Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!

[meryl]

I have just returned from the Arillas bay apartments on Tuesday morning (22nd July)
It was our first visit to Arillas and we absolutely loved it.
I have been reading this thread and just thought I would add to it.
We arrived at the apartment at around 5.30 am on 8th July. We were greeted by a large number of mosquitoes due to the apartment doors being left open through the night!
After a couple of hours sleep we had a chance to look around the apartment.
We were in the A block on the ground floor. The apartment was very spacious with plenty of storage space in the bedrooms. The kitchen had a huge amount of cupboard space, a double sink and a mini oven. The kitchen cupboards did have quite an unusual smell (a bit like a pine fragrance) which had transferred to the crockery, but we washed everything in soapy water before use.
The bathroom was a little outdated with an avocado suite, (but hey, so is my bathroom at home!) but seemed clean enough.

We were given a warm welcome by Yianni. He enquired if everything was ok, and should we need anything, he would be happy to help.
Later that evening, we asked him were there any fans that we could rent. I find that they help in keeping the mosquitoes at bay. Next morning he delivered 2 fans to us. The rate he charged for the fans was the cheapest we have paid anywhere in Greece.
We did find the beds a little on the lumpy side! so we placed 3 of the thick woolly blankets on the matress and covered them with a sheet, problem solved!
The toilet paper bin was emptied daily and the sheets and towels were changed at the end of our first week.

We did not use the pool at the Arillas bay. We are beach people and never use a pool anyway.
During our last couple of days, we were told by the couple in the next apartment that the pool was out of action due to a pump problem. We did notice that it did look a bit cloudy. On our last day we did see some children in the pool.
We ate in the Sea Breeze on one occasion. I had a chicken fillet which I didn't really enjoy, but my husband and daughter both enjoyed their meals. We always like to try as many tavernas as possible.

We were completely unaware of the problems suffered by the original poster of this thread, even though we were there around the same time. It must have been terrifying and it's no wonder that they wanted to move accomodation.
Our room in A block did not have a balcony, just a terrace which did leave you feeling slightly exposed.
I did think that it was very quiet around the Arillas bay, but thought it was due to it not being school holiday time.
The Arillas bay was what we expected. Not 5 star, but we didn't pay a 5 star price.
It suited our needs just fine. It's in a perfect position for beach lovers.
If you are going in the near future, I hope that you have a great time.

[justphil]

hi Meryl

So glad you experienced our version of Arillas. Others have had horrendous problems and we have been dismayed and horrified to read about them. We have suffered with them in a way that many would not understand. So glad you got past the c**p and had a great holiday.

BTW are you Meryl Moyse who used to live over the road from me in St Dunstans Drive? Would be the ultimate small world...

Phil

[meryl]

Hi Phil,
No, I'm afraid I've never heard of St Dunstans Drive!
Thank you for your reply.
Meryl

[MicK-G]

Hi I've posted in the past fairly negative comments and I'd like to add some better news. My sister is currently on holiday in Arillas and on behalf of another member I asked her husband to have a look at AB to see if it was as poor as had been suggested. My brother in law told me that the Chap behind the bar was very pleasant and welcoming. he offered to show him around an apartment at a later date when one was free. A negative was that the pool was out of action due to a problem with the pump. At least it was not being kept a secret. The only negatives are nothing that I didn't already know last year. Anybody that hasn't already been needn't worry too much. The town is small so anybody with health problems shouldn't have a problem getting to any local hotels, restaurants, the beach etc if you so desire. If you haven't been already please don't worry the town is small and if you don't like the pool area where you are staying, then the locls are so welcoming that you can go somewhere else. I have stayed in other resorts that have had power faults, blocked toilets interesting smells and lots of other problems. I don't let a mishap spoil my holiday. Arillas is more beautiful than most other areas  so I can't wait to see it again next Monday. I've already arranged to go back in 2009.

[justphil]

Hear hear Mick. I might be obsessed, but it isn't perfect. What is?

But making two weeks of serious holiday is very easy to do there.

Phil

[GaryS]

My silence is broken. The AB may have tried its best (and failed) to spoil our and a few others holidays, but it seems that me being a right so and so and hounding these people over the net (AB, Manos and TC) has started to show results. Lets hope that what I started returns the AB to its former glory, because Arillas deserves it. I will continue to hound Manos and Thomas Cook and will tell all on here if its okay with the good people of Arillas.com. Im only doing this because I hate to see the average Joe put on by the big boys, we need a voice not just for telling the good, but reminding these major companies that they have a duty to us the paying public. Thanks for the kind words for what I started. I only wanted to help, even if what I said wasnt that nice.

Yamas All

and happy holidays

Gary and Carolyn

[Eggy]

Gary

I hope, very much , as we all do that you and Carolyn will be back to Arillas in the very near future.

Looking  forward, very much,  to sitting down with you both, ale in hand,  when all this has been resolved.

Your final results with the Tour Ops concerned will, I'm sure, make interesting reading for us all.

Best Wishes to you both
Neill Egg

[GaryS]

Cheers Neill

We have commitments in Crete next year, but Carolyns Parents are back to Arillas next year again and we hopefully will be back in 2010. See everyone, even with what we went through does not put us off Arillas.

For those who have had their holidays this year we hope it was great, for you who have yet to visit......you lucky b#ggers

Yamas

G&C

[GaryS]

In light of what has happened to the couple in Antigua at the weekend, don't you all agree that bad news as it might be, that the information about the attempted break ins at the AB not only needs to be put on this forum, but left there for all to read? People need to go into these situations with eyes wide open, simply if its just a reminder to lock their doors and stow their valuables in a safety deposit box. Also by publishing what happened gives the parties concerned a little kick up the backside to put things right.

My thougths are with the family of Catherine and Benjamin Mullany and hope Mr Mullany pulls through. Such a sad event.

Gary

[Sandy x]

I agree....what a tragedy....only married on 12 July....puts things in perspective.

[Eggy]

The guys from Whispers are still in America so I don't know any future plan at the moment.

Negg

[wilco]

I thank you all greatly, having booked the AB this week. I would rather know "how cold the water is" before I jump in!

Are there any update on the out-of-order pool or prospective burgular?

I have sent Thomas Cook an e-mail in anticipation of these 2 concerns. They rang me and offered somewhere else in Corfu. After your fine reports, I am determined to go to Arillas now! The Akti Hotel was available to us for almost double the AB cost.

Hey Ho! We will spend the week on the beach and in the tavernas if we have to.

Again thank you all. I will let you know how we get on.

regards, Wilco.

[lil.chipmunk]

Hi Wilco,
if you read the thread under package holidays 'Just got back from Arillas Bay' You should find that all is as it should be at the apartments. I'm heading out there on Monday 11th so I hope to find that that is the case. When are you going?

Janine

[GaryS]

Glad things are all coming together at the AB, too late for us and once bitten........There are many fab places to stay in Arillas and many open to the public pools. As long as you buy a drink which from what it seems on here most people including us do lots of So if the AB pool is still out of action its no great problem.

Ive got some lovely vids and pics to post so watch out for them on the video section via you tube, if I can get my head round the technology that is

Hope you all have a good holidays in Arillas and at the AB, but please remember your security and safety. It does not take much to put your cash and passports in a safety deposit box and even less to double check you have locked the doors and shutteres at night.

PS please if anyone has an update on the Albanian 'Umpa Lumpa' please let us know.

PPS We have had a reply from ABTA and they are now investigating Thomas Cook on this issue as we have had nothing from them...surprise surprise.

GazCaz

[GaryS]

An update on our struggle with Thomas Cook regarding our stay at the AB in June/July 2008. As many of you know we have a long standing battle with them regarding the disgusting state of the B block at the AB and terrible security issues in early July. So far they have broken the ABTA code regarding responding to complaints and after 80 days (28 is the rule) came up with a lame £90 TC voucher, with conditions, said their Quality and HSE team had been working closely with the AB (only to drop the place it seems) answer none of our concerns and to cap it all they said they hoped other aspects of our holiday to TURKEY were enjoyable. Muppets. We have now referred them to ABTA with the possibility of going to arbitration.  Further updates as they happen.