Paradise Apartments Reviews

Whoever named these apartments certainly had a sense of humour...paradise it ain't! Don't take any notice of the Olympic hols write up stating it's in a quiet area,there are rooms all around and one directly in front that has music blaring out from 8.30 every morning.We have done lots of happy holidays in Greece and nearly always stayed in 2 or 3 star studios or apartments so we weren't expecting the ritz,however when you pay £800 for a holiday you would expect your bin beside the toilet to be cleaned every day....not here,we were lucky if it was every 2 days, and for the rooms to be cleaned more than once a week and then it was so badly done you could hardly tell it had been done.The rooms were cleaned once a week and one change of towels,we had 2 small towels and 1 tiny towel that were so threadbare you could see through them,we heard from one guest that she had asked the owner for more towels and he said "You get what you get".The owner Dennis seemed very nice,until you wanted something!He was very rude to some of the other guests and we just thought "lets just get on with this holiday and get it over with" We even hired car so we didn't have to stick around there for long.Other guests had already asked if they could move they told us, the rep said there was nothing left in the resort to go to.I would never recommend these rooms to anyone,please do not go there! Having said all that about the apartments/studios I would recommend Skala,the locals are as always wonderful and friendly,the beach is never full and the restaurants are varied.

Don't expect a great view from your room at the Paradise..our room was number 2 and it was ground floor. Our ";patio"; doors opened up onto the owners drive and quite often there was a car parked up agains the doors in the morning. Our view was of a building site opposite where apartments were being refurbished. Having said that, this did not detract anything from our enjoyment of our holiday.

The rooms were kept very clean, fresh towels every 3-4 days. Cleaner was rather abrupt as was the owner but not a problem over all. No airconditioning but fans available to rent for 10 euros per week, and as the building was in the shade most of the day this was quite adequate. Nice touch with this place was a free magazine/book swap area in the ";reception";. Help yourself to whatever has been left but remember to leave things for others to borrow. We left soap powder and beachmats, I hope they were still there for people to borrow!

Enough about the apartments...Skala is lovely, very relaxed when we arrived (3rd week in July) but was noticable busier in the last week. Watch out for the charges for using sun beds around the pools if you aren't a resident. Eating out is cheap, lots of great eating places. You could easily eat at a differend place every night for 14 nights (if you wanted to).

Best bits? watching films in the open air at two of the pool bars in Skala. Films start at 10pm...no charge to watch but they do expect you to have a drink. Films show whilst we were there included Captian Corelli's Mandolin, Finding Nemo, Spiderman 2, Van Hellsing....(list goes on!)

We rented a car, the roads are better than I expected. We also went on the tour of Kefalonia which was very good.

Tip for the day? Don't buy fags or booze to take home until you get to the airport (that is if you have day time return flights)..both are cheaper at the airport than the supermarkets and the ribola winery!!

Would we go back again? Yes..but in June, not during school holidays. Kefalonia is a chilled place and I am looking forward to going back 2006 when my youngest son leaves the confinment of term times!

Must sees? The loggerheaded turtles as the swim under the bridge in Argostoli...best time to see them? 11.30am when the fishing boats ditch the guts from the fish they have caught. Also try and visit Assos and Myrtos Beach.

Overall..this was our first visit to Kefalonia and we would go back and stay at the same resort and same apartments.

p.s. take flip flops - the beach is stoney.