Holiday reps

[Welshone]

Just returned from a fortnight in San Stef our second visit. Warmly welcomed by Nikkos from Tsaros - first Mythos on Thannassis at the bar. Hugs and kisses at the Little Prince - Michael even remembered which week we came last year. Everybody so friendly and helpful everywhere.

However.... the 'Welcome Meeting'. The rep was pleasant enough, but gave the impression that all she wanted to do was sell her trips. Here are some of her answers to questions from San Stef first-timers:

"Can we walk to Arillas along the cliff?" "No, the donkey track disappeared a long time ago - the only way to Arillas is by road." That morning we had walked up to the top of the cliff path overlooking Arillas to check out the new snack-bar, Gravia (excellent!) and watched people walk up and down the cliff path - and a few days later did the walk outselves -the cliff path is in a better condition than last year, even motor-bikes were going up and down it.

"You say the nearest pharmacy is in Avliotes - is there a bus to Avliotes?" "No, there is no bus to Avliotes, only to Sidari or Corfu Town." Of course the bust to Sidari and Corfu Town has to go through Avliotes! We did that a couple of times and walked back through the olive groves to San Stef.

"You say that you can see Albania from Kassiopi. Can't we also see Albania from San Stefanos?" "No, you can't see Albania from here." When it was pointed out to her that it is Albania we can see, she replied - well, Abania is a big island!

Its sad that people's enjoyment of their holiday can be reduced by misinformation from holiday reps. Needless to say, on the Thomson's questionnaire, in answer to the question "How would you rate the holiday rep, we answered "poor".

[Zimmer]

dont see how you can see Albania - at all! - from San Stef NW, unless you turn your neck 180 degrees and crane it so it looks over mountains

[Welshone]

Sorry to disagree - but unless they hare hidden in clouds and mists, the mountains you see when you look north from San Stef NW are those of Albania - if you look at an atlas, you will see that this is so.

[Holistica]

Yep I agree - I live here and the locals always refer to the land across the sea seen from our beach as Albania.
I think it depends on how you read the maps as some may give the impression Albania can't be seen from this side. But then pages of a map are flat and the world is round !
Albania I gather is very interesting although I haven't seen it myself - yet!

Shame about the info from the Rep though.

[fanntosseas]

hi we are paul and christina and have been going to San Stefanos for the last 17 years.  We will be going again 3rd July. We first went in 1991 (by mistake) and fell in love with the place. Have met many friends over the years, who also return year after year. We will try to make contact with anyone who will be there at the same time, our usual late night watering hole is the Athens Bar.

[john and jo]

yes u can see albania!,the reps are poor and do only try to sell u trips but its not there fault if thats what they've been "trained" to do.we dont bother with the welcome meetings as we know what we like in s.s by now.(everything!)

[Zimmer]

S'funny I thought Italy was to the west of NW Corfu and Albania to the east, around the corner so to speak, but I wont argue the toss

[Zimmer]

Oh yeah , well thats me failing Geog Parasa is due north on some form of Penninsula...apologies

[Stevazoid]

"Can we walk to Arillas along the cliff?" "No, the donkey track disappeared a long time ago -

That rep.... ee aw , ee aw .... he always tells people that !!!

[swedebasher]

Reps have been a waste of space for years. I refuse to go to their 'big sell' meetings, and have not attended one for several years. The one this year at Tsaros did not even have a talk, merely went round the pool trying to sell the over priced trips(I was there watching the F1 before anyone asks!! )

[don]

Had a cracker of a rep at Thomas Bay named Richard .... Fondly known to all and sundry as Richard Cranium............. Care in the community didn't come into it.... ..................... It was tha last welcome meeting we attended...... Dick aka Richard said no matter how many years down the line he would always remember a face. He made this boast everyday, sometimes even 3 or 4 times.  Imagine our glee when arriving back three weeks later when he didn't know us from Adam! Boy did he get some stick over the next 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jules]

Haven't bothered with the welcome meeting for years now for the same reason. All they want to do is sell the trips which can mostly be booked from SS travel for a fraction of the cost. This year is SS Travel's 10th year and they are advertising 10% off some trips to celebrate this as well.

[tonyco1]

hi we are paul and christina and have been going to San Stefanos for the last 17 years.  We will be going again 3rd July. We first went in 1991 (by mistake) and fell in love with the place. Have met many friends over the years, who also return year after year. We will try to make contact with anyone who will be there at the same time, our usual late night watering hole is the Athens Bar.

Hi Paul and Christina, (Tony & Linda here), We have been going since 1983 and love it there, may have even met you in the street and didn't know it!!
We are also going on Fri 3rd july, on Sat 4th we are meeting other people from this forum in the Ozzie Oils for Dinner and conversation.
Don and Sandra, the Zimmers, Carole and Alan, possibly Bob the builder for a drink, and others hopefully will call in to say hello.
Please try to do so as well, love to meet you and say hello!! 20:30 onwards!!

[tonyco1]

Just returned from a fortnight in San Stef our second visit. Warmly welcomed by Nikkos from Tsaros - first Mythos on Thannassis at the bar. Hugs and kisses at the Little Prince - Michael even remembered which week we came last year. Everybody so friendly and helpful everywhere.

However.... the 'Welcome Meeting'. The rep was pleasant enough, but gave the impression that all she wanted to do was sell her trips. Here are some of her answers to questions from San Stef first-timers:

"Can we walk to Arillas along the cliff?" "No, the donkey track disappeared a long time ago - the only way to Arillas is by road." That morning we had walked up to the top of the cliff path overlooking Arillas to check out the new snack-bar, Gravia (excellent!) and watched people walk up and down the cliff path - and a few days later did the walk outselves -the cliff path is in a better condition than last year, even motor-bikes were going up and down it.

"You say the nearest pharmacy is in Avliotes - is there a bus to Avliotes?" "No, there is no bus to Avliotes, only to Sidari or Corfu Town." Of course the bust to Sidari and Corfu Town has to go through Avliotes! We did that a couple of times and walked back through the olive groves to San Stef.

"You say that you can see Albania from Kassiopi. Can't we also see Albania from San Stefanos?" "No, you can't see Albania from here." When it was pointed out to her that it is Albania we can see, she replied - well, Abania is a big island!

Its sad that people's enjoyment of their holiday can be reduced by misinformation from holiday reps. Needless to say, on the Thomson's questionnaire, in answer to the question "How would you rate the holiday rep, we answered "poor".

Terrible when an on-site rep just can't be bothered!!
You can indeed see Albania, often hidden in sea mist, you can see it in really good weather if you look north.
We have observed Albania for many years now from the beach!!

[Jules]

Just returned from a fortnight in San Stef our second visit. Warmly welcomed by Nikkos from Tsaros - first Mythos on Thannassis at the bar. Hugs and kisses at the Little Prince - Michael even remembered which week we came last year. Everybody so friendly and helpful everywhere.

However.... the 'Welcome Meeting'. The rep was pleasant enough, but gave the impression that all she wanted to do was sell her trips. Here are some of her answers to questions from San Stef first-timers:

"Can we walk to Arillas along the cliff?" "No, the donkey track disappeared a long time ago - the only way to Arillas is by road." That morning we had walked up to the top of the cliff path overlooking Arillas to check out the new snack-bar, Gravia (excellent!) and watched people walk up and down the cliff path - and a few days later did the walk outselves -the cliff path is in a better condition than last year, even motor-bikes were going up and down it.

"You say the nearest pharmacy is in Avliotes - is there a bus to Avliotes?" "No, there is no bus to Avliotes, only to Sidari or Corfu Town." Of course the bust to Sidari and Corfu Town has to go through Avliotes! We did that a couple of times and walked back through the olive groves to San Stef.

"You say that you can see Albania from Kassiopi. Can't we also see Albania from San Stefanos?" "No, you can't see Albania from here." When it was pointed out to her that it is Albania we can see, she replied - well, Abania is a big island!

Its sad that people's enjoyment of their holiday can be reduced by misinformation from holiday reps. Needless to say, on the Thomson's questionnaire, in answer to the question "How would you rate the holiday rep, we answered "poor".

Terrible when an on-site rep just can't be bothered!!
You can indeed see Albania, often hidden in sea mist, you can see it in really good weather if you look north.
We have observed Albania for many years now from the beach!!

Makes you wonder where they get all of the information from that they give out - or do they just make it up as they go along hopeing that errors are not noticed.