# Timeshares in Greece? Best ones?



## dixie (Feb 17, 2013)

Thinking about going to Greece. would love information on timeshares in there.
Thanks


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## DeniseM (Feb 17, 2013)

Have you had a chance to look at the TUG reviews for Greece?
http://tug2.com/RnR/ResortsGrid.aspx?ResortArea=10&ResortGroup=110


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## Jimster (Feb 17, 2013)

*Greece*

I stayed at the Gold Coast Holiday resort in Marathon several years ago.  It was a bit dated but had many positives.  They had bus trips almost every day that went all over Greece.  They were affiliated with Club Med and had great buffets and live entertainment each night.  They are located right on the Aegean too.  The rooms needed work but at least they were clean.  I think they had 1 english speaking channel on the BW tv.  You can get to athens from there with a  bit of work on public transportation.  Trust me-you dont want to drive in Greece-its a nightmare for even the most seasoned driver.  They have one of the highest traffic accident death rate among industrial countries.  It really depends on what you want to do when you are in Greece.  If you want to be on the mainland this place is ok.  If you want the islands, thats an entirely different ball game.


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## dixie (Feb 17, 2013)

That sounds very interesting. Thanks for the information!


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## Pompey Family (Feb 18, 2013)

Timeshares are a bit of a hit and miss affair in Europe and Greece doesn't appear to have really embraced the concept.  You might find a better option of renting a villa.  James Villas are a reputable company and they offer some very nice villas, better than what you would find with a timeshare.  Of course, if you're looking to trade then this advice is completely redundant!


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## RuralEngineer (Feb 18, 2013)

*DRI Greece Info?*

What about diamond resorts in Greece.

Stephen


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## heathpack (Feb 18, 2013)

Recently there was a bulk posting of a newly available TS on Crete called Rimondi Grand.  It is a hotel with high ratings on Tripadvisor and some rooms ar suites (1BR but no kitchen facilities).  Some of these suites are now timeshare units.  We have 2 weeks booked in May 2014.  No TUG reviews avail yet (none of the bulk sighting stays have yet taken place.  But check out the hotel reviews on TripAvsior to get an idea of the place.

H


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## dixie (Feb 18, 2013)

Heathpack, is this on II or RCI? We are with RCI.  We are thinking of taking a repositioning cruise over in 2014. We have never been to Greece. thanks






heathpack said:


> Recently there was a bulk posting of a newly available TS on Crete called Rimondi Grand.  It is a hotel with high ratings on Tripadvisor and some rooms ar suites (1BR but no kitchen facilities).  Some of these suites are now timeshare units.  We have 2 weeks booked in May 2014.  No TUG reviews avail yet (none of the bulk sighting stays have yet taken place.  But check out the hotel reviews on TripAvsior to get an idea of the place.
> 
> H


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## Carolinian (Feb 18, 2013)

RuralEngineer said:


> What about diamond resorts in Greece.
> 
> Stephen



From what I read on www.timesharetalk.co.uk , DRI has purchased a resort group in Greece and will be adding the developer inventory at them into its system sometime this year.


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## Carolinian (Feb 18, 2013)

I have traded into Govino Bay on Corfu and Sun Beach Holiday Club on Rhodes, and enjoyed both resorts and both islands.

Given the economic and political climate in Greece these days, I would keep a careful eye on what is going on.  While the islands seem less impacted than the mainland, there will still be some impact.  Strikes can delay your travel or otherwise upend your plans.  Demonstrations may make some areas best to avoid.  Some impacts are on a sporatic basis while others are continuing.  For example, since the troubles started, all international train service to and from Greece has been discontinued.  Air, ferry, bus, and internal rail services still run when not disrupted by strikes.


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## Conan (Feb 18, 2013)

If you'd consider Paros, I recently reviewed Anezina Village on tug2.net:
http://tug2.com/RnR/TabResortReviews.aspx?Tab=R&ResortGUID=08a5331a-f3ec-4177-ab7f-4aac12a4099e


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## Passepartout (Feb 18, 2013)

Conan said:


> If you'd consider Paros, I recently reviewed Anezina Village on tug2.net:
> http://tug2.com/RnR/TabResortReviews.aspx?Tab=R&ResortGUID=08a5331a-f3ec-4177-ab7f-4aac12a4099e



I looked at this one today on the RCI site. Nice reviews there, though I didn't read Conan's. Looks like my kind of resort.

Obviously it would take a ferry ride from Piraeus where the OP's cruise ends. Lots and lots of hotels right there if they couldn't catch a boat to Paros immediately. I'd suspect there are more than one a day.

We took 2 of those Transatlantic cruises last year. One each way. My takeaway was after the show each night East bound, the cruise director says "OK, folks, set your clocks _forward_ another hour tonight". Making for 23 hour days- day after day! Since you are flying one way anyway, the W. bound cruises are easier on the bod. After the show, the cruise director says, "OK, folks, set hour clocks _back_ another hour tonight." Making for 25 hour days, day-after-day!

Either way, it's all good.

Jim


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## Conan (Feb 18, 2013)

Passepartout said:


> Nice reviews there, though I didn't read Conan's. Looks like my kind of resort.
> Jim



Actually mine is the latest review, from 9/1/12.


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## DeniseM (Feb 18, 2013)

Dixie - Just wondering - have you traveled outside the US before?


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## dixie (Feb 18, 2013)

Denise, yes we have but it has been awhile. London last but also 8 other countries. Looks like the TA cruise may end in Barcelona, Spain. Schedules not posted yet for 2014. Thinking maybe we would stay in Spain a little while then would love to get on another cruise and see some of the Greek islands. Just in the thinking and researching stage. Just got off a cruise Carribbean yesterday!


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## heathpack (Feb 18, 2013)

dixie said:


> Heathpack, is this on II or RCI? We are with RCI.  We are thinking of taking a repositioning cruise over in 2014. We have never been to Greece. thanks



Interval.

H


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## DianeG (Feb 22, 2013)

*Grece in 2014*

Conan, if you wrote that nicely detailed review for Anezina Village from Sept. 2012 -  thank you! 

Your review helped me decide to book a week there with RCI, for May 2014. What appealed to me was the atmosphere described, the opportunity to slow down, and the availability of good, reasonably-priced local food. I also really like the idea of "going Greek" for a week, while the rest of the trip will be a lot of go-go-go - trying to see as much as possible on this one visit to Greece.

Now I'm busy trying to work around this week... 24 days or so, split into "modules":

- The Cyclades: Paros, Mykonos (Delos) and Santorini (10 days or so)
- Crete (5-7 days), but no timeshare, as we want to drive and stay as we go.
- The Peloponnese (5-7 days or so)
- Athens (2 days) + Delphi & Meteora (2 days)

I'm trying to put the Cyclades module in the middle; we check into Anezina on May 17th. 

My plan right now is to book-end the TS week with Crete and Santorini first, then end with the Peloponnese and Athens last. Or maybe vice-versa. Would Tuggers have an opinion on that?

My thinking is to open-jaw my flights Crete-Athens or Athens-Crete.
I would arrange separate rental cars for Paros and for Crete for sure, and possibly for Santorini and the Peloponnese. 

I'm also seriously thinking of  doing some of it with a bus tour, like maybe grouping far-flung archeological sites together such as Delphi, Meteora, Corinth, Olympia, etc.. - which is why I'd do the Peloponnese and Athens jointly. 

Suggestions and advice would be most welcome!


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## Carolinian (Feb 22, 2013)

You should be able to do the monasteries at Meteora in a day.  They are fabulous!  Half a day was enough for me at Delphi.  You will need a car to get around the various monasteries around Meteora.

I would not use Athens as a base.  Just stay there for the time you are visiting Athens itself.  The political situation there can get ugly at times with violent demonstrations, and make sure you check the safety of the area of your hotel.  With the influx of illegal immigrants and the reaction of the neo-nazi Golden Dawn, areas that used to be safe for tourists may now not be.

You should be able to find accomodations in the vacinity of Meteora, which is what I did when I visited there.  I did the same with Delphi.




DianeG said:


> Conan, if you wrote that nicely detailed review for Anezina Village from Sept. 2012 -  thank you!
> 
> Your review helped me decide to book a week there with RCI, for May 2014. What appealed to me was the atmosphere described, the opportunity to slow down, and the availability of good, reasonably-priced local food. I also really like the idea of "going Greek" for a week, while the rest of the trip will be a lot of go-go-go - trying to see as much as possible on this one visit to Greece.
> 
> ...


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## DianeG (Feb 22, 2013)

*Thanks Carolinian!*

Oh no! I would not use Athens as a base - I'm only giving it two nights max., either at the very beginning or at the very end.

What I meant is that I found some bus tours that include either a two-day excursion just to Delphi and Meteora, or a longer tour which also includes sites in the Peloponnese as well (such as Corinth, Argos and Olympia). The start of these tours would include a ferry port pick-up, with a drop-off at an Athens hotel at the end (or vice-versa).

I *really* don't wish to drive on the mainland, but may be willing to do so out of Nafplion for a few of days further down the Peloponnese peninsula.



Carolinian said:


> You should be able to do the monasteries at Meteora in a day.  They are fabulous!  Half a day was enough for me at Delphi.  You will need a car to get around the various monasteries around Meteora.
> 
> I would not use Athens as a base.  Just stay there for the time you are visiting Athens itself.  The political situation there can get ugly at times with violent demonstrations, and make sure you check the safety of the area of your hotel.  With the influx of illegal immigrants and the reaction of the neo-nazi Golden Dawn, areas that used to be safe for tourists may now not be.
> 
> You should be able to find accomodations in the vacinity of Meteora, which is what I did when I visited there.  I did the same with Delphi.


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## Conan (Feb 23, 2013)

DianeG said:


> Your review helped me decide to book a week there with RCI, for May 2014. What appealed to me was the atmosphere described, the opportunity to slow down, and the availability of good, reasonably-priced local food. I also really like the idea of "going Greek" for a week, while the rest of the trip will be a lot of go-go-go - trying to see as much as possible on this one visit to Greece.
> 
> Now I'm busy trying to work around this week... 24 days or so, split into "modules":
> 
> ...



Happy to help.  They put on a Greek Night at Anezina Village, around 20 euro per person.  Very homey and informal, and a big turnout I think it included friends and neighbors of the people there as well as the week's guests.  We left the party at 11:00 but I think it went on until 2:00am.

We've been to Crete twice and will return in 2014.  Centers of interest are Chania/Rethymnon in the west, Heraklion in the center, and Ag. Nikolaos/Elounda in the east.  

From Chania/Rethymnon you can arrange to hike Samaria Gorge (a bus picks you up before dawn, you hike ~6 hours then ferry to reboard the bus).  Also from Chania/Rethymnon you can drive to the interesting beach town Plakias on the south coast.  

Heraklion has an interesting archaeological museum and is near Knossos.

Ag. Nikolaos/Elounda has beaches and tourist attractions.  Also from there you can drive to many interesting monasteries, the most famous being Toplou east of Sitia.

On the mainland, we stayed three nights in Nafplio at the wonderful Hotel Byron and could have stayed longer, there's so much to see in Mycenae/Corinth.  [Edited to add a couple of cautions about Hotel Byron:  It's an uphill walk to get to it and then a further walk-up to your room.  Also, if you have a car you'll likely end up parking on the street near the bus station a few blocks away.]
http://bit.ly/X2ZxuZ

In Athens, we recommend A for Athens Hotel on Miaouli Street, perfect tourist location and right by the Monastiraki station for the express to/from the airport.

Santorini is a must-see.  You'll want to stay somewhere along the line of towns from Fira to Oia; the challenge will be to find a nice place in a sensible price range.  Prices are cheaper on the Fira end and although that's more crowded and less gorgeous than farther up it's handy to be within walking distance of the Fira bus station for access to all points on the island.


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## DianeG (Feb 23, 2013)

*Wow!*

Conan, thank you so much for the great info! You're hitting right on where my thinking is going and I especially appreciate the hotel recs.


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## oldseed (Apr 5, 2013)

DianeG said:


> - The Cyclades: Paros, Mykonos (Delos) and Santorini (10 days or so)
> 
> My plan right now is to book-end the TS week with Crete and Santorini first, then end with the Peloponnese and Athens last. Or maybe vice-versa. Would Tuggers have an opinion on that?



Hi there, we honeymooned in Greece a couple years ago.  We started in Athens and finished in Santorini.  Depending on what you like, finishing in either Athens or Santorini could be good.  I'd say finish in Santorini if you want to finish the trip on a super high note, a week of pure relaxation.  Santorini is a highlight of our vacationing life, let alone of Greece.  The beauty is truly gorgeous, the sunsets are insane, the walk along the cliff-towns is super fun, both Fira and Ia, and the walk between them, are GREAT, especially after midnight.  it's so much fun to walk through a little town at midnight and everything is open and there's people all about.  I don't have enough words to talk about how awesome Santorini is and how relaxing it is.  We mixed in the relaxing with some good walking and hiking.  The only downside with finishing your trip in Santorini is it's a long trek back to the international airport in Athens, with a ferry/flight to Athens and then the flight home.

Check out Anastasis Apartments in Santorini in Tripadvisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Romance-cTop-g1
It's the #1 "best romantic hotels of 2013" in the world for a reason.  we stayed there and it blew our minds.  it's honeymoon-priced but well worth it.  for value hotels, though, tripadvisor has a ton of good options in santorini too.  given that almost all the hotels face west toward the sunset in thira/ia/etc., i'd say most are probably just fine.  just make sure you're facing the sunset.

If you finish in Athens it'd be fun if you want urban delights, good food, good walking around monuments, and then an easy trip to the airport on your last day.

A note on Mykonos.  We found the beaches were underwhelming.  The town itself is cool but not all that memorable.   I'd spend like 1 day in Mykonos and as many as you can in Santorini.  I've never been to Paros...

Sounds like you've got a great itinerary.  Rock it!


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