Aegean Pearl Hotel (5*) is only a minute walk from Rethymnon Beach. Situated right on the blue flag beach at the end of the Rethymnon promenade overlooking the Cretan Sea, the Aegean Pearl provides stylish rooms and a Greek breakfast.

Rooms at the Aegean Pearl are decorated with modern furnishings. All air-conditioned units have a furnished balcony. Some rooms offer sea views and others feature a private pool.

It is a stylish base with a soothing wellness centre, gourmet dining options and space for the kids too.

The meeting rooms of the conference centre are equipped with state-of-the-art visual and sound systems. The main hall with a capacity 450 people is ideal for all types of conferences. Special sound proofed walls can also divide the main hall into four smaller rooms, which together, with the reception and the foyer may serve multiple purposes. They can meet the most demanding needs of various events.

The centre of Rethymnon with the Venetian fortress is a 3-minute drive.

Guests to the Aegean Pearl Hotel can discover marvellous beaches and sleepy villages nearby along with a wide array of shops, restaurants, and traditional tavernas.

The distance from Heraklion International Airport is ~76 km and Chania International Airport is ~65 km.

Electricity

Voltage : 220V

Cycles (frequency): 50 Hz

Sockets/Outlets: 2 pin + earth/ground “Suku” or 2 pin lighting type.
The voltage is 220 volts and you will need a two pin adapter to use your own equipment. If you live in a country with 110V electricity, your electric accessories would not work in Greece where 220V (50Hz) electrical outlets are standard. Just purchase an electrical adaptor to make sure all your equipment will work. An adaptor would allow your plug to physically fit into the Greek power outlets.

Keep in mind that you will need more than one, unless you want to charge your equipment one at a time. An adaptor simply allows your plugs to fit into the Greek electrical outlets; it does not ensure that your appliance would work in the 220V current of the wall outlets in Greece.

 

Insurance

You are advised to arrange private travel insurance. The conference organisers and the organising committee of the conference accept no liability for personal accidents or damaged property while in the conference area.

You should take out comprehensive travel insurance covering you for private medical treatment, as well as for loss or theft of belongings and expenses incurred due to delayed or cancelled flights. Make sure your policy will pay for medical and hospital fees direct and that it covers you for holiday activities such as trekking, scuba diving, riding, and motorcycling, as well as for personal liability in the event of damage to rented cars or motorcycles

 

Shopping

Cretan markets are busiest and best early in the morning, opening at about 08:00 from Monday to Saturday, and busiest of all on Saturday mornings. Markets, and all other shops, close around midday, reopening around 17:00 and staying open until at least 21:00. In resort areas, many shops are open until around 23:00 in summer.

In summer, bars and taverns are open all day; usually close late into the night, and in winter there is very little in the way of entertainment as the majority are closed.

In all the big towns of the island and in many picturesque mountainous villages visitors will find a wide range of shops selling local products such as the excellent Cretan honey, the famous Cretan Wines and the tasty local cheeses (which are known all over Greece). Shops selling leather goods of high quality can also be found as well as shops proposing copper, bronze, terracotta and wooden items. Local embroideries and hand wooden articles can also be found in various shops.

 

Smoking

The Greek government originally passed the no smoking law to take effect from January 2010, but then moved the start date forward in order to ‘ease’ the population into this new smoke-free world. In summer everyone lives, eats and drinks outdoors, so a July ban will have little effect on the social habits of Greece’s smokers.

Bar and restaurant employers must create separate smoking sections.

Ask the employers to show you the Non Smoking areas.

 

Tipping

In restaurant bills there is a service charge of between 10-15 % already built in. However it is usual to leave a small tip for the waiters. Tips are most welcome and it is usual to tip taxi drivers, hairdressers, porters and chambermaids.

Usually add 10–12% to your restaurant bill in change – if you use a card, the staff won’t reap the benefit.

 

Dress Code:

Hotel

Shorts and sandals are forbidden in most hotel restaurants during the evening meals. During the conference and your stay at the Orthodox Academy of Crete please dress accordingly and respectfully.

 

Excursions

As casually as the Greeks may like to dress in the daytime, when they go to church they put great emphasis on decent attire, moral codes are tightly observed. For anyone visiting churches, sleeveless blouses, shorts and beach clothes are definitely out. In many monasteries and churches, you will not be allowed entrance if you are not ‘properly’ dressed. It is advisable, at least, to wear long trousers; a pullover or a wrap to cover the shoulders if you are on a sightseeing tour which will take in visits to churches.

The organizers of the conference are committed to creating an environment that is safe, professional and of mutual trust where diversity and inclusion are valued, and where everyone is entitled to be treated with courtesy and respect. Harassment of participants in any form we will not be tolerated.

 

All conference participants are expected to follow these guidelines:

 

1. Behave professionally. Harassment and sexist, racist, or exclusionary comments or jokes are not appropriate. Harassment includes sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, sexual attention or innuendo, deliberate intimidation, stalking, and photography or recording of an individual without consent. It also includes offensive comments related to individual characteristics, for example: age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, nationality or religion.
2. All communication should be appropriate for a professional audience including people of many different backgrounds. Sexual or sexist language and imagery is not appropriate.
3. Be respectful and do not insult or put down other attendees or facilitators of the event. Critique ideas not people.
4. Should a participant witness events of bullying, harassment or aggression, we recommend that they approach the affected person to show support and check how they are. The witness may also wish to suggest that the person report the inappropriate behavior. However, it is up to the affected person alone whether or not they wish to report it.
5. If participants wish to share photos of a speaker on social media, should be aware that such activity requires to first obtaining the speaker’s permission. Participants may also share the contents of talks/slides via social media unless speakers have asked that specific details/slides not be shared.

Members of the Local Organising Committee have been designated as the contact points for all matters related to this code. Participants can report any violation of these guidelines to these designates in confidence.

 

Thank you for helping to make our conference welcoming for all.

 

P.S. The above Code of Conduct has been based on the one provided by ESO and is available here.