Simply Crete Holidays. Ash cloud disruption - comments
yes we got back last night finally, and were going to email anyway to say a huge thankyou for all your patient help with we stranded ones. we felt quite out of touch with our ancient mobiles etc, and it really helped to have a real person who knew what they were talking about at the end of the line.
And thankyou too for going to the trouble to find a hotel; although we ended up somewhere along the beach in amadara that wasn't quite such a shit hole as the one easy jet put us in, hotel vanisko with its stagnant pool full of rubbish and noisy parties and room full of camp beds! john walked along the beach the day I called you and got a knock down rate at the resort hotel appolonia, which had plenty of room for the kids to run around, so that john could work, plus we wanted to be on the bus route to heraklion and the airport. it was a weirdly alienating experience though, surrounded by hundreds of stranded cruise ship passengers, and so cut off from the rest of crete which we were just getting to know.
But despite everything we were all very sorry to leave and the kids are demanding we come back. It's our 15th wedding anniversary next april, which should be enough of an excuse. we would go back to vasso, as she and her family were so welcoming, and we loved douliana and the whole area, only lay out wise it was a bit hairy with the 2 yr old. the house was gorgeous too, light and airy and interesting, but by the end we found we needed more doors just to keep the kids at bay! your local information sheets were fantastically useful, especially the restaurant guides. We went on a few exploratory walks, (found a great hidden chapel in a cave at the bottom of the valley) and wondered if there were footpath maps of the areas?
what we most loved was the attention the boys got,we get so much grief/pity in the UK for having three boys it was a joy to come somewhere they are appreciated!
so yes, we'll certainly be recommending you, and shall be in touch for next year I'm sure, once we've got over the financial shock of that extra week!
with verybest wishes
Kate and john
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Dear Steve,
We arrived back on wednesday having flown to Rome on sat followed by hire care to Lyons and TGV/Eurostar. All a bit expensive but enjoyable once the initial hassle of the bookings was sorted. The villa was excellent and we love western Crete.
Kind regards, Jon
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we had a lovely holiday and the villa was great. I do not think that there was anything that could have been improved on really apart from maybe a decent map of the island in the villa. we did not get one with the car hire company and it took us a while to get one - but that is not really essential and actually the car company should provide. Your service was great and I cannot think of a way of improving it - there if we needed you (and if there was no volcano we would probably not have seen you after our introduction) but not intrusive if we don't - the right balance for us.
We would certainly recommend you to people and will use you should we come to Crete again (hopefully it was not us that was jinxed)
thanks and I hope you have a quieter time this coming week and a good few days off.
Kind regards
Bethan
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