Lovidis Village

  My wife and i have been going to Lovidis studios for more than ten years trust me they are are fantastic people nothing is too much trouble, but you do have to ask as they have not mastered mind reading. And please take the comments you may read about Katarina being scary with a pinch of salt it is standing joke, she is a darling we attended the daughters wedding in November 2008 and spent an emotional week with them and their extended family from different parts of Greece. It was an experience we will treasure for the rest of our lives, i am getting emotional just recounting it.
 Back to the apartments they are basic but adequate clean and the views are spectacular, the pool bar is lively given the right crowd but not raucous. They are not air conditioned but fans are available from Maria's mini market at a reasonable price, she is also a diamond as are her family. Look i could keep writing for hours about it, go give it a go it is very reasonably priced and this year they are not run by a tour operator so need business. You will not regret it.
  Yassas. Enjoy Pete.

Dear guests.
We read very carefully your comments, we would like to thank you all for the good and for the bad comments, through them will improve. this year -SUMMER 2010- we do a different start, the rooms will not be given to a company.

IF YOU WANT TO BOOK A ROOM CONTACT WITH US

E-MAIL: LOVIDESVILLAGE@YAHOO.COM

My mum and I have just returned from the Lovides Village Apartments where we had a weeks holiday from 29 June to 6 July and found them to be excellent on the whole.  Lovides is situated in an excellent location in Lourdes, right between the old part (Lourdata) which is located to the left down the hill and at the bottom you will find the beach.  Too the right is the long straight horizontal road where you will find the majority of the supermarkets, tavernas and a couple of bars.  Its worth the trek down the hill half way to teh beach to reach the old part of Lourdes and the 'square' (Lourdata).  There is a little old taverna on a hillside there run by a very friendly Welsh guy an his Greek wife and the locals congregate their to discuss the state of the world.  Its a little step back in time and worth the visit, perhaps in the evening when its cooler and less hard work to walk back up the hill!

Lovides is a little village of apartments set slightly off the main road up a small incline.  The apartments face towards the ocean and some have better views than others.  The village itself is generally quiet and serene and lovely to sit and watch the sunset from with the breathtaking mountain backdrop behind you.  Our apartment was right at the back (C block) and we were on the second floor (see picture attached, view from our balcony).  I was surprised by the excellent standard of accomodation.  Our room had a small kitchenette area as you entered the door to the right and on the left a good sized bathroom with toilet, good size sink and mirror above and best of all an excellent shower with hot/cold water and the cubicle itself was a seperate built up floor area with curtain.  There was also a hairdryer fitted to the wall!

Secondly water flow from the taps can be interrupted - it was only on two nights when we returned to our apartments at 10:30pm ish to find that there was no water from the taps in the bathroom or kitchen, not a drop.    The loo however did still flush?  One resident advised us it was due to a pressure problem they were endeavouring to fix.  We showered before we went out that night so it didnt really bother us since we had water chilling in the fridge to drink and water ressumed as normal the next morning.  If you have young children though this is useful to be aware of.

We flew from Bristol and arrived in the early hours which meant that coming home we were told to vacate our room at 11am prior to being picked up by the coach to the airport at 8:45pm.  Thats a long time with no room.  Luckily we lazed by the pool by day where there was shade if needed and our neighbours (Ian and Susie from Croydon, hello guys! ) were so very kind as to let us borrow their room to shower early evening so we could change in privacy and have a bite to eat all clean and refreshed prior to boarding the coach.  There are showers pool side but there was no room provided, and suitcases had to be left poolside all day long.  We are so grateful to Susie and Ian, thank you so much if you are reading, as my mum is 71 and it made all the difference to her.

Eating out..... When staying at Lovides you are in the middle of the resort.  A shortcut to the tavernas is to turn right out of the apartments and pass the pool and walk to the end of the road.  Then turn right again.  The road turns a little gravelly but its still walkable in flip flops, its not bad.  The road bends around to the left sharply and you stay on it and follow it to the end.  On the way you will see Andromeda restaurant on your right up the steps (we heard it was good, a little more expensive than the others though) and then at the bottom is the best restaurant of all - SPIROS.  We ate there on 4 evenings it was so good and everyone we spoke to agreed!  Its only about 100m from the apartment and has scenic views of the ocean and is beautifully set outside but under cover with an olive tree between the tables and under umbrellas in places.  The staff are so friendly and you couldnt ask for better service, it was immense.  For Greek authentic food & lovely fresh fish its a must - please do try the fillet of sole stuffed with seafood (baby squid, mussles & prawns) this dish was stunning!!!  I had Stamaki which I've not seen before on my Greek travels - big a casserole of tender chunks of lamb with a tasty greek herby tomato based sauce and vegetables and topped with melted cheese - yummy! They also do excellent pasta dishes, the bolognaise was really lovely and other grilled & UK foods for the less adventurous. Generous but not over the top portions. The appetizers were also gorgeous - try the mezze which is really unusual even though it had chips - a little bit of everything, lovely cheese pies.  If ordering seperate starter the calimari is to die for!  

Inonysis as you turn right at the main road and right along about 800m was a little more expensive but the view was stunning across the bay as the sun set - the service could be more polished, we had to ask twice for a glass of water, but the Becre Meze (tender chunks of beef in greek tomato based sauce) was absoutely gorgeous & two of the tenderist pieces of beef - almost fillet steak!  I requested potatoes with it instead of chips but was told this was not possible  so I had rice instead.  Apart from that, this dish was superb.

The beach....  well believe what you have read about the climb down to the beach, its a monster of a hill.  It winds downwards, slowly at first and then steeper (very steep in places) towards the bottom nearing the beach.  We walked down one morning and it was hard work at the bottom (my calves really felt it and I'm only 32 and quite fit!).  Walking up though - crazy, seriously.  We tried it and nearly passed out half way up .  Its not so much the hill - it is steep and quite long but it could be done if it were not for the heat.  Before the sun rise and after it sets it would be ok.  There are benches you could stop at along the way if need be and have a rest.  But in 32 degree heat (which is what we just came back from) its a formitable effort only for the brave hearted and 6 times a week gym goers.

Hopefully we have covered everything that we learned on our week in Lourdes and hopefully it might give you a head start to making the most of your holiday  Enjoy!!

23/06/08

Went there in 2002 and going back there again this August (2008)...i'm glad to see Katerina is still running it. Best holiday we ever had and i'm only 17 years of age, so what people say about it being isolated so don't take families there isn't true. My sister's are young and they loved it. Family run and it couldn't be any more cosier, i can't wait to return to see them all again. Clean/Beautiful views/Friendly atmosphere not much else i could want!

OK PLACE, APARTMENTS V.BASIC TO SAY THE LEAST!!!! HOB NEXT TO  THE KITCHEN SINK SAY NO MORE!!! REALLY CLEAN THO BUT THE FRIDGES ARE NOISY AND THE AIR CONDITIONING HARDLY WORK WOW THEY SHOULD BE IN A MUSEUM!! NEVER THE LESS THE POOL WAS GOOD AND IT IS RAN BY A FRIENDLY FAMILY, KATARINA IS A BIT SCARY!!!! LUCY THE BAR PERSON WAS A GOOD LAUGH AND FRIENDLY. DONT TOUCH THE KITTENS THEY WILL GIVE YOU RINGWORM!!!!! DONT GO HERE IF YOU HAVE A V.YOUNG FAMILY AS IT IS QUITE ISOLATED 1 MILE HARD WORK TO THE BEACH AND SHOPS!! HIRE A CAR! MARIAS SUPERMARKET IS THE BEST WHAT A NICE LADY!! ALL IN ALL I OFTEN FEEL "HOME SICK" FOR THIS PLACE!! SO CANT BE THAT BAD HEY??!!

While we had a great holiday - please remember that in all parts of Greece, contact with cats and dogs (particularly kittens - however cute they might look!) should be avoided as they often carry ringworm.

We had an absolutely brilliant time here and plan to go back. Family run apartment complex with a nice community atmosphere. We spent half our holiday here and half in Katelios but we loved our stay at Lovidis so much we just kept coming back. One tip about the area, especially for those with young children, the terrain is very hilly and you will find yourselves walking alot. At bus stops there are signs saying that the service is no longer available (this is reffering to the beach bus!), don't let that fool you, there are services that run from the petrol station not far from Lovidis. These are reasonable in price and easy to use. They run to Argostoli (the capital) and Skala/Poros in the other direction. 

Does anyone know where I can find photos of Lovidis studios? My partner has booked our holiday and I can't find any photos of the place anywhere. We are due to go 22nd Aug and I wanted to find out what to expect.

Bit apprehensive as we've booked last minute and don't know anything about the resort or studios .

I stayed with 2 other family members in lovides studios in Lourdas and we found the apartments were clean and OK to sleep 3. the staff there are friendly and laid-back and don't care if you take a quick dip at 4 in the morning ( i reccomend this!!)

me and family are interested on coming back to Lovides - as it is the best; suitable for anyone : familys, couples or just by yourself you will have a great time and enjoy the mountins behind your apartment and the beautiful clear sea in front of you! The pool is a great size and is heated by the sun so be warned!!

i would reccomend Lovides to anyone and miss it a lot (also missing great weather...not fair!!) but take my advice to thoughrouly enjoy your time in kefalonia. VIST : LAKE MESSALINNI, DROGATI CAVES, ST GERISSAMOS,  CASE DE BLUE, LORDAS DIAMOND, AND I WOULD SUGGEST GOING TO LOURDAS BEACH BUT ONLY THE BRAVE SHOULD ATTEMPT GOING THE WAY UP...TRUST ME!! (my legs are still hurting from that killer hill hahah just kidding)

wont forget all the friends (and animals) we met: Jen, Frankie, Jon the key hider, Izzy, lauren, joe  paul,  simon, hobby, zak (hope your knee is ok?), katarina, the dog!!!, and frank the cat :)

Just got back from 2 weeks in Lovidis and loved every minute of it!!!  The pool is fantastic (especially at 4am swimming under the shooting stars, unless you lose your key in the pool cos you put it down your pants, John!!), the bar, hosted by Katarina and family, is wonderful (genius idea re beer glasses in the freezer) and the appartments in general are superb.
The walk down to Lourdas beach is indeed a good 15 minutes down (not so good in flip flops), but there's a bus back up for only 1 euro, so is all good.
Olympic tours (Karen the rep) are fine tour ops, but we wouldn't advise booking onto their excursions - too much time spent on jam packed ferries, coaches etc along with all the other excursions on the day -  much better to explore Kef via moped (we did, is quite safe if you take it easy) or car.
Must see: Drog caves, messalini lake, Church of Saint Geriasimo, Mundas beach
Must eat at: Diamonds (on left, on way down to beach - loads of handpainted signs outside), Spiros & Klimates (on beach front).
Overall, most fantastic holiday, will DEF be going back next year!!  Hello to:  3 day old puppies, Frank the kitten, Jules, Livvy & Christiano, John & Piglet, Simon & Paul, Mum & Dad (aka Geoff & Sue - you in court yet?), Hobbes & Zack (good luck in Brasil) and the Barrie family (been in any Red Lion pubs yet?)
Jen and Frankie (reigning quiz champions)

We found the apartments to be clean & spacious, although the cooking facilities were very basic. A kettle and a sharp knife (for my lemon in G & T's) are essential items to put in your case, if you are that way inclined. We were on the top floor, which we did request, and the views were great, therefore spending most of our evenings just relaxing and watching the sun go down, when normally we head for town. The location is quiet & peaceful and Katerina will always accomodate her guests. The pool is warm & inviting, and no fighting for beds and umbrellas. There are a few tavernas a few mins walk away, and the walk down to the beach is pleasant, with a few drinking holes on the way (the little tea rooms being a must!). Walking back up was not as bad as some have made out (and I am no fit bird!), so give it a try!

My partner Dave and I have just returned from Lovidis Studios - Wahey! It is an amazing place to stay, the apatments were spotless and the staff were wonderful, catering to our every need.  The trek to the beach was no problem for us, as we hired a motorbike (much against the advice of the rep) but it was an ideal way to travel over the whole island.  With the wind in our hair and the blistering sun on our backs we explored up into the mountains and also all the other villages and beaches - Lourdas being our favorite!!!

August 14 - 21 2005 Just returned home to England after a wonderful week in Kefalonia, staying at the Lovidis Studios and we are missing it already. Scorching heat (30c+), which was slightly helped by the sea breeze but very thankful for the clean Studio pool as the steep trek to the sea, was too strenuous for us on a regular basis. We developed the 'Kefalonian Shuffle' from walking everywhere! Hire a bike or car! Rooms were clean, with the usual facilities, but the bins could have been emptied more often. The fridge snored, like a dragon in the night, and because we had the downstairs studio, we seemd to attract the enormous ants. Also, shutters and windows had to be kept closed for security reasons (not that there were any problems anywhere). I would thoroughly recommend anyone to go to this wonderful island and stay at the Lovidis Studios, for a quiet, relaxing holiday, with a very, very warm and helpful welcome from the hosts!

We have recently returned from our holiday to Kefalonia, and stayed at the Lovidis Studios, we cannot praise the apartments, staff and location enough - it was a memorable and truly wonderful two weeks!

We really enjoyed our fortnight at Lovidis. Although the rooms were typically greek style self catering, they were more than adequate for my wife and I. Having said that, we did ask to be moved to an upstairs apartment as the ground floor ones were not very good for any privacy and also I think we had a herd of elephants in the room above! We had to wait another week, but it was well worth it. I would recommend trying to get an upper apt if you can. One of the best things about Lovidis was the fact that you were not forced to get up at 6 o'clock in the morning to reserve a sunbed, there was always plenty available any time of the day. It is also very clean, which is down to the great staff there.

A lovely place to chill out and wind down.

We booked our holiday at a much reduced rate via last minute.com. Olympic holidays are the main operator who you can also book through but it may cost you more.

Having returned this morning after spending a week staying in these apartments I can fully recommend them.  We were made to feel welcome from the minute we arrived. They are short walk from the main drag of Lourdas but are quite a walk up and down a steep hill to the beach and beachside tavernas.  Therefore I would personally recommend hiring a car to get around.  There is so much to see and do. We used CBR who were the cheapest locally.

The apartments themselves are clean and basically furnished.  The kitchen consisted of a two ring electric stove and basic pots and pans, but suited us fine with so many local tavernas to choose from.  Our apartment was very clean upon arrival. Linen/towels/bins are changed weekly.

Give it a go, we had a wonderfully chilled and relaxed week.

In August 2004 my wife and I spent our honeymoon in Kefalonia and stayed at the Lovidis Studios, we thought it was ideal. Very friendly family run apartments made our stay very enjoyable indeed. The rooms were basic but very clean and had all the amenities my wife and I required. Great sunbathing area and bar beside the well kept pool, with excellent service. We would like to thank Katerena and her family for making us feel so welcome and providing the perfect base for us to explore and enjoy the stunning island of Kefalonia. We will certainly be returning to Kefalonia and would like very much to stay at Lovidis Studios.

just spent two weeks here with my wife and thought it was fantastic!
very quiet with great veiws.
met some wonderfull people also staying there (Jack & Anne Mike & Lynne) and had a great time with them.
car hire or mopeds are essential to get around the resort/island etc but the pool is big enough to relax in. Katerina the owner is nice and trys to help all the guests out with anything from local lingo to ordering taxis
alf and deb

We stayed in the apartments for two weeks. Yes the fridge is very noisy and the apartments aren't cleaned enough. The garbage should be picked up daily.

We were lucky and had a great view and were charmed by the sheep in the mornings, but the dogs barking all night long really did get on your nerves.

Overall it was okay.