My favourite villa in Greece

Imagine the setting, an ancient castle perched on top of a mountain overlooking the sea on your right side, a dirt road leading through overgrown fields, at this point thoughts may be passing your mind about being scammed, but if you persevere, you finally catch a glimpse of a roof top! You then reach the gates leading into the drive where there is plenty of space for parking, you will immediately notice a pretty courtyard with a Greek pie shaped building sheltering it in, 5 bedrooms and bathrooms lead off the courtyard and to the right the large door leading into the homely kitchen with ample space for cooking large family meals. Moving throught the doors to the living area we reach the "piece de resistance" of this property, the view! Imagine an uninterrupted view of the cliffs, Symi, the Turkish coast, other smaller islands and the best bit, you cannot see another building or in fact light at night! I forgot to mention that "infinity" style pool and jacuzzi, large veranda complete with dining table, seating, loungers and hammocks. I would suggest this property for a honeymoon or as a wedding venue, it could comfortably seat 80-100 guests along with room for dancing and perhaps a BBQ. The added pros for choosing this property is music can be played as loud as you want, without causing any disturbance and the property can be rented for 1 night only and used as a wedding venue. A civil ceremony could optionally take place in the neighbouring castle or the villa's grounds.

Boutique Hotel in Kefalonia

I recently visited this tiny boutique hotel hidden away in a small village around a 10 minute drive from Argostoli! I actually went for dinner and later discovered that what we thought was a restaurant was a divine tiny hotel. With it's five bedrooms, each completely different and with a Greek name, you can choose the one you feel is more tastefully decorated! The owner is a very arty lady with a passion for quality and has restored the property herself, using artifacts collected over the years. If you're celebrating your honeymoon or an anniversary I would suggest staying in the Eros room! Breakfast and any meal that you choose to have in the hotel will almost certainly be a delight and I love the tiny jacuzzi located in the corner of the courtyard!

Guide to wedding in Chania

Hi all, I am going to write about a beautiful location in Crete, the town of Chania! What do I love about the area? The Old Town, the fact that the sea front is reminiscent of Venice in some areas, the mountaenous countryside, the cross between modern hotels and rustic farmyards available in the area. I would say that Chania is a great all rounder, with activities and settings that will interest almost all age groups. At the moment, the idea of outdoor civil weddings are very new to Chania, the local authorities are currently unwilling to perform these outdoors, although I predict that by next summer these will be available. As for venues, there are so many to choose from, tiny tavernas on the sea, great courtyards in the Old Town, luxurious villas with incredible views and older buildings perfect as a rustic, authentic wedding venue. The services available on the island are quite good, a selection of caterers, florists, entertainers to choose from. I am personally disappointed with the selection of photographers, I wouldn't choose anyone local for the job. I will revert back soon with further information on other locations!

Hotel in Kavala

Ok, so Kavala may not be a popular place to visit in Greece, but this hotel is simply exquisite! Built in 1817, this is a true monument of Ottoman architecture, retaining lots of original features including a fantastic courtyard with pond, marble arcades, fountains and lush gardens. There are 26 rooms in the property, with impressive handmade oriental carpets in each room, toiletries by Bulgari and Molton and Brown, true luxury! The impressive restaurant, bar, tea room and spa all ensure that you have a wonderful stay in this very unique hotel! This is certainly a hotel that will leave it's visitors in awe, a place to get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy TRUE GREECE! I can guarantee you wont find a package holiday maker in your vicinity!

Guide to wedding in Kefalonia

Happy New Year!!! I am back from a short break over Christmas and have decided to begin writing some mini guides to some of the destinations that I have organised weddings in over the last few years! So we start with Kefalonia, an island with a special place in my heart, as it is the island where my father grew up and he really loves the island, this has certainly rubbed off on me and I have spent many summers splashing about in the crystal waters of the Ionian! So, when planning a wedding in Kefalonia what would I suggest and avoid: - Civil weddings can only take place in the regional town halls - I would suggest planning the ceremony on a different day and following a blessing in the location of your choice - Consider a beautiful beach (there are hundreds of tiny bays around the island, perhaps rent a car and explore the coastal road until you find a spot that you both feel is perfect) - Renting a villa is very popular in Kefalonia and perfect for organising a reception in the grounds, you could choose to hold the ceremony here as well - For Orthodox weddings there are hundreds of churches to choose from, large churches in the centre of Argostoli or Lixouri, small chapels near the seaside, on a hill or mountainside, the possibilities are endless - Choosing a great restaurant for your reception is also a good idea, if there is a large group of guests, why not book the entire venue privately so you can play the music of your choice without onlookers, try to avoid a rental fee by promising a minimum spend behind the bar, this is common practice in Greece - Finally, don't forget to barter, everything is negotiable!!!! - Happy planning!