Hi Jo Jo I have seen your question about the Lesse Studios in Hanioti on another post.
Anyway I have stayed at the Lesse Studios three times 2005, 2006 and 2007. Normally go in the Whit School Hols with the Kids but didnt this year ( due to other half doing the garden decking.)
Hoping to possibly get a late at the end of August to go again. Dont think I could wait another year! Really nice place and people.
Ive not been able to get on this web site for ages as I forgot my password months ago coz I have so many on various sites etc , evertime I stated I forgot it and asked for another , I never received one? Anyhow it worked today and Im back !
Let us know if you need any more info.

Hi Bunny, thanks for replying to my previous post about the Lesse. I am so glad you are positive about the Lesse. As you probably know yourself when it is your 1st time somewhere new you are a bit apprehensive, I am really looking forward to going there. I have read a few other forums about this place and there are a few (only a few) negatives, but I would not be surprised if these were really picky people. Anyway a question if you don't mind - is there a Bank or ATM machine where I can get money out of using my debit card. It would help if I knew before hand, cannot think of anything else to ask at the moment. But if you can offer me any other advise, tips etc. I would really appreciate it. Again, thanks Bunny hope you manage to get there in August.

Jo Jo

Hi Jo Jo , yes the Lesse has had very mixed reviews on tripadvisor , but only excellent reviews on Holiday watchdog (including mine under the name Honey Bunny).
There are ATM machines we only take a bit of euro cash or tc's with us now and get some more out whilst there. The ATM's I can think of are the one outside the minimart/long island bar in the main square and one outside the big supermarket on the main road.
The supermarkets are full of everything you could need.
There are really nice place to eat too.
Ask if you need to know anything else.

Hi Bunny,

Thanks for those tips, have just thought of something else, heard a mixture of reports of how far from the Lesse to the square it is to walk of an evening. As you have actually stayed at these studios how long did it take you in the evening to walk and is it pretty safe walking back late at night. Hope I have not drove you mad with all the questions?

thanks Bunny

Jo Jo

Hi JoJo , personally I think the Lesse is well placed , its a ten min walk max into the main square area. This is really just a little square with a water fountain surrounded by bars/restaurants. The walk itself is part of the experience, the only people I have heard complain about it are either older folk who are not as nimble and the others who are just bloody Lazy!
There is 3 Blocks at the Lesse Blocks, A, B and C , there is a back gate which takes you down a slight slope track to a back road which you walk up into the centre, If you turn Left you walk into the centre of Hanioti , or even to Polichrono which we did a few times. if you turn right at the bottom of the hill it takes you to Pefkohori another nice village with a promenade.The back gate however does close at 8 ish as it is on private land and so you have to used the front entrance to the hotel on your return. There is a few different ways you can walk back though. We have never felt unsafe walking about at night.
Are you going as a part of couple, group of girls or a family?

Hi Bunny

Again thanks for that bit of advice I will bear all that in mind all sounds rather lovely to me.

I am going with him indoors on our own - the first holiday we have had without the kids as they are now 22 and 18 both boys - I dread to think what we will come back to at our house. I will probably spend most of my holiday phoning home making sure my dog and the house are still breathing.

But seriously though we are both really looking forward to the break and it will be strange not having anyone else to worry about other than yourself and his nibs!!
Thanks again Bunny will definitely take up all of your tips.

Jo Jo

When do you go?

Thursday 17th July only for 1 week though as we have only just booked it about a week ago, thought we would try somewhere different, always fancied Halkidiki and thought we would go for it.

Oh not long to go then, I'm really Jealous.
The resort of Hanioti is really low key and is more of a relaxing holiday than anything else.Mainly Couples and families, many of them repeat visitors like myself.
It is quiet a long tranfer from the airport but not the 2 hrs it says in the brochure, more like an hour and a bit maybe. The view of the coach ride anyway is quite scenic as you will beable to see the sea on one side of the road for most of the journey.PS there are toilets next to the luggage carousel too at the airport, so we get everyone to go before we get on the coach. Anyway are you self catering, bed and breakfast or Half Board? If you are Self Catering I will let you know my favourite restaurants etc. I hope you got your holiday for a good price.
George is the main Guy at the hotel, he will serve you drinks and food all day , then be there at night too at the bar. Hes a nice friendly guy, he remembers your room number, what you drink and everything.They do a bbq night too on a wednesday(leavers night) its quite a good night, food is good (even for a veggie like myself) with Greek Music and dancing. Katerina the owners daughter is about a lot too, she is also friendly.

Sounds better all the time - we are staying self catering and are looking forward to strolling out in the evening looking for different restaurants. Yes, please suggest some places to eat - neither of us are really fussy we will both try anything once as long as its clean and food is good.

During the day around the pool we will probably eat in the pool area a snack or something - is the snacks o.k. at the Lesse?

Also if we want breakfast in the Hotel is it worth having or should we have a wander into town to get the full english when his nibs fancies it?

Thanks in advance.

Hi JoJo, yes George will make you snacks if you want my kids have had things like nuggets and Onion rings and I remember having a nice veggie burger there, cant remember what my otherhalf ate there though? It wasnt all the time just occasionally as really we only really ate out at night , and two or three times a week for breakfast (we made toast in the apartments some mornings or the kids had cereal). We didn't really bother with dinner too much kids ate ice creams/lollies etc apart from the odd time we had a snack at the hotel pool side snack bar. My favourite restaurants are The Tropicana in the main square - he had the best steaks in there , and myself had the most gorgeous stuffed peppers served with sweet potoato slices.
The Gusto Italian In the main square was also excellent gorgeous Garlic bread and pasta's , also pizza's. For breakfast we did like visiting stones (you'll pass it on your walk to the square) and the Amethystos (which is good at night too). There are lots of restaurants we havent visited them all yet in three visits because we kept going back to our favourites.There is one called Erodius which is supposed to be good but it is never open until our last night when we are there and therefore miss it because we either do the bbq night at the hotel or go to a favourite restaurant.
The garden , Lesse (yes they have a restaurant too) and the Kassandra roof top have also had good things said about them a lot too. For a cheap meal out or if you are tired there is also the Hot goblin a Jacket Potato place where you get huge spuds with whatever filling for about 3-4 euro. To be honest we never had breakfast in the hotel as we like the eating out experience. Full English is available everywhere almost. If we go again we will probably try another few restaurants we havent been to yet.

I'll tell you what Bunny this holiday is sounding brilliant before I even get there, I bet I will have the hump after our one week and wish we had stayed for 2, but there is always next time! Anyway if I enjoy it like I think I will I may go back in September!!! - haven't told him yet though!!!!!

Again many thanks for all the tips, you have been really kind and helpful.
Jo Jo

There is lots of deals to this hotel normally with First Choice in May/June and September, however that has been the past few years before TUI/Thomson have got hold of it, there prices are outta this world for next year. We normally book a late deal to go there but these may disappear under the new merger. It would be a shame as I have always had excellent holidays with First choice.
Im not sure what it would be like as just adults in Hanioti as we normally plan everything round the kids ie spending a lot of time in the pool, I cant imagine what its like to sunbathe all day, there are quite a few bars that are open all day and are quite popular at night, as for clubs I dont remember seeing one, the bigger resort of Kalithea has a few clubs and a bowling alley etc (you'll pass this on the coach transfer). We had walks to the nearbouring villages of Pefkohori and Polichrono, I must warn you though Polichrono is a long walk, you can get taxi easy enough or the bus to these if you dont fancy the walk. You can also hire a car from the square if you fancy a drive out to further a field Sani is supposed to be nice. Be warned though that the Greeks do drive crazy compared to most brits! Im sure George would tell you where to go if you asked for the best places.
Please dont picture Hanioti as a place where there is lots of white washed buildings like in santorini and a few other isles.only the churches are like that. Just think of Underdeveloped and not over Commercial.
The first time we went to the hotel in 2005 we had to walk on the road outside the hotel as there was no pavement but year by year it is being done, so there is only one small bit where you have to walk on the road now when using the front entrance, just make sure you look the opposite way you would do in the uk ffor traffic.If you can I would Email Anastacia or Katerina using the website www.Lesse.gr and then use the contact icon to tell them when you are coming and request a sea view room, Ie Blocks B or C. The last one being the best view.

Don't worry Bunny we don't expect too much especially in Greece, but we have been to a few Greek islands and have experienced lots of old fashioned amenities, so we will not expect too much, but having said that you cannot fault the Hotel facilities for Greece and what the positive reports say. As long as its warm I can chill out by the sea or pool and eat well in the evening I will be a very happy girl. We are not party animals (used to be!!!) but still like a few drinks in the evening with our meal or in a bar afterwards. That suits us both fine. If there are big screen televisions anywhere I am sure my husband will find a football match to watch somewhere.

The walks to the other 2 resorts sounds like something we would do to break up the day and we will probably do that a couple of times (even if we are tired and get a cab back).

I went on that Lesse hotel website you suggested and e-mailed Anastasia and Katerina asking what you suggested, I do hope they read it and maybe even reply to me to let me know.

I really appreciate you telling me this and I can but only try and see what they say.

I can visualise myself sitting on the balcony looking out over the sea with a nice glass of wine in my hand (I will probably get a lower basement room!!!!) thats about our luck.

Thanks again Bunny you are a star, I will let you know if they reply to me.

Jo

We always get the ground floor rooms because of the kids (safety) , we have always been able to see the sea, its not at total sea view its is sort of broken up by the lovely trees. I suppose the higher you go up , the view is better, There is only three floors per block. Its a shame really because the whole area lost lots of trees in a huge fire in august 2006 and when we went back in 2006 we saw the damage a lot of the trees up high in the hills were burnt badly and even round the hotel they lost some as it got very close. They lost a big tree and some loungers. There is apartments on one side of the hotel now were before it was just all surrounds by trees, its still nice but looks a bit bare to us now as we had seen it as it was before. I suppose in time the trees will grow back. On good clear days you can actually see the next pennisula sithonia (one of the other two fingers). It is also an amazing place to watch a thunderstorm and lighting over the sea its really spectacular.