San Stefanos Online ~ North West Corfu
Your help and reviews are required => Information and help please => Topic started by: cabmufcok on August 28, 2013, 11:53:55 PM
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We have started to book an independent holiday in san stefanos for August 2014 but looking at Thomson reasonable package prices that are out at the moment we are now in two minds. Can anyone give us a guide price for flights only in August next year if we catch them early (or what you paid this year). I know you have not got a crystal ball but it is just to give us an idea.
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All I'll say is you have to book them the minute they come out. There were folk saying last year that there was a vast difference in price from 9am to 3pm for example
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Also if you are looking clear your cookies on the laptop etc you are going to book on. If you have been looking at hols/flights etc cookies tell the webpages you are looking at and it knows you are desperate to book
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Hi Gaviah
Never booked independent flights as soon as they come out. How much notice do you get. Is it days or hours?
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You can register with EasyJet etc so they will let you know.
Remember if you book your hotel direct they get all your money rather than a small % from Thomson so you are also helping the local economy
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Easyjet say they're publishing Apr, May and June flights in 'early Sept'. We 'liked' their Facebook page and registered for emails from them. Be interesting to see what their initial prices are.
Interesting too what Gav says re prices changing during the day!
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Sounds like trying to buy concert tickets for your favourite band!!..Probably take the day off work,get up at 6.00am book our flights and then go back to bed again!! ;) ;)
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A lot obviously book the very minute they come out which forces the prices up..... supply and dand!
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I went independently this year and booked the accomodation direct with Vagelis and paid £245 each (plus baggage) to fly with Monarch from Gatwick.
I think the total price for 3 of us with bags was £888. I booked them mid-April to go from 5-19 Aug.
I agree with others that I don't like the monopoly that Thomsons have in SS and Leo at Tereza told me a few years back that based on every B&B guest staying with them, they are given €5 a day per guest by Thomson!!! €5 a day to cover the room and breakfast, totally disgraceful!!
Hence, I will now go indy in the future and have booked with Vagelis for next August and will book flights early next year. At the moment Monarch are quoting £398 for next Aug and Thomsons are about the same so will keep an eye out over the next few months and when they drop down to around the £200 mark, I will buy buy buy! :)
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Its just such a shame Silverstar that Tereza don't do independent as we love going there we pay Thomsons for the privilege!!!! I think Leo thought about it a couple of years ago but then the Greek economy was struggling so he stayed with Thomsons. Totally agree that what they get paid by Thomsons is a disgrace.
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We always go independently but I'm interested to know what Thomsons pay owners on average for apartments.
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Romanza told us €8 pppn for room and brekkie..... And folk still slagged the breakfasts!!!
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Romanza told us €8 pppn for room and brekkie..... And folk still slagged the breakfasts!!!
Gav's right, 8 euros is the price paid by Thomson's, and the breakfasts are fine.
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This is a topic which has been discussed many times. I suspect that if owners can make more money by going independent, they will do so. I do not know the full details of the financial arrangements, but I do find the Thomson knocking a little tiresome. If you do not like them, use Thomas Cook, or some other company, or arrange your own visit.
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As Rover rightly says, this goes round and round like a ride on Cleethorpes beach.
TUI made a loss of 405.6 million Euros in quarter two of this year. If you believe the books.
Went independent in July and probably saved about £20 each, with rubbish flight times and airport journey. Going with Thomson in September because it's less of a hassle.
Different places are on different contracts with Thomson/TUI. There's no single figure. Some people are on fixed year payments; some are on per-person stuff.
But I do think that with budget airlines flying in and the huge returning clientèle, more and more will go independent. It's a gamble, though. The Greek economic situation is still far from stable.
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This is a topic which has been discussed many times. I suspect that if owners can make more money by going independent, they will do so. I do not know the full details of the financial arrangements, but I do find the Thomson knocking a little tiresome. If you do not like them, use Thomas Cook, or some other company, or arrange your own visit.
ROVER, if you could get 30 euros a night per room (privately) apposed to the 5-8 euros a night from Thomson's what would you choose??
Unlike you, I do have first hand knowledge of many hotel's financial arrangements with Thomson's.
The owners of many hotels in Agios (San) Stefanos cannot offer all of their rooms as independent as they do not have the global marketing to accommodate them all, so they are offered to Thomson as this is a "Thomson Town". For example, The Romanza has 32 rooms with only 5 let privately, The Nafsika has 18 rooms with only 2 let privately, other hotels/apartments are similar.
Unfortunately Thomson's do dictate how many rooms an hotel owner can offer as "private"
If you find "Thomson knocking a little tiresome" and expect them to use Thomas Cook where would you like them to stay? Kapetanios, Mythos and Vicky are the only accommodation Thomas Cook offer.
Thomson tiresome knocking is well deserved
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Romanza told us €8 pppn for room and brekkie..... And folk still slagged the breakfasts!!!
If the breakfasts were not up to standard, folk would have every right to complain, regardless of how much money the hotel receives from the tour operator. (I only stayed for 1 night before my wedding and the brekkie was adequate, nothing more nothing less imo)
The Romanza does just fine from its contract with Thomsons. I went up a couple of times in early June, the pool bar was busy, plenty of people were eating at lunch and the restaurant was busy the 2 nights we passed. Most of the customers were guests on Thomson packages. If the Romanza were getting screwed over, they have enough loyal customers to go fully independent and would have done that long ago and fair play to them if they did.
A different story down at the Perros in May/June though, which i found very unfortunate. When I stayed with them in 2006 they were with first choice, the place was packed, every room full and the restaurant / bar was rocking every night. BBQs and Greek dancing was the norm. Not this year though, the place was deserted with only a couple of guests staying, I truly hope the high season was far far busier for them as they are such a nice sincere family who will do anything to help their guests enjoy their stay.
If I felt Thomsons were treating their hotel owners unfairly (which i dont) I'd be booking an easyjet flight and be booking to stay at the Perros.
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Okay - let's do it for the hundredth time.
I totally agree that Thomson treat the owners like peasants. For example, refusing to let them know the room bookings until too close to the time - less than a week, usually.
But - and it's a big but - without the brochure and on-line visibility of Thomson the village would be about 25% the size. The apartment owners do not have aeroplanes, ABTA certification, advertising, shops and all the other things that tour operators have. All this comes at a cost. How many times do we see messages on this forum asking how to get in touch with hotel/apartment owners?
The key point - it seems to me - is that Thomson promote and introduce people to the village. Then, perhaps, they want to go back making their own way. Is there enough critical mass for that to survive?
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I agree with Jimbo on this (never thought I'd say that) :-X :D
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The key point - it seems to me - is that Thomson promote and introduce people to the village. Then, perhaps, they want to go back making their own way. Is there enough critical mass for that to survive?
You're probably right Jimbo but I'll go private when it's in my financial interests!
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Well, the choice is there for many of us i guess.
There's enough credible insight on the forum over the years on the Thomson v Independent issue - we're all consumers and we can easily make an informed choice.
Whatever you prefer, taking everything into consideration, you choose.
Simple as that really.
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Yeah but D@G the resort, and the world was a different place in 2006.
Earlier this year it was very quiet in both directly booked hotels and hotels via Thomson.
When we looked round the Perros it was very quiet round their pool.
It was same at the Tsaros. Thanassis had to cancel his Greek/BBQ night due to lack of interest.
We ate at the Romanza one night. Only 5 other tables taken.
Dons on his third visit this season and he can't believe how quiet it is compared to other years
Thomson play a massive part in making the village what it is. Their marketing is second to none and some folk are scared to book independently.
However do i feel morally better booking direct this year then yes I do. It's cheaper for us and the locals get more of my money!!!
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The original topic was Flight versus Package. It's impossible to give a simple answer to that question. Prices fluctuate for flights, and prices for Thomson vary from day to day.
D@G - I'm glad you agree with me. I didn't know you mostly didn't.
waspman - You can't take the high moral ground about Thomson ripping the owners off and then say you'll do what's in your financial interest, surely?
Let's just go and spend loads of Euros having a good time. It's not hard!
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Gavin - Cross-posted.
I suspect the warm summer here has deterred the late bookers. Why go to Greece when you can get sunburned in Scarborough?
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Well, without Thomson, AS would be a different place. They do advertise and promote it. When I first visited, Romanza was not a Thomson Hotel.
Indie or package, you take your choice, but do consider how much time is spent on flight searching, travel to airport etc.There are also insurance issues, packages do give some cover.
Regarding time spent on flight searching, try charging you time at you local garage hourly rate?
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RE Original post.....Im sorry I asked now!!!!! ??? ??? ???
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In 91 I had my first holiday in ss and that was at romanza.just a 3 bed apartment where reception is and the block farthest away from reception.thomsons gave them an ultimatium in 93.expand and modernise or you loose our contract.I became good friends with mike the owner,helen and kostas.we talked how things could be improoved and designed.took samples of the cliff structure to determine possibilies for pool etc.all was ok and plans drawn up.after a super busy winter,new reception and pool was built.suprise,suprise, thomson wasent interested in romanza anymore.can you imagine how they felt....so for 2 years they struggled,had a checks and poles staying,and I was selling holidays private in uk.now they are back with thomson as you know,but under contract,not sure now for how long.hence why they can't go totally independant.they all get paid for the rooms for the season weather they are filled or not.their proffit comes from food and drink.
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Well cabmufc, I once asked about breakfast at the Romanza, and started WW3!
On a serious note, do your homework before booking.SS is a great place, and has a lot to offer. I have my own preference, and have visited SS since the 1990's. We all have our opinions, but lots of people return year on year.
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Rilo, many years ago, pwhen staying at Voula's , we walked down to the beach via the footpath through the Romanza. We always thought what a great position the hotel had, with stunning views from the pool area. At that time it seemed to be used by Polish and Czech guys.
When staying at the Romanza, I always look at the wall by the pool, and hope that some civil engineer has done his sums correctly!
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I have always previously booked with Thomson in SS but this was the first year I went independent and it did work out a lot cheaper based on 10 of us.
I think we saved around £600 as a group by going 'rogue' and therefore we are doing the same next year simply because you can only book Vagelis' accomodation independently and he is not owned by Thomson.
However, I would not be adverse to going with Thomson in the future but do wish that they treated the accomodation owners a little better. >:(
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I have been independently for a few years now. When I was looking for other members of the wedding party, I noticed one week seemed cheaper for package and two weeks marginally cheaper independently. Transfers and extras bump it up but prefer to book own transfer as really hate to waste time on the coach! We paid 470 euros for one bedroomed apartment and friends paid 720 (both for two weeks) for lovely two bedroomed apartment - both at Christinas - and have to say that they are SPOTLESS with the best views we have ever had in Ag Stef. Air con 5 euros extra/night - but folk who had ground floor 2 bed roomed apartment didn't need it - even in the 40's! We definitely did though. We ordered mini bus for 16 of us through San Stef Travel which was 150 euros each way - split into couples , cost 60 euros each couple return. This was height of season - 26th July until 9th August. Flights were a nightmare though and we ended paying around £250 each for them. So total cost for us as a couple for two weeks in this period was about £960. Hope this helps.
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We tend to find that for our week in June a package is cheaper but for our fortnight in August its cheaper to go independent. Having said that next June we are also 'doing it ourselves' as managed to get really good price for flights from Jet2 and Athens Bar still nice and competitive inc transfer.
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Haven't looked at a Thomson's brochure for years but have just had a look on line at their prices for next June and I don't think there is much difference in the cost of going with them or going independently.We always make our own arrangements and stay in the same apartments in the
old part of the village where it's quiet.
Our first visit in 1987 was with Thomson and we stayed at Romanza when it was just apartments,a couple of times after that we stayed at Tsaros,
also with Thomsons. Nikos used to collect us outside Nafsica in his little old pick up truck,we had to sit in the front and hold the door closed in case we fell out.
After that,having made friends with many people in San Stef, we decided to do it ourselves.
I don't think I could go back to Thomsons now and that coach journey from the airport , the reps and those "welcome meetings".
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Nikos still picks folk up........ from Barras this summer!
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Nikos still picks folk up........ from Barras this summer!
But he's got a smart mini-bus now,the old red pick up truck was much more fun,throw your cases in the back and jump in and that was before
the hill was tarmacked so it was a bit of a bumpy ride.
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We ate at the Romanza this summer and Andreas gave us a lift back to the Tsaros.
He just flung the buggy in the back of the pick up without even folding it down!!
Thankfully the 18 month old had been removed first!
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We do a mix of Thomsons or independately, depending on the best deal - this year - we are independant as cheap flights with EJ,
and a reasonable price for our Apartment - - which has Aircon included.
This saves €70 which you need to remember if you cost it out.
I will always go independant if I can - usually the flight prices dictate
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As we have to go in the school hols we have found that there is little difference in price between a Thomson package and going independently.
Priced up both package and independently this year, and found that independent was slightly more expensive, although no EJ or Ryan flights available, but as Thomson prices have dropped significantly in the last couple of weeks the package deal was marginally cheaper.
It's always a bit of a dilemma whether to take the Thomson prices early or to hang on for the EJ/ryan prices to come on line.
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I wonder if those who promote the independent bookings do the same back home in Blighty.
For example do you generally buy your petrol/diesel from the local independent petrol station struggling to make ends meet at about £1.50 p/l or do you go to your nearest corporate battleship like the Tesco/Asda type outlets and pay £1.36 p/l.
Just asking like..... ;)
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I think we've all said Lofty that price has to be right. I went with Thomson this year and independent next.
Despite the recent drop in price from Thomson our indie holiday is still cheaper
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I agree, most people go with the price.
What I have noticed now is that jet2 now fly to Corfu from Scotland next summer but the prices are c£300 pp mark for July. Prices to Malaga and Faro for the same period are about £100 pp cheaper. Makes me wonder why the price is so much dearer as the flight is only about 20 mins longer.
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We used Ryan Air from Edinburgh twice this year, the flights cost under £200 each. Thomsons £480! Our first stay was at Fedra Mare in May which was only 300 euros for a week, our second stay in July/Aug was at Nondas two weeks 500 euros including transfers. However I would be booking with who ever was cheapest.
Then I would have more spending money to give to the local economy. We have used Thomsons twice in recent years, but it was a late booking and half the price it should have been, but we didn't book through Thomsons we used their internet site, Holiday Hypermarket which was an extra 20% below the Thomsons price. Lofty; Are you thinking of returning to SS next year :)
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I wonder if those who promote the independent bookings do the same back home in Blighty.
For example do you generally buy your petrol/diesel from the local independent petrol station struggling to make ends meet at about £1.50 p/l or do you go to your nearest corporate battleship like the Tesco/Asda type outlets and pay £1.36 p/l.
Just asking like..... ;)
I book my holidays independently,I shop at Tesco but we buy our petrol at the local village petrol station!!
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Nikos still picks folk up........ from Barras this summer!
Nikos used to work as a waiter in Nafsika in those days,he only had the one apartment block at Tsaros.
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As I said - we have to go in high season - school hols - and ours worked out at £280 cheaper than cheapest package this year. Am sure we could have saved more money if we had booked flights earlier - but there was a crowd of us and had to wait for a group decision. I like to go independently if I can. I take on board what you say Lofty and do try to use local produce, butchers, deli, greengrocers etc - so do try always................
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Lofty; Are you thinking of returning to SS next year :)
Yes we are JaxB, but the boy just come home on Thursday with a High School football trip details for an Easter training camp at Feyenoord in Holland, which fell into the "surprise/holy sh!t" category. So once we've got that organised then , like you, we will look at flight prices from Prestwick which seem the cheapest. Are you aware when Ruinair announce the schedule from Edinburgh?
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Yes we are JaxB, but the boy just come home on Thursday with a High School football trip details for an Easter training camp at Feyenoord in Holland, which fell into the "surprise/holy sh!t" category. So once we've got that organised then , like you, we will look at flight prices from Prestwick which seem the cheapest. Are you aware when Ruinair announce the schedule from Edinburgh?
I just looked back my records and we booked the flights from Edinburgh at the beginning of December 2012. However as you know 2013 was the first Corfu flights Ryanair done out of Edinburgh, hopefully they will be on sale earlier:)
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We are like most others - we work out the best deal - we always prefer to book direct with locals in the first instance - but some times it simply had to be Thomsons.
If no one booked with Thomson it would also harm the local economy. Although Thomson tend to almost rob them - we still spend in the bars etc.
The thought is always there anyway, but everyone (unless filthy rich) has a budget, and we can spend more (as said) if we get a good deal.
At home - not much choice for fuel - usually Tesco as cheapest - or my local BP..
Ideals count for little if you can't live within your means - - so best price wins I'm afraid.
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It very much depends on the cost of the flight element with Thomsons, as the total costs with the package varies wildly. I have posted recently that the cost of our 2014 booking was £600 cheaper for four of us than it had been just 3/4 weeks earlier.
Prior to the Thomson reduction I was pricing flights from the midlands and booking direct with Romanza. The cheapest flights were Monarch from Birmingham for end of July, the price of rooms and flights was £2915 as flights were still expensive, plus getting a transfer sorted.
We booked via Thomson for £2371. Its a no brainer!
Ref the Thomson domination of the resort, they want to fill the rooms they are paying the owner for. This must be of benefit to the hotels ref food and drink and the other businesses in the village. Otherwise they may have lots of empty rooms out of peak times and fewer people spending money.
Thomsons latest tactic though is reducing the length of the season, this year they are only taking guests at the Romanza until early October. They have shaved 3 to 4 weeks off the season, giving the businesses less time to make the money needed to cover the winter months.
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My Monarch flight to Corfu this June was £264 and that included standard flight, hold bags up to 23Kg, pre-booked seats and online check-in. I have looked at the same flight for 2014 and the price is the same :)
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Just been speaking to a friend who found she and her husband had the chance of a weeks holiday in Corfu this September in an apartment, okay not in San Stef but nearby. However she said flights were horrendous in price and they didn't think they could make it. Then her husband found a Thompson flight with studio accommodation for age group 20+ in Kavos for just over £160. This included baggage so they have booked it and will tell the rep when they arrive that at age 60+ they wont be using the transfers or accommodation but have booked the apartment they wanted in the area they wanted. She said transfers won't be a problem to arrange and they now have a reasonable priced flight
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Just been speaking to a friend who found she and her husband had the chance of a weeks holiday in Corfu this September in an apartment, okay not in San Stef but nearby. However she said flights were horrendous in price and they didn't think they could make it. Then her husband found a Thompson flight with studio accommodation for age group 20+ in Kavos for just over £160. This included baggage so they have booked it and will tell the rep when they arrive that at age 60+ they wont be using the transfers or accommodation but have booked the apartment they wanted in the area they wanted. She said transfers won't be a problem to arrange and they now have a reasonable priced flight
Clever - i like their style.
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That was a cunning plan. ;D