Author Topic: Beware leonidas  (Read 36192 times)

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Offline kb62

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #30 on: July 03, 2009, 11:03:07 PM »
i have been reading it for a few weeks now , and i have noticed the same names all the time, but its good fun reading and it has a great feel good factor,
this will be our second time there, we stayed at the marvel last year, this time we,re in jimmy and perrys, we cant wait, when i step off that plane i always say im home, we thought that we,d go forever to bali, in crete, then we found here, and well what can i say , the rest is history, as you lot already know.
anyway have a lovely time, we.ll be there on the 17th cases are already packed.......... ... karen

Offline justphil

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #31 on: July 03, 2009, 11:15:59 PM »
Sorry all we are on the wrong thread - Leonidas has some great reviews including our good friends PaulD from Swansea and JohntheRef from Arillas. OOPS - he wishes...

Karen, we all get that drop in blood pressure, feel-good hormones, combined with excitement. Some make Arillas babies (Gotty and Liz, Josef and Maria amongst many) but Jen and me seem to make Arillas friends. And by rights I used to be quite shy. Insular as someone posted earlier. An anorak. I so understand.

But Arillas is such a joyful place to be, if you join in. And it gets better and better. That is why the Facebook site I started after a few one Sunday has 98 Arillas Addict members. And 100s of photos after 6 months.

If you're there on 17th July, we are still around till 21st. Come and say hello.
Phil



Offline kb62

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #32 on: July 04, 2009, 12:09:37 AM »
i joined the facebook site a while ago,   i,ll look out for you when we get there.
i can always be found with my head stuck in a book, its usually johnny my husband that starts chatting to people, if you hear someone saying "" thankyou my mate"" after ordering his beers, thats him .....

 hope to see you there

karen x

Offline evanjonesaber

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #33 on: July 06, 2009, 11:11:48 AM »
So looking forward to this now - me and my new fiancee are off to Arillas in two weeks today! First time but have been reading up and can't wait to get there!

Offline Hancock

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #34 on: July 27, 2009, 07:24:36 PM »
Hi everyone
Just returned from Arillas, fantastic place; we went with a tour operator and will be looking at returning next year independantly.
We stayed at the Leonidas for 2 weeks from the 6/07/09.
Unfortunatley the owner passed away and the wife now lives in Athens with a Manager dealing with the properties.
I would say beware of studio room No 5, it is tiny with a double bed against the wall, no room to swing a mouse.
The Manager was not the pleasantist of people, the rooms were supposed to be cleaned every other day but this consisted of making the bed and mopping the floor. Bedding and towels only changed once a week. Another holiday maker had the nerve to ask for fresh towels and bedding mid week which was met by a furious row between the cleaner and the Manager.
I had to clean the shower myself as this was not touched, neither was the bathroom sink.
Another neighbour had 2 T shirts, money and travellers cheques missing, no signs of a break in and Thomas Cook/Manor Rep told them they would have to get a taxi to the Police station to report this costing extra expense.
Saying all this our holiday neighbours were fabulous and the Arillas resort the best place we've ever stayed in all the islands and resorts we've visited.
Final word on Leonidas is that a developer is looking to buy it so things may improve.

From Dave and Jane, posted by Jane.

Offline Paul D

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #35 on: July 27, 2009, 09:23:24 PM »
Hi, Jane.  Reading your post has saddened me a little because on our two stays there, you couldn`t fault it.     Leonidas and Eleni came to our room everyday to clean, even doing dishes that we had left.
   Things have so obviously changed with Eleni now in Athens.
    I really hope things improve for future guests.

                               Yammas   Paul D
Arillas - `perfect antidote to life`s stresses and strains`!

Offline TerryW

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #36 on: July 27, 2009, 11:09:15 PM »
I had a very good conversation with an accommodation owner, in July, about the problems being faced due to reduced bookings and tighter margins being imposed by travel companies. Some owners get as little as €6 per night for their rooms from the travel companies. That is a very small amount of money when you consider the cleaning and towel washing that has to be done. 

I think someone who empties the toilet bins should be paid at least €6 per room per day for what they do, in addition to  money for their other daily duties.

We  will always pay to go independent, but I appreciate that its not possible for everyone to book that way. I think you could sense a certain amount of stress in local people this year. I just hope that good family businesses, in Arillas,  don't go under this summer, because every single one  adds something to making Arillas special.




Offline justlynn

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #37 on: July 27, 2009, 11:43:53 PM »
Agreed, very well said, Terry.

lynn xx



Offline JohnTheRef&Dot

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #38 on: July 27, 2009, 11:48:53 PM »
Hi Jane
Was good to meet up with you in Arillas
Hope you have recovered from that walk to Paleokastritsa

Yes I herd about the owner at Leonidis.
I spoke to Philip at the Tria who informed me that He had died following an Heart Attack whilst at a wedding last October.
Having stayed there and previously met with the owner and on several occasions had tried to have conversation with him this came a surprise, I was saddened to hear the news.

Philip said that his wife was about to return at the end of August  but was unsure what was going to happen.

I surprises me that there is problems there because when we were there the cleaner came in every day and towels were changed on a regular basis.
We left things lying around and nothing was touched or moved.
By the way tell the City fan (Dave)  we will have some of that strike force they have overloaded on send a few down the Molyneux

Offline Hancock

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #39 on: July 29, 2009, 09:03:42 PM »
Hi The Ref & Dot

Dave says why don't you get Steve Bull & Derek Dougan out of retirement as your not having any of their strikers.

Re next years hols we will be going independant because we've always thought that the apartment owners have a raw deal from the tour operators. We have always been nervous about taking the plunge but realise we can do this financially now due to easyjet flying from Manchester.

We hope to be going around the same time of year again but looking at 3 weeks this time.

When we were there we had a look at Vivallas on the quieter beach road, Thomas and his family seemed lovely, traditional family run fish Taverna. Thomas showed us the studio which seemed huge in comparison to where we stayed and his prices are very good. Also looked at Spiros & Poppy's they used to be called Bourdis, their studio's are lovely although smaller very well laid out.
Any info on either of these would be appreciated as may be booking next month.


Dave & Jane

Offline Pommie

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #40 on: July 31, 2009, 10:40:54 AM »
Terry W Wow! - 42 Euro a week wouldn't cover what we pay our cleaner in our UK property to do one laundry change and clean, never mind make us any profit! I know things are different here, but even so! Cross reference that with Dimitris interesting post about how the tour companies encouraged rampant growth and you can see where the squeeze is coming from.

As to honesty, Greece in general is always somewhere I will treasure for the honesty and generosity of spirit of the people I have met, but I guess economic pressure will always lead to some petty crime. There sure is less here than in places like Spain and Italy in my experience though !!! It's easy to blame it on the economic migrants, and I suppose they are bound to change the balance of a place and affect cultural taboos (of which stealing seems to have been a major one in Greece). Best to keep that idea in perspective though perhaps.

and Phil

Quote
You are right buzz17, but in Benidorm you would have had to lock your underwear up or gone home without any.

Would that really be a problem in Benidorm?

Offline Janis

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #41 on: August 01, 2009, 02:17:39 AM »
We've not stayed with Poppy and Spiro (and Bobby!) but have visited them several times and they're such lovely people! Poppy's eggs are to die for - absolutely perfect every time....



Offline anter09

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #42 on: August 05, 2009, 10:16:13 PM »
Just returned from a fortnight in Arillas, what a lovely resort - great food, good company. 

A special thank you to Jane and Dave (next door neighbours) for tipping us off about things going missing from Leonidas.  Locked our good clothes in suitcase and took valuables with us every day.  Still didn't stop one of my brand new, but very cheap tops disappearing together with some cigarettes but we're ok because the rep has 'logged it' whatever that means. 

Spent last day in Galini (early morning flight so out of Leonidas at 12 noon) absolutely brilliant and such welcoming people - would definitely stay there next time.

Terry and Ann


Offline Eggy

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #43 on: August 05, 2009, 11:07:36 PM »
  Locked our good clothes in suitcase and took valuables with us every day.  Still didn't stop one of my brand new, but very cheap tops disappearing together with some cigarettes but we're ok because the rep has 'logged it' whatever that means. 

Terry and Ann


Terry n Ann
Glad you had a good time but, nobody should have to lock up their valuables.
Let's hope the rep does his/her job on this. It reflects on all the good people of Arillas when this happens. The Gallini was a good place to finish uo for your last day and I'm told, aint that bad for a holiday break either.
Cheers
Negg

Offline Kleftiko_Monster

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Re: Beware leonidas
« Reply #44 on: September 06, 2009, 11:42:28 PM »
I think this little "Problem" may have been solved as there were no hassles in the two weeks that we've just had.

As a matter of fact from what I saw, the owner was on the cleaners case for 90% of the time the poor lass was at work, I must have heard her name called at least 500 times in two weeks!

The only gripes I have were the ineffective mossie screen in the bathroom and the almost non-working cooker, along with the owner standing at window at 11.30am on the day of departure saying "You go at 12 quick-quick" and looking at her watch meaningfully!

If it hadn't have been Phillip and the Tria across the road I think we would have gone mad!

The only real word of advice I have for anyone going for the remainder of the season is stock up on anti-mossie stuff as the waterway behind Leonidas is FULL of the little buggers! At least one mossie machine per room and Always wear a "DEET" type repellant!

I'd say in general my expreience of Arillas is 50/50 and if I were to come back it would be at an apartment a bit closer to the beach...


 

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