Further Information

Booking Your Villa

Please read the following guidelines as well as our Booking Terms & Conditions. Before making a booking, we recommend that guests read these notes to help choose the villa most appropriate to their personal requirements, tastes and expectations. We also recommend that other party members read them to prevent any misapprehensions any party members may have regarding our holidays.

When to Travel

There are no hard and fast rules with regard to the weather and sea conditions. An Indian summer in October can be hotter than a cool August. Please do look online http://www.holiday-weather.com or ask us for guidelines.

Guests travelling in early season will find their villa freshly prepared, villa gardens lush, green and colourful, the countryside at its best, locals refreshed after the winter break and pleased to see you – and no crowds.

The high season usually brings with it the best weather, a lively ambience and everywhere open for business. However, high summer usually means more intense heat, which can result in faded gardens, more insects, water restrictions, busy locals and crowded restaurants and beaches. The late season has an atmosphere of its own, with the sea still pleasantly warm, lack of crowds and the temperatures ideal for walking.

During the early season, some shops and facilities at the resorts may not be open for business. Bars and restaurants may be closed, and some of the shops may open and close earlier.

Greek Public Holidays 2013

Before booking your holiday, please remember that many public holidays, particularly those coinciding with arrival/departure days, may cause some disruption. In addition, shops and restaurants may be closed.

The main public holidays are January 1 and 6 (Epiphany), March 25 (Independence Day), May 3 (Orthodox Good Friday), May 6 (Orthodox Easter Monday), May 1 (Labour Day), June 23 (Pentecost), June 24 (Day of the Holy Spirit), August 15 (Assumption), October 28 (Ochi Day), December 25 and 26 (Christmas). Please note that every town has one or two local holidays of its own, usually the feast of the local saint. e.g. August 11, St Spiridon Saints Day in Corfu only. 

Weddings & Special Celebrations

A selection of our villas and hotels are perfect venues for a wedding celebration or event. Please ask for details of wedding planners and event organisers before confirming your booking. 

Ambience and Style

Our villas belong either to Greeks or foreigners who have realised their dream of owning a house in Greece. Greek owners also use the most up-to-date materials and furnishings in their villas and older houses are being modernised by the younger generation. Foreign - owned villas usually display traditional Greek touches that give a house its unique atmosphere, combined with the highest level of comfort, fixtures and fittings we are used to finding at home. Position is always a priority and almost without exception, our villas have superb views. Comfort too is a major consideration – there is always a sitting or living room, balconies and terraces are fully equipped for outdoor living. Sometimes facilities are sometimes not quite what we expect or are used to and we ask that guests should respect owners’ wishes to keep their property very much in their own style and tradition. Owners usually leave most of their personal possessions for the enjoyment of their guests but please do not try to open any locked cupboards. 

Babysitting

All requests will be made to our local office but cannot be confirmed before departure. Babysitters sometimes need to be collected and returned at the end of the evening and are not trained nannies. On meeting their babysitter, guests must also satisfy themselves that they are happy to leave their child in their care. Babysitting is not normally available in the afternoons. There is no nanny available in Greece.

CV Travel offers this facility purely as a service to our clients and cannot accept responsibility or guarantee the arrangements are satisfactory. A disclaimer has to be completed and returned to the UK office prior to travel, or in resort where applicable.

As with all staff, babysitters can become unavailable at short notice. If a booking is conditional upon a babysitter being provided, we recommend clients make their own arrangements. Some properties have self-contained accommodation or detached cottages where staff can be accommodated.

Tenancy times

According to our agreements with our owners, our properties cannot be occupied before or be vacated later than the following times to allow the house to be cleaned and thoroughly prepared for your arrival, unless agreed in writing on booking:

These times must also be respected by guests taking a two centre holiday, those who are not arriving on our Monday Gatwick flight to Corfu, and those with independent travel arrangements. If clients do arrive or depart earlier than times above, our local staff may be able to assist with suggesting suitable restaurant / bar to stop before arriving at the property.

Bathroom Plumbing

The plumbing in Greece is not always of the same standard found in UK and other European countries. The pipes are usually narrower, especially in the older properties and are not designed for any items to be flushed down the toilet, including toilet paper. It is usual practice in Greece to put these items in the bin provided, which will be regularly emptied by the maid. Failure to do so could lead to inconvenience and possible charges for calling someone out to deal with blockages. 

Maids

The number of hours and days that maids work includes the rental termination day. Minimum duties include cleaning the kitchen, bathrooms and living and dining areas, though not always making beds! The maids have often been with the villa owners for many years and are vital to the smooth running of the property, therefore owners greatly appreciate our clients looking after your maid as you would at home. Staff do not work on public holidays or Saints’ Days and extra hours will not be worked in lieu. Most maids will work extra hours and this can be arranged and paid for locally.   

CV Travel Contact & Representation Abroad

We advise guests who are accustomed to the services of a local Representative to check the relevant Villa Information to see what Representation Services are available before making their final villa choice. 

Meganissi: Our part-time representative will telephone guests on arrival and will be available to visit theier villa by appointment during their stay should they request this service, and be available by phone for the rest of the stay.

Lefkada: Our part-time representative will meet guests on arrival, visit their villa by appointment on either the first or second day, and be available by phone for the rest of the stay. Our office in Nidri welcomes guests during office hours that require assistance and advice. Alternatively, guests can telephone to receive advice and assistance. Signals for mobile phones can be inconsistent on Lefkada, and therefore it is helpful if guests leave their numbers with our local staff on arrival. Emergency telephone numbers are available in the Villa Information Books.

Kefalonia: Our part-time representative will meet guests on arrival, visit their villa by appointment on either the first or second day, and be available by phone for the rest of their stay. Signals for mobile phones can be inconsistent on Kefalonia, therefore it would be helpful if guests leave their numbers with our local staff on arrival. Emergency telephone numbers are available in the Villa Information Books found in the villa.

Paxos: Our part-time representative will meet guests on arrival, visit them by appointment on either the first or second day and be available by phone for the rest of their stay. Our office in Gaios welcomes guests during office hours that require advice or assistance. Signals for mobile phones can be inconsistent on Paxos, and therefore it would be helpful if guests leave their numbers with our local staff on arrival. Emergency telephone numbers are available in the Villa Information Books.

Corfu: A member of our team of airport representatives will meet guests on arrival. A resort representative will then visit them on either the first or second day and from time to time during their holiday. Our Kassiopi office welcomes guests during office hours that require advice or assistance. Many villas have telephones and guests are requested to leave their mobile telephone numbers with our Kassiopi office, should the need to contact them be necessary. Emergency telephone numbers are available in the Villa Information Books found in the villa.

Crete, Mykonos, The Peloponnese and Private Collection: Our properties in Crete & Myknonos and in our Private Collection are Owner Managed. The owner or private house manager lives on-site or nearby and is there to assist our guests during their holiday.

 NOTE: For all islands, in the unlikely event that an issue arises that cannot be resolved locally, guests should then telephone our UK office (a duty officer is available out of office hours) and we will do our utmost to address the situation to the clients’ satisfaction. Failure to contact CV Travel by the appropriate channels, can also affect rights of redress.  Telephone numbers for our local offices, representation on all islands and at airports will be enclosed with your travel documentation.

Driving to Greece

The journey from the UK takes approximately 2/3 days. It is almost entirely by motorway to the Italian ports of Venice, Ancona, Brindisi,or Bari for onward connection by ferry to Corfu, Paxos, the other Ionian islands and Patras on the mainland for the onward journey to the Aegean Islands. A car/rail service runs between  French ports and Milan for those who do not wish to drive the whole distance. Please ask for a quotation for details of ferry services between Italy and Greece. Local ferry timetables are not usually available until April.

Access to villas:– access to properties varies. Some have well maintained drives leading from surfaced roads. Others may have very long, rough tracks making them totally unsuitable for some cars, particularly after bad weather. Please ask for advice as this is an important consideration when hiring a car, or if you plan to drive using your own car, particularly luxury cars with low clearance.

Please check with your insurance company/motoring organisation that you have all the correct documentation for driving on the continent. 

Pool Towels

Most houses now have our CV Travel monogrammed pool/beach towels and a fresh supply of pool towels will be provided on arrival (one per person).  These are changed on a weekly basis.

Weather & Local Geology

Greece enjoys hot, clear, bright summer days, cooled by afternoon winds, particularly the ‘meltemi’, which is characteristic of the Aegean. Winters can be cold but it begins to feel like the spring as early as February in Crete, when the first wild flowers appear. As June approaches, the sea warms up and fireflies appear, while in September and October olive harvesting starts and in May and October the fuschia coloured wild cyclamens appear. Due to its more westerly position and its extensive mountain range, Corfu and its tiny neighbour, Paxos get a lot of rain in the winter and to a large extent retain their lush green vegetation throughout the heat of the summer giving them a distinctly sub-tropical feel. From May onwards, the weather is glorious with late July/August being the hottest time. However, there is always a cool breeze, especially in the northern part of Corfu during the afternoon making it an ideal area for windsurfing and sailing. Weather patterns have been unpredictable in recent years, although September normally enjoys warm, clear days and October for years now seems to have experienced a dramatic seasonal change, remaining relatively warm quite often until December. Minor ground tremors can be felt throughout Greece from time to time. There was an earthquake in Kefalonia and Lefkada in 1953, and its impact on some of the local buildings can be seen when travelling around these islands.

Books and Other Literature

Your visit will of course be greatly enhanced by some background reading on the country you may be visiting.

Waterstones                         www.waterstones.com

Daunt Books                         + 44 (0) 020 7224 2295  or www.dauntbooks.co.uk

Stanford’s Mail-order            +44 (0)20 7836 1321 or www.stanfords.co.uk

The Anglo-Hellenic Review  +44 (0)20 7267 3877 or www.anglohellenicleague.org/review

Maps

Detailed maps of all Islands are available from all specialist and good bookshops. Please ask your Travel Expert if you would like assistance in sourcing one. 

Useful Links and Contacts

Greek Islands Reservations                             +44 (0)20 7401 1026

CV Travel Pre Departure Services                     +44 (0)20 7401 1022

Royal Yachting Association                             +44 (0)2380 604100

Age UK Insurance Services                              0845 600 3348

Foreign & Commonwealth Office Travel Advice   www.fco.gov.uk