We're going to Kalamaki on 12th June for a week and staying at the hotel you're on about, so I'll post back if what you've heard is true.

We usually wear ear plugs to block out each other's snoring (especially on holiday, as we are both prone to it after a few drinks :cheers) but if there is a problem we'll hear it while we're getting ready for bed or when we get up, and I'll let you know.

Ear plugs are a good idea if sleeping is going to be a problem. Have not stayed in Kalamaki, but the problem of barking dogs is a common one in the more rural areas as were were, not far from Kalamaki. There were comments in the visitors book about barking dogs, but even though I am a light sleeper they didn't bother me if we shut the shutters and doors, and if it was hot, put the AC on. What kept me awake were the rats on the roof and' as we were in a forest, the birds. Worth it though.

In Thassos one year we were in a new building, all marble, and you could literally her people snoring from all directions, never mind unpacking, talking and worse!!!!! Earplugs were the answer there!

tosca100 wrote:

What kept me awake were the rats on the roof

I'd have been packing my bags OMG - shudder!

Glynis HT Admin wrote:

tosca100 wrote:

What kept me awake were the rats on the roof

I'd have been packing my bags OMG - shudder!

Animal lover though I am, when we found out rats were in the roof it gave me the heeby-geebies. But they had a routine of leaving about 9ish to make for the bins on the road, so we put up with them rather than have them poisoned and rotting. (Sorry, a bit graphic!) We told the chap looking after the place as we left.

Hi, we returned from Kalamaki yesterday.

When we were walking back to the hotel after a few drinks in town at night, on one or two of the seven nights we could hear a dog barking at a hotel opposite, but once we were in the hotel and in our room we didn't hear it. We were in 306 which faces the mountains, with the sea to your right. We had aircon so we kept the patio door shut all night, and didn't hear a thing - we just needed the ear plugs for the snoring

Before we went I e-mailed the hotel to request a double room, and got a reply that they would do this if possible. When we arrived we had a comfortable king size bed and a week of the best sleep we've ever had on holiday. I would recommend e-mailing the hotel and asking for a room away from the entrance of the hotel or the side facing the main road if you're still concerned about the barking dog, they seem keen to meet any requests if they can and do anything to help you enjoy your stay

Thank you for the information. I'll e mail the hotel a couple of weeks before we go. Did you have a good holiday?

Hi Helen_gemini. Have you written a review? I'd love to read it. Hope you had a lovely holiday as we're headed there in a few weeks.

Helen T wrote:

Thank you for the information. I'll e mail the hotel a couple of weeks before we go. Did you have a good holiday?

You're welcome. Our room was on the top floor so I'd probably say also to ask for a room higher up if possible, so you are as far away from any noise as you can be. As long as you ask they will try to accommodate you, or that's how we were made to feel. There is a sign when you're heading to the rooms asking people to be quiet after midnight so anyone being noisy on their way back to their room would be asked to be quiet. Fantastic holiday, gutted to only go for a week but my friend is going to Wimbledon later this week, and her boyfriend could only get 1 week off work.

shirley h wrote:

Hi Helen_gemini. Have you written a review? I'd love to read it. Hope you had a lovely holiday as we're headed there in a few weeks.

Not written a proper review yet, will get one done in the next couple of days and I'll let you know. It's a really good hotel, you're mid way between the beach and the main road, the staff are all friendly and welcoming (which shows they are looked after as employees). Very helpful when I asked for a double room, and the bed was the most comfortable we've had on holiday. It's made clear that if there's anything they can do to make your stay any better, let them know and they will try to help.

3.30 euro for a cocktail at the hotel bar (massive and most of them in a pint glass), 4 to 5 euro for a spirit and mixer and 2.80 for a pint of Mythos in the hotel bar. This is not a lot more than in the bars in town, which is unusual for anywhere we've been before. On our last night the bar man came over and apologised for not coming over for a chat on previous nights because he was so busy when we came back for a night cap, and gave us a free shot of sambuca each.

Never struggled to find a sun lounger even at lunchtime, though this would probably be different in July or August.

All I would say on the downside is that unless you've booked direct you have to pay for air conditioning (50 euro for a week), safe (30 euro for a week) and fridge (think that was 30 euro for the week but not 100% sure as we didn't have one). At least if you know about that before you go, you can budget for it.

Thanks for that, I'l be looking forward to reading your review - we're getting excited now

Thanks Helen. Really looking forward- By the time we'll pay for the fridge, safe and air conditioning for a fortnight that's 220 euros Hubby's just done a double take but when I priced up the holiday I did budget for it as it still worked out cheaper this way than it would have done by going diy.

Don't really fancy paying 60 euros for a fridge- what if you don't want it, will they have to come and take it out of the room?

shirley h wrote:

Thanks Helen. Really looking forward- By the time we'll pay for the fridge, safe and air conditioning for a fortnight that's 220 euros Hubby's just done a double take but when I priced up the holiday I did budget for it as it still worked out cheaper this way than it would have done by going diy.

Don't really fancy paying 60 euros for a fridge- what if you don't want it, will they have to come and take it out of the room?

I don't think the costs were double the costs of 1 week for if you wanted them for 2 weeks, they were slightly less on the leaflet we had in our room with hotel info but can't remember exact amounts. Can't find how much online, but if you go to the hotel website http://www.venushotel.gr/ and email and ask for the prices for 2 weeks, they are quite quick getting back to you.

The fridge had a lock on it, so I suppose if you pay for it you get the key.

Thanks again Helen. I did e mail them before booking for a diy price and they sent back all the pricing info but for some reason I haven't kept the e-mail. I will be e-mailing them again before we go, requesting rooms so I'll enquire about prices for the fridge and air conditioning then.
Cheers

Just had a pm from somebody on TA that has just returned from the apts we are booked into, saying that it was 135euros for the fortnight for air conditioning and the safe , which is not too bad at all 7euros on the beach for sunbeds and brolly, the prices she quoted for drinks are about the same as when we were in Rhodes in 2008 2.5 euro for a large mythos and between 3 and 3.5 euro for cocktails .

That's not too bad llindy - I have e mailed them tonight to ask for prices, as it might be more expensive, because we're peak weeks.

so are we Helen , we arrive 11/08 ........... we dont normally have air conditioning as in the past the noise has kept me awake , plus we are not in the room long enough to use it ..............its like being in a car with the air conditioning on you cant have the windows open to feel the full effect so so why pay for something we are probably not going to use ...but we will make that decision once there .

were are you staying Llindy? looks like a few of us there at the same time, if any of you see me say hello ill be quite easy to spot, there'll be me, hubby and my 18 yr old son who has downs syndrome, so just shout mandy and im sure ill spot ya

Shirley & I are there from 4th - 18th August Can't wait, especially seeing the beautiful sunshine outside.

4th -18th august for me too, just found out this week i need to have my gallbladder removed tho so im hoping it gets done before we go

Lancslass we are staying at the Antonis apts , never been to zante before and looking forward to it we will be there from 11-25 august, will definately say hello if we see you and yopur family out and about