I have just returned from a two week holiday in Cyprus (Paphos) with Portland Direct. Overall the holiday was OK and the Alexander the GreatBeach Hotel was excellent. We stayed on a half board basis, but I wouldn't recommend it as the food is only average. Breakfast is excellent, but it is the Table D'Hote meal which is not so good. They do provide a children's menu and options for vegetarians which are very good. If the Hotel changes totally to buffet style then it would be excellent as the buffet nights we sampled were really something.
Paphos is quite a nice resort, but beware of Coral Bay. We went out there to the beach and found it very dirty and covered in cigarette butts. If you want new glasses or jewellery then you will find plenty to satisfy you. Prescription glasses are half the price of the UK and all the opticians seem to have trained in the UK. The Cypriots are very friendly and you never felt at all threatened.
My complaint is with the flights. We arrived in Paphos on the Saturday evening at 8.15pm, yet two weeks later we were leaving Paphos at 7am in the morning for the return journey. We lost at least half the day. My warning is to be careful of the timings of the flights. Portland were using Eurocypria who were a useless airline and the staff were so rude on the way out. You felt as though you were putting them out to ask for anything.
We also asked if the Hotel could provide us with some breakfast on the return morning as we were leaving at 4am, but the Rep said as we were leaving early it was basically our problem (despite the fact that Portland had changed the flight to 7am). As it happens we spoke to another Tour Rep who said they gave you coffee and croissants. Why didn't our Rep know that after all we had payed for breakfast?
I was very disappointed with Portland Direct's Customer Care and I'm not sure I will use them again unless their price is too good to miss. Booking online and dealing with them before we went was excellent, but during the holiday and on our return it has left a lot to be desired.
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I felt that the review is more about Cyprus than the tour operator.
Tonster 24.08.2003 21:47
Hey, agen, I personaly think that this op is very good,(better than the other) Thank you for taking my advise, I feel so usefull. Well done, I'v only re-reted 'H' as I still think it could be better but thats ok.
Tony
ps Try to promote(if I spellt it right) your ops as best as you can by rating other peoples ops and cammenting on them, also by leaving messages in peoples guestbooks.
Thanx
Tony
Tonster 19.08.2003 21:12
Hey, good first op, but not enough info and way to short.
Please let me know if you edit and I will re-rate no problem.
Tony
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sue.51 09.06.2001 (29.05.2002)
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