Sunsail Vounaki is closing :-(

fastjedi

fastjedi

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 Oct 2003
Messages
751
Location
Hampshire
Visit site
Our first beachclub/flotila was in June 2000. Over the years we have done lots of beachclub/flotilas in Greece and Turkey ... but always considered Vounaki as our spirital holiday home. In the mid 2000's attention to guest service was impacted by the TUI accountants. Our last visit was in 2012, guest service was up, occupancy was good and we had a wonderful holiday. We have so many great memories .... fantantic kids clubs, the walk to Polairos, Bob the photographer, numerous dinghy race wins, tea and cake in the afternoon.

Where did it all go wrong? Is it strategy? Hard to believe they can't sustain one beachclub. Anyone know if they are retaining the marina?
 
Last edited:
Agree with you; the beach club holiday concept is a lot of fun. We've done Vounaki only once, in 2012 IIRC. We had a great time. Even including the mountain bike track where not one of use managed to pedal to the top! We did Colonna in Antigua half a dozen times and they were some of the best holidays we've ever had.
 
Too expensive! I have done this twice now, we looked this year and with 2 x adults and 2 teenager for 2 weeks it was around £9k, significantly more expensive than previous years.
 
We did a few when the kids were younger before it got taken over, Yedi Tepe a couple of times, Gallina in the Ionian (we sailed across to Vounaki), Marmaris .. we loved them and so did the kids. When it went corporate they seemed to lose something as well as getting a lot more expensive and we stopped going.
 
That is a real shame as I was waiting for the kids to get a bit older (currently 5) before doing something similar. I fear for any business when corporate types move in....
 
Sunsail never quite caught up with Neilson when it came to the shore based sailing and windsurfing holidays. Neilson now run 8 centres . . .

Odd to trace the history.

Neilson's managers were first recruited around 1982. The outfit became known as "Sovereign Sailing", part of "First Choice". First Choice went public and decided to sell the sailing activities because the staff/client ratios were excessive. With a stable management team, ownership changed a couple of times, but this didn't affect operations, which went from strength to strength.

About a year after selling Neilson, First Choice changed its mind, and bought Sunsail to replace it. TUI ultimately bought First Choice, and at some stage "Moorings" was pulled into the group. This shifted emphasis to yachting; while having a whole swathe of Turkish Shore based Clubs being shut down didn't help.
So, of the remaining UK original flotilla/sailing/windsurf companies operating in Greece we now have:

Barry Neilson running "Sailing Holidays Limited". He's done it for ever, remains independent, just does yachts, a lot of them, well under control, and does it extremely well with high customer satisfaction.

The Tyler twins run "Neilson" (the name, a sore point with Barry!). They've done it for ever, with a lot of autonomy, good staff continuity, and their strength is teaching activities on holidays (windsurf, dinghy, bike, ski, yacht) with 8 summer club houses and a limited number of flotillas. Again, very high customer satisfaction, and the useful ability (with winter activities) to employ some staff year round for good continuity.

Sunsail, has one club left, and a very wide range of yachts in large numbers of locations around the world.
 
We went with company called Falcon Sailing, think it became Sovereign but could be mistaken. A week ashore at Nidri then a week flotilla, a great holiday, as people have said, especially for kids. Can remember going out in a topper or similar with my wife and it sinking underneath us with the weight and slight swell, fantastic fun.
 
I got an email with this in it yesterday ....

"All good things must come to an end and the same goes for Sunsail's Club Vounaki, which will be closing its doors for the last time at the end of the 2014 season. With a host of world-class facilities, dedicated staff and activities for all ages, both ashore and out on the water, Club Vounaki has been a firm favourite for 20 gloriously fun-filled summers.
We hope you'll treasure the fantastic memories you've made here (traditional Greek dancing with Club Manager, Panagiota and Head Chef, Mr Yiannis anyone?) and join us in celebrating the end of an era in true Vounaki style. So, before we say farewell, we'd like to give you the opportunity to relive those good times and discover some new ones"
 
telford_mike said:
Disappointed if this is true, have visited Vounaki 7 or 8 times in the last few years.

Is there a link to this story, or some other evidence?
Click to expand...

Just this morning heard from a friend who was there last month that Sunsail have written to them to say that this is the last season for Vounaki as they are currently booking again for September.

We were there in 2005 with the boys and had a great holiday.

Richard
 
jordanbasset said:
We went with company called Falcon Sailing, think it became Sovereign but could be mistaken. A week ashore at Nidri then a week flotilla, a great holiday, as people have said, especially for kids. Can remember going out in a topper or similar with my wife and it sinking underneath us with the weight and slight swell, fantastic fun.
Click to expand...
You're right. Falcon Sailing became Soveriegn when I sold out to First choice. It's now Neilson. Same team at the top.
 
It's a great location, I can't believe it will remain closed for long unless they're petty enough to hang on to it to prevent a competitor buying it.
 
penfold said:
It's a great location, I can't believe it will remain closed for long unless they're petty enough to hang on to it to prevent a competitor buying it.
Click to expand...

Ah.....so you believe they own the property. We went there 3 times when the kids were younger and my understanding was they leased it.
 
I had some good family holidays with Sunsail then found Neilson to me they were better as they were more for sailing and bikes I moved to yachts and have had three bearboat charters with them. best news is I'm off on Sunday for a two week Neilson bearboat!!

I do seem to have followed them around, as a 25 year old I had some fantastic holidays with a Company in Paxos called dinghy sailing in Greece they became Falcon sailing and then finally Neilson...

Must go got to pack the shorts......

Delbuoy
 
derekgillard said:
I had some good family holidays with Sunsail then found Neilson to me they were better as they were more for sailing and bikes I moved to yachts and have had three bearboat charters with them. best news is I'm off on Sunday for a two week Neilson bearboat!!

I do seem to have followed them around, as a 25 year old I had some fantastic holidays with a Company in Paxos called dinghy sailing in Greece they became Falcon sailing and then finally Neilson...

Must go got to pack the shorts......

I did of course mean bareboat............]
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top