Marias Garden Villas

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to clarify some comments made about airconditioning, etc...they are 50 euros per week per aircon which is what you would pay anywhere else...the cost of the rooms are a great bargain considering they are kept extremely clean, and are in great condition...the view is absolutely fantastic! the "rottweiler" is named maria, but is not the owner of marias garden villas..maria is a popular name and almost 1 in every 5 people are named maria...
maria the owner is greek american and also owns liberata resort which is the new complex just accross the road...
there are many people that like to take "free holidays" and complain about every little thing...with out wanting to pay for services...
another thing i would like to add is that ARGO HOLIDAYS has breached their contract and never paid for services offered and are being sued...
the tour operators like to spend your money and never pay the hotel/apartment owners who are honest working people and provide all to make YOUR HOLIDAY AN ENJOYABLE ONE...

Booked with Argo because of their apparent good reputation. Nothing to doubt that reputation here by way of the very pleasant local representative - Sheila.
Self catering studio (Number T2) was exactly what you expect of a Greek S/C accommodation, and so no points lost there.
There is a fantastic view from the edge of the pool terrace, although the pool was small, it was never overcrowded.
Do not consider staying here if you do not like walking, if you have a heart condition, or if you have youngsters. We decided to hire a small Fiat for the week, just to get us up and down (we didn't want the steep walk back up the hill from the beach to dominate our memories of the holiday). That hill becomes extremely slippery when someone is watering their garden, and the excess runs off their garden and hits the tarmac - be warned.
But here is the real reason for posting our opinion - Air-conditioning! I checked this with the agent at First Choice in Hemel Hempstead. In the Argo brochure, the small print at the bottom of the page said that Air Con' was 'payable locally'. I asked what that would cost. Agent said “3 euros per day”. Phoned the sister in law (who lives on the island) – who said this would more likely be 6 euros per day. When we arrive we get the keys, drop the bags in, and head back to the pool bar, where the Rottweiler works. Not sure about the opinions of the people that read this blog, but I’m not too fond of being held to ransom with take it or leave ultimatums at the best of times, certainly not when I am on holiday, not when I am the customer, and certainly not when I know that I am being ripped off! So... the unpleasant, rude, and abrasive Rottweiler barks the fee at me – 50 Euros. I tell her that the agent said 3, and even by my sister in laws over priced estimates (6) she is way out. Tells me to “take it or leave it”. I said that we would take it and offer her the 50 euros, when she tells me the magic word “EACH”. I said “what do you mean EACH!” She says that there is one unit in each room. I reply – “I only want to pay for one”. To which she throws a complete tantrum, tells me how long the day has been, how I am clearly stupid, and says that I have to pay for both, as they can both be operated from the one remote control! I will not repeat here what I told her in reply - you can use your own imagination, given that this was well into the evening after a long days travelling. The more staggering tale comes from the friends we met there who were staying just along from us – The Rottweiler had extracted 130 euros from them!
So in my opinion, these proprietors can easily afford to rent their properties without profit and tell everyone what a hard time the big operators are giving them if they screw suckers like me to the tune of 100 – 130 euros per week for Air Con that all told, and even with high power costs will cost them 10 – 15 euros.
I will be popping a letter in the post to the Argo Directors - George & Akis to advise them that their small print is knowingly being exploited by their suppliers.
The rest of the holiday, the trips to Mediteranee beech, Port Side Restaurant in Argostoli etc certainly make this trip worth it. Next year we’ll be staying somewhere else though.
My advice – Do your best to clarify any ambiguities before you part with your deposit, preferably seek something that includes Air Con, without local supplements, and then, if you do happen to be one of the apparently burgeoning numbers of unlucky holiday makers, don’t make it easy for them to do it. Make the transaction difficult for them (without breaking the law). I would guess that with a few more stronger responses from mugs like us, and they will have to go and find different ways to get their cash.