Kostas-Chrysoulla Studios

[George]

rant over  

It's allowed, hopefully Olympic are listening.

george g...

[Chas]

I'm assuming Olympic and Kosmar have "their own" allocated rooms - so anybody know what state the Kosmar rooms are in?

[Mike G]

It's allowed, hopefully Olympic are listening.

george g...

Well, they won't be unless one of the dissatisfied Kostas clients has alerted them.

Mike

[harribobs]

I'm assuming Olympic and Kosmar have "their own" allocated rooms - so anybody know what state the Kosmar rooms are in?

i don't think so, my understanding is that (big) kostas is doing the allocation himself

[Mandy Harrison]

 hi mike!  sounds like you had the same room as us

we won't be going back there again

It's got to be bad then, I think you've been there every year haven't you Chris, and you've had your gripes in the past, so what broke the camel's back then?

george g...

I tell you what broke the camel's back Georgie - the damn dodgy toilet seats - i'm well and truly sick of them - they dont fit properly and I tell you its no fun when you are female - I wont go into too much detail here  as I am sure you get the picture! Chris had to fix ours this September and its not something you want to be doing when your on yer hols - there is enough DIY to be doing at home the rest of the year :'( - yeah and another thing - that toilet leaked too! :'(

[Mike G]

I'm assuming Olympic and Kosmar have "their own" allocated rooms - so anybody know what state the Kosmar rooms are in?

i don't think so, my understanding is that (big) kostas is doing the allocation himself

Hello Chris,

I had always thought what Chas has assumed, but can't tell you where I got the information (or whether I dreamt it). I expect Ali will tell us.

Anyway, if the Kostases have got slack with the maintenance it is likely to affect all the rooms.

I hope you or Mandy have complained to Olympic re. your problems.

Mike

[harribobs]

the reason i say this is that some friends of mine ( Meryl and Terry) were told by Kostas to fax him a couple of weeks prior and he would sort their room for them. Also this May when i asked the rep at the airport which roomn are we in, she told me the KC are allocating their own rooms now
chris

[jenny]

Well we had room 3 on the ground floor next to the walkway into the pool etc and had a jolly sociable time chatting to everyone who went past when we were on the terrace.  Had one three quarter bed (mine!) and a single (Pete's LOL)

There were only 2 minor niggles - a socket or switch next to the french doors was hanging off, so we just avoided it.  And yes, although I'm sure it didn't at the beginning of the week, the toilet seat gradually started to slip it's moorings and always managed to catch me unawares every time it did it! - but it was only a bit loose, no worse than one might reasonably expect after a whole summer of bums on it, we thought.  It didn't cause us any grief at all.

However I am aware the two ladies who were directly above us had a cracked window, and lack of drawer space - lack of furniture generally from the remark that was made - and also that our room was larger than theirs.

Bearing in mind the night-flights we thought the keep the room charges were unacceptable so didn't although I would have put my foot down (or packed the bathroom towels in the case - I'd have given them back LOL) had I realised the sheer inconvenience of their shower room and that they provide no towels!

[Chris H.]

I do hope you will excuse me but all this talk about rooms and reps and flights and broken toiletseats makes me really curious. Question is: why do a lot of British people use a travel agency (or so it seems to me, correct me if I'm wrong) to book their holiday to Plakias? Is it cheaper that way? I always have the idea that if I do it like that I just pay for the Mercedes of the agency owner............anyway, this is how I did it for the first time this year:
Booked a flight on internet Amsterdam-Heraklion 625 euros for 2 people (440 pounds)
3 Weeks in Olive grove apartments for 700 euros. (490 pounds) Nice apartment, everything works, cleaned daily.
Together 930 pounds for 3 weeks.
Is this expensive in your eyes?
I didn't think so........
Chris H.

[Graham_and_Karen]

I do hope you will excuse me but all this talk about rooms and reps and flights and broken toiletseats makes me really curious. Question is: why do a lot of British people use a travel agency (or so it seems to me, correct me if I'm wrong) to book their holiday to Plakias? Is it cheaper that way? I always have the idea that if I do it like that I just pay for the Mercedes of the agency owner............anyway, this is how I did it for the first time this year:
Booked a flight on internet Amsterdam-Heraklion 625 euros for 2 people (440 pounds)
3 Weeks in Olive grove apartments for 700 euros. (490 pounds) Nice apartment, everything works, cleaned daily.
Together 930 pounds for 3 weeks.
Is this expensive in your eyes?
I didn't think so........
Chris H.

Not expensive, but a bit dearer than booking through an operator. Mind you, I do think it's worth paying a bit extra for the choice that booking independently gives you but if booking at the last minute we'd always look for a cheap deal from a tour operator.

[John R]

I do hope you will excuse me but all this talk about rooms and reps and flights and broken toiletseats makes me really curious. Question is: why do a lot of British people use a travel agency (or so it seems to me, correct me if I'm wrong) to book their holiday to Plakias? Is it cheaper that way? I always have the idea that if I do it like that I just pay for the Mercedes of the agency owner............anyway, this is how I did it for the first time this year:
Booked a flight on internet Amsterdam-Heraklion 625 euros for 2 people (440 pounds)
3 Weeks in Olive grove apartments for 700 euros. (490 pounds) Nice apartment, everything works, cleaned daily.
Together 930 pounds for 3 weeks.
Is this expensive in your eyes?
I didn't think so........
Chris H.

Like you I go independently but there is no way I can do it as cheaply as my many friends in Plakias who travel with Kosmar or Olympic. The transfer costs from the airport to Plakias add a significant £112 and are often the deciding financial factor. My basic costs for two weeks (two of us) are (or were) £400 flight, £340 room and if I did not hire a car £112 taxi transfer totalling £852 for 2 people 2 weeks. Kosmar do the same trip for £700

I choose to go independently  because I DO hire a car - which "eliminates" the transfer cost and I stay for 18 days rather tha 14 which is currently possible with some flights (but not travel agencies) and I wish to remain loyal to Stella Pension where we have always stayed. Kosmar do have one set of apartments which are superb and make your costs look expensive.

John R

[John R]

I do hope you will excuse me but all this talk about rooms and reps and flights and broken toiletseats makes me really curious. Question is: why do a lot of British people use a travel agency (or so it seems to me, correct me if I'm wrong) to book their holiday to Plakias? Is it cheaper that way? I always have the idea that if I do it like that I just pay for the Mercedes of the agency owner............anyway, this is how I did it for the first time this year:
Booked a flight on internet Amsterdam-Heraklion 625 euros for 2 people (440 pounds)
3 Weeks in Olive grove apartments for 700 euros. (490 pounds) Nice apartment, everything works, cleaned daily.
Together 930 pounds for 3 weeks.
Is this expensive in your eyes?
I didn't think so........
Chris H.

Like you I go independently but there is no way I can do it as cheaply as my many friends in Plakias who travel with Kosmar or Olympic. The transfer costs from the airport to Plakias add a significant £112 and are often the deciding financial factor. My basic costs for two weeks (two of us) will be £400 flight, £340 room and if I did not hire a car £112 taxi transfer totalling £852 for 2 people 2 weeks. Kosmar do the same trip for £700 and some of my friends get a discount on that price from their travel agent.

I choose to go independently  because I DO hire a car - which "eliminates" the transfer cost and I stay for 18 days rather than 14 which is currently possible with some flights (but not travel agencies) and I wish to remain loyal to Stella Pension where we have always stayed.

Kosmar do use one set of apartments which are superb and make your and my costs look very expensive. Obviously  Kostas-Chrysoulla Studios are not now in that league.

John R

[Chas]

I do hope you will excuse me but all this talk about rooms and reps and flights and broken toiletseats makes me really curious. Question is: why do a lot of British people use a travel agency (or so it seems to me, correct me if I'm wrong) to book their holiday to Plakias? Is it cheaper that way? I always have the idea that if I do it like that I just pay for the Mercedes of the agency owner............anyway, this is how I did it for the first time this year:
Booked a flight on internet Amsterdam-Heraklion 625 euros for 2 people (440 pounds)
3 Weeks in Olive grove apartments for 700 euros. (490 pounds) Nice apartment, everything works, cleaned daily.
Together 930 pounds for 3 weeks.
Is this expensive in your eyes?
I didn't think so........
Chris H.

Hi, Chris H,

A couple of points of information for you:

1.  There are two different business - the "package company", like Kosmar, which provides flights, transfers and accommodation  -- and -- the "travel agency" which sells packages from various companies.  Each business has it's own profit margin in the total cost (the agency has a commission fee built into the package price).

Agencies are supposed to give detailed advice on all consumer aspects of the competing packages, to justify their commission.

Package companies have direct selling websites (which may be cheaper than the agency price.

2.  Package prices as published in brochures are not fixed - the operator can vary the price up or down, as it suits their business.  "Late deals" can be very cheap, if the operator wants to fill the flight and/or accommodation to cover the fixed costs to them.

*****************

For the last five years, we have crawled the internet, looking for the best late deal to the resort(s) we prefer and have typically paid 30% less than the published prices.  However, it helps a lot that we can go when we like and at short notice.

The operators and agencies rely on the families that have to travel during school holidays and push up the prices accordingly.

Until recently, we have not had much choice for independent booking as the only flights available out of Manchester (to Greek Islands) were the package company charter flights, so the flight price was usually close to the package price!

[Mike G]

I do hope you will excuse me but all this talk about rooms and reps and flights and broken toiletseats makes me really curious. Question is: why do a lot of British people use a travel agency (or so it seems to me, correct me if I'm wrong) to book their holiday to Plakias? Is it cheaper that way? I always have the idea that if I do it like that I just pay for the Mercedes of the agency owner............anyway, this is how I did it for the first time this year:
Booked a flight on internet Amsterdam-Heraklion 625 euros for 2 people (440 pounds)
3 Weeks in Olive grove apartments for 700 euros. (490 pounds) Nice apartment, everything works, cleaned daily.
Together 930 pounds for 3 weeks.
Is this expensive in your eyes?
I didn't think so........
Chris H.

Hello Chris,

I can't better John R's summing up of the financial situation a few posts above this one. I think I am paying about £270 for two weeks next May (Gatwick flight) and as I am going on my own will have single occupancy of a studio. There is no way I could come near that booking independently. As John has said, it is the transfer that is one crucial factor in terms of cost but another is that the tour operators pay a relative pittance to the accommodation owner in comparison to a private booking.

So, on purely financial grounds there is only one choice; however if you want more choice, more flexibility, and possibly a better accommodation then cost will not be your only consideration. You pays your money and ..............

Mike

[George]

So, on purely financial grounds there is only one choice; however if you want more choice, more flexibility, and possibly a better accommodation then cost will not be your only consideration. You pays your money and ..............

Mike

Totally agree Mike, as I've said somewhere else on the board ('Report In', i think), one does get much more choice, independance allows you to book the apartment that you want, more importantly the room that you want, and the flight is at your convienience, but it is more expensive. You pays your money and... you get what you want when you want it!!  

george g...