We are very take-it-easy-on-holiday people, trying wherever we can, to do as little as possible as often as possible when on holiday.
We have succeeded in this objective many times, and intend to keep trying. So, what were we to make of our visit to Sunsail's Vounaki Club in Greece? The very thought of sailing brought Mrs C out in a shiver and no matter how much free reassurance she was offered, it took a while to convince her that it could actually be a lot of fun. However, from the day it was booked there was an air of uneasy trepidation.
Stress isn't one of the best ingredients to add to any holiday, so there I sat, fingers crossed that everything would go according to plan and that ultimately a good time would be had by all. After one flight schedule change, everything looked good, thanks to Sunsail's very efficient booking and pre-holiday documentation, so off we set on departure day en route to a somewhat sunnier destination than our rather rainy departure point.
Now, being creatures somewhat accustomed to at least some comforts, we didn't relish the thought of either a night on a bench in the airport check-in area, nor a midnight car jaunt along the gloriously boring M4. A 3.30 check-in isn't the most sociable of times, so we left early, let the train take the strain and spend the evening and night at the Premier Inn at Gatwick Central. I would warn anyone against underestimating any such hotel. These modern hotels are up there with the best in terms of comfort, style and facilities. The rooms were large, very comfortable, beautifully clean and the food available in the restaurant and bar downstairs was excellent. It would have been very easy to have spent more than double the cost of our room on something that would, quite frankly, probably not have been as good! Though we had to be up and out well before the scheduled breakfast, which I understand from other guests is excellent, we didn't leave hungry, as a packed breakfast is available from reception and is delivered to your room at the time of your choice. The inexpensive shuttle bus then drops you at your terminal door, ready to run the mill of a modern airport departure.
Of course we left on time, and ....of course we had a smooth flight, and ....of course we were met by the friendly Sunsail staff at Preveza airport. Of course we had a very efficient transfer (around 40 minutes) to Vounaki. What else would we expect? So far so good! Even when we discovered that we were just a tiny bit too early to move into our room, the resort staff did everything possible to make our arrival both welcoming and comfortable. It was already quite hot, so we were shown some comfy seats in the shade, where we availed ourselves of a little light refreshment to keep our temperature down and our spirits up. Before we knew it, our cases had been delivered to the room and we were given our keys.
The room, when we arrived was surprisingly large, clean, bright and had an absolutely superb view out over the marina and the bay, with the island of Levkas towering in the distance. It is exactly the sort of view that draws your eyes in a holiday brochure... but in this case it wasn't an airbrushed enticement, it was the real thing! Together with the huge, modern bathroom, complete with the Greek obligatory loo-roll bin... eeugh!, this was well above expectation. A terrace outside had a table and chairs, as well as a clothes airer for drying out the cossies and towels ready for the next day's activity.
The facilities available at the club are fantastic. It would be almost impossible to list them all here, but suffice to say that no-one would ever need to be stuck for something to do. The club's 3 pools are all beautifully tempting, the kids' pool being completely covered to protect them from the relentless Greek sun. The other two pools are large and well laid out, having plenty of sunbeds and parasols available at most times of the day. One of the pools is reserved for adults only and strangely (we thought) has a lifeguard on duty at all times. The other pool, where most of the children swim, isn't lifeguard-patrolled.
The Vounaki Kids' clubs are superb, with all ages from baby to teenager well catered for. The clubs for younger kids are open from 09.30 to 17.00 every day, except Sunday (changeover day). However, the timings are completely flexible, with a sign-in and sign-out facility, which can be used at any time. Lunch and High Tea are included and these are really fun social events that can be heard from miles away! There is even a night creche, which runs from 19.00 to 22.00 every night (again except for Sunday). The Kids' Club team were all pleasant, helpful and really seemed to enjoy what they were doing. All the kids we saw were having a fantastic time, even the teenagers, who we saw playing Trivial Pursuit one afternoon down at the Marina – cooling off after a morning of wind-surfing, sailing and being thrown around on Ringos! It really gives the parents a chance for some time on their own and the kids a little independence and fun away from Mum and Dad. It was great to see the little ones getting to grips with canoeing, sailing, swimming – the swimming lessons were free and the instructor had a real affinity with the kids, really developing their confidence and skills – and generally having a whale of a time! The staff-children ratio was reassuringly high.
Now for the grown-ups. Going back to the beginning, I managed to persuade my better half that going out for a sail in a dinghy was worth the experience and she finally agreed. We took out something small and simple – a Topaz – to ease her in gently and guess what! She actually quite enjoyed it! It was fun, kept you cool while out on the water, and was an ideal introduction to the joys of sailing. A couple of days later we stepped up to something a little more sophisticated (with 2 sails) – an Omega – and yup, things went well, with all the basic manoeuvres mastered in no time. This is where things then developed further... The calm, easy-going morning breezes turned into a more interesting breeze which finally hit force 4. With a dinghy that was now heeling over a little on a broad reach and some spray whipping up around the bow, the comfort zone was overstepped, and Mrs C no longer wore the smile she had on previous occasions and in fact seemed positively terrified. I surrendered and we turned around and returned to shore, where she promptly began giving the Sunsail beach team some English lessons, introducing some new words that many of them had probably never heard before. All was forgotten by the next day though, and we continued to enjoy the morning breezes for the rest of the week. There's even the opportunity to charter a fully skippered yacht for the day and to go off exploring the islands.
A short walk from Vounaki is the little fishing village of Paleros, with its sleepy street cafes and souvenir shops, beachfront restaurants and traditional Greek houses built up behind. Two of the nights were called non-inclusive nights, where the meal of the day was served at lunchtime instead of in the evening and it gave a chance for guests to explore outside the club. We sat down at a delightful little restaurant called Dionysos watching the sun set and the locals doing what they do of an evening in Paleros. It was absolutely lovely... relaxing and refreshing.
What we thought would be a very organised and regimented visit in fact turned out to be a thoroughly relaxing and easy-going week, leaving us feeling happy and perhaps a little reluctant to leave. Everyone we spoke to, without exception said they'd had a terrific time and were able to do exactly what they wanted, when they wanted in an unhurried, safe and uncomplicated environment.
What were the not-so-good bits? Very few, I must admit. If I really had to pick fault it would be that many of the guests were doing what parts of the Mediterranean is famous for – laying claim to their sunbeds at the pool at some ungodly hour and then not using them for hours at a time. Some other guests shared our feelings and suggested that perhaps a ticketing system be introduced that could help reduce the problem. We went to one of the pools at lunchtime, to find every sunbed strewn with towels and books, but only four people there! I agree, the situation is totally brought on by the guests themselves and shouldn't reflect on the Resort staff, who were without exception absolutely brilliant throughout. They did everything they possibly could to make everyone's visit memorable and fun. I can't commend them enough. Another point worth mentioning could perhaps be the buoyancy vests used when sailing. These vests are great quality vests and very easy to use. However, they are in use all day every day by lots and lots of different people. We couldn't help but notice that the aroma around the rack on which they were stored was a little less-than-fresh, and when putting on a particularly fruity one, it was almost nauseating. Not for the squeamish!
Sunsail's Club Vounaki offers a spectacular setting, excellent food, friendly and professional staff and an easy-going atmosphere that can be so hard to find in a holiday like this.
Nigel Crawford
July 2008
What's Included in your Sunsail Clubs Holiday?
 Flights & Transfers to your Club - Ask about regional flights and private transfers
World-class accommodation
FREE Kid’s Clubs (2-17yrs) and Minnows Baby Club for 4mths-2yrs (£230 per child, per wk)
Appetising half board meal plan (full board for under 12yrs)
FREE watersports: dinghy sailing, catamarans, windsurfing and canoeing
FREE sailing tuition to RYA 'Start Sailing' with our daily clinics
FREE tennis, mountain biking, and fitness studio
FREE Evening Childcare on inclusive meal nights
FREE Yacht sailing*
*if you want to pre-book your yacht, there is a fee for registration. Otherwise, just turn up and put your name in the ballot for the boats free of charge.
In addition to this there are many optional activities such as:
RYA Sailing and Windsurfing tuition
Swimming lessons
Water-skiing and Wakeboarding
Tranquil spa facilities
For more information or to book a Sunsail holiday, take a look at the SunSail Vounaki Website
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