Kosmar - (Tour Operators in Kefalonia)

Jean Q          8/10

An otherwise excellent Kosmar holiday was spoiled by problems relating to the flights.

Having booked online only a week before, we arrived at Bristol airport 3 hours before departure as instructed in the booking confirmation in order to collect our tickets from the airline agencies counter, only to find that the counter is not manned until 2 hours before departure so we had to hang around for an hour. Not a good start.

The flight was slightly delayed, but once in the air the cabin crew started to take orders for meals although they said they were low on stocks as the caterers had not supplied enough meals. Our two first choices were not available so we ended up with all day breakfasts, folded pizza and cup-a-soup. Not the meal we had expected to have. Some people even had the meals they did get taken away from them as it was realised that the ovens had not heated them properly, by which time there were no other choices left.

On the return trip the cabin crew again said they were short of meals, but this time blamed the previous passengers who had eaten more than expected. As the flight was departing just before midnight I don't think many people were interested in eating anyway.

As their brochure says that Kosmar Holidays do not charge extra for your standard airline meal we had expected that to mean that a meal was included but it turned out that we had to pay separately for them and the majority of the "meals" on offer were more like snacks.

We went on two of the Kosmar excursions which were very good (BBQ and Discover Kefalonia). We were very pleased with the accommodation and Kosmar rep Sam sorting out an initial shortage of linen promptly.

Queueing at Kefalonia airport was not too bad at all as it was only our flight and one internal to take off before the airport closed for the night. Well done the airport for getting our flight organized so that we took off 45 minutes early and were back earlier than expected.

Marina 1 Apartments - (Accommodation in Lassi)

Jean Q          9/10

click to enlarge

We stayed at Marina 1 at the end of May/start of June and were probably lucky as our rooms faced away from the road on to the olive groves, but the passing traffic did not seem that bad. The house is set back a little from the road and there are a lot of fruit trees in the garden and it had a very peaceful feel.

We were pleasantly surprised at the size of our first floor apartment which was well furnished and had a proper well equipped little kitchen. We had not realised that the description 2 bedroomed apartment included the room with the sofa bed, but spent a good deal of time sitting out on our spacious balcony so had no need of a sitting room (nor a tv!). Ground floor apartments had patios leading on to the garden which was great for the smaller children staying there. There is no pool although several places nearby welcomed non residents to theirs. Rooms were kept clean, bins emptied daily and linen changed midweek as well as on changeover.  The resident caretaker was often around, pottering in the garden, and was very pleasant.
 
The only slight niggle we had was that on departure day there was nowhere secure to leave our bags while we used up the hours until transfer pick up.  We were however assured that they would be safe left outside the apartments, which they were. 

Island Tour by coach - (Kefalonia Excursions)

Jean Q          10/10

Did this tour with Kosmar. Hilda was an excellent guide, full of information and ready with answers to any questions - I wonder how often she gets asked the same ones!  The caves and underground lake were spectacular - had read about them in a guide book before going so wanted to see them and was not disappointed. Hilda took us to a lovely harbourside restaurant in Agia Efimia for lunch - what a delightful place to stop and so scenic.  Fiskardo was interesting to see for the fact of it having survived the 1953 earthquake but the harbourside tavernas are a bit up market and yachty.  All the scenery along the route was spectacular and the occasional flocks of goats on the roadside added a touch of local colour.