Author Topic: Is it doable?  (Read 8634 times)

Offline cornucopia

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Is it doable?
« on: August 16, 2004, 03:25:45 PM »
Hi everyone – I discovered Plakias by accident about six or seven years ago when I was travelling on my own with a flight only deal to Heraklion. The plan was to travel around the island and stay at three or four different places over the course of a fortnight. I landed in the small hours and my first idea was to get the bus to Rethymnon and stay there for a day or two to get my bearings but, arriving at around 7am, it just all looked a bit grim so I decided to go somewhere else. The next bus to anywhere my guide book said was promising was to Plakias. So I took that bus and turned up on main drag with just my suitcase and no idea where I really was. It was about 9am by then and most of the bars/cafes were still shut, there was a howling gale, I hadn’t slept for 24 hours, was unshaven and unwashed and really didn’t feel in the best of moods.
Anyway, I wandered around for a bit and then a little old lady came out from one of the supermarkets and asked if I was looking for a room. I said I was and she said ‘come this way’. She took me up a very steep hill, trying to help me with my bags to start with but it was stinking hot so I eventually let her off the hook and carried them myself. We reached a little apartment block and she said this is it, would I like an upstairs room or downstairs – by this point I really needed to sleep and would have taken anything but she showed me an upstairs room, clean and comfy and with a magnificent view over the bay at what worked out to about £10 a night. I took it, naturally, saying I’d spend about three nights there.
Once I’d cleaned up and had a snooze, however, I started to like the place. By the second day the wind had died off a bit and I started to find the various beaches, bars, restaurants and so forth. Needless to say, I ended up staying the whole fortnight and it was just about the best holiday I have ever had.
I met some great people. There was a really nice couple from Prague with a small lad of four who I spent several evenings with. There was an eccentric hippy chap who tried to persuade everybody to go to Damnoni all the time. There was a group of girls who had just graduated from Bristol University who I got to know after one of their number lost her footing in the sea under a freak wave and clattered into me, leaving us both in a naked tangle on the edge of the water – an embarrassing/enjoyable and especially funny way of meeting someone. And then there was the young Greek lad who was on his way to becoming a priest, who was visiting his aunt and uncle just before going to spend a year in a monastery.
The weather, food, scenery and atmosphere made it an extremely enjoyable fortnight, capped off on the bus journey back to Rethymnon, when a dirty great big eagle got upset by the noise of the bus and took to the skies right by my window!
Anyway, this is an extremely long-winded way of asking for some information. Circumstances dictate that I am going to have another fortnight away on my own in the first couple of weeks of September and  I was thinking of doing the same thing again. However, while I’m not really on a tight budget, looking on the net you seem to be able to get some pretty good deals to some pretty good places for about £300-350. While I’d be happy to pay a bit more to go back to Plakias, given the prices I’d be hard pushed to justify spending more than about £500 on flights and accommodation (both in my eyes and those of my bank manager) so I was wondering if anyone can tell me how much I would expect to spend on a basic room in Plakias these days. I’m sure it’s a lot more than than the £10 a night I had before but I’m not looking for luxury – roof, bed, shower, toilet is all I ask. Any advice greatly appreciated.

Offline Greecemad

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« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2004, 09:09:26 PM »
Last time I was in Plakias (June 2002), as far as I can remember I paid 18 euro per night for a basic room like you describe, with a private shower etc. This was particularly cheap I thought but given my experience of finding rooms on Greek islands and my knowledge of Plakias, I would say you will get a room easily in Plakias for 25 euro a night (or less). You should be able to get a flight for £200 or less, so I would say that yes, it's doable.

I can't remember what the place is called that I stayed in, if it had a name. From the Alianthos, walk towards the harbour and I think it was the second narrow street on the right. There was a little art/craft shop on the right and the rooms (only 3 of them) were in the courtyard of the next house. I've also stayed in the house opposite.

Greecemad.

Offline Noopsy

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« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2004, 09:16:00 AM »
Hi, cornucopia, and welcome.

Paligremnos currently charges the equivalent in Euros of £23.42 per day.  If you are interested, there is other information on this establishment elsewhere on this Forum.    

Noopsy 500
Ελευθερία ή θάνατος

Offline harribobs

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« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2004, 04:03:38 PM »
cornocopia

In may we were paying from €25 - €35 per night for rooms on the south coast including Plakias, the difference is location and facilities, I'll leave the conversions to you

flight only into heraklion on the 31st Aug is £170 - £180 at present

i think you'll still  love plakias

good luck

Offline cornucopia

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« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2004, 03:09:05 PM »
Thanks for the info – pretty much what I was expecting. I was hoping that either you'd say 'don't worry, you can easily do it for £400', or else 'don't be daft it'll be at least £600'. Looks like it's about £500 for a place I know I'll love, or a speculative package for about £350 – hmm…

Offline Mike G

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« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2004, 12:47:12 PM »
Hello Cornucopia,

Another option might be to get a late tour operator deal as you are planning to go as the schools return. Try First Choice or Olympic first, the two largest in Plakias. I have read that there are plenty of unsold holidays in Greece this year (overcapacity) so you could be lucky. Others in the forum can advise on the smaller operators. I've never booked late myself but have been told by others that you can often get something for half price. Just make sure you are going to Plakias; can't imagine the accommodation choice is too important.

If you can get something for 50-70% of brochure price you should easily be within the range you are looking for.    

Mike

Offline harribobs

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« Reply #6 on: August 20, 2004, 02:54:59 PM »
Mike

nice idea BUT you'll be very lucky to get a late deal to Plakias, the bookings to greece are well down but that doesn't apply to plakias so the only real chance is a cancellation

i'm in the trade btw and even i couldn't book direct to plakias this year and to further endorse that statement, I have just booked for may next year and in the last weeks of May 2005, kostas crystolla are showing only two rooms available

Offline Mike G

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« Reply #7 on: August 21, 2004, 09:50:41 AM »
Harribobs,

That's interesting and I bow to your greater knowledge, being an "insider". What you are effectively saying is that there is a greater demand for package tour holidays to Plakias than the tour operators can satisfy. So why did First Choice pull out- they seem to have misjudged the situation?

What you have said confirms that I was wise to rebook my 2 weeks in mid May at Kostas Chrysoulla with Olympic rather than wait.

Maybe one of the forum members in the holiday industry ought to point this situation out to FC, possibly by giving them a link into the forum. Incidently, even though FC gave me my money back for the holiday they cancelled, they never bothered to send me a letter explaining the situation and confirming the cancellation.

I have long since been amazed that Manos (still good even though now part of My Travel/Airtours as they seem to operate pretty independently) doesn't include Plakias as it is just the sort of resort they go for and demand is high.

Mike

Offline harribobs

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« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2004, 04:22:57 PM »
Mike

as an agent i am not privy to the insights of the tour companies but Plakias isn't the only place first choice are pulling out of, i assume that they feel they are not making enough profit or that they can make better profits else where. I have no doubt they are very aware of the take up of their holidays

yes it would seem there is a greater demand than can be satisfied by the tour ops and you are wise to book for may, and if you are there the last two weeks you can buy me a mythos!

Offline ostraco

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« Reply #9 on: August 23, 2004, 11:32:15 PM »
Mike - Manos used to offer holidays in Plakias, but pulled out several years ago!
John - Ostraco

Offline fraoula

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« Reply #10 on: August 24, 2004, 09:57:08 AM »
Quote
Mike - Manos used to offer holidays in Plakias, but pulled out several years ago!
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 absolutely gutted cos I get my biggest discount with manos  :'(  and they are such a good company aswell

Offline Mike G

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« Reply #11 on: August 24, 2004, 12:57:17 PM »
Quote
Quote
Mike - Manos used to offer holidays in Plakias, but pulled out several years ago!
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=2220\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


 absolutely gutted cos I get my biggest discount with manos  :'(  and they are such a good company aswell
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=2223\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hello Fraoula,

I keep hoping that Manos are not going to succumb to the mediocrity of Airtours/My Travel but they haven't yet. I received excellent discounts for both this year and next (admittedly they inflate the brochure prices) .I did not know that they used to go to Plakias, as Ostraco has said- must have been quite some years ago.

Mike

Offline ostraco

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« Reply #12 on: August 24, 2004, 09:26:45 PM »
Yes Mike - quite a few years back - when SunMed, Thompson, Olympic, etc. were there too!
John - Ostraco

Offline harribobs

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« Reply #13 on: August 25, 2004, 12:06:23 PM »
Quote
[


 absolutely gutted cos I get my biggest discount with manos  :'(  and they are such a good company aswell
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=2223\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


I like Olympic for similiar reasons (commission rather than discount)

 

Offline ostraco

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« Reply #14 on: August 26, 2004, 12:03:14 AM »
I'll have to have a chat with you about next years booking next week then Harribobs!
John - Ostraco