pia bella hotel (cyprus 44 forum blocked why) ?

HAPPY FEET


Joined: 18/07/2008
Posts: 416

Message Posted:
18/09/2009 20:05

We stayed at the Pia Bella two weeks ago and found that this forum was blocked on there in house computer, is it that the hotel does not want people going elsewhere looking for entertainment? If this is the case maybe the hotel could get there entertainment nights sorted, twice the hotel had private functions, one for the owners son wedding where the holiday makers were left to sit at the back of the bar and again a private partyy, a guy called Erol was booked one night who never turned up, a cocktail night advertised which again didn't happen and a Movie night on Sunday which showed an indian film zzzzzzz. Johnnie Hawkins did do a show one night which brought in quite a few people from outside but that was the limit of the entertainment at the hotel.

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
18/09/2009 20:10

Strange that they host the HBPG, then!

HAPPY FEET


Joined: 18/07/2008
Posts: 416

Message Posted:
18/09/2009 20:47

If your a paying holiday maker and entertainment is advertised and dosen't happen I suppose this is the norm then ????.

dalartokat


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 734

Message Posted:
18/09/2009 21:02

Happy Feet, we were at the Pia Bella first week in August and a couple of days before we left they put a notice on a board informing guests that they could not use a certain part of the gardens outside as they had a private wedding. Also there was entertainment advertised on a certain night which did not materilise. Had I stayed on I certainly would not have been pleased to be told that I was not welcome to use the facilities that I had paid for. However, it is quite normal in NC and Pia Bella has never been innocent in using holidaymakers to meet its own ends. What we were waiting for when we arrived was the old "chestnut" that our room was not ready due to flooding in the room and that we would be taken to another hotel and picked up in the morning. I wont go on about it. The Pia Bella is a good hotel but yes its irritating and should not be the norm.

Hector


Joined: 26/08/2008
Posts: 2352

Message Posted:
18/09/2009 22:30

Best you outline your experience on tripadvisor.com where it gets very good reviews. I sometimes wonder who really writes these.

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
19/09/2009 09:25

Many Hotels, North and South (and other countries as well) do hire out their facilities for weddings etc.

It's damned annoying if you happen to be staying there at the time, I've experienced it myself, but it's a commercial reality.

As for Cyprus44 being 'blocked' - did they tell you that it was blocked? - or did it simply fail to load the page?

If it was the latter, then I would suspect that their ISP is EXTEND, and that you were experiencing the same problem that all us other EXTEND clients have been having for MONTHS! - see separate thread...

I'm not trying to be an apologist for Pia Bella, although I've stayed there and appreciated the atmosphere and service in the past, but are they personally responsible for some entertainer not turning up? - Perhaps he got run over! (it would actually IMPROVE some of them )

Did you complain to the Management at the time and demand compensation?

If so, did they give it?

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
19/09/2009 09:57

I got cut off!

I would just say that it requires a certain frame of mind, not to mention resilience, to live in TRNC.

If your Pia Bella experience was enough to annoy you, take it as a sign -

Don't even CONSIDER coming to live in TRNC, you'll HATE it!

If you want smooth run efficiency, try Stuttgart...

Ozbey


Joined: 04/03/2009
Posts: 304

Message Posted:
19/09/2009 11:11

Msg 7

Very well put - and perfectly true.

Aysesdaddy



Joined: 21/03/2009
Posts: 392

Message Posted:
19/09/2009 11:20

agree with that comment. The years we have been visiting TRNC we have learnt to not expect things to happen immediately, but to wait, there is always another day. It can be annoying, but we feel its part of the charm. Unlike the uk where everything is rush, rush, rush.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
19/09/2009 11:20

Statement of this and last century (author: Keith Caley, msg 7): "... it requires a certain frame of mind, not to mention resilience, to live in TRNC."

Hector


Joined: 26/08/2008
Posts: 2352

Message Posted:
19/09/2009 14:48

Does that 'frame of mind' include 'I'm TC & oppressed by what happened before 1974 so deserve a government job doing as little as possible with inflation proof wages and pension plus overtime' ?

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
19/09/2009 22:46

Hector,

Please calm down

My message was directed at Ex-Pats who expect everything to be like the UK (or 'where-ever'), not at TC's or GC's who are the people who have really suffered -

My point was that if you are going to live here, you really should learn to accept the habits and customs and 'way of life' of the locals - it's really up to them whether they accept the 'staus quo' or choose to do something about it.

What, exactly, was the point that you were trying to make?

Keith.

HAPPY FEET


Joined: 18/07/2008
Posts: 416

Message Posted:
20/09/2009 19:49

Dalartoket, I guess it didn't also help that the Pia Bella gave us the wrong room, and tried to charge us twice for the deposit money, the staff were friendly and helpful throughout our stay and a lot of the older people staying at the hotel said the food was very good, but we found the cold food section and the deserts to be the same mix of selections everyday.

ClaireCat44



Joined: 17/09/2008
Posts: 739

Message Posted:
20/09/2009 20:04

Pia Bella's only had 2 new reviews written on tripadvisor in about the last month. It could do with a new honest one, HAPPY FEET.

dalartokat


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 734

Message Posted:
20/09/2009 22:13

Happy Feet sorry to hear about Pia Bella giving you the wrong room was there a reason given for this and did you change it?? The Pia Bella has a lot of returners and always has for many years and of a certain age group. However when we were there apart from what I said above we had no problem and I can tell you the food we had which was only breakfast was very good. The Pia Bella has not really been noted for its cuisine as far as evening meals are concerned(I say this with some experience as I was a tour rep and Pia Bella was one of mine some years ago). I have to say I was pleasantly surprised but because of past experiences with this hotel I was waiting for, like I said before, some of the old "chestnuts" to come out of the woodwork, but they didn't.

HAPPY FEET


Joined: 18/07/2008
Posts: 416

Message Posted:
21/09/2009 12:54

Would be good if the Pia Bella had something going on during the day ie quiz / bingo/ aerobics. or something for the under 40's. I know they have a sports field but nothing was happening during our stay



I do feel some hotels just don't know who to promote themselves the best they can,yes they have a lot of returners but would that be the older generation.

LaptaMike


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 1679

Message Posted:
08/10/2009 07:37

I've stayed in the Pia once, mnly y parents have stayed a few times. The service has always been exceptional. The staff are soooooo friendly and always remember you, even what you drink. Lovely rooms in the new block. Direct Traveller class it as 4* but from my experience I would class it as a 5*.



Not daft btw. Been in a lot of 'official 5*' hotels that have been a lot worse.



Mike



PS only problem I had, keycard system is a bit iffy. Probably just teething problems,

HAPPY FEET


Joined: 18/07/2008
Posts: 416

Message Posted:
18/11/2009 16:05

What is with keeping all those diffrent types of birds by the back swimming pool, you cant exactly have a nice relaxing rest around the garden area with all that squawking going on

newlad



Joined: 02/03/2008
Posts: 7819

Message Posted:
18/11/2009 17:12

And there is a distinct lack of bacon at breakfast,

Paul.

jimmyG


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 900

Message Posted:
18/11/2009 18:18

Happy Feet are you being serious? Quizzes or bingo for the under 40's during the day - that's the sort of thing I'd expect on a Saga holiday - and to anyone under 40 looking for that sort of 'entertainment' I'd say GET A LIFE!!!

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
18/11/2009 21:34

HAPPY FEET. Use them, plenty of places to walk to, I am 71 but wouldn't want quizzes, bingo etc while staying at the Pia Bella even in Dec/Jan when we are there for a month, at that time of the year we can't sit round the pool we hire a car and get out to visit the lovely villages and meet the locals. A short stretch of the legs into Girne or to Ozankoy.

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
18/11/2009 22:12

Msg 20



Nothing wrong with Saga, an acronym for, 'Sex And Games for the Aged'!



Richard

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
18/11/2009 23:36

behave brinsley .

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 16:50

Richard,

Alan Bennet's description of elderly tourists as SAGA Louts always makes me laugh...

HAPPY FEET


Joined: 18/07/2008
Posts: 416

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 16:59

Jimmy G



Yes I want Foxy Bingo haven't you seen the advert on TV with all those younger women dancing around giving it some !!



All the Fours Droopy Draws .

HAPPY FEET


Joined: 18/07/2008
Posts: 416

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 17:05

http://www.biscuit.tv/images/uploads/cache/news_foxy_160x115.jpg



I REST MY CASE

jimmyG


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 900

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 17:32

Well Happy Feet all I can say is - I hope you find what you're looking for!!!!

HAPPY FEET


Joined: 18/07/2008
Posts: 416

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 17:48

Jimmy ,



All I want is a lady with pots of money to take me away from it all , are they any on this forum

Jeannie


Joined: 04/08/2009
Posts: 3283

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 17:53

HAPPY FEET - sorry to burst your bubble, but I can honestly say that I have never seen any ladies who look like that going into our local bingo hall whenever I have passed by

jimmyG


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 900

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 17:56

Happyfeet - I'm sure that there are - but at your age I think by suggesting that you'd enjoy a quiz or bingo in the afternoon that you may be going about finding them the wrong way!!!!!

HAPPY FEET


Joined: 18/07/2008
Posts: 416

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 18:06

Jimmy



What has a lot of little balls and is always screwing old women?

A bingo machine



It's the way I tell em

jimmyG


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 900

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 18:31

Happyfeet - I can almost hear the queue forming already - but you'll have to be patient girls until he's finished playing with his dabber!!!

HAPPY FEET


Joined: 18/07/2008
Posts: 416

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 19:11

That reminds me 30 - Dirty Gertie is coming round later with some 57 Heinz Varieties she's alittle 28- Over Weight but she does let me put my hand in her 26 Pick and Mix.