification comes through an official framework, it can add credibility, and you may display it in your marketing. If your property is classified or registered as tourist accommodation, you are required by law to display its registration number, known as the MHTE number, on any listing or promotional material.
It is possible to have your own villa classified, but most owners of a single rental property choose not to, for a few reasons.
It is a long and demanding process. Classification involves working with engineers and accredited inspectors, preparing architectural and structural documentation, and meeting fire and health-safety requirements. Much of it is conducted in Greek.
Typical documents include a tax number (AFM), a tax-clearance certificate showing no outstanding debts, a copy of your passport, a copy of your criminal record, a fire safety study, and a study of the drainage and sewerage system.
There is no tax break. Classification does not bring a tax advantage in itself. It is worth knowing that serviced or classified accommodation and ordinary short-term lets are taxed differently, on their VAT and income treatment, so this is a question for a tax professional rather than a benefit of classification.
The rules change. The framework is periodically updated, which makes the process harder to plan around.
For most owners letting a holiday home, formal star or key classification is not the priority. The essential step is the AMA, the Property Registration Number issued by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE). You must hold an AMA before listing a property on platforms such as Airbnb or Booking.com. Since October 2025, short-term rentals must also meet minimum safety and insurance standards, covering things like liability insurance, electrical safety, fire safety, and basic habitability. Our dedicated article on the short-term rental rules sets out the full checklist. This is not a quality rating in the way stars and keys are, but it is the registration that actually allows you to let your home legally, and it is far simpler to obtain.
Formal classification by stars or keys is possible, but for a single holiday rental it is rarely necessary and often not worth the effort and cost. For most owners, registering for an AMA and meeting the current short-term rental standards is what matters. If you have questions about letting your property in Greece, or help with obtaining an AMA, you are welcome to reach us at [email protected].
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. Tourism and rental regulations in Greece change regularly, and individual situations vary. We recommend consulting qualified professionals before making any decisions.
09.06.2026
Selling property in Greece means meeting a clear set of legal requirements: the right documents, a notarial deed, settled taxes, and clean title. For owners living abroad, the difficulty is rarely the rules themselves. It is coordinating several Greek authorities from another country. Here is what the process actually involves, and where having a legal team on the ground changes things.
21.05.2026
I bought a home in Greece (or I'm fantasizing about buying one), and I want to rent it out. What does it take to rent out a home in Greece? What taxes will I pay, and what income can I expect? Can I hire someone to assist me in renting out my home in Greece? In this comprehensive guide, we share everything you need to know about renting out a home in Greece, including legal requirements, market insights, and practical tips.
21.05.2026
Buying a home in Greece often starts with one very simple question: what does my budget actually get me?
It is a fair question, because property prices in Greece can vary a lot depending on location, views, accessibility, construction quality, and rental potential. A budget that may secure a sea-view apartment in one region could open the door to a private villa with land in another. In more established destinations, the same amount may buy less space, but stronger location value. In this guide, we look at both existing homes and off-plan projects currently under construction. This reflects how many international buyers search in Greece today: comparing ready-to-use properties with new-build opportunities that may still be in development. In some cases, buying off-plan can offer more flexibility, newer specifications and staged payments, while existing homes may appeal to buyers who want to use or rent the property sooner.
For international buyers, understanding these differences is an important first step. Whether you are looking for a holiday home, a future relocation base, or a long-term investment, knowing what €250K, €400K and €600K can realistically offer helps you search with more clarity.
13.05.2026
A full-service Greek real estate company handles the property search, the legal work, and the support after purchase in one place, so international buyers don't have to hire and coordinate separate agents, lawyers, and administrators. For anyone buying from abroad, that removes the hardest part of the process: navigating Greek property law in a language and a system they don't know. This guide explains what a full-service company does, why it matters for international buyers, and how it works in practice at Elxis.
07.05.2026
Greece has become one of the most appealing places in the world to spend retirement. The climate is mild, the cost of living is reasonable, the healthcare is good, and the tax treatment of foreign pensions is among the most generous in Europe. This guide walks through the practical side of retiring here: how to get residency, how the tax system works for pensioners, how to arrange healthcare, and where people choose to live.
05.05.2026
You can sell a property in Greece yourself. For most owners, though, an agent is the safer and far less stressful route. That is even more true if you live abroad. Here is the honest case for using one, and what selling alone really asks of you.
21.04.2026
The Greek holiday home market in 2026 is no longer defined by a single trend. What is emerging instead is a rising demand for smaller, more affordable holiday homes. This shift reflects broader changes in international buyer behavior. Foreign purchasers are no longer simply searching for a beautiful house near the sea. They are looking more strategically at value, rental potential, construction quality, lifestyle convenience, and future resale opportunities. Greece continues to attract strong overseas interest, but the profile of demand is becoming sharper and more selective.
17.04.2026
Trying to figure out what a property in Greece is really worth has become surprisingly difficult. Not because there’s no demand, on the contrary, the market has been rising steadily, but because “value” in Greece is no longer a single, stable concept. Overall, the market looks healthy. According to the Bank of Greece, apartment prices increased by 7.8% on average in 2025, based on provisional data published in its Q4 2025 residential property price index. However, this overall figure masks important regional differences. In the fourth quarter of 2025 alone, prices rose by 5.9% in Athens, 8.0% in Thessaloniki, 10.5% in other cities, and 8.6% in other areas of Greece, highlighting how uneven price dynamics can be across the country.
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