Help - Olympic Holidays Information (part II)

Olympic Holidays 2005-2006 Holiday Information (Part II)

Animals and insects: In Cyprus and the Greek Islands cats, dogs and other animals are allowed to wander at will and there are many that are not domesticated. Please treat any animals you come across with caution and if you are bitten or scratched consult a doctor immediately.

Another factor that can alarm British visitors to the warmer climates is the number and variety of insects. Ants, mosquitoes, cockroaches, and wasps for instance are prolific, particularly in the more rural areas and little can be done about them, except regular control measures. They do not mean that your accommodation is dirty or unhygienic, although the sight of them may be disturbing if you are not used to seeing them.

Noise and building works: Finally, a word about noise and building works. In this brochure we have tried to give a fair description of each resort which may give you some idea of whether it is noisy or peaceful. Of course, which you prefer will depend upon the sort of holiday you are looking for. You may consider that being in the centre of a busy resort, near to all the shops, bars, discos and other entertainments is your ideal. Alternatively, you may consider such things best avoided and want a peaceful holiday. The choice is yours. Noise is a very subjective matter, for instance if you live in a rural area you are likely to find even the resorts described as quiet in this brochure more noisy than you might expect. Remember life has to go on for the locals. They often start work as early as 6:30 a.m., and motorcycles are a common and popular means of transport. In the Greek Islands many locals keep dogs or an assortment of other animals which wake up early! Also these are holiday resorts and generally holidaymakers like to stay up late and the local entertainment tends to continue into the early hours and may be in the open air.

More information about the resorts featured in this brochure is available from your ABTA travel agent or from us, but remember check before you book.
It is also a fact of life that even the most idyllic resorts are also working towns/villages for the inhabitants and building works will occasionally be taking place. We have no control over this, but our staff will check regularly for the commencement and progress of any building work near to any of the accommodation featured in this brochure and will keep us updated. If you are concerned about this, please ring us, or ask your ABTA agent before you book your holiday and we will advise you if we know of any building works that might affect the holiday you wish to book. After you have booked if we find out about any building works going on near to your accommodation and which we think will affect the enjoyment of your holiday we will notify you. If we think that such works are likely to seriously affect your holiday, we will give you the opportunity to transfer to another holiday or cancel without penalty.

Our brochure descriptions: The descriptions of resorts and particularly of hotels, apartments etc. in this brochure have been compiled as a result of inspection by our staff, and we have taken all reasonable care to ensure accuracy. In some resorts, however, you may find that if you are holidaying early or late in the season some facilities or services may be closed or unavailable either in your hotel or other accommodation, or in your resort as a whole. Some may also be dependent on the weather or the numbers of guests at the hotel or other accommodation. These things cannot be avoided and are completely outside our control.

Please note that the description 'inland view' in accommodation descriptions simply means that the accommodation faces inland, not that any particular view is available from it.

Brochure misprints/errors: We take all reasonable care to ensure that the descriptions, prices and information in this brochure are correct. Regrettably, occasionally, an error will appear. Please check our Viewdata system or our website (www.olympicholidays.com) for the latest details/corrections. If you cannot access either of these, please contact us and we will tell you of any corrections, affecting the holiday you are interested in, or send your details by post or fax. We regret that we cannot accept any liability for such errors unless you have followed this procedure.

Other hotel guests: Many hotels, especially in cities and major resorts, accommodate conventions and conferences. Also, at certain times of year, some destinations have an influx of groups, such as students, associations or clubs. The hotels that we feature are shared with guests from many countries with different cultures and customs. We have no control over the acceptance of bookings at the hotel we feature other than our own. We are therefore unable to accept responsibility for any limitation of facilities due to such groups or inconveniebce that their activities may cause you, but would be happy to advise which hotels or resorts we think might suit your requirements best.

All inclusive holidays: We wish you to enjoy your all inclusive holiday to the full, and therefore advise you that the following applies to all inclusive holidays: On arrival you may be issued with an identity card or bracelet to be shown when ordering food and drink or using the facilities. If this is lost you may be a charged for a replacement. All hotels reserve the right to refuse to serve alcoholic drinks to guests who, in their judgement, are intoxicated. Further, we and the hotels reserve the right to confiscate identity cards/bracelets from guests who misbehave or abuse the terms of the all inclusive board basis.

Bungalows: Some hotels offer accommodation in 'bungalows'. The term 'bangalow' is interpreted differently in Cyprus and Greece and is used to denote any low-rise building usually separate to the main building. These are rarely stand-alone units and may be more than just one storey high.

Pool / Sea Views: A supplement may be required for sea or pool views at some properties - please check at time of booking. Sea views in particular may sometimes be lateral or partly blocked by trees and vegetation.

Self catering accommodation: For self catering accommodation, usually the brochure description will give you a good idea what to expect, but some further explanation might be helpful:

• All villas, apartments etc. are provided with towels, bed linen, crockery, cutlery, cooking utensils, lighting and hot water unless stated otherwise. Please remember however that while your basic requirements will be provided, not everything you would find in a fully equipped home will be supplied. For instance large bath and beach towels are not usually provided (except in the larger hotels) and we suggest that you take these with you. Kettles are not normally supplied in Greek accommodation, and cooking facilities range from double cooking rings to full ovens. Normally crockery and other utensils will be supplied sufficient only for the number of persons occupying the accommodation. We have tried to specify what is available in each individual accommodation, but if this is particularly important for you, please check before you book.

Studio: This means a bed sitting room style open plan apartment with twin single beds or bed settees, and adjoining or integral basic kitchenette and separate shower/WC.

Kitchenette: Refers to a small kitchen area which may be separated from the living/dining area by a breakfast bar.

Beds: Some of our accommodation for three or four persons involves the use of bunk or folding beds or bed settees as the third/fourth bed. You are deemed to agree to such arrangements. A room or studio for 3 or 4 persons is usually a twin room (or studio for 2) with extra beds. The addition of a third/fourth bed to some accommodation can result in shortage of space and make the accommodation rather cramped.

In our accommodation descriptions we have given the official classification of accommodation (where available). Official classifications vary from country to country, and are based on the general availability of facilities and services at a particular hotel or apartment complex. There are variations within categories. We have tried to reflect these variations in our descriptions and prices.

4 or 5 Bedded Rooms: For great value we have a number of hotels with rooms that will sleep four or more people, great for families! Please note some room types may be at a supplement, and third or subsequent beds may be of the folding type or sofa beds. For a full list of hotels please contact our reservations department.

Exclusively for Adults: We know that many of our clients would prefer to enjoy their holiday exclusively in the company of other adults and away from other people's children. That's why two of our hotels is an 'Adults Only' hotel and a further three hotels offer accommodation in areas specially designated for 'Adults Only'. Please see hotel descriptions for details.

General photographs: General photographs Other than photographs of specific hotel/apartment buildings and rooms there may be general photographs not specific to or descriptive of the resort/accommodation featured on the pages in which they appear.

Nights at resort: Our price tables show the number of weeks for which your hotel or other accommodation is available.

It is an international convention that accommodation is vacated by 12 noon on the day of departure (or the day before departure in the case of early morning flights). In the case of arrival on a night flight your room may have been booked from the previous day to ensure that you have immediate access when you arrive and therefore the night/morning of your arrival will be counted as the first night of your holiday. If departing on a night/early morning flight, where possible a room may be made available for changing and storing hand luggage when you have vacated your room by 12 noon. This is in all cases subject to local availability and a charge may be made. Sometimes managements may be able to allow you to keep your room, but they are entitled to make an additional charge if they wish. Alternatively our local Representatives may be able to arrange temporary accommodation but again there will be a charge. Where half or full board has been booked flight timings may necessitate the loss of one meal. In such cases the holiday price has been reduced to compensate.

Travel within Greece: Some of the holidays in this brochure involve transfers from your arrival airport by hydrofoil or ferry. Transfers by sea will not be accompanied. Hydrofoils are used for short sea crossings and provide a much more comfortable and reliable way to travel than ferries which may, however, be a great way to see something of different islands during your holiday. Both can be affected by sea and weather conditions and there is absolutely nothing that anyone can do about this. The transfer times stated in this brochure assume that everything is working properly and take no account of delays for the variety of reasons that can affect all types of transport. In some cases access for vehicles, particularly coaches, to accommodation is restricted and therefore you may be dropped at the nearest accessible point. You may have to carry your luggage for the last distance in these circumstances. Where there is a transfer between islands by ferry as part of your holiday arrangements, please note that we recommend day flights to permit ferry transfers on the same day where possible. However, ferry sailing times do not always allow this. In such cases you will (if appropriate) be provided with temporary accommodation on the island at which your aircraft arrives until the next ferry sailing. In such cases your stay at your accommodation may be shorter than the full 7 or 14 nights you have booked. No refund will, however, be payable.

Transfers: Please note that in some cases your transfer coach may have to wait for later flight arrivals before departing.

Distances: Where practicable the distances quoted in this brochure have been measured. However where we give distances in terms of walking time, these are on the basis that an average person walks 1 kilometre in 10 minutes. Maps are not to scale and are for general guidance only.

It`s all Greek: We at Olympic love Greece and Cyprus and we think you will too. However, the Greek (which of course includes the Cypriot) people have their own, sometimes idiosyncratic, way of doing things and we thought we ought to tell you about some of them in this brochure:

1. Water, plumbing and drainage: Generally tap water is drinkable throughout Greece and Cyprus, but bottled water is widely available, if preferred. Water is a valuable resource, particularly in the Greek Islands and occasionally water pressure may fall or fail altogether. Relax. You will not be left without water for long. Many properties now rely on solar power for water heating, and therefore on overcast days - hopefully few and far between - or early or late in the day hot water may be in short supply. On Paxos, water is sometimes very scarce and the water supplied may be seawater rather than fresh.
   Plumbing is a little different in Greece (and in parts of Cyprus) from here. Problems can occur, especially in peak season. Do like the locals - and help minimise problems. Observe notices about the disposal of used paper in the bins provided, which will be emptied regularly.
   Showers in the Greek Islands tend to be compact with a hand held shower, and maybe no shower curtain, or even shower tray. Drainage is often through a drainage outlet in the floor and the room will get very wet when the shower is in use. Please be extremely careful when negotiating wet floors.
   
   
2. Electricity: The voltage on Cyprus is 240v from 3 pin sockets, the same as the UK, but in Greece it is 220v. In neither place therefore, is any transformer required, but in Greece the sockets are of the 2 pin continental type so that an adapter will be required. In parts of Greece and the more rural areas of Cyprus, public lighting is scarce and you may wish to take a small torch - especially if you will be staying at one of our more secluded properties.
   
   
3. Safety: While we at Olympic are committed to ensuring your safety while on holiday, please remember that safety and other standards which apply in the resorts and accommodation featured in this brochure are those of the country concerned, and not British standards. Local standards are regrettably normally much lower than British, which are generally among the highest in the world.
   
   
4. Dress: Please also note that in 4 and 5 star hotels in Cyprus (Class A and DeLuxe in Greece) it is generally required that men wear long trousers at least for the evening meal.
   If visiting churches or other religious sites, please respect the tradition by avoiding shorts and wearing sleeved upper garments. To be on the safe side, please check with your representative first.
   
   
5. Accommodation: While Cypriot hotels and apartments are among the best in the Mediterranean, Greek self-catering properties and some in Cyprus - but not the hotels - tend towards the more simple and basic, although we have selected from the best for this brochure. We will always ensure that accommodation is clean and comfortable, but you must be tolerant of the fact that not everything we would regard as standard in Britain will be available in the Greek Islands. Also, during a long busy season, items do get broken, become worn or go missing. If you find this, please do not get annoyed. Relax and report it to your representative who will ensure that it is replaced.
   In self-catering accommodation on the Greek Islands maid service will be provided two or three times a week (depending on area) and linen will be changed mostly twice a week. In Cyprus maid service will be between 3 and 6 times per week and linen will normally be changed twice a week. Since maids are very busy during peak seasons, if you find a pocket of sand or dust that has been missed, please don?t worry. It will be dealt with next time round.
   Air conditioning, where present, may only be switched on during the height of Summer to conserve power. Generally, however, you should not expect air conditioning in Greece except in the higher grade hotels. In Cyprus where air conditioning is much more widely available, a charge may be made locally for it in self-catering accommodation.
   As a general rule, remember that your accommodation is not home. It is a base for your holiday, not the holiday itself. Please also remember that the comfort and quality of your accommodation is related to the price you pay for your holiday. Ultimately you decide what you want in the way of comfort and conveniences by the price you choose to pay for your holiday.
   

Accommodation Allocated on Arrival: We will sometimes offer holidays where the accommodation is allocated on arrival. This means that you leave the choice of accommodation and resort to our resort office or representatives of the specified arrival airport (and, where relevant, island). Therefore, you will not know the names of the resort or the accommodation, or the facilities they have, until you arrive at your destination. We do not guarantee that you will be allocated one of the accommodations or resorts featured in our brochure as we are continuously contracting rooms in other resorts and accommodations not featured in the brochure. We will neither guarantee whether your accommodation will be in a hotel, apart-hotel or apartment complex nor whether it will be a room, a studio or an apartment. Where holidays are for durations longer than 7 nights we will endeavour to ensure that you remain in the accommodation initially allocated to you throughout your stay. However, there is a possibility that you may be moved to another accommodation during your stay. We recommend that if you have specific needs or requirements, or if you wish to ensure that your accommodation or resort has certain features, you book named accommodation and do not choose this type of holiday.

Porterage and tipping: Porterage is not included in the cost of the holidays in this brochure, although it will be available at the better quality hotels. Especially in more secluded areas, our advice would be to travel as lightly as possible!
Tipping is conventional in most countries (provided service is not included in restaurant bills) and 10-15% of the amount of the bill is customary.

The last word: We have tried to select holidays which will give you the flavour of our Olympic destinations. We have also tried to give you information which will help you make the most of your holiday, but there are limits to what can be put into a brochure.

If you have any queries or require any information about your holiday destination, contact:

Cyprus Tourist Office
17 Hanover Street,
London W1R 0AA,
Tel: 020 7569 8800.
http://www.cyprustourism.org

National Tourist Organisation for Greece
4, Conduit Street,
London W1R 0DJ
Tel: 020 7495 9300.
http://www.gnto.gr

Turkish Culture and Tourism Office
170-173 Piccadilly,
London W1J 9EJ
Tel: 020 7629 7771.
http://www.gototurkey.co.uk

Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria
186-188 Queen's Gatw,
London SW7 5HL
Tel: 0870 060 2350.
http://www.bulgarianembassy.org.uk


Abbreviations:

Throughout this brochure we have used various abbreviations. So that you will more easily be able to read them, here is a list of them with their full meanings: BB= Bed &Breakfast; HB= Half Board; FB= Full Board; AI=All Inclusive; IV= Inland View; MV= Mountain View; SV= Sea View; SSV= Side Sea View; FSV= Front Sea View; PV= Pool View; WF= Waterfront; SC= Self Catering; TW= Twin Room; TWSU= Twin Room for Sole Use; STD= Studio; Exec= Executive; GDN= Garden; JNR= Junior; BUNG= Bungalow; SUP= Superior; FAM RM= Family Room; SGL= Single; MB= Main Building; PPPN= Per Person Per Night; AO= Accommodation Only.

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