How I found Arillas!

[Rachel B]

I found Arillas on May 13th 2013 - whoever said the number 13 was unlucky?!


Waiting in the post office queue that Monday morning so i could get my ebay parcels posted then get myself straight off to bed after my nightshift. I heard someone mention something about a passport form and i thought 'ooh i should get one as well, mine's just expired' - so i did.
Then on the way out, i noticed the ladies in the Co-op Travel opening up, so called in and picked up a couple of brochures and went for a coffee.

I returned half hour later. As it turned out, nothing in the 3 brochures had caught my eye but they had set something off - i was determined i was going to get a holiday booked that day.

And that i did.. about 2 & half hours later, i left the travel agents with a big smile on my face (& an empty purse! lol).

Arillas was booked!!

It has only been in recent weeks, especially since joining this forum that i have come to realise what a gem i have picked! ..and purely by chance.
I had a few options but picked Arillas because the flight times suited me better than the others!!

I always pick holidays that have flights that leave after lunch time... a few people have said to me in the past that i shouldn't have things set in mind all the time and that i should be more flexible - well had i done that, i wouldn't be going to Arillas next week!

Rachel x

[daisyday]

Haha Rachel - you wouldn't want to be on our 0550 hrs flight from Gatwick then!  We did ponder on the afternoon flight but we arrive on the day of the wine festival so thought we could get a few zzzzz in before it!

PS: My husband came up with Arillas.  We were looking for somewhere near tavernas but not Sidari like, near the beach and reasonably priced.  Came up with Arillas and on arrival just LOVED it - felt so homey (in a good way!).  This Sept is our third trip and already thinking of next year's.  We do have a 2nd longer haul flight in March/April that we vary, but for our Sept break Arillas keeps calling us back!   

[Rachel B]

If i could drive, i would be happy with any flight time. I only choose afternoon/later flights because i have to rely on public transport to get me to the airport.
My flight is at 15:55, i got a cheap first class train ticket so have to be on the train at 5 past 10 -  gives me plenty of (shopping) time once in the airport. 
I don't like rushing when it comes to travelling, and as i won't need to leave home till about 9am, it'll be a pretty easy day really.. just how i like it

Rachel x

[daisyday]

Ah, when the kids were younger we used to have to taxi to the airport and request a big car.... as our little Fiesta wouldn't take the 4 of us and luggage.  Since we've been on our own, we used to drive and park our car at one of those "off site car park" places so you get coach transport in but now our youngest son (who is 23 and still lives with us) offers to take time off work to drop/pick us up.    Think he wants to be sure we've gone so he can have the house to himself!!!  Although our army (older) son has hampered this a bit as he comes back at weekends from his base in Rutland and his girlfriend stays over too.... hopefully the flat they are buying near us will go through soon!!  Then younger son can sit and watch repeats of Top Gear etc all evening to his heart's content. 

[Stephanie]

I first found Arillas in 1999 whilst staying in San Stefanos (which was about a quarter of the size it is now - thank goodness Arillas hasn't gone the same way!!) - was on hols with an ex-boyfriend and we walked over the hill (or rather route marched!!) and had a lovely day on the beach which, I recall, was tiny!

I then returned to Corfu in 2006 on honeymoon, staying in St George South.  When looking to book for either summer 2007 or 2008, I found the accomodation had ceased to be with Thomson so I had to find somewhere else to stay. It was a given that the destination was to be Corfu, so went for Kaloudis Village as the reviews were fab and I recalled Arillas being a lovely village....and the rest is history.

So Arillas became my second home in 2007 or 2008.   After staying in the studios at Kaloudis for a couple of years I then moved on to Roula's apartments. Since then I've introduced my mum & her partner to Arillas and they are now addicts, having booked for 2014 before finishing this year's holiday.   All that remains is to bring my new partner to Arillas  (ex-husband still goes - we just negotiate times to avoid clashing. Arillas addicts are very civilised, even in divorce!) and I'm sure he will become an addict too.  Afterall, what's not to love about Arillas?! 

[Anne]

How on earth have I missed this post! I have spent a very pleasant Sunday morning reading all 18 pages of posts and enjoyed all of your stories. It is amazing how many people have stumbled upon Arillas by accident and were hooked on her magic.
We needed a very cheap holiday in May 1996 as our business was floundering and we were under a lot of stress. I went to the travel agents and found a very good deal - Corfu - allocated on arrival. That is all we knew - after a longish coach transfer we were asked to alight outside Gratziella and walk up the hill to Bardis Sun Studios. We were made to feel very welcome, as we have been every time since. Spiros and Poppy are perfect hosts and the then very young Bobby and George were very friendly waving at us on their way to and from school. We fell in love with Arillas and its people and booked to come back in the October of the same year for Phils birthday. The rest is history - we stayed at Bardis Sun Studios for the next 7 or 8 years at least once sometimes twice a year. We decided we would like a change after that, so we have stayed at Kaloudis, Portofino and Marvel. This year we are doing something different as we have now retired - we are driving over in our Campervan with our dog Poppy. We have booked a North Sea ferry for 30th March and then will take 4 days to drive down to Bari in Italy before taking another ferry to Igoumenitsa then another one to Corfu. We have booked an apartment, next to the Marvel for 3 months. We are looking forward to meeting a lot more Forum friends this year! Dont be a stranger please say hello to us.

[Jez]

I first visited Arillas in a van with 3 other guys, building kit and tools, going to renovate Bob and Nicky's house in Armenades. From England, 3 days drive and 6 countries later we arrived in Corfu and pulled up on the seafront in front of the Horizon, out of season. A walk to the end of the jetty and then checked into our hotel. We all stayed at The Marvel; a fantastic week, great food and drink and lots of work done (amazingly).

A year later we finished renovating the house on a second trip but it proved to be a bit expensive, as I ended up buying a house myself in Rachtades! Now that project is underway. I can heartily recommend the road trip, fabulous fun. Beware of property hunting though, its just too hot to work between May and September. I guess that's why they have Mythos...

Jez

[Paul D]

All these stories about discovering Arillas, would make an excellent travel book, I think.   You can tell just by reading them, the delight at having found paradise.   Loved reading all of them.

    yammas,   Paul

[Jo Wissett]

Well what a small world Jez. I presume by bob you mean Robert White aka Neil diamond? We love watching him at the Coconut. Turns out that he lives near us in the UK and we are trying to get him a gig at our local. And then get some tips on living the dream in Corfu

[Jez]

Hi Jo,

Yes, the very same Robert White, musician and author. Bob lives down the road from me in Leyland and down the hill from me in Corfu!

Nicky was telling me that you live near Accrington, is that correct? I will tell Bob to message you, I'm sure he can arrange to come over and play at the pub sometime. I guess the usual "rent a crowd" will come along in support as well.

Bob and Nicky will be in Arillas at Easter, not exactly sure of the dates though. A week or two after Viv and I.

Might see you soon?

Jez

[Wayne Evans]

Hi all, we normally go to Sidari but reading the reviews etc  from lots of people we decided that this year will be our first stay at Arillas. We arrive 1st September 2014 for 14 nights & cant wait. We are staying at the Tria Adelphia I think & reviews of this place & the owners etc sold us straight away.
So if you've any suggestions of where to go, eat & drink etc it would be greatly appreciated & if you happen to be their the same dates well, hello to you & hopefully see you their.

[Jo Wissett]

Hi Wayne, and a warm welcome to the forum! You have made an excellent choice with the Tria, guests return year after year. A 15 minute stroll will take you to the resort centre and beach front where you will be tempted my many different tavernas all offering mouthwatering home-cooked specialities, you will also be privy to an amazing sunset each evening. The food at the tria is also excellent and philip's father's sunday lamb are supposed to be amazing. We can all advise on where you go but that is for you to discover. I know that a short distance is a lovely fish restaurant and also the renowned brouklis taverna, you simply must try the lamb chops!! There are a couple of tourist information shops where you can plan some lovely excursions but if you are anything like us you will walk down to the beach and think you are already in heaven! Enjoy x

[cypress]

I've just cried like a baby at your discovering Arillas stories, I also hadn't spotted this topic before, don't know how, I thought I'd read every post on every topic!

Got a day off and I'm supposed to be cleaning and I thought 'I'll just have 10 minutes on the Arillas Forum', an hour later I'm still here....

Back in June 2011 two of my best friends and I wanted a couple of weeks in a quiet, typically Greek resort. We knew we wanted Corfu and booked San Stefanos - Tsaros apartments, they were really good. Round about the fourth or fifth day we went up the hill to see what was at the other side and came across the Akrotiri, stopped for a drink and couldn't close our mouths at the view. While looking down on Arillas I felt drawn to walk down there, my friends weren't too happy about it, it looked a fair distance in that heat.

As we came to the village, I swear my heart was beating faster but I didn't know why. Walking past Yiotas and seeing the pier and the sea felt like coming home. We laid on the beach, my friends looking out to Gravia and me looking inland, thinking 'what is this place, I have to be here?'. Wandering off on
my own to explore I felt a growing sense of peace and when I went back I suggested the Horizon for lunch. Sat there chatting together I couldn't stop saying 'what do you think to it here, I'd love to come back?' They weren't as impressed, thought it too quiet, and I never did convince them to go back with me that holiday. Well....we did walk there and back the road way in 30 degrees...I didn't know about the donkey track back then!

San Stephanos was fine, but the little village over the hill was calling me, so much so that the following year I went with another friend, her for one week and me for two,(being there on my own turned out to be great, not scary at all, I made lots of new Arillas friends) and the rest is history and history in the making. 

[Jo Wissett]

Thats a lovely story Cypress.  Com'on you lot there must be some more tales to be told!

[Paul D]

Great story, cypress, of how you discovered Arillas.  Loved reading it.  Our contribution is here, somewhere.  Like many, we found it by chance.  Talk about lucky.  Pity you couldn't convince your friends but each to their own.

   Yammas,   Paul