I was looking for a JY rep, and if it had not been for the luggage labels the young man with the tiny Travelsphere ID card round his neck would not have found me. He was well away from the check in kiosks where all the other reps were to be found.

Catania Airport

I think our TM, Roberto, was the easiest TM I have ever found at an airport. Organised us very well as to where he wanted us to wait. So, when we were all present we went to the coach.

Nino our driver was excellent. Didn’t speak much English but was always cheerful, smiling, helpful, and very, very safe.

Hotel Olimpo

Considering we were booked into this hotel at the last minute everything went well. The hot food at the buffet dinner was never very hot, so we had to have luke warm, or a cold meal from the other selections. But there was a good selection of fresh fruit, and mouth watering desserts.

The excursions were full on, a couple of days there were 8.00 a.m. starts, returning a little before 6.00 pm. There was very little time for window shopping, or for stopping to take photographs. If you stopped you lost the group.

Fiesta Athenee Hotel.

We were tagged on arrival with a brightly coloured plastic “bracelet” to show which class of guest you were. We were the lowest. So, want Wi-Fi €4/hr or €10/day. Want to use the safe, hand over another €4/day. Want a towel for the beach, that’s another €2.50 to have it washed. Don’t drink the water from the tap – buy ours at €2.80 from the mini-bar – except it was empty. I am sure they forgot to charge us for using the fridge.

Also on arrival we were given a map showing the layout of the site which had instructions on the back. We have this, that and the other. Don’t do this, or that, or anything else that you may enjoy which will be inconvenient for us. The hotel was very busy and the staff were overworked. They were always rushing round looking harassed.

Buffet meals were in the basement restaurant. I never could work out the logic of why things were placed where they were.

There wasn't anywhere in the shower for gel, or shampoo other than the floor. No drawers at the table or in the wardrobe, and I didn't have a chair in my room.

The racket that passed for music was usually outside. One night it rained, the equipment was brought inside and placed at the end of the corridor leading to our rooms. When I complained it had kept me awake I was told it was my fault I could not get to sleep because I did not ring reception and ask for it to be turned down.

For an area teeming with fresh fruit it was hard to find. Oranges were cut into portions, and even the bananas were cut in half.

So, having said that, the evening meals in the beach restaurant were based on a menu, with table service, with cheerful smiling helpful staff, and better food than in the main restaurant. No wonder it was always fully booked. The lunch time snacks at the beach bar were good, and very reasonably priced.

The hotel was very clean. I think if we had accidentally dropped anything we would have been told to pick it up.

It must be emphasised that this is my personal opinion. I hated the place, but others liked it. Perhaps as I have got older I have become less tolerant and raised my standards.

Gosh, all this sounds like a right old moan. But it was a good holiday, and if it had not been for the Athenee would have been very good.

Sylvia

Thanks for your review - this is a tour I'd like to do at some stage so your comments are helpful and I'm sure your feedback regarding the second hotel will be acted upon by JY - I don't like the idea of being tagged (but I understand the hotel needs to know who is inclusive or not etc) and I definitely don't like that you seemed to be on the lowest band - in this day and age, wi-fi should be included as should the use of a room safe. I don't think you are moaning for the sake of it! Regarding the food being lukewarm, I know we like our food hot but I always remember the words of our TM on an Italy tour (he was Italian himself) I did some years ago (not with JY, before I discovered them) - "you are from Ireland, you live in a cold country and like hot food. Here in Italy, it is a hot country. We don't have our food hot and we don't use hot plates. This is the way it is, get used to it!!"

Best wishes,

Bob

Katy

1. As Bob says, the Italians don't have food hot - when I went to Tuscany we were told by Vanessa, our TM, right at the start that the food and plates would not be hot because the Italians think it unhealthy (in the same way that they wouldn't consider drinking a capuccino or other milky coffee any time after breakfast). Hot plates in Europe are so unusual that they get commented on (at least by me!).

2. When I went to Majorca in May it was an all-inclusive holiday and we had a plastic bracelet put on our wrist at the same time as being given the room keycard. As far as I know, everyone in the hotel who was "all-inclusive" was treated in exactly the same way and it worked well since, when ordering a drink or a snack, the barman had no need to ask one's room number etc. We certainly weren't made to feel second-class citizens. The bracelet was cut off at the end of our stay when we handed our key in again. So please don't let this put anyone off an all-inclusive holiday - I hope the hotel in Sicily is the exception to the rule.

I'm glad that, in spite of these snags, you enjoyed your holiday, Sylvia. I've done 4 Italian holidays up to now and loved them all but haven't yet got as far west as Sicily.

Ann

Ann,

With regard to the "bracelet:, I fully appreciated that the hotel staff needed to identify us, but it was the attitude of the reception staff when it was put on that could have been better. Mine came off immediately I got into my room, and went back on when I was in the restaurant or bar.

Sylvia

Thank you for the review, it was very insightful. I have passed your comments over to the relevant members of the JY team, so hopefully these will be took in to consideration when reviewing the tour.

Kindest Regards,

Monty

:huh: