simply travel - Aloni apartments anyone been there? I got a bargain!!!!

[pashmina]

Really pleased - I have finally booked our holiday!! last year went to periyali villas, and loved it. really thought simply had gone down hill this year, they have dropped a lot of properties. I got a quote for Aloni in Novbember for £2200 approx. Booked last week for the same weeks and got it for £1500 - bargain! anyone know anything about it?

when are you going pashmina?

end of may - including half term week. hopefully wont be too hot then!! have you been?

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i should add that i looked on the internet and no availability showed, i went in to Lunn poly and they didn't show any availability, so I just phoned up on the off chance and couldn't believe the price!! would advise anyone to ring if looking.

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we were in Zakynthos for may half term, not too hot at all, and I am paranoid about sun burn as my girls are very fair (used Piz buin all day 30spf and worked a treat). Crete will probably be hotter would wexpect 27ish

we were there in may last year and it was so fabulous that we are going back for 2 weeks in september this year.

the food in the bar isn't good, but there are some absolutely fabulous places nearby and the apartments are great...we were in a particularly fabulous one: number 8...try to get that one....

xxx

Thanks Sophable, i can't wait!! I think we are in number four on ground floor - there were only 2 left and we wanted ground floor. Is accomodation ok?

v v clean, modern, new, all mod cons. pool is fine. but akrotiri is just fabulous. make absolutely sure you eat at irene's (the rep will tell you where) get her to take you into the back to show you what she has (home cooked cretan food different every day everything but everything fab) and eat at bouraki's in kounipediana (rep had no idea about this place, a couple of students told us about it one day on the beach (most child friendly one is kalassas, most beautiful one is something like mirathi on the souda side....stunning) some of the best food (v meat oriented) that i've ever eaten and wine to die for.

we had the best time and the weather in may was perfect....hot but not boiling iyswim.

cretans must be the most babyfriendly people ever they just loved ds and he was spoiled stupid everywhere we went....chania is beautiful (if touristy) and well worth at least one visit.

oh it's fab fab fab.

xxx

aha
spohable
iam interested

We went to the Aloni apartments last October, it was really good value. The apartments were a good size and well equipped. They provided a hamper of food with essentials for when we arrived. The beaches in the area are lovely really child friendly. Would agree about going to Irene's the food was great and the people there loved our boys. Have a good time.

is it aricon
ho w near si the beach
what are the other guests like
do they bag sunloungers?

yep has aircon.

think mumsnetters should presure Simply Travel to open a few more creches & clubs.

I think there used to be 6 places but now they are down to 2 next year.

Can't understand why seeing as the ones we've been too have been so great and fully booked.

Last time at Mousses we wanted a couple of extra sessions but the girls would have been out of ratio so we couldn't !!!

You'll be lucky to get a change!

Simply are now owned by Thomson who see it as a niche brand. The only kids clubs they are interested in are the Thomson Superfamily type ones pile it high sell it cheap.

Thomson have been struggling a bit lately so its cost cutting all the way!

Mmmm had heard about Thomson/TUI but when you travel with Simply there is no evidence of German big brother TUI!!!

Everything is very 'Simply' - personal service and all low key. Great help from rep (he lives on island so a real expert as most Simply reps are). He told us that he has a Simply manager and in day to running of resort there is no TUI influence at all - Thank goodness!!

I would have thought someone at head office would have the sense to realise that Thomson & Simply don't mix!!!

I agree! they bought Magic out a few years back and totally ruined it which is my main concern over their owning Simply.

As an agent I prefer to book smaller independent companies for exactly the reasons why you all love Simply.

Over the past 7 years Thomson have systematically ruined the Magic brand with cost cutting. They no longer feature Spain or Portugal and would be interested to know if their reps are all still local as they once were.

Just hoping the same doesn't happen with Simply, I no longer book Thomson or Magic unless as a last resort.

Most of the old Simply staff at HQ have left. The notable difference is in how your booking is dealt with - likely to get some spod who hasn't a clue about the place you are going, whereas in the past the team really knew their stuff. Plus, nice travel wallets and luggage tags have disappeared, to be replaced by ticket booklet.

Simply have been owned by Thomson since about 98 (IIRC) though - so the slide has been a long time coming.