simply travel

[Bridge1001]

has anyone noticed the demise of simply travel? I went to Periyali Villas in Zakynthos last year and was impressed with the service and quality - especially the kids club. Now TUI (thomsons) have ruined it! cheap brochures, theyv'e dropped lots of properties, especially the child friendly places, web site is terrible....they want us all to go on Thomson SuperFamily holidays which are not my cup of tea...any advise o reasonably priced med holidays which are good for kids? not big unfriendly hotels full of shaven heads, lager drinking louts?

simply have somewhere in turkey too with childcare, along the lines of their Mousses place in Greece - should be on their website?

god, I should charge them commission..
Also looking into an "escape from the family Christmas" type break but in UK, ideally with option of childcare. anyone got any bright ideas (not calcot manor expensive though!)?

Simply are not offering any c hildcare in Turkey. mark warner and sunsail do, but a bit pricey, especially if you don't want organised and catered, I will try tapestry, but tyue chreche is off I think...still a possible.

Everywhere is expensive for Xmas in the UK...Bedruthann steps is a great place, but not sure open for xmas - Sands and Watergate Bay are good in cornwall

Simply is still offering creches in Zakynthos and Lefkas - as I understand it, all the other ones are being taken over by Tui's Crystal group - so think they will be aimed more at older kids. Big mistake.

I have used crystal in france, and it was ok...do crystal cover turkey? Simply are still doing Lefkas and Zakynthos with chreche, my dd's will be 4 & 6, and most companies seem to separate under 5's which my youngest dd will not like.

have just checked crytsal site, and tey are launching a new family brochure...web site not ready yet, but you can request a brochure, thanks willow2

whys that a big mistake?

Simply had the baby market down to a t - really good setup. Crystal may well keep the same sort of thing but it will be a shame if it's no longer available.

I actually phoned up Simply Travel yesterday to ask what has happened to their child care in Turkey. The guy who owns the Tomsan/Okaliptus apartments in Akyaka has decided to let out the apartments himself and the creche will be closed down at the end of this season - what a shame.

Their other child care option was the Tamarisk beach hotel (near Bodrum), and this has been passed to Crystal who are apparently their sister company. I phoned up Crystal and spoke to a lady who said they didn't cover Turkey! We thought about going there last year, but decided against it as the apartments only have one bedroom which isn't great for 2 adults plus three children.

Tapestry have also decided that they will no longer no providing any childcare in Turkey (I phoned them up yesterday too!) So as far as I can see the only options are Mark Warner or SunSail, neither of which really appeals.

Perhaps we'll go to Mousses next year, however, we were really hoping to go back to Turkey as we haven't been there for 3 years.

milly1968, I would really reccomend periyali Villas Zakynthos with simply...villas are more spacious than mousses apparently. really pretty place with some lovely quiet tavernas within walking distance, lovely pool too.

is it nice?
thasta lot cheaper for us

Milly1968, bridge1001

I just looked at the crystal online brochure and the Tamarisk Beach is in there with childcare look It's in the Active Beach brochure, you have to register to look at it. It also says if you book before 15 nov then childcare is free!

cod you may want to consider that, it is where we were going to go last year when we ended up in mousses and we may well go there this year

ah but he mn rview si not so good

" a nutshell
Childcare is "excellent", "our kids couldn't wait to get there" but "the limited babysitting was a disappointment." Local restaurants are "not fantastic, so don't go for gourmet cuisine" plus there's no children's meals and "not much evening entertainment unless you can get a babysitter." All agreed though that "eating in is easy - the villas have sea views and plenty of space for toddlers to play." There's "a lovely beach nearby with shallow, calm water" but the "pool is way too cold." The Simply rep was "outstanding" and "full of excursion ideas including a boat trip spotting giant turtles - a holiday highlight!"

christ what do you want, cabaret?

TBH that is a BIG plus for me. I would die at the thought of "entertainment"

tut you prannet of course there are things to see!

Reviews on tripadvisor

are you all talking about periyali? it is very quiet, local tavernas very friendly, some play equipment for kids (not always up to uk standards) local wine cheap and lovely n(after the 4th or 5th) swimming pool in may half term way too cold for me but dd's and dh never out of it. greek snack at pool lovely, other kids and families lovely...who wants organised entertainment in the evenings? go to thomson superfamily...loads to do, including turtle spotting, really loved it. great BBQs in all villas.

woo get you "superfamily" girl

cd are we aall talking abotu he same place?

thats £4 221 fro us next year

soory! have a real downer on the superfamily thing! my idea of hell on earth

wots £4221? is that how much Periyali is for next year?

also, just remembered - pool makes all cozzies turn yellow - just sent dd's off with dh for swimming lessons and looked at the state of theirs!