Why Self-Catering

Anywhere in the world, holiday accommodation can be categorised into two sections:

• Catered or
• Self-Catering.

the main difference between these two categories being principally meals - after all that is what the word "catered" and "catering" means.

At the moment we are offering accommodation in the self-catering sector only. This sector consists of villas, farm-houses (old and villa like in construction), town-houses and apartments. All of these units can be very large or very small depending on what one is looking for.

But I have always have had a holiday staying in a hotel. Why would I want to rent a Self-Catering Unit instead of the usual hotel room?

There are several reasons as to why you should make this change but please first permit us to remove any notion of anything associated with cheap (in quality), sleazy, dirty or other unsuitable accommodation in the self-catering sector from your mind. All the units that we represent are first class in quality as otherwise we would not be presenting them here.

In a survey that Joe, our manager, has made for his M.B.A. (Henley) dissertation, all the respondents questionned had just finished a holiday here and were going back home. Joe took a very large sample of respondents who had stayed both in self-catering units and hotels. Whilst most of the hotel guests were pleased with the accommodation and services that they were given in this sector, there were some who lamented. However NONE - not even one - of the 400 respondents who declared that they had stayed in the self-catering sector stated that he/she was not pleased with the accommodation given to him or her. This means that in general self-catering accommodation is very good here in Gozo.

The main difference between the Catered (i.e. hotels and guesthouses of all types and grades) is only one of meals plus other services. Guesthouses usually provide Bed & Breakfast accommodation only. In a hotel (of any type) one can opt for one additional meal (half-board basis: usually the meal is to be had in the evening as this would leave the hotel guest to travel and explore during the day) or two aditional meals (full-board basis: i.e. all the meals are to be provided by the hotel). This usually means that only very short excursions are to be taken by the guest outside thye hotel - if any excursions are to be undertaken at all. This would leave the guest at the hotel's mercy as the type of meals depend on the hotel's restaurant. Good quality hotels (4 or 5 star ones) usually have a pizzeria and a restaurant. The highest quality hotels have two restaurants, a pizzeria and a cafeteria. Lesser quality hotels have one restaurant and you are stuck with that for all your booked stay.

By staying in a self-catering unit you have the choice of all the restaurants, pizzerias and cafeterias in Gozo - not just the two or three (or just the one) that the hotel provides! So you have got more choice of where to eat! If you don't like one restaurant then simply move to another. We can recommend several - all first class and inexpensive restaurants of all types and quality - for our guests. Naturally, since all self-catering units come complete with a private kitchen, you will be more than welcome to cook your own food just the way you like it! Try to do that in a hotel!

Good quality hotels also provide shops. Naturally the hotel guests are not obliged to buy from these shops and-like the guests in self-catering units are free to buy from any shop in Gozo. 

A good quality hotel also puts a large pool at its guests' disposition. Most of the villas and ther enovated farmhouses generally have very adequate and large pools which moreover are private [i.e. can only be used by the guests i.e. you] and not communal [i.e. used by all the hotel's guests]! So if you feel like swimming naked, then go ahead and enjoy yourself! Near the pool area most of these self-catering units also have lounge chairs for sun-bathing, showers and toilets, as well as barbeque facilites all of which are for the dispoition of the current guests: you and your family.

Finally the accommodation offered itself: In a hotel you may opt for a room or a suite of rooms. If you opt for a room, you get just that. If you opt for a suite (and generally pay from your nose!) you usually get one bedroom, and one sitting room, or at best one flatlet. In a self-catering unit you get all the unit including all the rooms at your disposal for a fraction fo the price that one would expect for a similar accommodation in a hotel.

Let us take an example. Let us assume that the guests in question are mum, dad and 2 children - a boy and a girl. If these opt for a hotel they would require either a very large room (very rare indeed for any hotel to offer guests four beds in a room!) or more commonly have to have two rooms with two beds each, with all the expenses that that incurs. A 4 star hotel would cost at least 50 Euros per person per day (on a half-board basis), so that family will have to fork out 200 Euros per day just for the rooms, a continental breakfast (which in reality consists of just a brioche and a coffee) plus one good meal. Generally this price is not a a room with a good view.

If this family choose instead a top class apartment - say a one with a superb sea-view - it would cost that family only 60 Euros for a three-bedroomed apartment all of your own, with a terrace where you can have a coffee, tea, or a meal enjoying the fantastic view.. With less than 90 Euros all four would have a meal and a good bottle of wine at any restaurant in Gozo (including 5 star ones). (At the hotel restaurant wines cost extra and are VERY expensive!). Comparing the two: a whole three bedroomed apartment with a terrace and a view for less than the price of two rooms (normally without a view) in a hotel and your choice of restaurants from all over Gozo. Which would you choose?

If you want to fork out some more (not much!) how would a villa with your own pool and barbeque facilites grab you? At less than two rooms at a five star hotel!

So all in all, a good self-catering unit is much better than a hotel room anytime. The ones that are presented here in this brochure will be presented as they really are and this is precisely what you will find when you book and visit. We promise you: NO unpleasant SURPRISES at all. What we present is EXACTLY what you will get.