Messages

1

Where to stay / Advice

« on: June 23, 2008, 01:22:31 PM »

The return transfer with Olympic was AWFUL, and I am about to make a major complaint to Olympic about the time/queues, and nearly missing the flight. Nuf said, 80€ is a bargain!

I'm really surprised to hear that JBM  

We've all complained to Olympic about the transfers, one reason I'm now independent.

Has anyone ever had any satifactory outcome from a complaint about the transfer, I didn't??

george g...

Thanks all for the tips!
I hadn't visited the forum for 2-3 weeks since first asking your advice on where to stay, travel etc however I have now booked my holiday to Plakias and i'm very excited.  My boyfriend and I are on a bit of a budget this year so despite the more accommodating hotels and the flexibility of travelling independently we have booked our holiday with Olympic.  We found a holiday for £349 for two weeks departing from our local airport so no petrol or car parking costs involved and I even have to say convenient flight times which just amazed me.  We fly 22 July.. 4 weeks tomorrow and counting!

Unfortunately we didn't have an option re hotels, the holiday advertised was Dora and despite the not so fantastic reviews (though I've read worse), we're happy enough to get a reasonable price at the place we wanted to go (plakias) and on the dates we wanted to leave.. So I can't complain and after all, the amount of time we will be spending in the hotel, it doesn't really matter too much, as long as its clean and has a balcony (really hope its not a balcony facing the concrete wall I've heard so much about) and apparently we use the Kostas-Chrysoulla Studios pool..which I don't mind about either because when we went to Corfu last year we didn't once sit around our own hotel pool, we always ventured out to others..

How far is Dora from Kostas-Chrysoulla Studios..and again how far is Dora from the Centre where all the restaurants and tavernas are?

Many thanks

Tessa

2

Where to stay / Advice

« on: June 05, 2008, 04:58:24 PM »

There is an independent bus transfer from both airports to the main resorts / cities.

See www.flightline.co.uk and go to hoteltransfer.

Go by bus to Rhetymon and take a taxi to Plakias

Beachcombers

   

Thanks everyone, some good advice.  I've started to look at flights and hotels so will bear your suggestions in mind.

Tessa

3

Where to stay / Advice

« on: June 05, 2008, 02:34:50 PM »

Hi Mike

Thanks for your quick response, I will take a look at the hotel you recommended.

As for Olympic Holidays I know what you mean. I took my first package holiday last year and it was with Olympic, I couldn't beleive it, having to queue for miles just to check in at the airport on our departure.  I've always flown places independently up until last year when we booked a last minute holiday through a tour operator.  
Do you find it easier and cheaper to book independently and travel from the airport to Plakias yourself?  I read someone's post yesterday that its about 80Euros from Heraklion airport to Plakias by taxi, or there's a bus route.

Tessa

Hi Tessa
Welcome, good advice so far as always, baffles me sometimes how quick we are to help people out with any kind of info about Plakias. There's a lot of experience here and it's all good!
I've been going independantly for 2 years now (third coming up), I got bored with the limited choice that the tour companies were offering, after numerous years of grief of one thing or another, usually hidden subsidies and surcharges, and now there's only Olympic it's even worse.

Independance gives you the variety of choice and there are so many people here who can give you contacts for many of the acommadations.
It is more expensive, there's no getting away from that, but look on the bright side, independance gives you a much wider choice of where to stay and when to go.
As Mike said, a good start is the article system if your leaning that way, or if you do decide to go with Olympic, their acommadation has been occupied by many of the members and will give you their honest opinions of the places, but they will be varied.

You sound like you might like the Alianthos Hotel, it's got everything your after!

Good luck!

george g...

Hi George

Thanks for the info, this forum is a great way to get questions answered!  I will start by looking at the article system and go from there.. and check out those hotels you and Mike recommended.

Many thanks again.

Tessa

4

Where to stay / Advice

« on: June 05, 2008, 01:45:33 PM »

My boyfriend and I are visiting Crete for the first time and I really like the sound of Plakias.  We're looking to stay somewhere that has a pool, close to the beach and is within walking distance of the local restaurants and bars, somewhere with a selection of restaurants as we like to try different ones.. I also get the impression that there's some nice walks around the area too and places of interest that are not too far a-field!?

I have been looking at some of the hotels and reviews but a couple of suggestions would be really appreciated and maybe those hotels to avoid!!  Someone mentioned Lamon but I can't seem to find them listed with any tour operators, I've only come across them independently where you can reserve a room and book a flight separately..

Thanks,

Tessa

Hello Tessa and welcome to the Forum. You don't say if you are booking through a tour operator (only Olympic really) or independently. Click on the Article System button at the top of the screen to see reviews on accommodations and tavernas. If you are booking with Olympic, then Kostas Chrysoulla would fit your requirements. I have stayed there twice and it was fine but it has been known to suffer from a lack of attention to detail. Be prepared for a long transfer with Olympic though. There is a large selection of tavernas in the town (all within easy walking distance of one another) and the standard is high in the main.

I've never stayed at Lamon but think it always looks dingy from the outside. I met someone once who had stayed there and she was not at all impressed. The small pool is very overlooked. It used to be a Kosmar property until they pulled out of Plakias at the end of the 2007 season.

Plakias is a superb place for walks, both starting and finishing in the town if you don't have a car, or in the surrounding area if you do.

I would recommend Lance Chilton's book. See

http://www.marengowalks.com/Plakiasbk.html

It includes a useful map. Good quality maps aren't generally a Greek speciality!

Mike

Hi Mike

Thanks for your quick response, I will take a look at the hotel you recommended.

As for Olympic Holidays I know what you mean. I took my first package holiday last year and it was with Olympic, I couldn't beleive it, having to queue for miles just to check in at the airport on our departure.  I've always flown places independently up until last year when we booked a last minute holiday through a tour operator.  
Do you find it easier and cheaper to book independently and travel from the airport to Plakias yourself?  I read someone's post yesterday that its about 80Euros from Heraklion airport to Plakias by taxi, or there's a bus route.

Tessa

5

Where to stay / Advice

« on: June 05, 2008, 12:53:30 PM »

My boyfriend and I are visiting Crete for the first time and I really like the sound of Plakias.  We're looking to stay somewhere that has a pool, close to the beach and is within walking distance of the local restaurants and bars, somewhere with a selection of restaurants as we like to try different ones.. I also get the impression that there's some nice walks around the area too and places of interest that are not too far a-field!?

I have been looking at some of the hotels and reviews but a couple of suggestions would be really appreciated and maybe those hotels to avoid!!  Someone mentioned Lamon but I can't seem to find them listed with any tour operators, I've only come across them independently where you can reserve a room and book a flight separately..

Thanks,

Tessa