I like reading about how people perceive accomodations. Unless your room has a foul odour of rotten road-kill, backed-up sewer or someones bad BO or if you had a break-in or were too fat to squeeze through the door, how can you complain about where you spend 5-8hrs a day with your eyes closed?!!!! Seriously though, we all like to read about "complaints" in places, but you hear more complaints about the €100/night hotels than you so about the €20/night hotels. I just spent a week at the Bardis Appts. and couldn't find one thing about the place to complain about...oh..I lie, the mosquitos did give me an unexpected blood transfusion, but with enough beer, the pain subsides quickly. Spiros, Popy, Bobby, Dorita and even that little pool shark George were some really nice people that work 7 days a week just to make us happy. Thompson holidays is giving them the shaft with what they earn, but they put that aside and try to give us the best holiday they can. Which, might I add, is exactly what they did. I mean, do any of you really know how much € they really get per room? Didn't think so. Not much. They and there cleaning crew do a fantastic job there and it makes me mad when I read some "not so good" comments about the place(s)-note: other sites mention poor things about it more so than here.
As for the town/village of Arillas, well, what else do you want? Beach, ocean front tavernas, supermarkets, (british newspapers for those that care what's going on at home), evening entertainment(i spared you all when i opted not to Karaoke!!) and friendly people(except the doughnut man..hahaha((€3 banana+watermelon)) I am going to suprise a friend of mine there in july and can't wait to visit all of my greek friends i made.
Now, that kissing ass is over. Who has some pictures of me that they want to blackmail me with? Jason
Hey Jason and welcome to the forum,
'Sorry but your preaching to the converted here, :lol: if you lift your head up and stop "kissing ass" for a minute and read this forum correctly you will find that there is not much criticism at all re-apts/Arillas, most of us are all united in the fact that we love Arillas and do our utmost to promote it in a positive manner. Read the previous threads and you will find that we do know what the owners are paid by the T.Operators and that we sympathize with them, many of us spend a lot of money in our accomodations on food and drink because we know that this is how the owners make their money, it does not miss us either that they work very hard for it.
As for pictures to blackmail you with....perhaps in July, but only if your worth blackmailing! :twisted:
Eileen
Maybe I should spend 5hrs reading all of the comments in this 'thread' so as I can avoid being scalded by you..Eileen! This is an informative website for further people to read and enjoy and perhaps they/you should just take my message as a reminder to others or people that just 'come across' the site that "if you have nothing nice or constructive to say, don't say it"
And a little kissing ass never hurts when you are looking for cheap accomodation next year (sans T.Holidays..if you know what I mean)
Jason,
Fair do's about not wanting to spend '5hrs reading all comments', but I still fail to see who you are getting at here. I'm sorry if I I totally misunderstood your message :? but to me anyway it sounded as though you were getting a someone, I could understand the reason for your posting if this forum was full of unfounded negative comments..but it is not.
For cheap accomodation, just 'kick Ass T.Holidays outa the way and book direct with the owner...but then where does that leave the owners contracted to the Tour Ops? :?.....
Eileen
We have heard that Thomson are virtually pulling out of Arillas next year.So we will be looking to book our own flights and accomodation.We love staying at the bardis sun and would like to continue to do so but not if Thomson is still involved.
hey jason myself and girlfriend where staying at the bardis sun apts the same week as you.....we also had a great holiday and will defo be back again hoping to stay at the same place.....i can agree with all you say spiros/poppy and family are a great bunch and made the holiday really enjoyable the apartments were spot on for what we paid and i couldnt have met a nicer bunch of people. 8)
Cheers
Barry
Hi Lisa,
At the moment on the Thomsons website, the only apartments in Arillas I can see featured for 2006 are the Kaloudis in the Skytours brochure.
Maybe they will add more later, could it be that there is some truth in the rumour you heard?
Eileenx
hey jason its barrys girlfriend. im sure u remember talkin to him, or maybe u only had eyes for the rep, :lol: only jokin. we had a brill stay at those apts and enjoyed the company of spiros, poppy and bobby every nite who gladly kept themselves up late enough to occupy al of us with drinks. i agree that for what we payed we got what we wanted and the friendliness of the family was a bonus. dont think jason was gettin at neone :?
aodhain
Now now just stop everyone! Read the first msg on this forum, its not derogatory whatsoever - quite the opposite.
which one is that aly? is it jasons?there is only one page i can get
aye tis Jason's, the very first one (he took up a whole page) :wink:
:lol: so i noticed. i agree aly i dont think neone is aiming these messages at ne one in particular. suppose when you meet people like poppy n srpiros and family, you dont like to have ne one think bad of them when they put so much work and effort into making ur stay so pleasant.i no i wouldnt n i do remember before we went to arilas, checking the accom reviews and seeing one or two that would have put you off going. the rest of the reviews however defo made up for it. all i can say is, we had the best hol ever n i would defo return to the same bardis sun studios. :D :D :D
I can only agree with all the above comments,but as I see it to (re Thompsons)If the likes of Bardis sun etc. go independant they need maximum occupancy throught the season,we tend to take our holidays May & October and there are usualy plenty of vacancies in Arillas at those times.The Holiday companies I beleive pay the owners a percentage of maximum occupancy even if the rooms are empty,and although as stated they seem to have cut the rates,it is still income that they maybe would not have received.The holiday companies also sell the hotels in the Uk for the owners.If they where independant they would have to sell the holiday themselves (not an easy task).Its ok for the regular visitors to Arillas we know it exists,but ask a few friends at work or in your local have they heard of it...few have.I know we would all like to keep Arillas to ourselves ,but it is a fine balance trying to retain the unique atmosphere and advertising Arillas on the sides of buses.If the hotels sell rooms the Tavernas & supermarkets get a share of the money we spend..now i`m ranting !!!!!! :shock: any thoughts?
Kes, you are very right. But a the same time, if (for example) the Bardis had 5 empty rooms for 6 nights in a row, you or I could not just go there then and there and rent a room. thompson won't allow it. So, i think the owners should be allowed (if they could) to sell any empty room to anyone walking off the street. Obviously they couldn't take a reservation over the phone. If I showed up at 10pm and 5 rooms were empty and said "listen, spiros, I'll give you €50 for the room and I'll spend €100 in your bar...but only if you rent me the room!" now he has to say, "sorry, not allowed". That is unfair. Well, with thompons exit next year, we'll have to see what kind of a rabbit spiros and popy will have to pull out of the hat. Don't we all want to help...but how?
Yep, I agree with what your saying Kes and your not ranting, a fine balance is needed between package versus diy. Another angle is that it is the package flights that we rely on when we book independently, now what if all T.Ops started pulling out, how would we get a flight?
The tour ops have pulled out of a lot of hotel/apts contracts now all over the island and I would say it is more difficult to find a flight now. The last time I checked the Excel flights for October from Newcastle I found that they stopped flying a few weeks before the end of the season. Are the apartment owners aware of this? I must ask when I'm over, as that is at least 3 weeks revenue from bar takings they must account for.
As Jason says I think the owners should be allowed the option to let out a room that the T.Op has not managed to sell. I know that there are empty rooms in the Mathraki for the middle week we are there, but Olympic have no seat allocation left for Glasgow or Newcastle departures. My daughter is coming over, now I think it would be great if she could fly with another airline and book a room direct with the apartment owners, but of course Olympic would not allow this sensible idea.
Listen to me now...I'm ranting.
Eileenx
I agree totally with your point Jason,that would be the ideal solution,but as Eileen points out if Thompsons & other companies are opting out there will be fewer flights available for the independant traveller.I did hear a rumer a Budget Airline ( not sure who ) were looking at operating flights to Corfu from Blackpool :x (not much use for someone in Devon?) !! Its about time Stelios at EasyJet got a look in (afTer all he is Greek). Another point there are other German companies (apart from Thompson) who could step in...meaning German tourists... re. Ag.Gorgios ! VORSPRUNG DURCH TECHNIK :evil:
Hi everyone, I went to Arillas for the first time on 27th May, have been to Corfu before, went to Kassiopi, been to other Greek Islands too, but i must say Arillas was one of the best holidays ive been on!
We stayed at the Bardis Sun Hotel and it was absolutely lovely, i couldnt find any fault with it, i have read some comments on other sites before i went about this hotel and some people were saying some stuff which wasnt very nice, but my first thought was 'I bet they are used to staying in 5* places' because the hotel and appt rooms are always basic, but very clean and have all you need, you spend so little time in there anyway, shower and sleep, that i really do find myself laughing at those people!
And Jason, i sympathise about the mozzie bites, i too was bitten quite a few times, didnt get me down for long though!
I met Bobby on the Monday afternoon when i went to watch the playoffs between West Ham and Preston and the Hammers won woohoo!! Bobby was my only fellow supporter, bless him, well after that we struck up a friendship and we used to have such a giggle together, he always used to say about my laugh, its very unique and quite loud, he loved it!
He also told me about him in his navy uniform, he was a cheeky one aswell!!
I will definitely be returning to see them all again, as has been said so many times before, they, Spiros, Popy and Bobby were so so friendly, made you feel so welcome, i was amazed i only had to tell Bobby my name once and that was it, remembered!! Thats the sort of thing that makes you want to go back, does that make sense?? :?
To anyone who is going there soon tell him Clare with the loud laugh who screamed at the mouse said hello :)
i dont no if this is a good sign or what. but today i was scanning through the thomsons holidays online, and for the first time this year i was actually ably to get the bardis up for september next year. i hope this is good news as up to now i couldnt get anythink up for arilas apart from the kaloudous for next year. alex
Thanks for that very useful piece of information.I have been waiting to book for next year at the Bardis in Sept now can do it.
Myself and patner has just come back from Bardis Sun Sudio, we loved it and wanting to go back next year. To tell the truth i didn't want to leave i got a bit tearfull. Everything about the holiday was great, the best holiday myself and patner stuart has ever had. They are such nice people, it toped a great holiday off by making friends with an irish couple around the same age. We rented a quad bike and scotter out for the day. The quod cost 30 Euros. plus you get to see some of corfu you wouldn't normally see going on a coach. Bobby sorted it out for us and we where off. we had so much fun. I would recomanded it to people, but where a t-shirt as my back got burnt.
As from thompson i have sent an e-mail to them asking why they might take the contract away from Arillas resort. I bascially said the people that go their for the first time like myself and stuart and fall in love with the place, will got back there time after time with or with out thompson and they will be the company that will lossing out on it. Arillas is an up and coming resort not to lively just right for people that want to go away with their family or partner and enjoy them selfs in there own way, if like us that was in the bar by the poole talking to sprious - popy - george - bobby. :lol:
well said i have also emailed thomson and i am back in arillas next month and counting. alex
Hi having scanned the 2006 Thomson brochures, they are, as Eileen said offering Kaloudis in the Skytours brochure but I also found Bardis Sun Hotel (not apartments) in their Greece brochure. Now Thomson was one of the first operators in Arillas and we booked with them in 1991 to stay at Kaloudis, but I have noticed over the years, (we have returned to Arillas almost every year at least once since 1991) they have started to 'drop' accommodations here and there until now they obviously have only the two for next year. Unfortunately, assuming this trend continues it seems to me that next year will be their last. From what I can see Thomson are not the only ones who seem to be reducing their offerings to Arillas and over the years there has been a steady decline in the choice of accommodation available. We have met many people who book independantly (we have done it in the past and would do it again, just to be there) although I do realise that flights are easier from the larger UK airports but it shows the determination of all of us who love Arillas to get our 'fix' regardless of the whims of operators who would prefer to take(more) people to San Stefanos and Sidari.
As has been said, all this is extremely bad news for the property owners and there may not be an easy answer but then perhaps the tour operators still using Arillas might 'pick up' the rooms and offer them, even for next year, or perhaps the year after. I do hope so for all visitors to Arillas.
Friends of ours were looking at a package deal, flying from Bristol, with Manos for September/October. They were quoted £720 total for 2 weeks at Annas.
That sounds a good deal but we got flight only from Bristol for £189 each for the same dates. Add to that,say, the good prices quoted by Gallini on his website plus a taxi to/from the Airport and we come up with £730 max.
I'm not sure on Annas prices but if someone knows they can re-calculate.
(Interesting that Sue @ Castaway in Acharavi can even beat the Manos price if you book the flight and they organise accommodation/Taxis and they look after Guests and owners very well.)
Our friends hate the idea of a possible 1 1/2 hour transfer.
So for the extra £10 they don't have to hang around waiting for the coach each way and have a lot more flexibility on the time they vacate their room.
The only thing that concerns me is that if more and more people make they own arrangements then we will see flights drastically increase in price and more appartment owners losing business.
( Our flights for next year, same date/Airline have gone up £40 each )
Corfu Operators such as Arillas Travel, Castaway, North Corfu Travel etc will also suffer.
I am sure it's not just Arillas where English Tour Ops are alledgedly pulling out but it's going on all over Corfu.
So what's the answer? - I haven't got one. It must be about time for Easyjet or similar to look at Corfu. What say you , good people?
Negg
I think that its high time that the likes of easyjet etc started to fly to Corfu.
The tour operators may have to work a wee bit harder then, but I do wonder about the effects on all the property owners. :cry: I reckon it would benefit anyone owning their own property out there tho, surely if the flights were a bit cheaper, we all might visit more often. Maggie. 8)
My fiance and I are off to the Bardis sun for a 10 day break soon, looking forward to what we've heard about both the apartments and Arilas itself - peace and quiet is what we're after and some good walking.
I'd really appreciate any information on useful walks and also nice cafe / restaurants nearby that we can go to for lunch and / or dinner.
Nice to find this site and look forward to your comments.
By the way this will be the first time we've been to Corfu so any and as much information as you can give me will be very much appreciated.
Hi Stranger
Welcome to the Forum and a mass of info you can learn about Arillas,
your best bet is to trail through the topics and it will give you all the info you require,because I would be on here for days giving you all my recos.
I would start by looking at the map of Arillas to see where you are situated, which is a nice spot down on the front, then you can look at the other places around and then look on the forum to see what comments were made, but when your there just try all the places you won't find a bad one.
Paul/Deb5
Thanks
I've spotted the thread /s about William :lol: you always get one don't you :wink: and I am slightly ashamed to say that we have booked through Thompson, but hey what the heck we got the quiet 10 day break we were after so I can live with it. The pictures I've seen so far look superb and fortunately Sidari was shown on Sky Travel Shop the other day so I picked up a few tips from there.
Anyway enough of 'off topic' posting I'll get back to scouring the site for relevant information.
Hello Stranger, :D
If it is guided walks you are after then visit http://www.lemonhouse.com Nick Peacock conducts guided walks around the Arillas area.
If you take a look at http://www.marengowalks.com/corfu_report.html you will find a report on 5 days of guided walks around Arillas conducted by Lance Chilton. You can order a map of the area and a guide for the walks on-line. The map and informative guide covers Arillas, Agios Stefanos and Agios Georgios.
Happy holidays, :D
Eileen.
P.S, Take a look at my website below where you will find further snippets of information on Arillas and Corfu in general.
Hello Eileen and thankyou very much, we'll possibly take 1 or 2 guided walks prior to setting out on our own.
I've just e-mailed Nick asking for a list of scheduled walks.
Nice touch Eileen - the phrases that is on your site, I always feel so rude if I visit a foreign country and expect them to speak English - I often find it impresses them so if one says something, even if it is not too well spoken, in the native language.
Thanks again.
hi stranger, are you staying at the studios or the hotel? when is it you are exactly going we are going on the 23rd and we are staying at the hotel. you will enjoy either i am sure and the sea breeze and gratzella is only a few minutes walk from you alex
hello again stranger, i forgot to mention it is the 23rd of september i go. alex
Hi Alex, erm *rushes off to get tickets* I left the booking to my better half, we're bed and breakfast and I think the apartments are all self catering so if that's correct it's the hotel we're going to.
Perhaps I should take this discussion out of the accomodation reviews section or I'll be getting shouted at by the admin.
See general chat
i have stayed at the hotel 6 times already, in your room you will find a fridge and kettle,which is not listed when you look in the brochure. the breakfast you will find issmall but ample. 3 or 4 days aweek you get bacon egg and beans + toast tea and orange other days you get egg or beans on toast and a basket of toast and drinks. dorita is very friendly and will always do you more if you ask her. and she does snacks all day, and closes at 6. alex
I just booked for the first time what I thought was a fortnight at Bardis sun studios.I had last years brochure & checked out offers on the net The pic on the brochure was the same as on the screen. That of the hotel .So when the screen info said B&B I thought the studios were doing breakfast as well.I was looking forward to a fridge in my room.But I now know I am in the Hotel-no fridge.Thomson had no explanation for it.But all in all I'm glad I'm coming to Arillas.It seems like the friendliest place!Hope I meet some of you next July!
Hi.We regularly stay at the hotel.You will have a fridge and a kettle in your room.Hope you enjoy your stay as much as we do.
Having returned from a recent visit I thought I'd add comments on the Bardis hotel. The rooms are clean and of a perfectly acceptable size, Dorita is great and is always willing to help. I was disappointed with the location of our room, we got a ground floor room when we'd asked for a high room but I suppose you can't always have everything you want.
I must say that we won't stay there again for one reason - the noise from the bar at the studios going on until 01:00.
We love staying at the Bardis Sun Hotel.My way round not hearing anything from next door is a small set of ear plugs.They work wonders.
Thanx Lisa and Steve. Pam my better half wanted to cancel or change.But ,I got her to change her mind .After reading some of the forum plus Dimitri's website .I cant wait to come to Arillas.It sounds such a friendly place.We usually go "DIY"to other places in europe.This is our first Greek Island .I'm glad we picked Corfu!
We will be there in both June and Aug so that should be recommendation.The hotel really is lovely.Basic but clean and with everything you need.Dorita is very friendly and helpful,She runs the place.Enjoy.
Yea Thanx! I hope We can meet some forumers(?) When we get there .Only 9 months to go :D
We have for the last few years seem to have gone to places that British peeps dont go to.It will make a change to hear the language!