Nikki Salter, Author at Ampeli Villa, Pissouri Bay, Cyprus

Covid-19 Coronavirus

Nikki Salter Ampeli Villa, Pissouri, Travel March 25, 2020October 10, 2021coronavirus 0 Comment

This is an open letter to all guests who have a booking with us for summer 2020 regarding the covid-19 coronavirus crisis.

Under normal circumstances we pride ourselves about keeping information on this website updated, but as you will appreciate, this rapidly-changing situation is impossible to predict. We are very much hoping that the current lockdowns around the globe will control the spread of this virulent pandemic, and that medical advances will enable us to return to ‘normal living’ sooner rather than later.

In common with many holiday destinations, Cyprus relies heavily on its tourism industry. Renowned for traditional Cypriot hospitality, no doubt when it is finally deemed safe for travel to the island to resume, visitors will receive an even more hearty and warm welcome than usual.

Having moved our own visits to Pissouri Bay twice due to newly-introduced travel restrictions, we are keen to get out there to prepare the villa for the season which we would normally be doing now (March). Time will tell whether we will be able to do this as currently planned (now rescheduled for May). We are trying to ignore the harbingers of doom and gloom, and to look at this optimistically.

New For 2020

We were actually very excited about the forthcoming season. Firstly we have a lovely new manager – Lisa – who provides a meet-and-greet service which is something we haven’t offered before. As always we have made some improvements to our facilities – this time we have a larger TV ready to ship and new indoor dining chairs on order. We hope that you will have the chance to experience them!

While we have every intention of honouring our existing bookings this season, unfortunately at this stage we cannot make any guarantees.

We know how important your holiday is, and appreciate that pre-planning is a key element of this. If at all possible, please could we ask you to delay making any changes to your booking until two months before departure as this is when your final balance is due. At this stage if we should need to cancel your stay – due to continuing circumstances beyond our control – the following options will be available:

Alter Your Dates of Stay

If you would prefer to reschedule your stay, we could apply your booking deposit to alternative available dates in the next 12 months.

Cancellation

You should be entitled to a cancellation refund via your travel insurance. We have already provided formal payment receipts and correspondence as confirmation, and our booking terms can be printed off from the guest-only password-protected booking page of the website. Should you require us to forward anything again, or any further documentation for your insurance company, just let us know.

July Update

The latest UK government travel advice for Cyprus can be seen on the FCO website. Cyprus is one of the UK’s air-bridge partners, where there is no 14-day quarantine on return to the UK.

Because the Cyprus government introduced an early and strict lockdown, their Covid-19 figures are remarkably low. It is one of the safest holiday destinations.

A Cyprus Flight Pass needs to be presented for each passenger before boarding in the UK. This can be obtained via Cyprus Flight Pass. The Cyprus government has categorised departure countries on the basis of Covid-19 status. The UK is currently unlisted, meaning it is in category C. Entry from category C countries is not allowed, except in special circumstances. This is reviewed every Monday, with a variety of reliable sources including The Cyprus Mail reporting that providing our figures continue to reduce, the UK will be granted category B status on 1 August.

The other requirement for visitors from category B countries is a negative PCR swab test result taken within 72 hours of flying. As this is not currently available in the UK, Cyprus has set up swab testing at Larnaca and Paphos airports for a subsidised €60 fee. Self-isolation is then required until the results of your test (normally 24 h).

Temperatures of incoming passengers are also being taken at the airports on arrival.

Bars, restaurants and shops are open, with social distancing and careful cleaning protocols. Previous visitors to Pissouri Bay will be aware that the beach is never crowded in a way that you see at other destinations.

On a Personal Note

The health, safety and well-being of our guests are of paramount importance above every other consideration.

We hope that you think we are acting fairly in these extremely challenging circumstances. This will be a difficult season for us, as it will for many of our Pissouri friends.

We know your long-anticipated precious holiday is a vital chance to recharge your batteries. We will only cancel if the ongoing coronavirus situation forces us to.

Please bear in mind, too, from our perspective that if we have to cancel any bookings, our small business will take a considerable loss – as we will still need to pay our manager, pool man, gardeners, utilities, mortgage, common expenses and taxes.

Stay safe, and best wishes

Nikki and Peter

Live Music in Pissouri Summer 2020

Nikki Salter Activities, Events, Pissouri January 19, 2020April 11, 2022live music, pissouri amphitheatre 0 Comment

A visit to Pissouri amphitheatre for one of the summer ‘tribute act’ shows is one of our favs. There’s something magical and special about a live musical performance, and when it includes so many familiar numbers, you’re on to a winner.

Just off Pissouri Square, the magnificent modern amphitheatre was built as the village’s ‘millennium project’. With a sea-view backdrop from the tiered stone steps, shows begin in daylight and continue through sunset, finishing under floodlights. A great community get-together, the atmosphere is lively and relaxed – with chat, banter, singing and dancing. Everyone takes cushions to sit on (a must for comfort!), plus cool boxes with drinks and snacks.

Pissouri Tribute-Act Concerts

Sunday 29 March | Dolly Parton: Dani Graham | Platea Tavern

Tuesday 31 March | Elvis Presley: Mark Summers | Vineleaf Tavern

Sunday 19 April | Roy Orbison: Iain Sparks | Platea Tavern

Monday May 4 | Johnny Cash: Stu Edwards | Vineleaf Tavern

Saturday June 6 | ELO Again | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Saturday June 13 | Soul Kinda Wonderful | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Saturday 20 June | The ABBA Reunion Show | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Saturday 4 July | Bee Gees: Stayin’ Alive | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Saturday 11 July | West Coast Eagles | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Sunday 26 July | The Vox Beatles | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Sunday 6 September | Dire Straits: Money For Nothing | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Thursday 17 September | Fleetwood Bac | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Promoters

By visiting the Cyprus tour promoters’ websites and Facebook pages, you can find further information on dates, venues, tickets, prices, etc. If there’s a concert you’d like to catch during your holiday, do book up early (you can do it online) to be sure of your tickets, as popular events can sell out.

Kendall Events

Morrelli Events

Other Ideas For Your Cyprus Holiday

Our Top Ten List

Special Diets in Cyprus

Nikki Salter Dining, Food and Drink, Pissouri January 17, 2020January 18, 2020allergies, free-from 0 Comment

Close up on dairy-free milk at Papantoniou

Cyprus visitors with a food allergy or intolerance need have no worries. Supermarkets and restaurants throughout the island are geared up to cater for all kinds of special diets.

Allergy Awareness

As required by EU law introduced in 2014, restaurateurs are required to conduct a comprehensive audit of every ingredient within their dishes, which must then be displayed on menus to inform customers about any potential allergens, including nuts, milk, celery, gluten, soya and wheat.

The photographs on this page were all taken in the Papantoniou supermarket in Pissouri. Hopefully they show what a great range of free-from goods they carry.

Vegetarian and Vegan Choices

Vegetarian options have long been widely available, particularly as in the Cypriot culture there is an extended period of fasting every spring during Greek Orthodox Lent when meat is not eaten. In recent years it has become increasingly common to see a selection of vegan dishes offered.

We particularly recommend O’Vrakas in Pissouri village if you are looking for a good vegan-friendly restaurant.

‘Free-From’ Foods in Supermarkets

Pissouri’s main supermarket – Papantoniou – has a large section of ‘Free From’ foods. If you require a gluten-free diet, you will find loaves, different types of pasta, bread and cake mixes, along with a variety of sweet treats such as biscuits, cakes and cookies. They also sell a huge range of dairy-free milk including almond, soya, coconut, hazelnut, oat and rice milks.

An Incredible Turtle Migration Story

Nikki Salter Nature August 1, 2019August 1, 2019turtles 0 Comment

Thanks to satellite telemetry, scientists and conservationists are able to accurately track turtle movements through the oceans. While most sea turtles migrate between foraging and nesting grounds, in some cases seasonal migrations can cover the most incredible distances. Here is one such remarkable journey…

Fishing industry support for by-catch turtles

When a 43 kilogram male loggerhead turtle was accidentally caught in trawling nets off the Famagusta coast earlier this year, local fishermen freed him from their nets and contacted the Society for the Protection of Turtles.

Under a joint research and conservation project with Bird Life Cyprus, such by-catch turtles are named, health checked, vital statistics noted, and finally satellite trackers are carefully attached to their shells before they are returned to the security of the Mediterranean waters.

Satellite tracking of this season’s rescued turtles

Thus ‘Pambos’ (pictured above) – as his rescuers named him – weighing a substantial 43 kilograms, with a shell length of 71 cm was released on 13 March. From the outset his movement pattern was very different from the 13 other by-catch turtles that are currently being monitored. While the other turtles mostly stayed within Famagusta Bay, with the occasional exploration further along the coast, Pambos was quickly heading further afield.

Mehmet travelled along the Karpas Peninsula coast and back before the signal was lost

Ernest has kept to a quite confined area of Famagusta Bay over the past 3 months

Pambos goes further

Pambos headed past the Ayia Napa peninsula and round to Larnaca Bay, along the south coast to Akrotiri Bay and beyond. He spent some weeks thoroughly exploring Episkopi Bay, and the coast from Pissouri to Paphos.

After forays around Famagusta Bay, Pambos headed along the south coast

And further…

Having left Cypriot coastal waters, Pambos headed due west across miles of open sea between the Greek islands and north Africa.

Leaving Cypriot coastal waters, Pambos embarked on a journey west

And even further…

And this is the astonishing journey to date… well over a thousand miles across the Mediterranean past Sicily to the coastal waters of Tunisia.

The amazing journey so far… well over a thousand miles over the course of 5 months

Where is Pambos now?

Below is the live satellite map showing the latest updates. Click on any turtle name on the right-hand side to see individual tracks. Or click ‘see all’ to show all the turtle tracks superimposed simultaneously.

Underwater Activities for All

Nikki Salter Activities, Nature July 5, 2019July 5, 2019atlantis, diving, turtles 0 Comment

Snorkelling

Loggerhead turtle (Photo by David Mark on Pixabay)

The simplest and most accessible way of getting a great view of what lies beneath is to don a mask and learn to breathe through a snorkel.

With so much flora and fauna within the clear warm Mediterranean waters, you should be able to find plenty to see… volcanic rock formations, multi-hued corals, sea anenomes, shoals of darting fish, starfish, shy seahorses, grazing turtles, graceful stingrays,…

Undersea Walking Helmets or Scooters

Breathe fresh air while you walk on the sea bed

A unique alternative to Scuba diving that allows you to experience first-hand the colourful world teeming within Cyprus’ crystal clear waters. Fresh air is pumped into your helmet – a totally different experience than breathing through a regulator. As your head stays dry, you can even wear your glasses or contact lenses.

Undersea Cyprus also offer the opportunity to book a ride on a BOB (breathing observation bubble) which is a scooter-like personal mini submarine with built in fresh air helmet. Getting into the bubble does involve a brief moment underwater.

Based at Ayia Triada beach in Paralimni at the eastern end of the island. Morning and afternoon dives daily in season. The complete excursion lasts 2.5 hours – involving a short boat trip to the floating pontoon, then a rotation of escorted 30-minute undersea adventures for small groups in pre-booked time-slots.

Website | Facebook Page

First-Time Diving

Pissouri Bay Divers offer a ‘Discover Scuba Diving‘ course which gives you the experience of using breathing apparatus underwater – either in a pool or the sea. This exciting taster is a great introduction to diving for novices, which could be the start of a big new adventure.

There are plenty of other dive centres offering a variety of courses and activities – both local and around the island.

Scuba divers (Photo by St Louis University Madrid on Flickr)

PADI Open Water Courses

You need to be quite organised to be able to fit a full PADI Scuba Diving qualification into your holiday. That’s not to say it can’t be done, though. The theory course – taking 12-15 hours – is best done online before your stay to maximise your time for the practical.

Pissouri Bay Divers offer an intermediate PADI Open Water qualification enabling you to hire equipment and dive under qualified supervision, or if you can squeeze in 4 open water dives, you could complete the full PADI certification.

Qualified divers can develop their skills and work towards the Advanced PADI Open Water certificate.

Wreck Diving

Zenobia listing to port — Zenobia listing in June 1980 prior to her sinking

Cyprus has 6 shipwrecks which make exciting dive sites…

The first and most well-known was created by the accidental sinking of the Zenobia roll-on roll-off ferry on her maiden voyage in 1980. A computer error causing overfilling of the port ballast tanks has been blamed for tipping the vessel. As the £200 million cargo of 104 articulated lorries and their contents has never been salvaged, there is plenty to view at the site off the coast of Larnaca. (The crew were all successfully rescued.)

Trucks on board sunken Zenobia — Zenobia trucks (Photo by dronepicr on Flickr)

Around the wreck you will see groupers, tuna, barracuda, turtles, and stingrays.

The Zenobia is widely regarded as the best wreck-diving site in the Mediterranean, and often voted in the world’s top ten.

In recent years the Cyprus Government has taken the decision to add a further 5 additional artificial reefs at points around the island by sinking redundant vessels. Rest assured these were meticulously cleaned and prepared to ensure that no pollution was created in the process.

The new reefs have the same characteristics as natural reefs – providing space and shelter for reproduction, growth, feeding and refuge for marine organisms. Algae and sponges grow on the surfaces of the sunken wrecks, creating mini ecosystems and habitats.

Locations:
Protaras – 1950s fishing vessel Nemesis III – Dec 2013
Limassol – Lady Thetis, a 1950s German vessel – Feb 2014
Limassol – former Soviet fishing trawler Costandis – Feb 2014
Paphos – Laboe, a pre-World War II cruiser – June 2014
Ayia Napa – Kerynia, a navy patrol boat – Feb 2015

Atlantis

Of all the excursions from sea-fishing to wildlife-watching available from Paphos harbour, we recommend Atlantis Turtle-Watching Cruise – that we discovered thanks to our guest Natalie.

Atlantis is equipped with portholes for underwater viewing of fish, turtles, stingrays, and wrecks. Cruises start from the furthest jetty, and the skipper, George, is a genial and knowledgeable host.

Glass Bottomed Boats

You will find a variety of excursions in glass-bottomed boats from harbours around the island. Another great opportunity to view the undersea delights below.

Kingfisher – Paphos | Alkion – Latchi | Mediterranean One – Latchi

Answering Your Dining Dilemmas

Nikki Salter Dining, Food and Drink, Pissouri May 7, 2019May 7, 2019cafe bar, il vesuvio, kentroikon, mandria, pissouri bay, pizza venetto, saffron 0 Comment

Ever had the situation when you have a yearning for one type of cuisine while your loved ones want something different?

Usually dinner menus have enough options to satisfy everyone, but occasionally you find an establishment that goes even further.

Typical family-run restaurants tend to offer the traditional fare that Cypriots most enjoy. And surely it’s one of the pleasures of travel to sample the local cuisine during your stay.

Cypriot Specialities

Cypriot dishes to make your mouth water include the freshest of locally caught fish, Stifado – an intensely tomatoey beef stew, Kleftiko – super-tender slow-cooked lamb, Moussaka, charcoal barbecued kebab skewers or halloumi.

As an appetiser, what beats dipping slices of pittas in tahini, tzatziki and olive tapenade, and a tasty village salad topped with salty feta?

We also recommend seeking out a traditional restaurant away from the tourist traps to sample an authentic Cypriot meze during your stay. As these can consist of more than 20 small dishes, remember to skip breakfast – or ask for a doggy bag if you can’t manage it all!

Other Cuisines Found in Pissouri Bay

For a small resort, there’s an amazing array of restaurants within walking distance…

Our fav haunt is Pissouri Bay Cafe Bar whose fresh Mediterranean menu includes imaginative salads, tasty pasta dishes and risottos, along with curries and a variety of burgers.

Also well worth a visit is Pizza Venetto serving home-made cheesy pizzas and great value family favourites.

When you fancy something a little more spicy, book a table at Saffron whose menu offers contemporary Indian cuisine, including authentic dishes, traditional curries and tandoor specialities.

West to Mandria

Close to Paphos airport, the compact centre of Mandria village has some interesting restaurants. We recommend booking at any of these options to ensure you have a table reserved…

Il Vesuvio is a good quality Italian trattoria and pizzeria where you will find plenty of choice on the menu and indulgent desserts.

Kentroikon has a unique offering with an extensive menu including Cypriot, Mediterranean and – surprise, surprise – Chinese dishes, meaning this restaurant could be the perfect answer to your dining dilemmas. And it’s not a case of jack of all trades, master of none… as you can see from their online reviews, satisfied customers confirm that all the cuisine options are good, making this restaurant well worth a visit.

No visit to the area is complete without dinner at Mandria Fish and Chips. Great service, generous portions, quality ingredients and always perfectly cooked. We love it!

Kalí órexi !

Ampeli Villa: 2019 Updates

Nikki Salter Ampeli Villa April 23, 2019June 10, 2019new season 0 Comment

We are constantly on the lookout for ways to tweak and improve your stay at Ampeli Villa, aiming to make it as easy, comfortable and welcoming as we can.

In addition to our regular maintenance, there’s an ever-growing list of ideas for upgrades. This inevitably gets longer after comparing notes with friends and fellow holiday rental owners. Plus we do our best to implement thoughtful suggestions put forward by our lovely guests.

Browsing the gallery, quite a few minor changes are not reflected there… mainly because our visits tend to be working holidays with paint pots, ladders, tools and mess all around. It’s a case of making do with a quick dash round with the camera once we’re back in ‘guest-ready’ mode. Inevitably some shots are missed or spoiled by something in the background. One of these days it would be lovely to have a proper photographer in – another job on the wish list.

Giant Fan Palm

We took the decision to take down our second (and last remaining) gigantic fan palm last November. This key feature of the border behind the pool had simply grown too big for the garden.

It’s incredible how quickly the garden grows in Cyprus. Despite the poor clay soil and extreme heat, most garden plants seem to thrive as long as they are given a good start with regular watering. Once established, trees and shrubs seem to manage quite well in the arid conditions.

The patio pots are a different story… because they need their daily fix of H2O, especially in the hotter months, the garden irrigation system is essential.

Unfortunately the palm tree was casting a large shadow, and dropping messy black seeds in the pool. Plus it was now so tall that it had got beyond the reach of our hard-working gardeners’ ladders when they had to climb up for trimming off the dead leaves.

The removal process was quite a feat… Daniel Petrov and his team at High Access Point did a most impressive and professional job which we captured on this time-lapse video.

The good news is that the pygmy date palms near the pool are looking better than ever, so we hardly miss our tropical giant.

Pool Border

As Cyprus is in an earthquake zone, it is recommended that swimming pools are built with a metal frame and pool liner to give a degree of flexibility that you don’t have with a tiled pool. The downside is that PVC liners do not shrug off greasy sunscreen like tiles do.

To refresh the pool, Border Choice installed a ‘Greek key’ border along the waterline where sunscreen accumulates and bakes on. This adds an extra layer of protection to the liner, improves the look of the pool, and – hopefully – gives a surface that is a little more robust. It’s not a perfect solution, however, which is why it’s still important to use the garden shower for removing sunscreen before swimming.

Super-Quiet Air Conditioners

Although the existing air conditioning was in good working order, we have upgraded to inverter units for the 2019 season. These initially draw AC power, then the DC inverter kicks in to control the speed of the compressor. This should give everyone a more restful sleep because the units run more quietly.

In the living area, the two smaller units were swapped for a larger one, and the two-hour timers removed.

Shiny New Taps

As the local hard water gives the taps a hard life, a change was due. We particularly love the kitchen tap which dispenses drinking water separately.

With recent focus on environmental concerns over single-use plastic, you’ll be pleased to know it’s safe to drink the local tap water, so there’s no need to lug home vast quantities of the plastic-bottled variety. In the villa you will find reusable glass bottles that you can fill up and keep in the fridge.

Guest Handbook

On our recent pre-season visit I was delighted to find the perfect folder for displaying the new guest handbook pages. Previous visitors can probably tell that designing this document is something I love. There is also an online A-Z version on the password-protected section of this site for booked guests.

The folder came from Jumbo in Kings Avenue Mall, Paphos. A Woolworths-type store offering a wide range of value homeware, (including beach paraphernalia and pool inflatables).

Sunbed Cushion Covers

We are moving on from ‘home made’ lounger towels and trying something slicker. This season’s new covers are microfibre, rather than cotton which should make them more durable and colour-fast. They are much less bulky to launder and store and should be quick drying.

Fingers crossed you like them!

Looking forward to welcoming this season’s guests…
Kalosórisma !

Brexit Need to Knows

Nikki Salter Pissouri, Travel March 31, 2019March 7, 2020brexit 0 Comment

Like everyone else we had hoped that this would be finalised by now.

Rest assured you can still happily arrange a holiday to Cyprus whatever happens with Brexit in the coming weeks and months.

At the time of writing, (31 March), the long-awaited 29 March 2019 deadline has passed without agreement in the UK Parliament. The UK may be leaving with no-deal on 12 April, or there may be an extension for further negotiations to secure a Brexit agreement with the European Commission.

The following advice covers both scenarios…

Flights

Even if there is no-deal, the European Commission and UK government have each said that UK airlines will still be able to operate flights between the UK and the EU.

The aviation regulator has confirmed that you will still be eligible to claim compensation under EU Regulation 261 for flight delays, as this is not restricted to EU citizens only.

Regarding holiday insurance, MoneySavingExpert has done some research with UK insurers to ask whether their policies would cover Brexit-related flight disruption.

Passports

You should check that your passport will have at least 6 months’ validity beyond your travel dates in case of a no-deal Brexit.

The EU will count your passport validity at 10 years from the date of issue. It’s important to know that, because if your passport had extra months added when it was issued (due to being renewed early), those additional months will not count.

Click for the latest advice from the UK Government.

European Health Insurance Card

Although we take EHICs on our visits to Cyprus, it is much quicker and more convenient to use the local private medical facilities in Pissouri itself, rather than travelling to the state hospitals in Limassol or Paphos.

We strongly recommend taking out independent travel insurance at the time of booking. This should not only allow you to access the local private medical facilities, but also cover you for medical evacuation, cancellation, and lost luggage.

In the event of a no-deal Brexit, UK-registered EHICs will no longer be valid.

Driving Licence

If there is no-deal, the UK Government will seek reciprocal arrangements for EU countries to recognise UK driving licences. In the meantime, UK licence holders will also need a 1949 International Driving Permit to drive in Cyprus.

You can get this over the counter from 2,500 UK post offices. The fee for a 12-month permit is £5.50. Your post office will need a 35 x 45 mm passport-style photo, and your UK photocard licence. If you still have the old paper licence, your passport will also be required. As each applicant signs their permit at the post office before it can be officially stamped, you have to apply in person.

How necessary having this remains to be seen… we were blissfully unaware of their existence until recently. We certainly never had one for visiting Cyprus prior to their entry into the EU in 2004.

Currency

There’s no way of knowing how the currency exchange rate will change.

If you are worried about this, Martin ‘MoneySavingExpert’ Lewis suggests hedging your bets by buying half your holiday currency now and half later.

Mobile Roaming

Since June 2017 we have benefited from ‘Roam Like Home’ across the EU.

Whether this will continue after a no-deal Brexit will depend on individual mobile providers. With the exception of Three (who already offered this prior to the EU ruling, and pledge to keep it), the big UK players only say that they have ‘no plans’ to reintroduce roaming charges.

In the event of no-deal the Government plans to legislate for a £45-a-month default charging cap.

Live Music For Summer Evenings in Pissouri

Nikki Salter Events, Pissouri March 23, 2019April 3, 2019pissouri amphitheatre 0 Comment

Waiting for the show at Pissouri amphitheatre

Pissouri Tribute-Act Concerts: 2019

Wednesday 17 April | Meatloaf: Terry Nash | Vineleaf Tavern

Friday 17 May | T Rex: Rob Cairns | Vineleaf Tavern

Thursday 2 June | Phil Collins and Genesis Tribute | Platea Tavern

Tuesday 11 June | Re-Take That | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Saturday 15 June | Boyband Legends | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Saturday 22 June | Rod Stewart: Bob Wyper | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Friday 28 June | Queen: Regina | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Saturday 6 July | Two Sides of Phil Collins: Andrew Rafferty | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Saturday 13 July | Jersey Boys: Oh What a Night | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Saturday 20 July | Il Divo: The Four Stations | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Saturday 7 September | Barry Manilo: Paul Barrie | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Saturday 21 September | Simply Red: Fairground | Pissouri Amphitheatre

Promoters

Kendall Events

Morrelli Events

Other Ideas For Your Cyprus Holiday

Our Top Ten List

Before Booking a Villa…

Nikki Salter Travel January 23, 2019June 2, 2019book direct 0 Comment

A Cautionary Tale: Booking.com

The first story in today’s episode of Rip Off Britain Holidays (currently available on BBC iPlayer) is a warning to anyone contemplating booking through an OTA (Online Travel Agent). In this particular instance it was Booking.com, but you should be aware that similar problems could arise with HomeAway, Expedia or TripAdvisor which all operate in a similar capacity.

The Benson’s Madeira Villa-Booking Experience

In January 2018, John Benson and his sister Christine found a villa on the island of Madeira for a very special family holiday to mark landmark birthdays and a diamond anniversary. They selected a roomy beachside villa with a pool and lovely gardens to accommodate three generations of their family together. The rental was £8,000 for two weeks, booked online and confirmed by Booking.com.

Their problems started a month later when the villa owner contacted them to say that as the villa had been double-booked, their booking was being cancelled. By this time the family had already spent a further £2,600 on non-refundable flights.

Although Booking.com said it would find them an alternative villa of equivalent or better size and standard, over a period of weeks the offerings were nowhere near comparable with the original.

Eventually after persuading a customer service agent to re-examine their case file, the family was sent an email with links to a choice of suitable villas. Booking.com pledged that any price difference would be the responsibility of the owner of the first villa.

Favourite by far was a villa listed at £18,638 for the same fortnight. (Yes, I know what you’re thinking, but read on…) Because this was far in excess of the original rental paid, the Bensons double-checked the Booking.com offer carefully. Finding the same villa advertised elsewhere for the same dates at £11,000 – coupled with Booking.com’s price match guarantee – gave them further reassurance that the shortfall would be a more acceptable £3,000, rather than the full £10,000+.

Further problems arose when Booking.com thought the Bensons had booked a villa they had not been offered, because they could not find the villa via their own email links. They instructed John to cancel which would release the dates – enabling them to check on their live system.

This in turn caused the owner of the second villa to charge an eye-watering 70% cancellation fee of €14,700 – for a booking that had only been in place for a matter of hours. Even after having the circumstances explained, this villa owner inexplicably refused a refund.

Appealing to Booking.com also had no effect… The response highlighted their terms and conditions stating that they are a platform linking travellers and suppliers. Their fine print stresses that your contract is with the advertiser – allowing property owners to set their own conditions and cancellation charges.

A Happy Ending – Thanks to Rip Off Britain?

Neither set of villa owners nor Booking.com come out of this account well. At the very least I would expect the first villa owner to use their local knowledge to offer assistance with finding alternative accommodation – especially as Booking.com deem them responsible for topping up the shortfall.

As the Bensons emphasise throughout the programme, they kept expecting that once matters were explained to the parties concerned, all would be well. It is mind-boggling that the situation escalated to the degree it did.

Following the involvement of BBC’s Rip Off Britain, Booking.com looked into the Benson family’s case again. Happily they have finally been reimbursed for both their villa cancellation charges and flights, in addition to being given a welcome £3,380 contribution towards another holiday.

How To Avoid This Happening To You

The key message here is that if something goes wrong, booking with one of the large holiday companies may not offer you the help, support and protection that you are expecting.

We have a checklist of suggestions to work through before booking accommodation online, created for our FAQs page. Chief of these is to book directly with the owner, after doing some research to check that the owner is both bona fide and trustworthy. You should be able to gauge this from online reviews and feedback.

The lack of concern over cancelling the Benson’s booking raises suspicions that in the scenario above, rather than finding themselves double-booked as they claimed, the first villa owner may have used this as an excuse in order to take another booking – possibly offering a longer stay, smaller group or higher rental. If this were the case, you may be able to track down other instances of unethical behaviour…

In the days of social media and online reviews, dissatisfied guests will soon find an outlet to vent their feelings. Make sure you check before booking, rather than once it is too late. Returning guests are always a good sign. (And remember to read the owners’ responses to any criticisms, as these can be enlightening.)

Oh and don’t forget to book your holiday insurance when you book your accommodation, rather than just before you travel.

Our Checklist

It is perfectly safe to book directly – use this checklist to protect yourself from scams:

1 Can you pay by secure card portal? PayPal is not recommended.
Although we prefer bank transfers, we also offer Mastercard and Visa card payments, or Revolut app transfer. To accept card payments our status has been verified by our secure processing portal.

2 Is there a contact landline number?
If you can’t get us on our UK landline +44 (0) 1923 853113, we’re probably in Cyprus!

3 Do an image search. Right-click on image > search Google for image. Make sure there are no rogue listings.
This is a check we also do to make sure no one is using our photos fraudulently.

4 Look for an owner’s website. Property on a listing site? Google name, location, tagline and images. Owners who have taken the time and effort to create their own website usually offer direct booking without booking site fees. Check the domain registration.
Nikki registered pissouribay.com in 2006. You can track our website development via the WayBackMachine.

5 Is the owner active on social media?
Find us on , , and . See our pics, read our posts and check our guest feedback.

6 Is the owner knowledgeable about the local area?
Feel free to ask questions. Even if it’s something we haven’t come across in our 50+ visits, we’ll do our best to find an answer for you.

7 Read guest comments and reviews on and .
Our website guestbook quotes visitors from 2006 to date. And we recently started collecting online reviews. Owners’ responses can also be illuminating!

8 Is availability displayed?
Our calendar includes the initials of the lead guest for booked dates.

Alarm Bells:

Are you looking at a paid advert? Scammers lift copy and photos from legitimate sites, then pay to appear on Google, Bing and Yahoo. Look for the giveaway Ad label next to search results. Check out the website you’re planning to book through on review sites before paying.

Only one payment option? It is often ok to pay by bank transfer. (We prefer this method ourselves). However, it is also a method used by fraudsters, so ask whether alternatives are accepted (cheque, card, etc). Definitely avoid payment by Western Union.

Rate too good to be true? Be suspicious if the price is much lower than others, especially if you’re offered discounts to pay in one go.

No bookings calendar? Scammers tend to avoid showing an availability calendar to enable them to take bookings for any dates you suggest.

Cyprus-specific: Before booking a company-owned villa, check their financial status