Author Topic: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!  (Read 79451 times)

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Offline GaryS

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Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« on: July 15, 2008, 05:16:30 PM »
Arillas is a wonderful resort, we have had a lovely time there this year, but the Arillas Bay Apartments are doing their best to ruin the resorts fine and deserved reputation in 2008.

What’s the difference between the Arillas Bay Apartments 2008 and Guantanamo Bay? Well having not actually been interned in the Cuban facility without trial I can only imagine the difference is the linen is changed on a more frequent basis at Camp X-Ray.

We, like many others arrived on a Monday (30th June) and were shown to our apartment (B5) by the wonderful Jayne (Thomas Cook). It was clear that for 2008 season the owners of the AB had added sweet FA, the apartment was full of bugs, there were squashed insects on the walls that required removing with a quantity of scrubbing. The kitchen tap leaked the whole stay. The glass in the front door was cracked. A third of the shower curtain was missing. The fixed shower head made the water spew over the top of the remaining curtain if fitted correctly in place, the drain in the bathroom stank and was useless as the water much preferred to run into the kitchen rather than the drain (poor design) the ‘maid’ would leave a manky mop an bucket with filthy water in the corner, never emptying it away and the linen and tattered towels were changed once a week, if you stayed a single week that meant never. I could go on but there are more important issues with this place.

The Sea Breeze bar and restaurant would not look out of place in the opening scenes of a Spaghetti Western (dusty and run down) and the once popular restaurant on the beach was almost constantly empty. The owners avoided and questions regarding fans, linen or safety deposit boxes with a shrug of the shoulders in the timely’ I don’t speaka the lingo’. The whole pool area was umbrella free and the gardens were a mess.

Now the real bad points. Three nights into our stay someone attempted to force entry into out apartment twice, twice they failed and I slept the remainder of the night in my shorts with a pen knife in my hand. I missed the rep the next day and let the incident go. On the Friday night we were awoken by shouting and found that the next apartment had the same happen to them. Twice someone tried to force entry and was actually chased by the guest. Twenty minutes later it happened again, but this time a posse of guests caught the guy and frogmarched him to the Sea Breeze and to the owners. This served no purpose at all as the 'Albanian' gentleman was a summer tenant of the AB and lived in the back of the property in a little cottage. We explained the situation, while he sat there stuffing his fat little Umpa Lumpa face all smug lucking having a laugh in tongues with the owners.

 We were assured he would be made to leave. He was not. We saw the Thomas Cook rep Jayne the next day and she said she would sort it out or we would be entitled to compensation paid by the AB. We were issued emergency numbers to call if future incidents occurred. That night, mindful of a full day trip to Parga and Paxos we had an early night, returning to the AB we observed the Albanian person leaving the Sea Breeze and heading up his hovel (still there) We retired for the night, only to be disturbed minutes later by someone attempting to gain access to out apartment again. By the time I got to the door whoever it was, was gone. I called the emergency number and a Thomas Cook rep said the authorities had be informed.

Following our boat trip we discovered a young couple on the other side of us who were terrified at nights, but had not actually had an attempted break in, had been moved to the Akti Arilla Hotel. We waited to see Jayne on the Monday and via Thomas Cook, paid by the AB we were also moved to the Akti Arilla Hotel. By the time we left Arillas on the 14th July 4 couples had been moved in the 2 weeks we were there and we believe that makes 8 couples for June/July.

Offline Sandy x

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2008, 05:25:24 PM »
I am horrified by this report and really don't know what to say at the moment....
Sandy x

Offline JustL@@KiN

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2008, 05:57:48 PM »
WOW!!! These things have to be said, well done 'GazCaz'. You've got to dodge the bullets now!.

I'm glad you had a 'lovely time there this year' despite ALL your problems.

Spiro at the Akti is going to have GOOD trade from them this year :)

Mango you can come out of hiding now :)
Author Of Arillas Tourist Map UK - http://arillasmap.awardspace.co.uk/




Offline Mango

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2008, 06:08:41 PM »
Thanks GazCaz for your report, see the slagging off I got for reporting on these incidents (under just back from Arillas).  Get ready for it cos you said a lot more than me.  thank god someone is going to speak up.
Your report is very details and highlights the badness and sadness that is happening in Arillas at the moment, we too spent our last day at the Akti.
Spiros was more than helpful to us.
I'm not going to say anymore but thanks for helping me highlight the worries.
Amanda

Offline blondegirl

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2008, 06:15:46 PM »
I had heard the Arillas Bay apartments werent up to much and that was from last year, but didnt know whether they had improved or not.  A couple from last year had bad mozzie bites and there were no screens etc.  they left after a few days and stayed with Poppy at BS emergency chalets.  I cant believe you had all that to deal with... it is really worrying especially as we shall be staying around the corner.

We noticed last year how run down the Sea Breeze restaurant was last year compared to the year before. The food wasnt up to much, not very well cooked and the portions were pathetic.  Also, the tables were dirty, so we only went there once.  Something is definately wrong there.

I am so sorry you had all that to deal with, it must have been very worrying especially as the guy was still hanging around.  I expect you felt like lynching him!

No wonder Amanda had such strong feelings and I dont blame her.

I wonder if there will be any more feedback.  I am sure those who have booked to stay there in the future will be worried now.  TC must address that problem properly.
If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.

Offline harold

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2008, 06:26:43 PM »
no comment,we are in dispute with Thomas Cook over our holiday there.
Harold,
Theres only one Altrincham FC

Offline harold

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2008, 06:39:26 PM »
The facts of our holiday are these.
our first night at 0330 ish the solar heating on our roof exploded hot and then cold water poured down over our balcony untill the plumber arrived at 0700.When it exploded steam was rising up into the night sky and the noise was terrible.As the owners had called a plumber out and told us it was fixed we did not report it,but 2 nights later it happened again at 0300 again going on untill 0700 again the plumber arrived.Also that second time we were kept awake untill about 0230 by the owners young kiddies shouting and screaming next door to us.We did report all this to the rep,who told it was all sorted,2 nights later at 0300 it went again,i phoned the Thomas Cook emergency number straight away and was told we would be moved.The rep turned up at about 0900 and again told us we would be moved and she would see us after her welcome meetings around lunch time.We had to find her and we told her we had friends and Relatives staying in Arillas and that we would only be moved within Arillas.She told us the office would contact us.At 1630 we had to ring the office to see what was happening we had sat all day with our bags packed waiting to be moved.We were told oh its fixed and we had said we did not want moving,which was rot.Anyway we had to stay as no accommadation in Arillas was free.At least the solar heating would not explode again or so we thought mid way through the 2 nd week it went again.
Harold,
Theres only one Altrincham FC

riggers

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2008, 08:03:13 PM »
OMG what terrible experiences you both have had. I know where i will not be staying. This with the attempted break-ins is very disturbing news. I hope it all gets sorted out very soon.

riggers...

Offline Eggy

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2008, 08:22:31 PM »
Gascas

Are you the gentleman I spoke to last week?

I am absolutely stunned and horrified at this report. Like Sandy I don't know what to say. And,if I can't even make the usual Eggy wisecrack then it's a really serious issue !

For 99.9 % of Arillas to be doing their very best and to have it tarnished by one or two rotten apples is....... Well, what can I say?.

Dimitris must also be so upset about what you had to endure. He told me how bad he felt about Amandas problem. And he only looks after the website!
( We all know the website is for all Arillas)

I am an "enquiring" sort of person, so I'm told , and will be asking a few questions during the next week or so.

Dumbstruck! - What to say! - All resorts all over the world have a version of this problem. Even paradise can have a scorpion in the sand!

My opinion at this moment in time?
Continue please to put pressure on the the tour operator who must make your frustration felt to the Appt owners.

It's all a bitter pill to swallow.

Stay Well
Negg





Offline Sandy x

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2008, 08:34:00 PM »
I agree with you Eggy. Unless everyone who has had problems there complains to TC nothing will be done. What amazes me is that the tour operators are supposed to inspect all their accommodation each year at the start of the season to check it is up to scratch and accords with the description of it in the brochures. This surely cannot have been done at Arillas Bay this year.

The kind of problem Harold describes could happen anywhere (once!) BUT most owners would then bend over backwards to ensure that it was remedied and did not occur again. Their attitude when told people were breaking into the apartments is beyond belief.

I think Paul is right, Quack....take a copy of that report to your travel agent before you go and ask to be moved....
Sandy x

Offline blondegirl

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2008, 08:46:48 PM »
I cant believe anything so serious as boiling hot water pouring past your balcony cannot be thought of as a serious health and safety issue.  I am stumped for once to find anything more to say that hasnt already been said.. it must have been a terrible experience!
If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.

Offline harold

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2008, 09:02:15 PM »
I dont blame Yanni and his sister they have a lot on their plate with their father in hospital,But i do blame TC and i bet they are still putting people in there.As you can see this happened early May,so this shows how reluctant i was to post about this,but thought i would speak up after seeing the other two reports.
As most of you know Sally and I have been going to Arillas for like 13 or 14 years and are not put off by what happened.
Harold,
Theres only one Altrincham FC

riggers

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2008, 09:11:26 PM »
I don't think anything could put me off. If you don't like where you stay try somewhere else.  :)

riggers...

Offline M n M

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2008, 09:35:29 PM »
Harold, Mango and GazCaz, I for one am shocked about this and find it hard to believe, but must accept what is being said, Thomas and his family have been very good friends of ours since 1992 and it  is with a heavy heart that I am reading this, but you said that Thomas is in hospital, do you or anyone else know what is wrong with him or could someone find out and let me know.  This leaves me very sad and I can only hope that things get better. Mick.

Offline sue

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Re: Arillas Bay Apartments 2008....BEWARE!
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2008, 09:38:36 PM »
omg i am so shocked 


 

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