Thanks Azlar, basic stuff then?

Just thought Gobest might have been providing more information than FC during booking!

Thanks for you time

I always thought that a jacket was something light and a coat something heavy. You do need something light to wear up until June 10th. The hotel is located on the north side of the island which makes it susseptible to the north winds which are the prevailing winds during the summer. The hotel is also more exposed to the winds because of its location. Left and right there are mountains from the neighbouring islands and Turkey, that shelters the wind, but straight ahead there are non, just the sea. (By the way this makes for spectacular scenery). Personlly, I would rather bring something light and not need it, than not bring it all all. You can always carry this light jacket on the plane with you so as to not take up luggage space.

You are going to have to forgive me for the next bit of philosophy, but being Greek we can not help it. It has been in our blood since ancient times. :-) I notice that people are becoming stressed out as to whether or not the hotel will be open on time. Early in the year there are hotels and flights to be had somewhere. So you are going to go on a vacation, somewhere. Being good parents you want your kids to have a good time, and many of your kids will be disapointed. But is this not a good time to teach kids that in life there will be many disapointments, and when you reach such a bump, you deal with it positively, and try to make the best out of the situation? Being stressed out about it will not change your situation.

(You are going to have to forgive me for the next bit of philosophy but being Greek we can not help it.):-
Your forgiven, but please don`t under estimate us Brits, there should be sun, there`s a bar, there`s a pool, there`s a tv (world cup) and there`s food, sp55 we will just have to suffer in silence eh!!!

Adapt and overcome.!!!

Being stressed will not change the situation sp55, but when you have shown the kids the FC brochure and they are expecting this lovely hotel with all the exciting amenities it is disheartening for them to come down with a bump.
It is disheartening and stressfull for the parents that have booked it as well saving their hard earned money all year,spending £3500.
You do expect the hotel to be complete and up and running smoothly with no hicups.
If i was opening a brand new hotel i would aim to have it completed a couple of months before the first guests arrive, so that any problems that arise can be sorted before the guests arrive.

You obviously haven't got any children then sp55, either that or you don't care. You take the time to show us all photos of our next holiday, then expect it all to be a lesson in how to bring up children. A very expensive one at that! Well done. Not expecting a reply till early hours, cus you're obviously working hard when we're all asleep.

Firstly, a massive thanks to everyone who's posted so far so I knew what a sorry state of affairs the building progression was in! I am due to travel on May 27th with my family, so am now wishing I'd not booked this holiday!

I phones First choice Customer Services this morning (58 minutes in a queue - good customer service!) and I finally spoke to a very helpful gentleman called Steve who advised me that the building work had been delayed due to the weather. He then put me on hold and went to check with the relevant people what the current update was regarding the hotel's opening. He stated that it had been confirmed by the builders that the hotel will definitely be fully ready and operational for opening 24th May 2006 and that everything in the brochure would be fully operational by this date (with the exception of the horse riding which has already been notified and is not an issue).

I have subsequently sent customer services an email asking them to confirm all of this in writing to me, stating that I am not prepared to spend 1 week somewhere that still looks like a building site, is unsafe and does not offer all of the facilities in the brochure. I have asked that if they cannot guarantee this, they give me a full refund.

I will let you know as soon as I receive a response from them!

Debbie

GOD, grant me the serenity

to accept the things
I cannot change,
Courage to change the

things I can, and the
wisdom to know the difference.

That was the point I was trying to make. Being stressed out about the hotel no being ready, will just make you sick and miserable. It will not make the hotel go up faster. And it will not stop your kid from being disapointed. I hope it does not happen, but if you do get a letter from First Choice saying the hotel will not be ready. You then have two options. You can sit and mope around with your kids. Or you can sympathize with them and say like "that is o.k. do not worry, we will find another hotel and still have a great time" . That is what I ment about teaching kids to deal with disapointment. Because if you truly want your kids to be happy in life, they are going to have to learn to deal with disapointment.

If there is anything you can do to change the situation, do it. But try to do it stress free.

That is my philosophy. Some people will agree with it, others won't. If you do not agree with me that is your right. I just do not believe that stress accomplishes anything, that what my point.

24 days till KABC opens (dutch guests first) surely if it was going to be delayed again those going then or 24th May would have been told by now! so im feeling positive again

Well said sp55, Greeks are more relaxed than us Brits (probably why you live longer), so its probably a good philosophy.
Unfortunately for everyone going on the 24th disaster tends to follow me on holiday . So for me this little diversion is no surprise, I'm not stressed but certainly p***ed off.
The worst thing is when you get there and it's not all it's cracked up to be, I had to get moved twice last year, don't fancy going through that again with 4 kids.

River

just thought i'd let u know eclipse direct just allowed me to make a dummy booking (time: 1315 hours) for 2 August 2006, which is when I actually go. So it looks as if they are selling the KABC again for this year.

However! : ! I am not a happy bunny - the same holiday is now nearly £200 cheaper than when I booked it on 1 January 06.

A little while a go it was about £1500 dearer, what is going on? ?

God, can you give me the £180 its going to cost me to change the things i cannot accept then please?

Yes i agree the Greeks may be more relaxed than us Brits(thats probably why KABC is a little behind schedule with building work) It wouldn't make me feel any less stressed if i said in a calm way "never mind children theres plenty more hotels out there". They would still be disheartened that they was not staying at the hotel i had shown them pictures of.I would feel as if i had mislead them and let them down because if i had to change my holiday a few weeks before i was due to go , i am sure all the best ones would be booked up.
So i am looking on the bright side and if KABC is not opened or not what the brochures say then i have the right to get stressed.

Sorry, I did not mean to apear insensitive. What I should had written was although you have every right to be upset and stressed out try to not let it get to you.

I agree with SP55 and I am doing something about it, but have to admit I am getting stressed in the process!

We all know that in most European countries, time means absolutely nothing - things get done when people are ready to do them, and it's never very fast! Even in Euro Disney, the concept of fast food should be changed to slow food! So First Choice should have ensured that enough time was given to complete these hotels to "European timescales". However, they're running a business and therefore not surprisingly, want to have paying guests in as soon as the hotel is ready. Hence the problems now with the delay.

It took me over 2 weeks of looking to finally find somewhere I would be happy to go on holiday in Europe, and really did like the sound of what was on offer at KABC. I really do still want to go but only if First Choice can guarantee me that everything will be complete, as I have posted below. If they cannot guarantee it or the hotel won't be ready, fine, they can just give me my money back and I'll book a flight over to Florida which is where we normally go and where I'm now wishing I'd have stuck to! I absolutely refuse to go somewhere that has problems to have to video / photograph / write a journal so I can complain when I get back. My holiday time is too precious to me and I refuse to waste it.

Look on the bright side, without the internet (in the bad old days) we would have been oblivious to these problems and either turned up and been on a building site & had an awful time or we'd have had a wonderful time and thought everything was great! At least with these forums it gives us chance to gain important information and be able to use it to take action with First Choice prior to departure.

Piggypacker, that's a coincidence, you brother in law was born the same day and year as myself, and travelling to the same destination, from the same airport, OK a bit later but still..... with any luck we'll get there...

I'm the 'hubby' of a 24ther,

If god is giving things away can I have my normal unstressed 'wifey' back?

woody7

I wouldn't hold your breath to getting a reply by email. I have tried over 7 times now and have stated that I have sent the same email 7 times.

On the last occasion I copied Consumer affairs in and they have replied back and agree that it is a cause for concern the lack of response or shall we say NO replies from first choice. They too have written to first choice requesting their comments.

I also sent my balance today, registered mail including again a copy of same said email so will let anyone know if i get any further info?

oooohhhh River i feel a party is in the making!!!!
What time/date you flying?

Hi All

I went in to pay my balance today and just happened to ask if there were any changes to my booking. They at first said no. When I kept on at them they eventually said they would phone customer services. This was taking a long time and I had other things to do. When I came back I asked the verdict and with out any qualms they have agreed to change my booking on the 19th July and waiver the admin charge. So now I am left with the job of finding another holiday with the same facilites. Has anyone any ideas