Hi
My partner & I have visited Arillas for the last 2 summers and will definitely be going back there someday. However there's still 1001 other places to visit in the world. My question is, can anyone recommend any resorts/places elsewhere in the world similar to Arillas (quiet, relaxing, laid back, non commercial, nice beach, no hassle etc etc)
Cheers
Noel
Hi. You`ve been twice, and enjoyed. Try a third time, then decide. The world is your oyster. We`ve been 11 times, and still love it.
There is a resort in Ibiza (yes, you can get away from it all in Ibiza), called
Puerto San Minguel.
Thomson Holidays have apts called Balanzat apts right on top on the beach - beautiful. Very laid back.
Lisa
I have looked at those.Would you recommend.
We were at San Miquel a few years ago and it was lovely.We were at the Torremar Apartments which at the time were with Direct Holidays and Airtours.
Yes I would recommend.
Very laid back - new resort.
Beautiful beach.
Only 1 or 2 restuarants, a few supermarkets, a company organising trips around the island, 1 or 2 bars.
I suspect in a few years time, the resort will grow and grow.
Could not fault the apts, however, the apts with a view of the pool were noisey, try asking for a view over the beach.
You will not be disappointed.
Lisa
Noel I have been to Spain,Holland,Kos,Crete (twice) Corfu for the last 15 years covering most of the island,can there be anywhere better than Arillas well we have been going to Arillas for the last 6 years.....sorry no Arillas cannot be beat, but you can always keep trying...a holiday is a holiday after all
i can remember going to ayia napa 20yrs ago when it was a fishing resort ,,,similllar to arillas now ,,im only 43 now ..says something dos,nt it .......yammas
Having found Arillas, what is the point of us finding somewhere else to make comparisons with? If Jen and me want to live it up we can always go back to the places we've done that in from Torquay to Edinburgh, from Palma Majorca to San Antonio Ibiza, from Nice to Marseille... but we always seem to "live-it-up" plenty in Arillas.
Each to his own. Live and let live.
Phil
Nice one Phil...."ARILLAS FOREVER"
Another place I would suggest is Cala Galdana Garden Apts in Minorca. Beautiful bay, apartments based around the waterside, laid back.
Currently these are with Direct Holidays.
Lisa
Sorry but i have to disagree with San Miguel. Admittedly we were not in the appartments but in the fully inclusive hotels. The beach and sea was lovely but the resort itself was in the back an beyond!
Agree with you Phil, have been all over for the last 20 years and nowhere compares to Arillas, why bother going somewhere else and end up saying we should have gone to Arillas, lol.
It suits everything we want in a holiday, love it.
Sharon x
I suppose if you have found somewhere you are comfortable with and it suits you, then good luck with you.
I just think it there are so many places out there to experience, life is too short.
On the topic of San Miguel, its known what type of resort this place is by the honest facts on Thomsons website reviews and also Trip Advisor. Its obviously a fairly new resort in terms of holidaymakers and therefore not in the terms of say Es Cana on the same island which I loved the first time round but sadly when returning 2 years ago (whilst staying in San Miguel) its so built up and getting like Blackpool on a good day.
At the end of the day, I suppose it comes down to what you want from a holiday.
Lisa
Like I said Lisa, been and experienced other places over a 20 year period, life is too short to waste going somewhere I may not like.
Like I said, if you are happy keep going back year after year, then thats fine. Each person is different.
I tend to like going to a new place each year and maybe go back somewhere I have been before, 2 or 3 years later.
I would never rule out going back to Arillas one day nor not recommend it to another person.
I can honestly say, apart from Malta, there is not a place I have been to where I would not return.
Lisa
Huge*abba*fan
How come you would not go back to Malta I have been once myself and was not a big fan. But I some people who would go nowhere else (bit like me & Arillas)
Keefy, know what you mean about Malta. My parents used to go every year for years, they loved it. I went with them one year and hated it! lol
Sharon x
SharonF
A new motto for Arillas...."You've had the rest now try the best ARILLAS"
P.s is it really only a month and 3 days till you go back to Arillas (your ticker suggests this)
Malta is just one of those places where I have been and I hated it from the start - didnt help who I went with though, lol.
Lisa
Malta used to be my Arillas.
I first went there back in the late 70's as a 20 year old, with my friend and her parents in a private appartment in St.Pauls. At that time, the tourists were all people who had been based there during the war, or had done their national service out there. Consequently, it seemed to us that we were the only English females on the island under the age of 60! This, plus the fact that Maltese girls all disappeared home at 9.00pm, ensured that we got quite a lot of attention from the boys, to say the least!!
We kept a diary of events and recorded the times of our first 'chat-up' each evening. The record was within 40 seconds of leaving the appartment!!
Needless to say, we had an absolute whale of a time and contunued to go back at least twice a year, for many years.
After several years break ,we went back about 10 years ago , and although we once again had a great time, we could see how 'new' visitors would be disappointed. Whilst the people are as welcoming and as friendly as in Arillas , Malta has definately suffered from over-development.
I still intend to back, and it will always be a special place for me, but sadly, I don't think I could recommend it with the same confidence or enthusiasm as I can Arillas.
Angie
I have never fancied Malta... my parents went and hated it... so I must admit that puts me off. I personally wont go back to Turkey, even though I loved the scenery, its not somewhere that my heart gets pulled back to.
We have really only been to Europe. mostly Greece and that is where we feel safe, relaxed and totally chilled out... I am tempted to try somewhere else but I know I will be forever thinking "I wish I was in Arillas" - I think its because if we were anywhere else we would feel that we just had to do all the "touristy" things like driving and visiting ruins etc. that at our age we prefer to take things a lot slower and Arillas fits the bill plus our "pocket". Now... if I was offered a holiday say in the Maldives or somewhere else exotic then I probably wouldn't turn it down either.
I have to agree with Phil & Sharon. I've been to several places in Europe. I choose quiet, laid back, small resort type of places, but, nowhere compares to Arillas. In some places I have actually felt quite miserable & let down, because the area wasn't as beautiful, or I was unable to go for long walks, or there were no nice places to eat compared with the tavernas in Arllas - the list goes on... Going back to Arillas, I know what I'm getting & every pound I spend on my holiday is a pound well spent & I know that I'm going to have the most wonderful time.
Quote from: keefy on October 29, 2008, 06:32:55 PM
SharonF
A new motto for Arillas...."You've had the rest now try the best ARILLAS"
P.s is it really only a month and 3 days till you go back to Arillas (your ticker suggests this)
Lol, keefy agree with that! It's a month and 3 days since I was there, haha.
Sara, that is exactly how I feel as well.
As for Malta, mum and dad first went in the early 80's so it was lovely then, but when I went with them in late 90's it had changed a lot. There was no character or soul to it, the people didnt want to know and there were no authentic places to eat.
Sharon x
SharonF Well you really suprised me about Malta not being friendly...I was last there in 2001 I think and it was not that bad. People were friendly but as you said nowhere decent to eat no authentic resturants. So I think Malta has been given the big thumbs down. Looks like Greek hols for me.....OK OK Arillas hols but I do get the odd yearning for other places.....like New Zealand why because we watch a programme on Sky called the Lion man and my wife wants to go to see this chap and all of his big cats.....Possibly stroke one or two lions or tigers etc
Hi Noel
I visited Stegna Beach on Rhodes earlier this year and really enjoyed it. It is mainly Greek speaking, quiet, lovely beach and you can get the local bus into Lindos or Rhodes Town for sight seeing. Very similar to Arillas in that there were 2 small bars and a good choice of restaurants. I stayed at the Sergios Apartments- all studios are on the beach, on the 1st floor with a sea view.
I googled this and they look really nice... now I wouldnt mind going there.
Hi, Noel. If you like Majorca,then Portals Nous, near Palma Nova, is nice.
There`s a small cove for a beach with a few hotels. The main village is a hike up a steep hill. We stayed at the Aguamarina, right by the sea.
Best Wishes Paul D
Sharon. Seems a long time ago now doesn`t it? Hope you`re well.xx
BG Rhodes is nice. The far end of Faliraki is still unspoilt, and in spite of Greece Uncovered, there are plenty of peaceful experiences to be had there. A big naturist beach, quiet tavernas and taramasalata to die for. Had it for breakfast most days. Just a shame it is next to two miles of sunbeds, nutters and noise.
Understand how people need to see new places - for Jen and me at our age we've done that and would rather know what we are getting. Arillas always delivers and that suits us. We never seem to be short of a party if we want one, nor short of peace tranquility and relaxation. We can be ourselves there. Some of you have watched us do just that....
Phil
Some good ideas there. My son and his girlfriend stayed at the Balanzat in San Miguel (August), he had nothing good to report. Even so i have been to many Countries myself and over the last few years wished i was in Arillas. Everything i need is there. :) :) :)
riggers....
I think i f I have a spare week in Sept next year, I probably would go back to Puerto san Miguel.
Lisa
I was thinking of a back up plan in case we cant get to Arillas for some horrible reason. I might be screaming up the walls and need to get away in the sunshine and our hopes for Arillas might be dashed so I may need to think of other places.. but... I cant see that happening... I have high hopes that we shall be off to Arillas, perhaps we could squeeze in a week somewhere else.