Maistrali, Zante

Well, what better way to get back into review writing than all refreshed from a nice and relaxing holiday in the sun! This year my summer excursion was a last minute allocate on arrival trip with Thomson to Zakynthos, or Zante if you prefer the shorter name. We could have been anywhere on the island, with the only guarantee being a swimming pool. As the flight descended into Zante airport, we began to worry about what we'd done, but we got on our ...
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When we arrived in the town of Tsilivi, there was a mixture of dread and delight, the town itself was quite busy, with plenty of tavernas and bars, and then we spotted it, the rather out of place McDonald's... Luckily, we kept on the coach through the town and back out the other side, where just a couple of kilometres away was a small resort called Tragaki, and the Maistrali Apartments.

Our first impression was a good one, ... more

Well, what better way to get back into review writing than all refreshed from a nice and relaxing holiday in the sun! This year my summer excursion was a last minute allocate on arrival trip with Thomson to Zakynthos, or Zante if you prefer the shorter name. We could have been anywhere on the island, with the only guarantee being a swimming pool. As the flight descended into Zante airport, we began to worry about what we'd done, but we got on our transfer coach and were whisked off towards Tsilivi.

When we arrived in the town of Tsilivi, there was a mixture of dread and delight, the town itself was quite busy, with plenty of tavernas and bars, and then we spotted it, the rather out of place McDonald's... Luckily, we kept on the coach through the town and back out the other side, where just a couple of kilometres away was a small resort called Tragaki, and the Maistrali Apartments.

Our first impression was a good one, the buildings all appear to have been recently redecorated and looked clean, fresh and modern. The receptionist was lovely and we were escorted to our room. The rooms catering facilities were rather basic, as is the norm in a lot of Greek resorts, but did consist of a fridge, a sink, a 2 ring cooker, cupboards and plates. The bathroom also looked reasonably new, but got easily wet as the Greeks don't appear to have shower curtains in their bathrooms. The rest of the room had clean tiled floors, twin beds, plenty of storage for clothes, and a small balcony with table and chairs. All the rooms had either a balcony or a terrace.

Other facilities in the apartments include a lovely swimming pool, with a smaller children's pool next to it, plenty of sun loungers and umbrellas. The bar is a typical pool bar by day, serving drinks and snacks such as toasted sandwiches, salads and pizzas, but by night serves some very nice local cuisine, such as Souvlaki, Moussaka and a variety of tasty dishes, becoming something of a poolside taverna, with drinks also being served until the early hours for those who want them. The drinks were occasionally a bit on the expensive side, so happy hour between 8 and 10 every night is a good time to buy. Tuesday night, the hotel organises a Greek night, where for 10 Euros, you get to eat from their fabulous barbecue buffet, then watch and take part in an evening of Greek music and dancing. There is also a pool table at the far end of the pool, which appeared to be the evening hangout for the older kids wanting to hide from their parents, and inside they have another pool table and table football, and have an internet connection available.

As there is no air conditioning in the rooms, there are electric fans to hire from reception, for only 10 Euros per week, well worth the money. They also have safety deposit boxes for the same price, and are able to change English currency into Euros for you, commission free. Reception is always happy to do things such as order taxis or point you in the right direction for car hire and buses.

The staff in the apartments were all very friendly, particularly Voula, the evening receptionist, who took it upon herself to help me learn a few more Greek words. The rooms are cleaned every day except Sunday, but someone still comes to empty the bathroom bins, as there is a strict no paper policy down the toilets, otherwise the Greek narrow piping becomes clogged - I would imagine that would be the last thing you want on holiday. The handyman appears to be there all day and night doing odd jobs, and the girls behind the bar were all very cheerful.

The apartments are located right opposite a small supermarket, selling pretty much everything you would need, including a vast array of lilos and pool inflatables, food, and even a selection of Cadbury's chocolate. Leaving to the right of the apartments, down the next street, is access to a very small pebble beach, that is clear and fish filled, ideal for snorkelling. To the left, there are a few bars scattered along the road, with a couple more tourist shops and tavernas. There is also access to another area of beach just down the road, which has beautiful views of Kefalonia, and sometimes you can also see a bit of the mainland of Greece. Kefalonia by sunset is an amazing sight.

As we booked a package with Thomson, we didn't pay a per room per night figure, but on the Thomson's website, it is £39 prpn, or £41 if you book over the phone. The hotel gets a 2-and-a-half T rating from Thomson (their equivalent to a star system). The apartments themselves also have a website, http://www.maistrali-apartments.gr/en/index.htm , where you can contact the apartments directly about bookings. They do not have a price list on the website, as they give you a price when you enquire about making your booking. Or, you can book a Thomson package deal with your flights included. If you do book a package, expect all the usual Thomson treatment, with arrival meetings, a pub quiz with the rep on Friday nights, and a large selection of excursions available for offer. Michelle, this year's rep was very helpful and always happy to chat about anything.

This is probably one of my favourite resorts after having a brilliant week's stay, but if you do thrive on a hectic holiday style and need to be in a very busy resort, you would be better up the road in Tsilivi. It is ideal for families and couples who just want to relax after the stresses of life at home, and I strongly recommend giving it a go.

 

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