Irida studios

[George]

Lucky them I say as the Santa Maria is an odd place all round.

Heather.

I don't know the place but it's always looked quite nice from the outside - intrigued to know what's odd about it?

It's odd in one respect in that the front apartments have a nice outlook and the ones at the back have a poor one, overlooking a partly finished building (or it was in May 2008). I liked it there; it might be a little too far out for some, about 8 mins from the supermarket at the east end of town. The road to the east out of Plakias is now pavemented at least as far as SM. As someone else has said, Olympic seems to have dropped it for 2010 in favour of Irida.

Mike

If I remember correctly Mike, all the rooms face south (right hand side when viewing from the front). The north side is a walkway to the front doors to the apartments.

george...

[Mike G]

Lucky them I say as the Santa Maria is an odd place all round.

Heather.

I don't know the place but it's always looked quite nice from the outside - intrigued to know what's odd about it?

It's odd in one respect in that the front apartments have a nice outlook and the ones at the back have a poor one, overlooking a partly finished building (or it was in May 2008). I liked it there; it might be a little too far out for some, about 8 mins from the supermarket at the east end of town. The road to the east out of Plakias is now pavemented at least as far as SM. As someone else has said, Olympic seems to have dropped it for 2010 in favour of Irida.

Mike

If I remember correctly Mike, all the rooms face south (right hand side when viewing from the front). The north side is a walkway to the front doors to the apartments.

george...

I don't think you are right George, unless my memory is playing tricks. If that were correct there would only be 5 apartments at SM, two on the ground floor, two on the first and one on the second, this one being a large one stretching across the whole width of the property. I thought there were four or five that faced north at the back whose access was also at the back. The Olympic website says there are 8 units at SM.

Mike

[George]

I don't think you are right George, unless my memory is playing tricks. If that were correct there would only be 5 apartments at SM, two on the ground floor, two on the first and one on the second, this one being a large one stretching across the whole width of the property. I thought there were four or five that faced north at the back whose access was also at the back. The Olympic website says there are 8 units at SM.

Mike

You're right Mike, I was thinking Irida.
SM does have rooms around the back, I think Olympic had them this year. Nice views, if you like concrete!

george...

[Barny]

I stayed at SM and had a back room overlooking a concrete wall. Also the stairs to the top room overlooked my room and people got a good look when they went up to the top room!

                            Barny.

[George]

Sounds ominous Barny!! And what might you be up to then?

george...

[dreamofgreece]

I stayed at SM and had a back room overlooking a concrete wall. Also the stairs to the top room overlooked my room and people got a good look when they went up to the top room!

                            Barny.

We have just returned from Plakias after our second visit to Santa Maria. The first time we had the two room apartment on the top floor which was very good. This time we had the two room apartment on the ground floor at the front. This apartment had two bathrooms but the smallest kitchen I have ever seen and it was supposed to be for four people. All other rooms are studios and 50% of them are at the back looking directly at a concrete wall and are very dark. The one front ground floor studio which was rented last year is now used by the owners wife or ex wife who speaks only Greek and spends her time chasing the cats with a stick. Her husband lives off site but spends his days in the office at the head of the drive. He is a miserable grumpy person who is now even more grumpy since he has been dropped by Olympic probably due to the number of complaints about the concrete wall.

Derek.

[Mike G]

I stayed at SM and had a back room overlooking a concrete wall. Also the stairs to the top room overlooked my room and people got a good look when they went up to the top room!

                            Barny.

We have just returned from Plakias after our second visit to Santa Maria. The first time we had the two room apartment on the top floor which was very good. This time we had the two room apartment on the ground floor at the front. This apartment had two bathrooms but the smallest kitchen I have ever seen and it was supposed to be for four people. All other rooms are studios and 50% of them are at the back looking directly at a concrete wall and are very dark. The one front ground floor studio which was rented last year is now used by the owners wife or ex wife who speaks only Greek and spends her time chasing the cats with a stick. Her husband lives off site but spends his days in the office at the head of the drive. He is a miserable grumpy person who is now even more grumpy since he has been dropped by Olympic probably due to the number of complaints about the concrete wall.

Derek.

The owner looks rather formidable (2008) but I found him friendly enough and enjoyed the fact that he left a carafe of raki in my apartment. He was also very generous with his use of the electric water heater, much to the annoyance of the couple in the apartment you had, who said its buzzing kept them awake. I had the one where you say his ex wife now is. I suspect Olympic dropped SM because of the huge difference in outlook between the front and back apartments. I don't think Irida has this drawback and also has a pool.

Mike

[George]

I don't think Irida has this drawback and also has a pool.

Mike

The only problem with the Irida will be the ground floor rooms. Now they have a pool the balconies won't be very private as pool users will be walking past.
So Barny if you're going to be doing something you shouldn't      , get an upstairs room.

george...

[Alan and Jan]

Has anybody else noticed that the Olympic website is only showing prices for 2010 at Kostas, Dora & Irida.
All other properties have no prices displayed in the price panels.

Could this be because they have not negotiated next years rates yet, or are they dropping them?

Peter&Dawn

The brochure for 2010 is the same. I will be staying at the Santa Maria in a few days time but it is not included for 2010. There seems to be a general trend to withdraw closer to the airports. I have checked a number of brochures for 2010 and resorts previously listed have disapeared. i.e Paleochora and Myrtos. There is very little now listed for the south coast of Crete.

Derek.

You are quite right , Derek . Since Kosmar pulled out there are sadly no packages to Palaeochora from the UK. There are some from Germany I think.


I have stayed at Santa Maria and the Irida looked pretty good over the road . Nice pool away from the wind.

I seem to remember that last year some people who had booked for the Santa Maria found themselves transferred to the Irida. Or am I hallucinating again  ?. Lucky them I say as the Santa Maria is an odd place all round.

Heather.

Despite it's many faults Kosmar is sadly missed. It covered more locations in Greece than any other company. It had an interest in Greece because it's owner was Greek but this interest died as soon as XL took over.

Derek.

Bit of good news. A company called Goldtrail now do Paleochora. Specialists in Turkey but they have set on a lot of Kosmar staff to look after there new Greek side. have gone into many of the old Kosmar accommodations.

[Barny]

So Barny if you're going to be doing something you shouldn't      , get an upstairs room.

george...
[/quote]

Me George ? Something I shouldn't ? Chance would be a fine thing !!

                Barny.

[Mike G]

Bit of good news. A company called Goldtrail now do Paleochora. Specialists in Turkey but they have set on a lot of Kosmar staff to look after there new Greek side. have gone into many of the old Kosmar accommodations.

Yes it is good news for them as they are a realistic alternative to Plakias. I hope I'm not risking expulsion from this forum if I advertise that they also have a website, including a forum.

http://www.thepaleochorasite.com/

Mike

[Noopsy]

No reason why you should be: Paleochora is a perfectly nice place (isn't it harribobs?)...but Plakias is nicer.  

Noopsy

[Ploppy]

I hope I'm not risking expulsion from this forum if I advertise that they also have a website, including a forum.

http://www.thepaleochorasite.com/

Mike

Of course not, good to see other places that people enthuse about. Also give me some ideas/encouragement for a site revamp.

[harribobs]

No reason why you should be: Paleochora is a perfectly nice place (isn't it harribobs?)...but Plakias is nicer.  

Noopsy

I love both places  

[spottttttt]

No reason why you should be: Paleochora is a perfectly nice place (isn't it harribobs?)...but Plakias is nicer.  

Noopsy

I love both places  

Me two, paradise