Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, all our hotels and Beach Clubs are true beachfront hotels, in that their grounds lead directly down to the beach where our water sports centres are located.

For Nautica Bay and Surf Hotel there is a small road and promenade (respectively) between the hotel and the beach; but the hotel grounds continue on the other side of the road and promenade and are private for hotel guests.

Guest rooms are cleaned daily, with a mid-week towel and bed sheet change in some resorts. Rooms will have air-conditioning, small fridge, tea/coffee facilities (Surf Hotel and Leda) with satellite TV and a few English language channels.

There is free Wi-Fi available in the public areas (bar/restaurant and lounges) of all Beach Clubs. Signal strength and connection speed can vary with limited access in hotel rooms.

The staff in resort will be aware that you have you have a voucher and will allocate it to your room tab. The vouchers are for personal consumption only, and can be used to purchase the following: draft beer, house wine by the glass, local spirits and mixers, soft drinks, hot non-alcoholic drinks, all lunches and ice cream by the scoop. Please make sure you inform the staff you intend to use the bar voucher when ordering otherwise you may be charged for your order.

Do bring sun cream and insect repellent Do bring a day bag Do bring a sun hat and shades Do bring shorts and T-shirts you don’t mind getting wet Do bring any special bike saddles or Spd’s and our mechanic will fit them for you (closed toed shoes esential for biking) Do bring any special biking or dinghy clothing you like to wear No need for wetsuits Do bring a good book, essential for chilling! Do bring a beach towel

We do provide a towel and a mid-week towel change for guests. However, these are not beach towels and these can be rented locally, subject to availability.

The Surf Hotel Beach Club, Vassiliki: This is a modest size hotel-style beach club which is private to our British clients and run exclusively by us. Its grounds lead straight down to the sea (100 metres away) where our water sports centre is located.

We have 82 beds in total (38 bedrooms) which are a mix of twin/double, triple and quad family rooms.

Facilities: hotel grounds, hotel reception, swimming pool, sun loungers, pool bar, Sky Bar lounge, dedicated Kids Club area, Wi-Fi in public areas, our water sports centre and bikes.

Leda Beach Club, Horto-Pelion: A larger villa-style Beach Club where accommodation is spread across smaller apartments which are dotted around beautiful and extensive grounds with trees, shrubbery and lawns. It makes for a more private and peaceful holiday where one can get lost in the grounds. Its grounds lead straight down to the sea (100 metres away) where our water sports centre is located close by.

Ocean Elements has a 50-60 bed share of a 140 bed complex which is run by Greek owners and houses guests from other Tour Operators from Germany, Italy, France and Greece.

Facilities: Extensive gardens, hotel reception, swimming pool, crazy / mini golf, tennis court, sun loungers on the beach and around pool, a Beach bar, Ambrosia restaurant, on-site Taverna, a Yoga house, Jacuzzi and sauna room, mini gym, dedicated Kids Club area, Wi-Fi in public areas, our water sports centre and bikes.

Nautica Bay Beach Club, Porto Heli: A large hotel style Beach Club where accommodation is spread across extensive grounds, most with direct sea views. Its grounds lead straight down to the sea (150 metres away) which is accessed by crossing over a small road directly in front of the hotel. There you will find a private beach, sun loungers and our water sports centre

Ocean Elements has a 60-70 bed share of a 220 bed hotel complex which is run by Greek owners and houses guests from other Tour Operators from Germany, Italy, France and Greece.

Facilities: Extensive gardens (lawned), hotel reception, swimming pool, crazy / mini golf, two tennis courts, sun loungers on the beach and around pool, a Beach bar, hotel restaurant restaurants, on-site snack bar (beach bar), dedicated Kids Club area, Wi-Fi in public areas, our water sports centre and bikes.

Dinghy sailing and windsurfing (lessons), kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, mountain biking, guided bike rides, use of tennis courts (except Vassiliki), Fitness classes for Vassiliki only and excursions, social nights and paddle cruises are all included in the price of your holiday.

We provide buoyancy aids for all ages (adult and child) and for all water based activities. We have a limited range of life jackets for toddlers. We provide optional helmets for sailing. We provide helmets for all mountain bikers but please remember to bring your closed toed shoes.

We don’t believe that you need to reserve a board or boat before you travel. We generally have enough kit so that everyone will get more than enough time with the boat or board of their choice. If you want to use a particular piece of kit then speak to our beach staff on arrival or in the morning and they will see that you get to use it. You may have to wait a short while for kit to become available in busy periods but in our experience wait times are short and you will have more than enough time on the kit you want.

To take a note from the above, we do not charge for accidental damage or wear/tear to gear. However if you mistreat our kit or don’t listen to advice from the beach staff then you will be charged for damage as it occurs. This should not happen if you are careful, listen to our guidelines and simply treat our kit as if it were your own.

If you can you can display an adequate degree of competency then you don’t need to join our lessons to go free-sailing. However if you choose to join any of our RYA courses (Levels 1,2,3 or 4) then you don’t need to do the whole course, after all it’s your holiday! You are free to dip in and out of our structured lessons as you choose.

We do not ask for a security deposit when you use our kit, we simply ask that you take care of our equipment as if it were your own. Normal “wear and tear” will not be charged unless you have wilfully damaged or neglected the kit, or through improper use. If you obey our simple Beach Rules and listen to Ocean Elements beach staff for guidelines on use, then you should not have a problem.

Yes of course you can! There will be a charge on the plane and transfer (from £49 return) for a return carriage of your board and sails, as per the airlines guidelines on baggage allowance. Please call our sales or admin advisors for help with transporting your kit. Sails and boards will have to fit into the same kit bag for the plane. We have secure storage on site which is locked overnight and shared with other hotel guests.

Yes, these are all available and payable locally. Please speak to our instructors once you are in your chosen resort. Private Tuition prices start from £34 per hour.

Levels covered: All levels beginner to advanced modules. Perfect for those who want to focus extra time on specific skills in addition to our free lessons, or for those of you who want advanced skills taught in resorts that don’t include advanced tuition free with the package.

All our activities have been priced into the base holiday package and due to our already very competitive prices we cannot offer any further discounts.

Our beach operating hours are generally between 09:30 and 18:00. On transfer day, Porto Heli and Vassiliki guests can often get on the water soon after they arrive after lunch for an afternoon session of sailing, windsurfing or paddling. This is dependent on local conditions and no travel delays.

Our Vassiliki Beach Club will often stay open later than 18.00 for advanced windsurfers who would like to make the most of the frequent evening wind. In fact we will stay open until the last guest comes off the water - or until it begins to get dark!

Windsurf & dinghy harnesses are provided at all centres.

We run a beach or tower lookout for all guests at all times. Our safety boat ratios are very high, meaning there is always a boat ready to provide assistance if require. We simply ask that all water users stay within our designated sailing area.

We have a dedicated sailing area (for safety reasons) and we ask that guests stick to it. Our sailing area should be plenty big enough for downwind spinnaker runs and windsurf blasts. You will be advised of the sailing area on arrival which is usually marked with big yellow outer distance markers (ODM’s).

Yes of course! Kids age 8-13 years generally join our Youth Squad to get dedicated and professional RYA coaching and tuition. This is a paid for as an extra and must be pre-booked before departure. Children age 14 above can join our adult teaching groups for windsurfing and sailing. Kids don't have to be in Youth Squad to go sailing; children age 13 and below are welcome to sail with a parent or guardian.

Kids in our Kids Clubs (age 4-13) can get taster sessions and accompanied sailing joyrides with our instructors. All water sports for children is limited to participant numbers and available kit, but we will aim to introduce all Kids Clubs participants to the water more than a few times during their week, whether it’s paddling, Sup’s, kayaks or dinghy rides.

All our resorts offer windsurfing.

The Surf Hotel Beach Club in Vassiliki has the best pro-level equipment and the best range of instruction (beginner to advanced). Free daily shore based lessons are available. Vass’ also has the strongest wind which starts calm in the morning (ideal for beginners) and slowly builds to a strong breeze by mid-afternoon (up to Force 6/7) – so everyone’s catered for!

The Leda Club in Horto Pelion also offers excellent windsurfing, but doesn’t have all the latest season’s kit. However it will have a smaller range of last season’s pro-level boards for the experts and other advanced kit too. Free daily shore based lessons are available. There are fewer high-level instructors in Leda, but enough to help guests wanting some advanced private tuition. Like Vassiliki, Leda suits beginners, inters and expert sailors as the wind starts calm and slowly builds to a Force 4/5 by the afternoon.

The Nautica bay Beach Club in Porto Heli offers fun beginner and intermediate level windsurfing. It doesn’t have the latest kit, however it has a good range of high level intermediate boards, a full range of large sails and lots of beginner boards. Free daily shore based lessons are available. Porto Heli suits beginners, intermediates and high level intermediates who can get planing most days. The wind starts calm in the morning and slowly builds to a Force 3/4 by the afternoon.

Dinghy Sailing Tuition

Beginner Level 1: ‘Start Sailing’ Course duration: 10-12hrs Course content: Boat controls, sailing a triangular course, turning around, safety & fun!

• Porto Heli: Paid for option • Horto Pelion: Paid for option • Vassiliki: Paid for option • Kos: Paid for option

Improver Sailing Level 2: ‘Basic Skills’ Course duration: 10-12hrs Course content: Rigging, launching, improved sailing in all directions. Capsize recovery and essential safety knowledge

• Porto Heli: Paid for option • Horto Pelion: Paid for option • Vassiliki: Paid for option • Kos: Paid for option

Intermediate Level 3 ‘Better Sailing’ Course duration: 10-12hrs Course content: Same content as Level 2 but fine tuning those skills: rigging, launching, sailing in all directions. Capsize recovery and essential safety knowledge. Also an intro to advanced modules via taster-sessions; like spinnakers and performance sailing

• Porto Heli: Paid for option • Horto Pelion: Paid for option • Vassiliki: Paid for option • Kos: Paid for option

Advanced Sailing Modules Course duration: 10-12hrs Modules covered: Start, Intermediate & Advanced Racing, Day Sailing (planning a day cruise), Sailing With Spinnakers, Performance Sailing.

• Porto Heli: Paid for option • Horto Pelion: Paid for option • Vassiliki: Paid for option • Kos: Paid for option

Windsurfing Tuition

Beginner: ‘Start Windsurfing’ Course duration: 8-10hrs Course content: Teaches you the basics of windsurfing. Windsurfing a triangular course and turning around

• Porto Heli: Paid for option • Horto Pelion: Paid for option • Vassiliki: Paid for option • Kos: Paid for option

Intermediate: ‘Non-Planing’ Course duration: 8-10hrs Course content: New techniques including the beachstart and harness work. Beach starting and carve gybing are taught on this course or as a separate clinic tailored to your needs.

• Porto Heli: Paid for option • Horto Pelion: Paid for option • Vassiliki: Paid for option • Kos: Paid for option

Intermediate ‘Planing’ Course duration: 8-10hrs Course content: Faster tacks, use of the harness and getting in the footstraps. Get ready for the excitement of blasting control. Beach starting and carve gybing are taught on this course or as a separate clinic tailored to your needs.

• Porto Heli: Paid for option • Horto Pelion: Paid for option • Vassiliki: Paid for option • Kos: Paid for option

*In these centres you can pay for private tuition to cover modules of your choice

Advanced Windsurf Modules Course duration: 8-10hrs Course content: Dynamic transitions, advanced planing techniques and waterstarts. Carve gybing and other advanced skills such as advanced carving and bump and jump may be taught as part of the course.

• Porto Heli: Paid for option • Horto Pelion: Paid for option • Vassiliki: Paid for option • Kos: Paid for option

All our centres offer RYA course structured over 8 - 12 hours, so you can go home with a new qualification. We offer this for all levels of windsurfing and sailing (refer to the section on lessons for which centres offers which levels). So do bring your RYA log books or buy one from us locally.

If you can already sail or windsurf (equivalent to RYA Level 1) then there’s no need to join a lesson unless you want to. Simply choose a board or boat and let the beach staff know before you head out onto the water. The beach is open from 9.30 to 18.00 each day and will only close if wind conditions are too strong, which is rare.

For sailing, paddle sports and windsurfing, simply wear some swim shorts, a swimsuit, t-shirt or rash vest and we will supply buoyancy aids and helmets if needed. Whichever sport you take part in, we would recommend a sun hat and plenty of sun cream.

We don’t supply dinghy hikers or dinghy boots so do bring your own if you would like to.

Tip: We do sell sailing gloves and rash vests or quick dry T-Shirts at our centres for very reasonable prices! However sizes can get limited, so don’t rely on our supplies.

You will need a pair of trainers to take part in many of the fitness sessions on offer. Mountain bikers must wear closed-toe shoes (e.g. trainers - not flip flops) and a shirt or T-shirt to cover their upper body.

Yes you can, and many guests do just that. Our early morning flights often mean you will be in resort soon after lunch, so unless there are travel delays and so long as conditions allow, you should be able to sail, windsurf or paddle about on Sups soon after you arrive – usually soon after our beach safety briefing.

Surf Hotel, Vassiliki Beach: The beach in Vassilki is shingle and stone with a more sandy section at the far end. Once you enter the water there is lovely soft sand beneath your feet and waist deep crystal clear water for some distance out to the sand bar, which helps make windsurfing and sailing easier, safer and great for beginners and kids. Vassiliki has some of the cleanest waters in Europe and the beach gently shelves to allow easy water sports and safe swimming for all ages. We have a garden which fronts onto the beach and free-use of sun loungers. We recommend taking a Sup, kayak or bike (or just walk a short way) to visit a nearby sandy patch of beach close to our centre.

Nautica Bay, Porto Heli Beach: Our hotel beach in Porto Heli is quite exclusive and in a quieter part of the bay which his ideal for bathing and water sports as it never gets too busy. Our water sports centre (like all our centres) is by the water front and completely exclusive for our guests and our attentive beach staff are always on hand to help you get going on our great range of boats, boards and beach toys. The beach is very sandy and has a large supply of sun loungers for you to use and there’s a beach bar so you can chill with a cool drink whilst you watch the action on the water. On entering the water there is generally soft sand beneath your feet; Porto Heli is a natural bay which allows safe and secure swimming and water sports for all ages. The hotel is less than 50m from the beach and waterfront and you’ll have to cross a narrow B-road to access the beach but this does not impinge upon the set up in any way.

Leda, Pelion Beach: Our Leda Beach Club fronts directly onto the beach and like all centres our water sports centre is exclusive to guests. The beach is sand mixed with shingle and quite stony. Leda has some of the cleanest waters in Europe and the beach is stunningly beautiful! It allows easy access to water sports and safe swimming with coves, rocky outcrops and inlets dotted around to enable great snorkelling or paddling in kayaks or Sup’s. There is a beach bar close by so you can relax on a sun lounger with a cool drink as you come and go from the action on the water.

In order to take a boat or board out on your own we will ask that you have at least some experience sailing dinghies or windsurfing and can perform basic manoeuvres. Our staff will assess this on arrival. If you do not then we can teach you the basics in one of our lessons or for sailing we can even take you out on a skippered sailing demo.

Our resorts offer many great excursions, including wine tours, boat trips, island hopping, yacht trips, car and moped hire, water skiing, SCUBA Diving, Guided walking and bike rides. Some of these may require a local charge and they can be arranged on arrival with Ocean Elements staff.

Yes of course you can. Simply come down to the water front during beach opening hours (9.30 to 6pm) and choose a boat or pick a windsurf board, SUP or kayak from our racks and our beach staff will help you rig up and get going.

If the piece of equipment you’d like to take out is being used for a lesson, simply check with the Beach Senior when it will be back in and they will do their best to keep it rigged and ready for you to take straight back out. That said, there is such a great range of kit to play on in all our resorts that you’ll be spoilt for choice and not often waiting for kit to come back.

If the wind is blowing too hard, or if there is some adverse weather about (e.g. swell), then we may limit what equipment can be used. Extreme weather in our resorts is usually short lived and generally will not last for long.

Not in our view! The water in all our centres is very warm all season long, (20-26C+). We use board shorts and rash vests from early May to October. However if you are particularly susceptible to any kind of chill, or for young children - then for early and late season sailing you may prefer to bring your own suit. We do not stock wet suits at any of our centres.

Evening care will be provided for children on one set night of the week, to allow parents to go out for a couple of hours. The actual day will be advised in resort. This service is provided free of charge.

All kids can join our kids club, ages 4-7 and 8-12. Kids clubs may be limited or age groups combined if participant numbers are low. However under normal conditions we expect it to run 09.30 to 5.30* with a break for lunch for 5 days, morning and afternoon (but without lunch). Kids Club is only available in the school holidays only. *Leda & Akti Beach Club half day only (either morning or afternoon).

There is a children’s play area with soft mats, toys and games in all our centres which will be open all day for parents to use with their children Porto Heli also has a kids play park with swings, slides and other outdoor apparatus. These play areas may not be supervised by a childcare leader, but you are welcome to use the facilities at any time and supervise your own children.

We do not provide nannies, and so parents will have to look after their under 4 year olds. We can provide essential items such as baby baths and changing mats. Please request these at the time of booking.

During the school holidays (July and August) we always get a lot of children at our Beach Clubs. Our Kids Clubs are full and bursting with energy and our Youth Squad is in high demand so don’t leave it too late to book!

We do have a few kids bikes available, for ages 6 years and up. We don't offer bike guiding for under 12s, but in Children's Clubs will go biking. Parents are of course free to take their children biking at any time during the day. Children aged 12-16 may join the guided rides only if they are accompanied by a parent or guardian.