It was well into twilight when we walked past the windows of the crammed-full departure lounge of Preveza airport.
Though there were mutterings of discontent in our own ranks, the looks on the faces of the homeward-bound crowd suddenly made us realise that we were in fact the lucky ones and we were promptly clicked back into holiday mode. The delayed flight was a mere blip in the grand scheme of things.
We know from experience that rarely does any holiday pass without some sort of a hitch, but luckily on this occasion the only one worth worrying about was the delay experienced at Gatwick as a result of a delayed and broken inbound aircraft. All credit to Thomson Airways though, they did arrange a replacement aircraft very quickly and ensured we were on our way post-haste. They made up loads of time during the flight, so the end result wasn't too disastrous after all.
It's been a couple of years since we visited Sunsail's Vounaki Resort and after our brilliant first experience, the second was a long looked forward to event.
Sunsail's welcome at the airport was second to none and no time was wasted getting everyone onto their respective coaches, en route to the resort, and guided to their rooms to settle in. All the staff, regardless of their discipline, were friendly, chatty, courteous and a real pleasure to be around. It's as though they're all part of a family.
Vounaki works a cash-free system for the duration of the stay, where charge cards are issued to everyone on arrival. They are really convenient, as the cards are made from waterproof plastic, so can survive any dunking they may incur during goings-on or in the water. The downside relates to the nasty bite that can be inflicted by the checking-out bill on departure day. We were quite taken aback by the amount of drinks, snacks, ice creams and other such indulgences we'd managed to consume in such a short time. Quite frightening really! Judging by the looks on the faces of those who had several card-wielding children with them, a careful overview of the way they are used is more than a good idea if premature poverty is to be evaded.
One good touch with the half-board arrangement is that on two of the days the inclusive meal is provided at lunchtime instead of evening so that time is freed up to visit the local village of Paleros, with its quaint and charming beach-front restaurants and bars. The local Greek meals are delightful, except perhaps for a 'Greek Pizza' which we ordered at one of the newer restaurants. We jokingly referred to it thereafter as the deep-fried omelette pizza. Not for the culinary faint-hearted!
ActivitiesAs we found on our previous visit, the range of different activities is truly impressive. Virtually every on-water activity, including dinghy sailing, windsurfing, waterskiing, paddleboarding and ringo-riding is immediately available on the beach front. The beach staff are fantastic, pre-rigging every boat, helping those who need it for getting going or coming back in. On the quieter days, when the wind wasn't blowing as strongly as others, the whole bay becomes a social area with people chatting boat-to-boat while they await the next zephyr. One passing sailor exchanged pleasantries with us and asked how we were enjoying everything. He repeated our response, but added just at the end 'but I don't really have a clue what I'm supposed to be doing here!' However, his approach back to the beach seemed smooth enough, so the beach staff must have done a good job of his instruction.
It's hard to put a finger to what is so special about Vounaki, but it certainly has something. Those used to some of the more cosmopolitan resorts may find it a little subdued, or even quiet. This should under no circumstances be construed as a negative though. The resort, though incredibly informal has an air of 'class' about it. Silly things like remarking about the fact that not one person seemed to have succumbed to the dreaded sunburn, no-one appeared to over-indulge and yet everyone was in wonderfully high spirits throughout is testament to the civility and, dare I say such a thing, 'niceness' of the place. Vounaki is a beautifully grown-up resort that's a pleasure to be part of from dawn to bedtime. Every child and teenager seemed to have beaming smiles the whole time, so something was right for them too. This was definitely the case for Henry, Giles and Charlie, as it was for Chloe, Felicity and Imogen. We didn't come across any Chardonnays, Princesses or Taylors to draw comparison.
The rooms are large, airy and clean and now have the addition of flat-screen televisions with international news programmes available. There is also in-room internet access for those needing to keep in touch with home or work for a small charge. They are cleaned and serviced daily and standards are obviously very high because the room was left immaculately presented on our return each evening. Each has a fridge for keeping the bottled water and fresh fruit and cold and refreshing.
The on-site store, situated down near the marina offers a good selection of fresh and convenience food, together with various beach and sailing accessories - though you can expect to pay a premium for some of the 'home comfort' branded products. Local produce was quite reasonably priced by comparison.
Sunsail offer some of the best Kids Clubs we've ever seen on a holiday, and these are all included in the price apart from children 4 mths to 2 yrs, where an additional charge is payable. We couldn't help but smile when the daily procession of little ones, singing songs and marching to their next adventure passed each day. They really seemed to love it, and the very few who missed Mum a little too much were given extra special treatment. There are even special sailing clubs for the children, where organised use of special 'Taz' dinghies and paddleboards were available for the fully supervised sessions. Older children had a huge choice of activities both on and off the water. The groups are broken down into Minnows (4 mths - 2 yrs), Snappers (2 - 4 yrs), Sea Urchins (5 - 7 yrs), Gybers (8 - 12 yrs) and Beach Team (13 - 17 yrs).
What's Included in your Holiday?•Flights & Transfers to your Club (ask us about regional flights and private transfers)
•World-class accommodation
•FREE Kids' Clubs (2-17yrs) Minnows baby club for 4mths to 2yrs (£240 per child, per wk)
•Appetising half board meal plan (full board for under 13yrs)
•FREE watersports: dinghy sailing, windsurfing
•Yacht sailing
•FREE sailing RYA 'Start Sailing' courses and daily clinics
•All boats and kit rigged & de-rigged for your convenience
•FREE tennis, mountain biking, and fitness studio
Flotilla HolidaysThese are a way for more enthusiastic sailors to spend more time on the water during their holiday. A Flotilla holiday includes a fully equipped cruising yacht and everything you might need for a week afloat. Flotillas give you that little bit more independence whilst at the same time having any help you might need close at hand with the flotilla lead skipper. You can even hire the use of an experienced 'Skipper' for part of, or the whole of your week. Many of our fellow visitors were embarking on a week's flotilla holiday as we were packing up to leave.
For more information on Vounaki and Sunsail Holidays in general, go to www.sunsail.co.uk
Nigel Crawford
July 2010 |
Bluestone Wales
