Résidence Hélios

“Quiet relaxing holiday”

We enjoyed our stay in Helios 1: small apartment which was ideal for us as a couple. We had a private balcony to enjoy our meals in the sun ( with sunshade) and a BBQ which we enjoyed using. Everything was clean and tidy. The pool was not large, but just perfect to cool down and swim some short len… more

We enjoyed our stay in Helios 1: small apartment which was ideal for us as a couple. We had a private balcony to enjoy our meals in the sun ( with sunshade) and a BBQ which we enjoyed using. Everything was clean and tidy. The pool was not large, but just perfect to cool down and swim some short lengths. The ambience around the pool was very pleasant with enough sunloungers, and enough shade to sit out of the sun if you wish. The gardens are beautiful and well kept with green grass and lots of flowers including Bouganvillea, some butterflies and a few lizards. Wifi near the pool was good but not available in the apartments. A pleasant 10 minute walk through the countryside is the lovely sandy Menasina beach where we enjoyed several afternoons. Cargese is only 5 minutes drive away and has a good selection of restaurants, and enough shops to provide groceries and fresh bread for a week. Within 60 to 90 minutes drive is stunning scenery with spectacular mountain walks: we enjoyed Spelunca Gorge, and Lac de Creno on 2 separate days: HOT walking though! The only downside to our stay was the number of wasps which joined us for our meals, and if you have long legs you might struggle to close the toilet door as it is a very small cubicle. Thanks to Benedict, the hostess, for an excellent holiday, just what we needed. We would certainly come back in the future.

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“Check which building you are booking for!”

We had a very enjoyable stay in Helios 1, the block of apartments overlooking a pleasant, well maintained garden. There was a swimming pool immediately behind the apartment and WIFI in the reception/pool area. The hostess, Benedict, was very helpful in sorting out a booking issue we had- see below.… more

We had a very enjoyable stay in Helios 1, the block of apartments overlooking a pleasant, well maintained garden. There was a swimming pool immediately behind the apartment and WIFI in the reception/pool area. The hostess, Benedict, was very helpful in sorting out a booking issue we had- see below. The apartments are a short 10 minute walk from the beautiful, sandy beach Menasina, located in a cove. It can be windy, but most of the time during our 4 night stay, the sea was calm, and bathing in the clear sea was idyllic! The nearby small town of Cargese is less than 5 minutes drive and had a good selection of shops, cafes and restaurants and a couple of good super-markets. Our apartment in Helios 1, was small, but adequate for two (although it could accommodate 4, I would suggest, two small children could be accommodated in the two single beds on the mezzanine floor which had a very low ceiling) and the single toilet was quite cramped. The bathroom had both bath and shower. We booked a "Superior apartment" on Booking.com, with “Garden view”, but on arrival found that we were booked into Helios 2, which is located 50m from Helios 1 (across a road that was often busy). The apartment in Helios 2 however was a good size, with dishwasher and washing machine. Apparently a "Superior" apartment dictated that the apartment was larger and had a dishwasher and washing machine...but it did not overlook a garden but rather a thin line of shrubs/small trees which bordered the road. The traffic noise was often intrusive - making conversation difficult and causing us to awake early the next morning. We had a conversation with Benedict after one night in this apartment and she kindly moved us to Helios 1...which was so much better – see above. There is also another apartment building, Helios 3, which is above Helios 2 and has good views of the sea, but you would be at least 200/300 metres away from the pool...and would have to cross the road and walk up a fairly long steep slope to get to the apartment from the pool!

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