Calm retreat: Napa Plaza, Ayia Napa
hardcore party resorts such as Malia or Faliraki, but it is genuinely friendly and offers great value.” Just a minute’s walk from the
Kavos strip – yet quiet enough to offer respite from a hangover – are Olive Grove Trees Apartments, exclusive to Olympic Holidays with self-catering from £315 in July. Self-catering studios in Kavos
are also a new addition for Cosmos, such as two-star Island Beach Resort (from £349 based on three sharing). Europe’s top party destinations
are featured in Jet2holidays’ new On Tour collection, offering guests the chance to sunbathe by day and party by night in properties such as the three-star Kastro Apartments in Malia, Crete, from only £229 self-catering in May. Cyprus is less renowned for its
nightlife, although Ayia Napa gives most Greek resorts a run for their money. There, Cosmos suggests Napa Plaza hotel, which offers a calm retreat after a hard night’s partying (from £495 B&B).
l BEST FOR...FAMILIES Parents make the most dedicated bargain-hunters for good reason – multiply every ice cream or entrance ticket by four and costs soon mount up, which is why all- inclusive stays are so popular. Some packages include more than others though: Olympic Holidays highlights Lyttos Beach Hotel in Crete whose 150- acre grounds has four pools, water slides, 12 tennis courts, mini football pitch, basketball and an animation team leading
daily activities – plus access to a sandy beach (from £3,069 ex-Manchester for four sharing a family room in the summer). Three-star Corfu Panorama
in Sidari also boasts all-day entertainment plus a splash pool, playground and a minibus around its grounds for when tired little legs can’t go any further. A week’s all-inclusive starts from £1,289 for a family of three departing May 23, with Airtours.
School-age kids, meanwhile, will thrive at Marelen Hotel in Kalamaki, Zante, with its free all-day entertainment and kids’ club for ages three to 11 (from £1,135 B&B for three departing May 26, also Airtours). Families who want time with each other minus the distractions of everyday life might prefer the freedom of a villa, many of which boast private pools or extra space to run around. CV Villas’ biggest range of properties is in Corfu, with half-price rental on selected villas in May including Villa Lithari near Kassiopi (now £895 based on six sharing). Plus its product team can recommend excursions that won’t break the bank, including Corfu Town’s Museum of Asian Arts (€3), a drive through mountain villages Old Perithia or Gastouri, or a walk along its scenic coastal paths.
When it comes to free activities,
Sea for free: Larnaca offers low-cost activities
Larnaca in Cyprus is hard to beat, with free twice-
weekly cultural walks, six museums and local landmarks,
such as St Lazarus Church and Larnaca Castle to keep visitors amused. Four-star Palm Beach Hotel & Bungalows, which has upgraded its kids’ facilities and
runs clubs for kids aged four to 12, starts at £550 with Jet2holidays based on three sharing and including breakfast from May 25. Having also undergone recent
refurbishment, Akti Beach Village Resort in Coral Bay, Paphos, combines great sunset views with studios sleeping up to four and apartments up to five. It is featured by Planet Holidays, alongside three-star Cavo Maris
56 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 1 May 2014
TOP TIP
Larger islands such as Crete,
Corfu and Rhodes have bigger bed stocks so can offer better value
PICTURES: JET2HOLIDAYS; ISLANDS OF GREECE; CV VILLAS
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76