Palm Island, Grenadines - The Nitty Gritty

We have been looking for somewhere new and different for quite a time now. Somewhere one can be away from it all but able to enjoy good company and excellent service. Somewhere that is visually stunning yet not to vicious on flying time or money. I am glad to say we have now got as close to this perfection as we will ever get so allow me to explain why.

I chose the holiday so I am glad I got it right as, being an ex-travel professional it is surprising often I fail in this respect! Holiday choices are very subjective but this one seemed to offer the perfect compromise between my taste and that of my wife Judith. You see I like plenty to occupy myself and I am a social animal that enjoys good food, a wide range of drinks – and plenty of it. Judith on the other hand likes relaxation, British cuisine and tends to drink wine only. Palm Island had the lot! Some of such up market resorts like Palm Island tend to bring out folk that seem more inclined to dress up and pose a lot but thankfully this place, although having a sensible dress code, was pretty much free of such displays!

Palm Island is located just off the coast of Union Island in the Grenadines which are about 40 minutes flight from Barbados and a little less from St Lucia. In the old days it used to be called Prune Island and consisted of swamps, mosquitos and scrubland. It featured heavily, in its original name, in the old days of piracy but thankfully that is well in the past too!  

                                                         

Many major long-haul tour operators offer Palm Island in their brochures but I booked it online  and probably saved a little in doing so by using discounts and air miles (Avios). We flew BA to Barbados from Gatwick and this got us into Bridgetown Barbados around 1535 in the afternoon. I then contacted Palm Island through Elite Resorts who market them in the UK and USA.

 As we had booked for more than 10 days the resort included the cost of the connecting service in their hotel fee and made the booking locally for us. Anyone can do this or get in touch with the SVG website themselves. They really do try and make it as easy as possible and they meet you off your arriving aircraft and transfer you onto theirs pretty seamlessly. As the connection is reasonably short I suggest you mark your bag clearly (ribbons?) and ensure you have the coupons ready to hand over as well as possibly a photo of the bags. If the worst happens, your flight is late, and there is no time for the bag transfer then they will send them on the next morning. This is rare but I recommend you carry a change of clothing in your cabin baggage.

The plane you connect onto is small. Most seat around 20 people, have two propeller engines and are not ‘God’s gift’ in comfort however they are sturdy, reliable an fun…..in a noisy sort of way. Large cabin bags are put in the front hatch so keep your eyes open to ensure they are offloaded at Union as the aircraft often flies on to other places. When you approach Union Island (around 40 minutes later) you will fly directly around Palm Island on your approach and you can usually see it through the right hand window. You then descend onto the runway. Do not be concerned by the occasional  bumpiness on the final descent which can be caused by nearby mountain peaks as this is usual and the pilots know it intimately!

You land, watch them remove ALL your bags and go into this tiny building to clear immigration and customs. The airport is ‘quaint’ but they take their job very seriously. They are lovely people and will help you if needed but they are serious so don’t be put off. Also be warned that every time you land anywhere in this part of the Caribbean you will need a separate landing and departure form, even for the short hops so make sure you are given one. Fill them out as soon as you can as there is not much room on the plane! If the airline does not give you one then be ready to get one as soon as possible on arrival. For example, in Barbados there are forms and pens at a desk on the right just inside the arrivals building.

Having cleared customs you will be met by a very genial gentleman with an enormous golf style buggy. Climb aboard and he will take you on a 7 minute drive to the local yacht club where the transfer launch is waiting. The resort has at least two of these launches and they are big and powerful so do not worry about getting queasy on board as they rush through the waves. They give you water and cool towels and in 10 minutes you are at the Palm Island dock where there are more smiling people holding a tray of rum punches!

So now the ‘Palm Island experience’ begins. The people meeting you are usually the resort G.M. (Katy), a selection of available managers, some porters and the barman. You get offered your drink and a mini briefing on the resort. They take you straight to your room and suggest you formally check in the next day which I think is awfully civilised. The setting of resort is brilliant but quite widespread. You do not feel on top of people here. We unpacked, went on a short walk around and then into the bar and restaurant which are next to each other.

So, after this rather lengthy, but hopefully useful, preamble let’s get onto the resort itself.

As you may have gathered it is the only resort on a not very big island. There are a few private villas around its small coastline and a couple belonging to the resort itself but, apart from that you are cut off from the rigours of this world. There are little ‘dirt roads’ going around and through the island and they provide bikes for those who do not feel like walking. These are great and you can circuit the island in about 20 minutes. Some parts are on the Atlantic side, some have rocky parts good for snorkelling and some are very well groomed around the resort itself. The resort itself faces Union Island and is kind of triangular in shape. The main beach covers both sides of the point with all the amenities (pool, library, reception etc) behind it within a lawned area.

There are quite a few different types of accommodation so make your choice well. We stayed in a ‘Superior Beachfront’ which was just that. These rooms are recently built in a modern style and replace some of the original ‘Beachfront’ rooms. They are bigger and more modern with some added amenities inside and out like large draped outdoor beds etc. The room contains what you would expect in the way of fridges, ironing boards, umbrellas. Inside the fridge you get soft drinks and local beer but no wine or spirits. We bought our own local rum for pre-dinner aperitifs. The ‘bathroom’ does not have a bath  as it is replaced by a large glass screened shower area with complementary soaps and shampoo. These rooms face the main beach although set back a little.

The standard ‘Beachfront’ rooms are mainly closer to the sea, older, smaller and with a traditional decor but very attractive and we would have been equally happy staying in them. the rooms have 2 pin American plug sockets. These rooms have a small but lovely outdoor area with two comfortable sunbeds with mattresses and a grass umbrella. Great for sundowners!

The ‘Garden View’ rooms are just that i.e. they face inland towards the lawns and pool. They seemed identical to the Beachfront rooms but without the seafront and sunset to look at. Other than that they looked great.

Then they had the suites. I did not see many as they were occupied but they too looked very comfortable. The ‘Sea Grape’ suites are on one side of the resort next to the Sunset restaurant on a small stretch of beach close to the main jetties. Externally they looked great and did not seem to be troubled by noise from the surrounding activities. The resorts ‘Loft’ suites were spread around the place and were built on two levels. I liked what I saw but thought that there were perhaps too many variations of accommodation and prices. I was however very impressed with the range of rooms.

So what about the public areas?

These can be split into a number of sections. The main block contains an open sided traditional Reception area with attached office and shop. Any briefings are made in the lounge furnished reception area. It is not always manned but the adjoining office always has someone on duty. I have been told that this area is one of the few places where you can get a WIFI signal but my 4G Vodafone worked everywhere including by the pool or in our room. The shop stocks most things but at Caribbean prices which are a little higher than ours. Strangely the shop seems the only place where you can buy crisps or nuts to eat in your room. You can reserve your bikes from Reception

Just down a path from the shop is the Sunset restaurant. I am not sure where the name came from as when we were there it was only open lunchtimes apart from the very occasional evening. The seating is both indoor and outdoor under grass umbrellas and the food and ambiance a delight. There are plenty of fish specials, tacos, fajitas, lobster (in season) and meat alternatives. The staff are laid back and very helpful.

My second section is on the main beach and mainly comprises of bar and main restaurant. Again the restaurant is very well organised with excellent service and good food. Breakfast can be as extensive as you want it to be. There is a buffet section for all sorts of self-service items including cereals and toast, and a waiter who gets your hot items. There is very little missing for both European and North American tastes. Dinner is special in both  range and quality. We did not have one bad meal (except perhaps for the baked shark!) and the staff were super-attentive without being pushy.

Next to the restaurant is the bar which is almost as large in size. It has a main square stone island where the barman has his drinks which is surrounded by stools. Most premium drinks were offered here. There are loads of easy chairs dotted around the rest which is great but DON’T try to move them as they weigh a ton! One tends to find different types of folk gravitate towards each other and we ended up with some great people from Canada, Mexico and Germany to while away the evenings with. Like most places smoking can be an issue but the resort is pragmatic about it i.e. they don’t try and stop you if you sit around the edges of the lounge area. They even provide ashtrays! Musical entertainment was provided nightly which I thought was of a high standard…..especially as the evening wore on!

My third section is the grounds and what is in them. The pool is freeform and long. There are further grass umbrellas and plenty of sun loungers around. My only gripe was the sun loungers as they are canvas covered and have no mattresses so you can end up with a numb behind! There is no lifeguard but also no children, so it seemed reasonably safe especially as it is not very deep (4ft)! There is a little covered area at one end and there you can find towels and a fridge with cold drinks. If you want anything different to drink you need to accost the occasional passing barman or wander down to the main facility. The pool was rarely used (apart from us) as it gets quite windy there in certain seasons.

Like most parts of the hotel the pool area is very open and surrounded by well-kept lawns. It is on these lawns and surrounding sand and paths you see most of the wildlife including birds, iguanas and tortoises. Looking across and beyond the lawn is a line of low rise buildings which house the gym, games area (including tennis and ping pong) as well as the library and TV room (there is no in-room TV). The library has an enormous selection of books that are stacked three deep. There are little screened off shower areas if you need them for washing or costume changes!

The final section is the beaches. There are quite a few of them and I did not see them all as I was too lazy to cycle much. Each beach is a little different and four have hammock areas built by the resort. If you book and pay a little extra you can enjoy these hammocks for a day with a champagne lunch provided. The main beach is very white, very sandy and with plenty of sun umbrellas with those ‘comfortable’ sunbeds. There is a water sport section quite close to the main bar area. The guys there are very helpful and are happy to get you drinks either from their store or the bar. Towels are available here too.

A visitor!

We enjoyed the beach greatly although it does shelve quite steeply in parts and some might need to take care about this. Again, the water level also shelves in places so be aware. Sometimes you get day trippers on the beach but thankfully not as much as other islands. Some guests complain but there is very little that the resort can do as all beaches in the Caribbean are ‘open to all’. The resort does take lunch booking from day visitors but I think this is fair as why have a half empty restaurant if people want to eat there!

For a quiet laid back place there is surprisingly a lot to do if you have time or enthusiasm for it. They run regular boat trips to great snorkelling places like Tobago Cays where you are almost guaranteed to swim with turtles and rays. Union Island next door can be toured by taxi but I have to admit most people were glad to lounge around the island or sail.

Looking back at what I have written I am thinking a) it’s a bit huge and b) have I forgotten anything important. As far as size is concerned, I’m sorry! And secondly? Yes. I have not mentioned the management and staff which can make or break resorts so I will put the latter right, now. It is all about management style or lack of it and this team have a lot of style. This style is slightly different to some as they are very friendly, very relaxed and are seen as very…..familiar to some. They really do believe in being efficient but at the same time like to put guests at their ease by using first names and wanting to talk. To a number of people I saw it was not expected but, by the end of their stay, they all seemed happy enough. Katy, the GM runs a tight ship and others of her senior team follow her lead well. Cyril, the restaurant manager, is hugely friendly but cannot be faulted for it in any way.  I even enjoyed being called Mikey by the end of our stay!

The rest? 

WE WILL MISS THEM!

A dining guide to Paxos

Paxos has loads of restaurants and like most places in Greece the food is tasty although rather samey. 

You can always get the usual fare of squid, Octopus, Souvlaki, Mousakka, chips, chips, more chips and rice. Although the food can seem similar meal by meal there is always the option to cook your own (if you have a villa, apartment, barbecue etc) and we did this a lot. There are quite a few supermarkets and mini-marts about with a broad range of choices.

Although dining in a lot we did go out and here is a brief critique on what we found. We went to the three main locations of Lakka, Loggos and Gaios although we start with Mongonissi as it was close to where we were staying.

I hope you find the blog possibly helpful/interesting although please remember the views contained are mine alone and relate to mainly just one visit.

Mongonissi

PAN AND THEO

We did not use the beach but we enjoyed looking at it and beyond to the boats. What I really want to see recognised is the main restaurant overlooking the beach which does not seem to get much billing in its own right. We went there twice and the food was great and better than most other more recognised restaurants on the island. Judith had 'best ever' sardines and I enjoyed a lovely juicy souvlaki. All this with the beautiful setting and view makes a great place to visit.

CARNAYO GOLD LOUNGE CAFE

Nice bar with great evening view

I have to say this was a very nice relaxing place and great for sun-downer drinks. It is both laid back and slightly quirky and occupied by a mixture of tourists and yachtsmen. Some of the visitors tend to pose a bit but this adds to the entertainment! I understand you can get light snacks there but we didn’t try them. Yes, we liked it!

Gaios

ANESIS CAFE

We like to go to a bar which we can adopt as a pre-dinner watering hole and we found what we think is the perfect place. It is called Anesis Café and located near the corner of the waterfront square (close to where the church is) and it looks and feels very local if you sit in the bar itself. They also have seats under an awning in the square. The people who run it are relaxed, friendly and talkative if you need to ask them anything. It is one of those places where you can immediately relax, drink a large and tasty carafe of local wine and watch the world go by until you build up an appetite. Highly recommended.

MAMBO

As harbour front bars go this was a good one and it serves light meals. We did not eat a lot but what we had was very enjoyable. The drinks were cold and flavourful and we enjoyed ourselves. Being right on the front you can see the yachts and harbour activity which can be both interesting and sometimes amusing.  We would go again.

VASILIS TAVERN

Ther is nothing too special to say about this place really. It is off the waterfront and occupies a narrow throughway between some buildings. It was very busy and operated rather like a food production line i.e. high turnover and bland. There was very little individualism and not much flair and the food that was distinctly average. Despite all that they did nothing too awful but also delivered nothing particularly well. It was a very average meal and we did not return.

PAN AND THEO

We ate at Pan and Theo twice and I have to say the food there was better than all the other restaurants we visited. It is on the waterfront in Gaios and had good views to go with good food and friendly service. All the usual Greek staple meals were on offer but all cooked rather well. It was one of the few places that seemed particularly packed out. Unless there are two Pan and Theo’s I assume they run the place in Mongonissi too. We recommend it, we really do

Lakka

HARBOUR LIGHTS

It was a nice place for a drink and possibly more. We only popped in for a couple of drinks but it was really very pleasant. The beer was cold, the people seemed nice and the view was interesting and enjoyable. Yes, worth visiting in our opinion.

Loggos

VASILIS

Before going to Paxos I looked up the restaurant critiques on TripAdvisor and this one came out tops at the time. Although the Gaios restaurant of the same name disappointed us we thought this one would make up for it. So we went with high expectation but sadly had a bad time. It certainly looked good perched on the quayside and it was quite quaint in that you might have to move your chairs every time a local bus tried to squeeze past!

To get a decent table you should book which shows its popularity but sadly what we got to eat was dry and cold. I mean even the blooming chips were cold! So we suffered in silence and drank our bottle of wine. When they came to take our barely touched plates they finally realised there was something wrong and the maître d came over. He whisked the plates away to the kitchen where raised voices were heard and then came back, apologised, and refused to take any payment for anything including drinks and wine. Whilst he rescued the situation, which I applaud, the actual food was not up to par. I just hope we just had bad luck at a busy time as it remains a very popular place.

ROXI BAR CAFÉ

It was probably more of of a disappointment because I had previously read the hype about this place. In fact some people say it is the best bar on the island.  In actuality for us it was nothing particularly special except for the view from the tables. It also didn't help that some regular guests arrived and were practically bowled over with welcomes while we sat, being ignored and hoping to get a drink. Anyway, the actual place was nice. We sat harbour-side and, whilst the chairs were on a downward slope, it was entirely acceptable......but not 'great'. One can go through the bar to tables on the other side which overlooks the harbour entrance. Sadly no food seemed available but there are plenty of places nearby.

NASSOS TAVERN

We count ourselves really fortunate to have found this tavern. It was towards the end of our fortnight holiday and we felt rather jaded as far as Greek food was concerned. Again we were in Loggos and decided to try this place mainly because we were hungry and it was convenient. We were pleasantly surprised and enjoyed a very good moussaka and excellent souvlaki. We enjoyed it here and made new friends.

So that was our little tour of cafes, bars and restaurants completed. There are plenty of others which I am sure many of you know about. We went to more but, after a while they all seemed to blend together. An important thing you might want to remember is that my views are mine and you might have totally different experience to mine. In some cases I sincerely hope so. I enjoyed my food on Paxos although I won’t be eating any more souvlaki or moussaka for a while!

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 because of 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 our 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-routeable 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 early 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 really are downright marvellous.

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  not to 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 you 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 you prefers. The beach-side 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 specifically 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 are built in a dark wood which blends in well with the island. They are quite large and designed in a way that complements the low key ambience 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 louvred slats with insect netting on the outside. This obviously keeps the bugs out but can let any chilled escape too thus negating some of the benefits of air conditioning.

The bedroom section is large and has a small step running 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 as it did not take advantage of the view outside. On the balcony there is a small daybed, two easy chairs and a table with two dining chairs. None were particularly comfortable, especially the easy chairs as they 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 safe was sturdy.

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  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 appetisers  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 hotel restaurant  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  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 every 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 maybe 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 will need to enter the water either side of it.

Like all 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 airside 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  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 with 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.

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

British Airways. Saint or sinner?

So what is it with British Airways? Why does it seem so many people are falling out of love with them? If they exist who are these people?  How many?  And do they have a point.

First one needs to clarify who they are as so many things have changed in the airline marketplace. British Airways (BA) used to be the UK’s national ‘flag carrying’ airline and was sometimes seen as a ‘full service’ airline.  In recent years a full service airline was one that charged an all-in price for the full service provided which used to be extensive. People got used to it and some still continue to expect nothing less. Then the airline market changed.

It started with the arrival of what many call ‘cost plus’ airlines. These people (like EasyJet and Ryanair) use a different cost model which is focussed on lowest seat price plus charges for almost everything else relating to the flight i.e. baggage, seat allocation, meals, credit charge use etc etc. Travellers could then choose what they needed, or wanted. This coupled with flexible seat pricing and initially different origin/destination usage appealed greatly to flyers, primarily in the leisure market.

BA and these ‘no frills’ airlines managed to live with each other (just) until the market changed. The catalyst for change came when the Low Cost Airlines (LCA) saturated their initial operating destinations with flights, ran short of new ones, saw opportunities in mainstream markets and, essentially, started wining customers away from BA and others. Their marketing was very popular with the public who failed to understand why the big airlines seemed to charge so much more.

Almost all airlines have one thing in common. They have shareholders who invest in them and expect a good return. Many are listed on their stock exchanges and therefor need to satisfy analysts and major investment institutions and share dealers. This drive for improved return on investment (ROI) is another key driver for airlines to seek lower operating costs and increased sales. Their very existance depends on it.

To my mind BA has had no choice but to respond positively to these drivers by being competitive with all opponents’ whist protecting and reshaping their brand. After all I have seen little evidence of the bulk of their customers demanding that BA charge premium fares for premium service. The contrary is more evident. With this in mind I see BA has little choice not only to vigorously defend their position but exploit opportunities for new business too.

So how can BA do this and are they competing on a level playing field?  Well the field is certainly not ‘level’ at present although it is starting to get there.  For example BA serves all sorts of routes that no LCA would dream of. They also operate up to four different classes of service on the same plane which is hardly ‘stack them high and sell them cheap’! They also operate on a completely different cost structure. They are trying to improve this by negotiating new staff contracts and outsourcing costs with sometimes disastrous but possibly predictable outcomes. Understandably staff do not want to change their desirable and traditional union negotiated remuneration packages and an outsourced function is less service secure than a costly internal one.

Meanwhile the LCAs continue with their cherry picked lucrative cost and price models without the need to worry about huge antiquated legacy issues. Not for them the concern of taking products away from customers which they never gave to them in the first place. Everyone seems to accept that they are the ‘people’s champion’ in the fight for low pricing.

The only trouble is people have begun to notice BA’s cost reduction and do not like it. People will always expect a service they have always enjoyed but woe betide anyone who takes it away! Hell hath no fury than someone with a meal/drink/seat taken away. This combined with the service imbalance of operating different classes on board is a huge challenge, especially as the less populated premium cabins do not contribute the majority of a flight’s revenue income.

So what is going to happen? Well it is anyone’s guess but I think BA will be taking a long hard look at how it will move forward and I have every confidence they will find a solution. I am also convinced it will not continue to operate exactly as it does now. Perhaps they might operate a two service/one flight system i.e. make the rear cabin low cost and the front full cost. With a flexible cabin configuration this may just work. Another possible option would be to split the airline into low cost short haul and full service long haul service as no LCA airline seems to have found a way into the intercontinental market yet and may never do so.

Going back to the beginning of this blog. Who is getting discontented with British Airways? clearly it is their premium business clients who perceive that service declines as BA drive for increased profitability How many? Well quite a lot really but the situation is still recoverable. And do they have a point? Well clearly they do.Whatever happens I do not envy British Airways but I wish them well. The road will be challenging but I am confident they will get there. They are, after all, a damn fine airline and the envy of many a nation.

Saint or sinner? Well saint is perhaps too kind but sinner? That would be unfair…wouldn’t it?!

Hoping for an airline upgrade. You’ll be lucky!

No seriously, I mean it because luck is probably the best way to describe so called airline selection policy as it applies to that all important upgrade. A huge shame really as, with the arrival of single class competitors, the incentive of potential upgrades is a definite plus when deciding who to fly with. Sad that airlines do not recognise the power and competitive edge upgrades give them.

I read a long running blog the other day on the subject of ‘How to get an upgrade’. It started with someone’s opinion and grew enormously as others (including me at the time) regaled other readers with their tips, experiences and failures. The only thing that seemed clear is that almost everybody wanted upgrades and very few actually got them. The only successes seemed to be with people that made no particular effort but got them as a pleasant surprise.

On looking closer at these and other people one thing began to become evident. It did not seem to matter much on what you looked like, how many in your group or how important you are to that airline. It seemed purely down to numbers and seemed triggered by how full the cabin was you were booked in. Obviously the vast majority of seats are in economy class and also economy passengers are more likely not to show up. As a result airlines overbook this cabin in the hope it ends up going out full. If there are seats available in higher classes then these are used for any surplus economy numbers via upgrades. The same approach applies right up to First Class. Very often when someone gets upgraded from economy they will create a chain reaction of upgrade through Premium economy and Club class right up to the front cabin. Either that or, to save hassle the economy passenger finds themselves placed directly into seat 1A.

Meals also impact the need to upgrade. If the particular cabin is short of meals they will often upgrade or sometimes if a forward cabin is almost empty but fully catered for they will again upgrade. There is also the airline staff upgrade where travelling airline folk hold upgrade tickets or possibly are friends of the crew. And if there are plenty of meals and not many staff? Then you might just get lucky. Also if you are on a flight that stops somewher you may get an upgrade if they are congested on certain legs of your journey.

Now I always used to think that if I looked smart my chances of upgrade were better. I had hoped that someone in the ground staff were wandering around thinking “now let me find a smart, deserving individual I can bestow this super upgrade on” I am afraid I do not believe this happens any more (it used to). Now some machine randomly selects you or a tired, bored departure desk operative gets told to offer upgrades to whoever is in front of them. I am afraid the truly discretionary upgrade has all but gone out of the window. I suppose the computer could be programmed to select that airline’s frequent flyer members but I have not seen this happening much either.

Looking deeper there is only one true way of getting an upgrade and even that is risky and impossible for most people and that is before check-in. If you can persuade the right airline person at the right level to mark your booking ‘upgrade space available’ it might just happen. A lot depends on the relationship between reservations and airport staff and if the latter remembers to do something about it. For example I tried to help a friend who had just lost his wife and needed to get to Sydney. I phoned the airline reservations number and explained the situation and got nowhere until I got my call escalated to a supervisor. After a lot of persuasion on my part she agreed to try and help and ultimately he got upgraded. Not easy but possible if you persevere

So that is that really. Computerisation, apathy and, in my opinion, short-sightedness by airlines means upgrades are hard to get and mainly coincidental. Just think what a valuable selling tool they could be. They would buy loyalty, give recognition and fill seats productively instead of dishing them out indiscriminately to those not expecting them.

So. You want an upgrade? You WILL BE LUCKY!

Cheap Flights are what we want. But are they?

I have been waiting for it to happen and now it has. The major national airlines that have been fighting low cost carriers are finally joining them with a vengeance that is creating its own backlash.

Naturally it is about money or should I say profit and ‘shareholder value’. Let me explain. Those same airlines that denigrated those ‘cheap’ airlines in the past have seen their profits suffer and have found it necessary to respond in order to maintain their position as market brand leaders.

Now, they are not going to give away their profit margins and pricing models are they? No. What they are doing is changing them into possibly more profitable returns. You see low cost airlines relied mainly on new routes, new markets, low charges for high volume and almost a carte blanche to do what they want as they were new kids on the block. In fact the crazier their actions seemed the more they were admired.

The big airlines could do very little to start with. These new guys were a pain but did not really hurt them too much on key routes. Meanwhile they still earned enough loyalty from business and other higher end markets to cope plus they had solid schedules to key cities to reduce the damage. In fact I think they did not want to play with low cost in those early evolution times. Then things moved on. Or at least they have on the smaller routes.

The new ‘cheap’ market reached almost saturation point. These airlines introduced as many new routes as they could and filled them with as many passengers that were ready and willing to use them. But what happens when there are so few new routes available anymore? How do these darlings of the City maintain the expected rapid, continuing growth expected from them? The answer is they have to compete for those passengers they once scorned and mainly ignored the mainstream airline traveller.

How did they do this? By in part becoming a bit like their adversaries by flying in and out of major airports and fighting on a far more level playing field. By this I mean they kept their opening fare at the same low levels but charged add-ons for everything else from meals, drinks, bags, credit cards to reserved seats, extra legroom and most of the other things you get (or used to) as standard from mainstream airlines. This has created a massive change which will grow before it diminishes.

To some extent this is what the big world airlines were waiting for. People started finding that low cost airlines are not as low cost as they used to be. The ‘cheap flight love affair’ was beginning to be questioned. Those airlines that could get away with murder in recent years started being called to account when directly and openly being compared with their bigger and more established rivals.

Finally it seems the national airlines have started to act and I am not sure how popular it is going to become with Joe Public who enjoyed slating them but needed them to be around too. As ‘low cost fares’ went up so did ‘full fare’ prices go down. Except they were no longer the ‘full service’ fare.

The opportunity for these global carriers was there for the taking and being openly displayed to them by those competitors they feared were their nemesis. If you change elements of pricing you can milk extra profit. So now the low cost charges are being introduced by the big boys, particularly on short journeys. Food and drink quality have gone down but now you have to pay for them on top of your fare. The airline takes out a cost and replaces it with a new income stream! This is not the only example of this rapidly growing income stream. On flights cabin crew numbers are getting smaller and compelling reasons present themselves for reducing pay and benefits too. After all it is what ‘the people’ (you and me) want. Now we are finding that major airlines are more often the same or cheaper than low cost airlines on main routes. Sadly it must be at our cost not theirs.

It is a bit sad really but I think the major carriers are going to get a bit of a public bashing over this but hey, they are more profitable and the city institutions will love them! The will also be able to defend themselves by saying they are reacting to what the public want. Meanwhile, as I said before, ultimately Joe Public will end up paying more for less.

Finally a look to the future. I think the short flight market will level out and airlines of all persuasions will compete on more equal basis albeit we, the public, will probably get a more reduced service and at higher prices. As far as the longer distance destinations are concerned, I personally think that it will be a while before this, what I call ‘cost plus’ model takes hold. Companies bankrolled by city institutions have tried before to start up new low cost long haul airlines and have failed miserably. This may change and I see airlines like Norwegian trying their new model in this market but I hold out little hope for such in the near future.

But who knows!