Thess & Halkidiki for Easter - Part 2

Continued...

For the second part of our trip, we rented a car and ventured east to Halkidiki. Whenever my daughter mentioned our plans to the locals, they would respond, “Why are you going there now?” It is definitely a beach resort area, and it was definitely not beach weather, but we wanted to explore the region, and that’s when we were traveling. So… we got our “mid-size” car from Avis, which was a tiny Alfa Romeo, filthy, and complete with large snail living under right rear door handle. Our luggage didn’t even fit in the trunk, so we ended up upgrading to a “larger” midsize Audi with a huge trunk. It was filthy, too, but after two car washes and a coating of dust and pollen each time within six hours, we knew why. And off we went through lovely hillside farms and distant villages.

One note of interest, apparently the government has changed the regulations, and now to drive in Greece you need an international driver’s license; I guess I missed that memo in my preparations. But the agent told us, “I’ll give you a car anyway and you will be fine. The only thing is the police.” Soooo even though we didn’t technically have a license, we were still able to rent a car so long as we avoided the police. Daxi.

We drove to Nikiti at the northwestern section of the second peninsula Sithonia and found our resort Danai. It was exquisite! We had booked a two-bedroom family suite with a garden view, since it was one of the more reasonable rooms available. Even at off-season rates, and with a 20% discount for early booking, the cost was approx 1600 EU for three nights. The property is gated, and once we were allowed access, we were met at our car by “Penelope,” who whisked us on to the reception area patio and brought us champagne. She chatted with us for a while, and explained the resort features, and told us to relax while she processed our passports, and then would return to give us a tour. When she returned, she brought the General Manager, who offered us a complimentary upgrade to their Deluxe Villa with private infinity pool overlooking the ocean, if we would be so kind to wait an hour or so for them to prepare it for us. Anyone for lunch? Wow.

We gladly waited and soon arrived at the most amazing suite of rooms I’ve ever seen. Two large bedrooms, each with its own full, luxurious bathroom and dressing area, large living room with dining area and kitchenette, furnished marble patio the full length of the condo (including covered day bed), and large, heated infinity pool and deck area overlooking the bay. In season, this room goes for appx 3600 EU per night, so…. Needless to say, this was like hitting the jackpot. It is impossible to review the hotel without focusing on this accommodation; so obviously, I would give it rave reviews. However, it does need to be said that “garden view” here means “garden view,” and half the rooms in this small resort will not have any view of the ocean. The ocean is far below, at the bottom of a steep cliff, so if you are not on the front of the resort, you will not see the sea.

The resort had only been open a few days, and many of the wait staff were very nervous and fumbling. However, they were all very friendly and anxious to please. The breakfast was included and was phenomenal. The lunches and dinners were very expensive, but the dinners were extraordinary. The head chef for the resort is Herve Pronzoto, and I believe he is famous for their restaurant Squirrel, but clearly he was whipping up some amazing menus at the only restaurant open this early in the season, Andromeda.

My son and I enjoyed massage treatments at the spa. It was the most gorgeous spa I’ve ever been in – all marble and colorful tile. The treatments were expensive, each costing almost 150 EU, but after all, I didn’t shop! The common areas are available at no charge to all guests, and they include a small gym, beautifully designed outdoor seawater pool, relaxation room with heated tile chaises, steam room, sauna, and tapadarium (which I had never seen before), and complementary tea and fruit. They had many unique pieces of spa equipment that were “Greek to me!” Something especially intriguing looked like a giant pearlized scallop shell. The client gets inside and lays on a heated waterbed for a massage, then the lid is closed and the poor unsuspecting victim is pounded with tiny cold-water jets. “Recommended for summer.” (!) The therapists there were very knowledgeable, professional, and accommodating. I asked about their usual clientele, and was told that not too many Americans come during high season unless they have family nearby. (Most Americans like the islands further south.) She said they are visited predominantly by Russians, and also Germans and folks from the Balkan states.

Since there is always a lot of heated discussion on this board regarding tipping, I will state that we did tip the bellman, masseuses, and housekeeping. It did not seem appropriate at the time to tip the wait staff or Penelope, who was like a concierge/customer service liaison. I hope we did the right thing. The resort specifically stated that the price was “all inclusive of taxes and gratuities.”

The beach is long, clean, and private, dotted with day beds, umbrellas, and paddleboats. There is a beautiful beach bar with a hip vibe and relaxing décor. There is also an activity room with books, games, DVDs, CDs, and computers with free internet. Perhaps this is de rigueur for such resorts, but some high-end places I’ve been to do nickel and dime you to death! (Atlantis, for example.)

This resort was also the Land of the Leftcatho tree, which sprinkled good fortune on us wherever we went.



To be continued...