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Messages - TerryandJoy

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1
Where to stay / Re: Has Thomsons dropped Tsaros Apartments ?
« on: July 21, 2012, 02:28:04 AM »
We booked Barras for a week in late June 48 hours before travelling (ex-Birmingham) when showing "one room left".  Re-checked after booking and sure enough  it had gone from the website from all airports never to reappear.  Frankly it was a bargain especially as the booking showed a studio and we actually got the famous room 102 - far and away the best room we've had in San Stef but we would have been happy in a tent in the field at the back at the price.  Intended to review Barras on here when we returned but we're still confused, we're not comfortable with giving it rave reviews yet we had our best holiday yet in San Stef there and we haven't worked out why ourselves.   

Heck, there's some thread drift here but do know the Tsaros/Thomson story from the San Stef end, it's only one side of the story but Thomsons was a four letter word during our stay in the village but those of us who have to book very late have no other option.    We paid less including the room than we could book flight only on the same day, it was less even the same flight on ThomsonFly!  Just haven't a clue what Thomson's business model is, if they even have one.

Terry and Joy

2
Quote
Tereza's have worked hard over the winter and it looks great
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They have all new furniture in the bar

And there is a tale to tell about that new furniture!   It (the chairs) arrived the week we were there, flat-packed with Far Eastern English instructions and the usual poor diagrams.   It took an afternoon of both Greek and English heads being scratched before the first new chair got assembled and three days before the lot of them were.   Many (including me) gave up the unequal struggle between 4 bolts and three cushions and had another beer!   

B and B at the Tereza was pretty good by the way, a simple breakfast menu, continental or cooked with a €2 supplement if you wanted a full English.  Didn't indulge in the full fat job but it looked good and plentiful.   The rooms in the rear block were comfortable and pretty well equipped although a little on the dark side both in lack of natural light and furnishings.  I imagine that at the height of summer that lack of natural light could well be a good thing.   Twin beds were a shade on the hard side but only a shade and we certainly had no trouble sleeping in them.

We didn't see Tereza's on our previous visit but it certainly looks very good and inviting this season - also fully booked right through I understand.  We consider ourselves very lucky to have got a cheap late booking there in early May, only compliments from us for the place.

3
Out and About / Re: The Golden Beach of San Stefanos
« on: May 31, 2010, 01:06:02 PM »
Until the strong winds of our last couple of days there earlier in the month the beach was as normal, perhaps even a few yards wider than in 2008.   That was certainly the case at the far end of the beach by the cliffs, in 2008 it was just a narrow strip of sand a few yards wide, this year there was 20 yards or more in places.

The Saturday of our week in all changed, an overnight storm and continuing strong winds caused the beach to vanish except for a small part at the Waves end.   I really do mean vanish, it was sea in as far as it could get and you couldn't walk past Havana without getting your feet wet.    Bloody cold sea it was too!!

4
Where to stay / Re: tsaros apartments
« on: May 24, 2010, 08:03:54 PM »
They have deposit boxes at the pool bar, just ask Thannasis for a key.  Small charge involved.

5
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Did the locals say if it was unusually quiet?

There was a certain amount of concern around not only that it was quieter than usual but that visitors were not spending as much.   This was certainly true in our own case where we spent about 25% less than we did in 2008, not a deliberate thing - we had the money with us, just didn't spend it.  Not sure what we didn't spend it on though!

6
San Stefanos news and views / Re: New Ash Cloud
« on: May 17, 2010, 09:53:25 PM »
We had absolutely no information on the ash cloud when we were picked up in SS this morning other than what we had been able to find out from Sky News.   Unfortunately Sky News was the only information the Thomsons Rep (who this year is 18 year old Sadie on her first repping assignment) had too.   She did get a text message while on the way to the airport saying that flights would be leaving but with delays.    We were lucky in that the Birmingham flight arrived Corfu on schedule, nothing else arrived before our departure and Thomas Cook flights were showing up to 6 hour delays with a Bristol flight perhaps longer.

It look as though everyone was getting there but "eventually" was the operative word.

7
Back home again.   Left San Stephanos at 0740 not knowing if we had an aircraft to get onto but fortune favoured us for a change - the Brum flight was the only one on schedule.

A brief report here for now - have a washing machine to feed.    Not a lot changed in SS since we last visited in 2008 although it was very, very quiet.   Most businesses were up and running although notable exceptions were Gladiator, Bar38 and the Olive Press.  Gladiator showed some signs that it may open later but Bar 38 and Olive Press looked completely shut down. 

Prices are up for a lot of things fuel being the most notable, €1.50 to 1.60 for unleaded, €1.30 - 1.35 for diesel.   Ciggies and tobacco have gone up too, local brand Leader from €2 (2009) to €2.40, B & H up from €3.20 to €3.80 although there is still some old stock around at the cheaper price including the airport.   Golden Virginia rolling tobacco up from €60 to €75 for half a kilo.

We weren't in SS in 2009 but went to Thassos instead so I can't compare meal and drink prices directly.   Examples though are that most set menus were pitched at €9, half litre of house wine €4.50 (€4 at Zorbas).   Large beer €2.50.

So onto the beach - no idea of sunbed prices because there weren't a lot around.  Just a few towards the south end of the beach and we didn't go down there.   Our first few days the beach was as usual but by Saturday there wasn't much of a beach to speak of - it was almost completely covered by sea blown in on a strong westerly, at Arillas there was no beach at all this morning when we passed through.

Quad hire was €20 per day with the usual reductions for long term hire, scooters were €15 per day.  Didn't check car hire prices but I noticed that the car hire place now has a digital thermometer I hadn't noticed before.

Nothing to compare the excursion prices with but the one's in San Stef Travel's window looked good value.

We were told to expect price increases soon to reflect new taxes coming in the very near future, the impression I got that these will be across the board reflecting the state of the economy in Greece.

I hope that's enough to keep you guys going for now.

8
Staying at Teresa - we are on the Birmingham flight.   I think you are at Kapetanios so we are pretty close by.

9
Bags are packed and ready to leave for the airport in about 4 hours time.  I'd noticed those forecast temperatures seemed a fair bit higher than usual for May - 27C all week, that will do nicely.   Both Thomson and Birmingham airports show flight on time so fingers crossed that we should be feeling some of that heat at about 1115 local time.   Even with a coach transfer we should be in San Stef in time for a late lunch.   Going to be knackered so a kip in a warm shady location will be looking like a good idea after that.

Only there for a week so should be back before Lisa but the only thing I can guarantee finding out will be the Mythos prices although we will try to remember a few other things too!!




10
Where to stay / Re: Portland Hols Next Year
« on: May 05, 2010, 07:23:54 PM »
Quote
make sure you have holiday insurance cover

Done but no coverage available for ash disruptions as it's a known problem.  Haven't seen any news about further general strikes but the scenes from Athens didn't look great on the TV today.   This week's strike would not have effected the Thomson Monday flights from the UK as it didn't start until 9pm.

11
Where to stay / Re: Portland Hols Next Year
« on: May 05, 2010, 12:58:10 PM »
Fingers crossed there is not a general strike there on Monday - all flights today cancelled to Greece.   

12
Where to stay / Re: Portland Hols Next Year
« on: May 05, 2010, 01:40:14 AM »
Desperate for some warmth we have this evening nailed a good price from Thomsons to Terezas travelling 10th May.   Despite Thomson's headline price being £20 more per person than Portland this did not include ticket on departure or transfer whereas Thomson's price did.   Not difficult to work out that Thomson's final price came in much less than Portland - surely this used to be the other way around?   We are talking same flight from same airport to the same accommodation probably on the same transfer coach.

Incidentally the price dropped £50 per person overnight on Thomson - yesterday Portland was exactly the same taking into account transfers and TOD.   

Looks to be the first week of the San Stef summer flights for 2010, we'll let you guys know how things are.

Not been about the forum for a while but we are not really regulars at San Stef, it's a place we know, like and trust when we are looking for a cheap last minute holiday when the weather in the UK is freezing or wet and we don't want to waste our valuable holiday time.   Fingers crossed it does it for us again this year.

13
If you take a look at http://www.sanstefanos.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=380.0 scroll down and I explain how you post photos to this site.   It's not difficult and doesn't cost.     I would add that modern mega-pixel digital cameras store the images as quite large .jpeg files which will need to be resized downwards before using in this forum.    800 x 600 is plenty big enough.    A useful bit of free software to do this is IrfanView, just be careful installing as it likes to install the Google Toolbar.

14
San Stefanos news and views / Re: Hello from the frozen uk
« on: January 14, 2009, 07:25:48 PM »
Yep, we flew from EMA last year, no probs whatsoever - even has an airside smoking 'cage' for us addicts.

As for accomodation I suggest a look at the usual interactive site http://corfu-info.com/main/san-stefanos-map.html.   As a rule of thumb the further away for the beach the more likely there is to be a climb, the exception being anything up towards the Romanza - that's near the beach and perched ontop of the cliff.   Brilliant views but if you don't want the climb avoid.   Shouldn't take more than 15 minutes to get to a beach access from anywhere in the resort.




15
Out and About / Re: The Warmest Of Christmas Greetings
« on: December 15, 2008, 11:46:27 PM »
Likewise from us to each and every one of you.   

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