Paxos. Worth going?

Is the island of Paxos worth visiting? Like most places the answer is very much where you stay and what you like. It is certainly a very beautiful place although it is starting to get very busy, particularly during school holidays, not only with Europeans but Greeks themselves.

We booked via Simpson Travel and I was very impressed with them. I had heard they can be on the more expensive side but I have to say their service and support more than justified any perceived extra cost. For example they operate their own British Airways charter to Corfu and escorted connection via hydrofoil to Paxos.

 My problem was that the flight leaves Heathrow (another bonus) very early which leaves you a while to wait at the Corfu port terminal. I thought I knew better so I changed my flight to the scheduled BA service departing an hour later which although more convenient turned out to be no better (possibly worse) than the charter. BA scheduled economy service is just the same as their charters now with small seats, little legroom and expensive sandwiches which they seem to run out of often before getting to you.

After arriving in Corfu it was literally ‘plain sailing’. Despite arriving one hour after everyone else we were met, put into a taxi and personally escorted to the ferry terminal. Even the sight of the filthy garbage strewn streets of Corfu (I heard it was due to a strike by bin men) did not dampen our mood. I have been told that the resorts have their garbage under control but the main town was an eyesore. The port is huge but the local ferry area was compact and tucked away to the side. They only have one restaurant/café at the terminal and the prices are prohibitive but at least the food was adequate and the Mythos beer excellent!

The ferry is an experience. I was expecting a modern ‘greyhound of the sea’ and got quite a shock when something looking like an old cigar container came alongside the quay. Everyone started shuffling for position and then charged with their luggage to get on board first. I have no idea why as, if you do, your bags are last off on arrival. I expect you get a decent seat, if there is such a seat on it. We clambered on and wondered if it would ever get us there.

I do not know about you but my wife gets sea sick and we were worried. It turned out there was no need as this particular cigar container set off at such a speed that there was little movement once it was up on its aquaplanes. In 55 or so minutes we arrived at Gaios which is the main town and port of Paxos. It is a very pretty looking place but one of contrasts as we were to discover.

We were met and shown to our cars by at least 4 very helpful reps. I walked around the vehicle taking notes of a fair few scratches and scrapes but was told not to worry as they take the car back and ask no questions unless you bash it badly. This car hire company (Alpha) were excellent although, once I tried driving and parking, I could see where the dents had come from.

Maybe this would be the best time to discuss the roads as clearly the towns, villages and countryside were not created with the car in mind. Roads are narrow, some are single track and many of the bends are blind. Parking is a lottery as I soon found out to my cost. You need to have the hide of a rhino or be totally laid back to navigate the main town of Gaios during any time of the day or night. Would I hire a car again? Definitely, although many other ‘brave’ souls didn’t and seemed to walk everywhere in sometimes gruelling heat. I think there are only 3 taxis on the whole island so make sure to make a note of their numbers.

After trying to navigate our way through the busy but small streets of Gaios we eventually got to the other side and off towards our villa located along the south coast road overlooking The Paxos Beach Hotel. Having narrowly avoided a few crashes with cars, lorries, tourists and locals we eventually arrived at our villa…or where the map said it was! It was only when we had stood on the road a while  and eventually looked upwards that we saw it. I should have got the hint when the directions suggested we might like to carry our bags up first as the driveway looked almost vertical to me and the best way to get up was to lighten your vehicle significantly and charge in a low gear with engine screaming.

The villa itself was lovely. Everything on the island is kept reasonably compact but having found a slot to park our haemorrhaging car we went in to explore. The villa is called The Stone House and it shares a small enclave with three other properties. I was a bit concerned about their close proximity but to be honest we need not have been worried as it was peaceful for the whole fortnight. Someone had clearly tended the garden well and it was beautiful (thanks Simon).

We settled in very quickly. The combined lounge/dining room/ kitchen was roomy and mainly cool and the two bedrooms were comfortable and enjoyed efficient air conditioning. Simpsons provided an entirely sufficient welcome pack of food/drink to tide you through to the next day although I did brave the driveway and roads to stock up quickly with wine that evening.

As I inferred, the villa is perched above the coast road (mainly quiet) and visually very pretty with a small pool and lounging area. There was an outside table under an awning alongside the house which protected one from the sun but sadly leaked  when it rained…which it did frequently during our stay. We also enjoyed a large sun umbrella but this had to be requested prior to departure as it is non-standard with this and many others of the Simpson locations nearby. Again this was fine except for when it was windy….which was most afternoons.

All in all we were very pleased with our choice of villa, if not perhaps its location, but again that is down to personal choice. You see Paxos has three main areas built around its towns/villages. Gaios is by far the biggest and busiest. There is a lot going on, lots of folk (tourists and locals) and it gets very busy. The good side is you have plenty of choice and the bad side is that it is hard to relax and unwind. There are plenty of bars and many restaurants but sadly many offer the same kind of food and very little else. I would also suggest that you do not go there when the world Cup is on as we did.  Obviously it is televised everywhere and, to us, kind of shatters and ambiance these places have.

The other two main hubs were in and around the villages of Lakka and Logos. Clearly they are more aimed at the tourist market and, whilst busy have still maintained their charm. Lakka is just how you hope an Ionian village port should look like. Yes it is a bit touristy. And yes visitors probably outnumber locals, but no, it is not tacky or over-spoilt. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants (more later), good boat hire and plenty of surrounding coves and beaches.

Then we went to Loggos. We loved this place although we wished for fewer people around the place. There are better restaurants here and quite a few excellent café’s and bars around the place. Add to that some of the most exquisite beaches and scenery and you should get my gist. This is clearly the choice part of Paxos to be if you are looking for peace, a bit more sophistication, and rustic charm. Go there!

Now for our biggest regret. We did not go over to sister island Anti Paxos which is a little south of Paxos and easily accessible by ferry or private boat. This island seems one big vineyard with two big sandy beaches and very little isolated tourist accommodation. I will explain why we did not go there when I get on to the weather! All the pictures show Anti Paxos as having the two best sandy beaches which is actually quite rare in this region where pebbles prevail. We spoke to people who had been there and they loved it. Both beaches have café/restaurants overlooking them and both are served by ferry from the three ‘ports’ in Paxos. The only other sandy beach that I know of in Paxos is Mongonissi. This beach is man-made, very small and stretches across the front of one of the two local restaurant/bars positioned there. We enjoyed ourselves visiting the area because a) it was close to our villa and b) we enjoyed the food. I didn't go in the water partly because there were lots of yachts with lots of sea toilets....but that's just me!

Let me explain why we did not get to Anti Paxos. It was me again! I struggle to get up at a civilised hour in the morning when on holiday and the best time to visit is the mornings! This is because the wind gets going in the afternoon which makes the waves short and sharp and Judith (my wife) suffers. If you do decide not to be wimps and go the alternative method is boat hire. I wish we had done this as you can cruise around the whole of Paxos in a day finding isolated beaches, coves and dramatic scenery. You just Have to show that you know how to handle a boat and you get something quite fast but not to zippy. If you have the necessary boat-master certificate you can hire something very racy indeed. Plenty of guidance is available and all boats are a) as safe as they can be and b) very well equipped.

Briefly let me address my view of the weather. In June it is nice and hot in the mornings but you can almost guarantee the wind will increase by afternoon and it also becomes quite strong. If I went again in June I would pick a villa in the lee of this nuisance as everything gets blown about and often boat hire gets suspended. We had quite a few thunder storms but mainly at night. All in all I would probably choose September next time as our kids have left school and we do not have to travel in their term holidays any more.

If anyone would like to ask me whether I enjoyed Paxos as much as I expected I would say no. Why? Because me, not the island, was at fault. I did not explore it as I should. The island is beautiful but not for layabout, spoilt ‘adventurers’ like me. I got too relaxed, too lazy and too laid back. Yes, I enjoyed it but simply failed in getting out of the place what was available. Maybe too many First, Business Class type trips in the past proved my undoing. Writing about it now makes me realise what I perhaps missed. I also realise that I should have followed ‘The Guru of Paxos’. This man knows everything there is to know about Paxos and I wish I had paid more heed to him. He has written a guide with maps and this can be found at http://www.iankbleasdale.co.uk/. Ian seems to know everything there is to know about Paxos and his guide is invaluable to everyone…..except me!

What else did I learn? Paxos locals are lovely. Simpson is a little more pricey but well worth booking through. Loggos is (to me) the place to be. Early season it is best to do things in the morning. Fast forward past Corfu. Simon is great. Who is Simon? He is the long suffering Paxos rep for Simpsons who is a lovely person.

And FINALLY. This is not it! In a week or so I will publish my ‘critique’ on most of the cafes, restaurants and bars I went to. And perhaps a bit about the kind and interesting Simpson reps.

Hermitage Bay, Antigua - The Nitty Gritty

We needed somewhere new to go as out first choice (Galley Bay, Antigua) had been shut allegedly because of hurricane Irma but actually because they decided to undergo a refit. Because of the non-refundable/re-routable Club Class tickets I had bought on BA it had to be somewhere on that island, but where? We have stayed in Antigua many times but felt like something new. After scanning the usual places we ended up booking Hermitage Bay which, despite being considerably more expensive, seemed perfect.

We did our usual which was to night-stop at the Hilton, Gatwick South Terminal and not have to get up and drive to the airport on the morning of departure. I would recommend it as, although the Hilton is a typical mid-grade airport hotel it does have the advantage of being directly joined to the terminal BA fly from. Also, if you use the airport’s Valet parking it is again in the same building and so very easy.

It was our first time trying the new BA check-in area at South Terminal and again the whole thing was very easy. It is close to the hotel and terminal entrance and easily accessible. Strangely there was a bigger queue at the First and Club desks so we checked in at an Economy desk. It is surprising how often this happens! Anyway, having passed through security we eventually found the BA lounge. Again this new lounge was busy but pretty well laid out and you can help yourself to an above par breakfast there.

Obviously long haul planes are big and being an old-ish airport now the jetties that take large planes are at the furthest extremity to the main building so be prepared for the walk. We boarded and it was here that I discovered my first big mistake. Having no First class on this plane the largest Club cabin was at the front with a much smaller Club cabin behind. I pre-booked the window and adjacent seat at the front of the small cabin. My thinking was a) near the exit b) better passenger/staff ratio and c) quieter. A big mistake.

 Now I love my own children and I like some other people’s children, but I got it all wrong. Unfortunately for us (and probably them) we ended up with a harassed mother, disinterested father, a toddler and a baby in the adjacent centre seats and it was sadly noisy, smelly and sometimes exhausting. We had nappy changes on the floor next to me, crying kids, the occasional scream and constant movement. Now I honestly do not think I am a miserable child-hater but by the time we got to Antigua I was not a happy bunny. Why do I relate this? Because I need to suggest that you do not make the same seat choice as me if you are getting old and crusty!

On arrival in Antigua I began to get the relaxed holiday feeling. My seat choice got us second off the plane and the new airport meant an easy air-conditioned transit through the arrival formalities. It really is a nice airport and a smile still gets you a long way. As for my ‘priority’ bags? Straight through and waiting for us! Getting to kerb-side I understood one of the benefits of my 5 star resort. The lady who said hello earlier was waiting there with a smile and a nice man with an air conditioned 4X4 to take us to the resort. Marvellous!

Now you never know what you are going to find when you arrive somewhere new. It’s a bit nerve-racking really as your entire holiday will rely on first impressions, or they do with me. The drive took 35 minutes of friendly chat from our driver, a mile trip on a dirt track and finally the arrival at a very pretty place. Now I chose this place based on what I read and saw online and do you know what? It was exactly what I read, but with an added plus, the people who work there are downright lovely.

Like most of these places you do the check-in formalities in a comfortable chair with a cold drink. In this case it was Mojitos although they were non-alcoholic as one needed to be accurate! When my signature was dry on the form they brought me a real one! Are you like me? Do you form an opinion quickly, sometimes too quickly? Judith, who is my wife and thankfully more sensible than me, agreed that the vibe at this place was very good indeed.

The place is not huge but big enough to not be crowded. The central core houses Reception which links to their restaurant on one side and the bar/pool area on the other. Beyond that is the beach. The rooms/suites are scattered along the beach or built into the large hill bordering the resort. The resort is well fenced and security seems very efficient. Some people find it strange that one cannot just turn up and view these resorts but I personally prefer them secure. If you want to visit then simply phone first.

Room prices vary depending on what you wish to pay and which location one prefers. The beachside suites look identical with the only differentiator being that they are beachfront or tucked in the garden behind. We preferred beachfront and my accommodation report refers to them. The remainder (and majority) of the rest of the suites are located off a buggy track winding up the hill behind. From what I gather the accommodation is similar although, in addition, they all have their own deck and plunge pool. These are popular with honeymooners who usually fly in for a week or so from USA or Canada.

The rooms have been built with what looks like local wood and blend in well with the island. They are quite large and designed in a way that complements the low key ambiance they strive to offer. In saying that there are some things which some may prefer more than others. For example there is no glass in the windows or patio doors which are instead decked with louvered slats with insect netting on the outside. This obviously keeps the bugs out but can let any chilled air out thus negating some of the benefits of air conditioning.

The bedroom section is large but has a small step going across it which separates it in to two halves. The lower part has a sofa but this is placed facing the side door which, to my mind, was a bit pointless and did not take advantage of the view outside. On the balcony outside there is a small daybed, two easy chairs and a table with two dining chairs. None were particularly comfortable, especially the easy chairs and seemed to be more for looking at than sitting in! If you are sitting on your balcony (on the dining chairs probably) there is a lovely view of the beach, ocean and sunset.

In the upper section of the room you have the bed, dressing table, occasional furniture, a desk with draws and an amenities unit containing a fridge, safe, tea/coffee facilities etc. The fridge is small but sufficient to hold milk (provided) beer, small wine bottles, spirits, crisps, chocolate etc. These are supposed to be replenished daily if you hand in your order at breakfast. I was pleasantly surprised that they provided drink in your room as many such resorts don’t. We did not use the TV or the music equipment but from what I gather it was good quality.

The bed was big, comfortable and protected by a mosquito net if you wanted to sleep with the slats open. The air-conditioning unit was directly above the bottom of the bed and there is also a ceiling fan to move the air. They seem to have plenty of plug sockets for hair dryers, hair straighteners phone chargers etc including two British three-pin plugs. The rest of the sockets were 110 volt US style two flat pin types. If you need adaptors just ask and they will provide them. Above the bed head there is a half- height wall that opens into the bathroom. You enter the bathroom through an open space on one side of the bed. There is nowhere substantial to store clothes in the main bedroom.

The bathroom is sufficiently large but a little different to what I expected. The bath was an enormous freestanding tub with taps built into a stalk beside it. I found this rather odd as the hotel supports water conservation although a full bath could supply a small village. It was also not that easy to get in and out of especially with soapy hands and I worried for some of the older folk staying at the resort. The stalk containing the taps was particularly wobbly probably due to the number of times it had been grabbed by folk staggering in or out! Either side of the bath were shelves and a hanging rail for all your clothes. These were open to the rest of the bathroom.

Across from the bath were two sinks with storage around and underneath and alongside that was the toilet. Now the toilet is open to the bathroom and subsequently the bedroom which I personally found off-putting. There was no door, no privacy and obviously nothing to prevent unwanted intrusion by your partner or anyone else for that matter. Odd. Outside the back door there was decking and an outdoor shower. We did not use it but it was a nice option to have. So did we like our room? Well yes, I suppose we did, despite the foibles!

Leaving the room you take a very short walk and you find the pool and bar area and this, along with the restaurant was the centre of most activity. The pool is free-form, infinity and same depth throughout and very enjoyable to float about in. The bar/lounge area was very laid back and inhabited by some of the nicest staff I have ever met on holiday. The drink and cocktail choices are enormous and you get very well looked after for your whole stay. The bar stools are backed, cushioned and very comfortable and the bar team very willing to socialise with you if you feel like it. If you want to sit quietly they seem to sense it and leave you to yourself. You can eat your lunch in the bar if you wish. And they regularly offer you the most delicious appetizers there prior to dinner or tea/sandwiches in the afternoon. Adjacent to the bar they have a library cupboard that hold both books and games.

The restaurant there is something special. One needs to book a table for dinner during the day but this is mainly to ensure the chef has time prepare each meal carefully. The choice is amazing both at lunch and dinner but please leave aside a little extra time in the evening because service is not hurried. You will be offered a wine list but you will be charged if you use it. We did not bother because the house wines were of acceptable quality and your glass always refilled. The restaurant breakfasts were equally good and the choices on offer huge. It is waitress service at breakfast but they do not stint on portions or flavours in fact what you want is what you get. The dining area is on three levels so practically everybody has a great view of the beach.

The hotel lay on low key musical entertainment of the highest quality ever evening. The small band of singers and musicians position themselves between the restaurant and bar so all can be entertained at the same time. We found this situation idyllic. The management move around the bar and public areas frequently talking to guests and making them feel at home. Also between bar and restaurant there are toilets which, like everywhere else is well serviced and maintained.

This is a beach holiday resort so how was it you may ask. The answer is excellent however there are a few snags at present. Firstly, there are enough sunbeds and shades for everyone which is a great help and negates the need to run out and reserve one in the morning unless you have a particular favourite. The beds are of a good quality with fitted towels over them. The staff  have a beach station where towels and drinks are always available. It is also manned by excellent people who seem to anticipate your desires for refreshments or dry towels.

The beach itself is visibly beautiful but again has a few issues probably created by hurricane Irma. A lot of shattered sea shells have been swept up on parts of the beach so protective footwear may be needed for delicate feet. Also the sea floor is quite ridged at present, again because of the storms waves which means there are quite pronounced depth changes close to the shore. There is a small ‘reef’ which is mainly rock close to parts of the shore which is interesting to snorkelers but not to others who need to enter the water either side of it.

Like most beaches in Antigua this one is not private but, being quite isolated it is seldom visited by beach vendors and we only saw one during our stay. Public access to the beach is at either extremity and on one side there is construction going on. Apparently they are building some quite lavish homes there but thankfully this does not bother the hotel much. It may be something to watch out for in the future though.

Checking out of the hotel was sad but easy. We had enjoyed a lovely relaxing stay and had met some of the special people who work there. They really are that nice and the special service ran right up to our departure. Check out is noon but our flight did not go until after ten that evening. What were we going to do? Nothing except relax as the resort checked and allowed us to keep our room until the taxi transfer came. Wonderful, it really was but do not take this for granted. They will do everything they can to help their guests and we were lucky but sadly, don’t bank on it although certainly ask!

The hotel taxi collected us exactly on time and we bade a very sad farewell. Again, Antigua’s new airline terminal was excellent and we were through formalities in a matter of minutes. There is a general airport lounge air-side and this was comfortable compared with the old one. Beware though if you want duty free as the shops are keen to close before the last flight goes so get in early if you want anything.

The flight back on BA was superb. Admittedly it helped that we were put in First Class seats which helps! You see some airlines have fleet management issues and sometimes they have to use aircraft which have First Class seats when they are not selling them on a particular service. It happens quite a lot on Caribbean flights where these planes can be used when they do not have enough Club Class seats. When this happens they upgrade people into the First Class seats even though the on-board service remains Club Class. So, after a pretty awful trip out we had an excellent one back with the new, and very comfortable bed seats

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If anyone has any questions about this report you are welcome to email me at mikeplatt1@btinternet.com