Which one do we want? Family of 4, 2 energetic boys (8 and 10) who are up for any activity. I want cycling road or mtb, wife wants to relax, do some yoga type stuff. Nice food, nice hotel, nice pool which the kids can play in. Boys quite excited by the idea of water skiing.....not too worried about departure airport or transfer time.
A few of us Neilsonites in here - https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/neilson-anyone-been-to-messini/
Of the current ones, I've only been to the Retreat, and loved it. Winds weren't great for sailing, but I wanted to learn to wakeboard and the water was amazing for that. Didn't set foot in the pool, though. The water was, as mentioned, just lovely!
We went to the Airone beach club in Calabria. While I wholeheartedly recommend Neilson, I don’t think I’d go back to that site.
Thanks, it looks like it's between messini and the one in Croatia, messini looks better for cycling.
I went to Croatia last year (twice) with Neilsons. Lovely resort but not too much wind (unless the Bora comes in), if you're not keen sailors and windsurfers then I would happily recommend it.
The national park over the road from the hotel is absolutely stunning, we went for a little wander on a sunday morning and ended up coming back 6 hours later. There's a secret bunker, places to stop for drinks etc and amazing rock climbing.
The mountain biking was also good, lots of bikes and plenty of routes. You can download the routes to your phone and just go yourself.
Croatia is a beautiful place, if you do go make sure you go to Ante restaurant at far end of Starigrad, amazing food. Also the Konoba restaurant (need to book as it's small) on the way to the National park was good as were the pizzas in the bar on the way to Ante.
The pool is 50m and lovely with plenty of places to chill and watch the world go by. The rooms weren't huge but we aren't in them much.
Enjoy
Going back to sardinia nielson in a few weeks.
Great for road riding and sea stuff, and the resort is really nice, all bungalows and spread out.
not sure on the mountain biking as most routes seemed to need a road ride to start and finish sadly. Lovely place
Thanks, sounds like whichever we chose we are in for a nice holiday!
Spent a week in Paleros at the beginning of May which is as great - good range of Trek road and mtbs with guided rides as well as just being able to head out on your own. Road riding was more accessible.
Usual Lasers, SUPs and kayaks on the beach and all very stress free.
sockpuppet
Subscriber
We went to the Airone beach club in Calabria. While I wholeheartedly recommend Neilson, I don’t think I’d go back to that site.
off there in a few weeks... anything particularly wrong with it? Went to Sardinia last year and enjoyed that location
Has anyone been to the new Neilsons resort in Spain?
Looking at a cheeky week at the end of September.
What sort of budget is a week at this with school holiday tax?
Lots, I'd suggest a last minute deal if you plan on the school holidays
Went to Buca in Messini in June. Road cycling is excellent. MTB is mainly double track so not great.
Really good guided road rides and would recommend.
Has anyone been to the Aeolian beach resort? Got a week booked off in September and it's one of the options we are looking at.
From the other thread, as this has had a bump.
Messini.
CaptainFlashheart
Member
Just back.Impressed. Very much what I expect from Neilson.
Bad bits?
Erm, oversleeping and missing a wakeboard tow.
The usual steep(ish) bar prices, but we expected that.
The surrounding area is a bit scruffy, sadly.
Bit too much litter left around by the teenage guests. I blame the parents, but could do with a few more bins.
Room layout a little odd, with the shower sort of overlooking the room. Hard to explain, but a bit odd.Good bits?
Millpond conditions for the 0730 tow. Boat team were great, really got my confidence back.
Great wind later in the day. Best conditions were this morning, flat water and big breeze. Catamaran lunacy ensued! Beachies were doing sterling work launching and landing boats in some big swell on other days.
Kids Clubs – The Nanny team are just superb, and made it a magnificent trip for the small ones.
Flat. No steps, like at Sivota!
Nice ride to the supermarket along back roads and trails.
Short transfer, and BA operated flights so no scrum!
Of the local places (walking distance), the first you’ll come to is the Phoenix. Don’t. Overpriced and food average at best. Keep going until you see either Ble or Golden Sands (round the bend on the right). Ble had a lovely garden on the beach, cheap and tasty quaffing wine, and tasty grub. Golden Sands is just a shack on the beach, but great food and similar wine! Those are the two you should go to.
Mrs BigJohn & I went to Aeolian (Lesvos) a couple of years back. We're both keen windsurfers and mountain bikers. We've been to several Neilson places and really thought this one was well up to standard. As we only had one week it was a squeeze to fit everything in. One morning we waved at each other as we passed: I said I'd just finished the half day bike ride and was dashing to get to my water ski session; she said she was rushing from her dinghy lesson to play in the tennis competition.
And we loved the local village where you can get gyros pies (think doner kebab) where they wrap the chips inside the flatbread and roll it up into a big cone.
Cheers BigJohn I'm pretty much convinced after the description of the gyros!
What was the mountain biking like there?
They used to do them one night in the restaurant too.......they were great
Mountain biking was good, afternoon bimble to the Monastery was beautiful if they still do that.
I can't honestly remember. I've done so many Neilson and Club Vass in Greece and Turkey that they all merge into the same memory. But the usual formula is a selection of early morning rides of varying levels of technicality and duration. Often the guides are keen if there are some more enthusiastic riders that let them go farther afield. You can usually grab a bike and go off on your own.
