Portland Holidays Direct   Thomas Cook Direct   MyTravel Direct

Airtours Direct   Direct Holidays   Cosmos Direct

Try these Useful Links and Resources:

Crete Links  Holiday Videos  Holiday Bargains  Crete Late Deals

Add H-U to your Favourites?  Add Your Review  Holiday Discounts

Crete Smaller Resorts (A-Z)

Adelianos - Crete

Adele Studios II - Adelianos Kampos

Operator and Date: (Olympic Direct) Olympic - September 2005 

Opinion submitted in Jan 2006 by :

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Adele Studios II is a lovely place to stay, bearing in mind there's little in Adele of interest if you're the exploring type. Just many "samey" tavernas catering mainly to people who want to eat so-so standard food and shops selling overpriced trashy souvenirs. There's plenty of supermarkets to get your daily supplies, the grapes and tomatoes are gorgeous and very sweet. Rethymnon is only a short drive away and it's a good base to explore the western side other island. It's also good to drive up into the mountains and find REAL Cretan tavernas where the food is cheaper and MUCH better quality.

The studios are clean and well maintained. The sheets were changed twice a week and the bins emptied almost every day. There was a bathtub and even a shower curtain in the bathroom. Almost unheard of in Greek accommodation! I was lucky enough to be placed at the front of the building, as the rooms on the back can be very noisy from the main road behind them. The only problem I had with the room was the aging and VERY noisy fridge that I had to resort to switching off at night.

Nice sized pool and children's pool out the back. The beach is somewhat sharp pebbly, so buy some beach shoes if you intend to spend time there. If you drive out through Platainias though, the beach is much nicer between there and Rethymnon.

The owners were very friendly, and seemed to work every single hour of the day and night.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Hotel Dias - Adelianos

Operator and Date: (Cosmos Direct) Cosmos-june2005

Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : jane-george 41 44

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

nothing good to say about this hotel at all. 

booked a 2 week two centre holiday not cheap.spent the first 4 days in aghios nicolias in a 3 star hotel, fabulous, beautiful views from the hotel gorgeous resort, good food. then we traveled to the dias. what a disaster. you just new as soon as we pulled up in the coach this was not going to be anything like the last four days. the hotel was the dirtiest filthiest place i have ever stayed in during my 14 years of traveling. the food was not fit for a dog. if you like ice cream or jelly or tinned fruit you would be ok because you were offered only one of these on a nightly basis. the rest of the food i couldnt recognise what it could be. even the coffee or tea in a morning served to you from a warming flask were disguting. there was a fridge in our room that had so much filth and mould around it i could have sold my own penicillin and under the bed as i followed the local bugs one night to see where they were going, well i just wish i hadnt looked. this hotel had not been cleaned for months. the pool bar never open the pool was abismall dont go there its really bad.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Jo-An Beach Hotel - Adelianos, Rethyymno

Operator and Date: Lastminute.com(Flightfinders & Accomodation 2U)

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Dee Kevan - Hampshire (45,49)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was a last minute booking, a get away from it all break for my husband and I..child free for the first time! Adelianos is a very small resort, brochure stated hotel was an ideal holiday for those wishing to get away from it all, and relax! The holiday started good, great friendly flight on Monarch,a taxi waiting at the airport for us, then an hour journey (close your eyes)as we drew up to the hotel (quoted as 4 star) we both sighed with relief, typical Greek style low rise, white,flowers/greenery everywhere,immaculate grounds.

Hotel receptionist told us that they given us a bigger room as a special favour! but then went on to say, that we may have to move after a few days if they need the room for a family! They only had one small room available for a couple and when I went to look at it I realised why it was left! It was over the Bar area...so we decided to take a chance and go for the bigger room. The room was a big disapointment, dated, dull and basic but clean, what a pity after the lovely outside and grounds!

Air conditioning..you have to pay deposit of 10 euros for the remote control..no problem, yet air conditioning constantly leaked,so we had to have towels on the floor..despite numerous requests (repair man v. busy but will come tomorrow) it was never seen too during our stay although I must say it did its job.
Safe in room cost us 20 euros for the week.

The room had 2 kids beds, sink and cupboard, with bathroom off, our beds were up some very wobbly stairs on a sort of mezzanie..If I had children with me I would not like them to use them! We had to use them very slowly which was a pain for a 49 yr old woman, bursting for the loo in the morning!
The balcony was quite large and more than adequate.

We went half board, but actually only ate in there for continental breakfast and one evening meal...food odd and boring,chips chips....so we ate out for the rest of the week..The White Lady in Adelianos is renowned for its atmosphere and excellent service, great food and the "whistling road waiter!" there are plenty of restaurants here, and of course the touts, but remain polite and say not tonight thank you and we found they accepted this with a friendly smile.

Anyone staying at the Jo-An should go self catering, eating out is very cheap.

There was a small pool with a smaller sectioned off for babies, but only normal upright seats...always empty..but direct access to beach right next to pool..with sunloungers and umbrellas, but they cost 5 euros per day for two.
Only complaint and which spoiled our days was the hotel beach bar...house/garage music blasting from 10 am until 7 pm everyday.We found out from other hotel guests that you can use any of the other hotel sunbeds along the beach for the same price, and no one else played music. We could always tell new guests as they would use the Jo An's sun loungers then the music would come on loud and they would pack up and move..a few of us did speak to the barman but he just shrugged and the music continued..so use other beds.
We did'nt sightsee,as we were only there for a much needed lazy week.

ANIMAL LOVERS..beware I found the attitude to the large number of stray dogs and cats upsetting, our taxi driver did not swerve when a small tatty dog ran out in front off him, he said they are better dead as there is so many..I found this attitude so upsetting...I only wished I could have brought this particular dog home but there were many more.The dogs that you see on the beach are very friendly, please give them some water and a biscuit,also the cats and kittens are friendly too.

Overall we had a great break but the Jo-An apartments are not 4 star as advertised, the outside maybe, inside 2 star. There was not many british here mostly German, Polish, Russian and Dutch. Although we met in the last few days two very nice couples from London and Liverpool, who were great fun.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Agia Galini - Crete

Aparthotel Creta Palm Resort - Agia Galini

Operator and Date: Independent - Apr 2006

Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : R & A - Exeter (45, 49)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We didn't book this hotel but were moved here from the Agia Marina Beach to get us away from a large group of rowdy Greek students.

The worst thing about the resort is that it is strung along a busy road with intermittent pavements, although hotels on the right side of the road are right on the beach. The Creta Palm is on the wrong side of the road. The location did seem to be convenient for a bus service into Hania although we didn't use it because we had a car. It was fairly convenient for getting out of town and onto the "motorway". There is a small amount of free parking.

The hotel itself is hard to fault. We were in an enormous apartment, all newly fitted. We were staying half board and the buffet meals were good. However, the dining room was very small with most guests presumably being self-catering. One night we had a thunderstorm and the dining room was full, with people choosing not to go out! Some items ran out quickly and were not replenished.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Hotel Irini Mare - Agia Galini

Operator and Date: Expedia - Apr 2006

Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : R & A - Exeter (45, 49)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We had heard that Agia Galini was very touristy and noisy, but April is low season in Crete and it was quiet. It is a little town sloping down to a harbour, with a spectacular mountain backdrop, although the large car park on the harbourside spoils the environment.

If the town does get unbearable in summer, Irini Mare is in an excellent location. Although a couple of kilometres away by car, you can walk to the town in ten minutes along a level walkway at the foot of the cliffs.

We had a sea view room, and the view was a fine one across rooftops to the little bay. The room was spacious and newly refurbished, and very clean. The buffet dinner and breakfast were good - the menus were only in Greek and German, but with a buffet you can see for yourself what most things are! For those on a B and B option, there are plenty of restaurants nearby.

There is plenty of parking, and cars for hire as well.

The staff were very friendly. As English guests, I think we were a bit of a novelty when everyone else was German! All in all, a hotel we can recommend.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Rooms Manos - Agia Galini

Operator and Date: independent sept 06

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : jackie smith(61,59)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

rooms Manos are well situated in the resort. they are very reasonable,spotless and run by alovely lady. Be sure to get abalcony room. Agia Galini is a nice resort as quiet or as busy as you want. 2 excellent restaurants-Ariston on taverna st-try the meatballs and Charlies place which is traditional. We had the best moussaka ever there and it was very cheap.There a couple of Greek bars which are nice and much cheaper than the poncy bars on the front.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Tropica Studios - Agia Galini

Operator and Date: Kosmar - Sept 06

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Stuart Hewitson - Truro (62,57)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We stayed at Tropica Studios, Agia Galini for two weeks at the end of September and first week of October.
Agia Galini is a really charming resort and Tropica Studios are ideally situated, being at the Eastern end of the village right on the beach.

The studios, whilst basic, are very clean and spacious, each with a reasonably sized balcony  or patio.
The swimming pool and pool bar complex was very relaxing with enough sun-loungers for all and some small trees to give some shade. Non-swimmers beware - apart from the entry steps, there is no shallow end!!!
The studios are a pleasant walk along the beach where there are several good tavernas and bars (try the Sunset Taverna mixed grill for two - complete with sparklers!!)to the main village which is set into the hillside, with more restaurants, tavernas and bars than you can shake a stick at!!!
Best of the tavernas is Charlies Place, great  food at great prices plus several free Rakis with Charlie at the end of the meal.

Best of the bars - a toss-up between Platias wine bar and Milestone where Gary plays some great jazz and blues.
We rented a car for 4 days and visited Rythymnon, Plakias, Matala and the mountains (quite a white knuckle ride)
We also walked the gorge at Imbros, absolutely stunning but shorter than the more famous Samaria gorge.
Now some gripes, the harbourside would be so much nicer if the car parking was removed and the beach is quite pebbly with some large boulders.
But overall a very lovely holiday......,

.....except our luggage was deliberately unloaded at Cardiff due to Kosmar over-booking( we flew from Exeter to Heraklion via Cardiff) - this is a completely different story and not for these reviews but just suffice to say if you are using Kosmar Holidays, you will find their reps and head office staff extremely un-helpful and un-sympathetic should anything go wrong, (which surely is the main reason for using a tour operator rather than booking direct.... something we shall be doing from now on)

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Almirida - Crete

Almyrida Beach Hotel - Almyrida

Operator and Date: A.1 Holidays-July 2007

Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : Phil & Ann - North Wales

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Booked this holiday last minute on Teletex through A.1 Holidays. For what we paid we have no complaints whatsoever about the holiday. 

Arranged a transfer with A.1 and a taxi duly picked us up on arrival and whisked us straight to the door. The resort is ideal for anyone looking to chill out and have a good rest. Almyrida is a small village with about twenty bars and tavernas.There is a long narrow sandy beach and you can walk out to sea for a couple of hundred yards and the water is crystal clear and still only chest high. One warning is the section of sea opposite the hotel is very rocky and rough under-foot but walk fifty yards to the right and you'll find it nice and sandy,easy to walk on.If you are B.B. or S.C there is plenty of choice for eating out, we were H.B so only ate out once in the Chicago Bar, really good food and plenty of different choice at a reasonable price. The local tanernas were always packed so they must have been good also. 

I would reccomend to Almyrida Beach hotel to anyone. The rooms are a reasonable size, all of the hotel is kept spotlessly clean and all of the staff are really friendly and go out of their way to help you.The only average thing was the food which is buffet style breakfast and evening meal. It's not brilliant but sufficient to keep you going for the week. If we go back to the hotel (which I certainly plan to do) I would go B.B. and eat out.The beach is about twenty yards from the hotel but if the pool is for you then you have three to choose from.It's certainly a resort I would recommend for couples and perhaps younger children, not a lot to do for teenagers.

If you have booked and are due to go there have no fears you are in for a truly great holiday.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Almyrida Beach Hotel - Almyrida

Operator and Date: Independent - September 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Adam & Vanessa - Reading (26, 22)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We were extremely pleased with the hotel.  It was modern, clean & fully maintained. The staff were very friendly and the maids were great. They'd even arrange your pyjamas neatly for you!

The pool was lovely (if a little cold to start with!) and there was plenty of sunbeds for the amount of demand at the time of visit.  Not too much of a problem with early morning 'towel reservations!'

The rooms were of a good size and comfortable. 

The location couldn't have been better!  Right on the beach front with only the village road separating it from the sand.  Several local tavernas within immediate walking distance and a good selection of small shops for day to day living.  There is car hire available in the resort too.  You'll probably need a car if you plan to use a larger supermarket or need a cash machine which are both in the village of Kalyves about 5-10 min drive.

The beach was nice although quite narrow and i can imagine that it would be packed in the peak season.  Not many facilities but has some watersports and a beach bar.

The resort is more suited for couples and i wouldnt recommend for families with small children.  Main reasons being 1. lack of childrens entertainment. 2. The road runs through the resort and is quite busy with no pavements & sometimes crazy drivers! 3. Strong currents within the sea if you wander out too far.

Food and drink is excellent.  Best taverna we found was in Plaka, which is the next village along.  It has fantastic views across to Almirida.  Very good value with a typical meal for 2 costing about 25 euros which includes drinks, large starters and main meal. 

Overall this was a very enjoyable holiday in a picturesque location.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Almyrida Beach Hotel - Almyrida

Operator and Date: T/Clrs 2005

Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : Pam&Mike Jones Wirral. 58 , 60

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Looking for a quite holiday,with superb views,fantastic food,fabulous rooms,first class service,then the Almyrida Beach Hotel is the place.Our greeting at reception was warm and informative,nothing was to much trouble and from day one we felt like part of the hotel family,Fofi and Mikalous made sure that any requests we made were seen to right away,be it information on the surrounding villages,or which ouzo to buy.The dining room staff including the famous film star "Charlene"looked after us with a first class service,to match the food.The area would not suite those with walking problems,although there is a bus once a day to Chania,walking to the next villages is the usual mode of transport.

We enjoyed the Hotel so much that a return visit in September is planned.As a passing comment,the area and surrounds would not be suitable for the younger set looking for discos or wild nightlife.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Blazis House - Almerida

Operator and Date: Direct Greece - July 2006

Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Suzanne ( 50, 48, 43, 43, 15

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Almerida is a small and very pretty beach resort surrounded by hills and mountains, you can stroll from one side of it to the other (flat area) within 10 minutes.

Blazis House Apt
These consist of about 8 apartment and studios.  We had a 2 bedroom apartment which was very spacious and clean. The pool area was small, but quiet most of the time we were there.  A pool bar would have been a welcome asset.
The beach and shops were about a 3 minute walk away.

The Beach
The main beach is sandy with clear shallow waters and tended to be busy particularly at weekend with greek and foreign holiday makers alike. There are 2 other small sandy coves and a stretch of pebble beach. On some days the sea was calm whilst on others there were quite large waves, which were great fun and enjoyed by all ages. That said, we were warned of strong undercurrents and there was always a life guard on duty.

Eating out
The beach front is lined with taverna's and cafes, (about 10-12 maximum) each looking out over the ocean and the views across the bay are lovely. Having visited many different parts of Greece we found the standard of food to be a little disappointing and much the same in each one. The curry night at the English owned Shell restuarant made a nice change and was very good.  The owners are lovely and make you very welcome.  We found an excellent restaurant called Medusa in Kalives (7 euro taxi ride away)

Bars
The are a couple of low key bars, the most popular being Atlantis. The staff were very friendly and there was a good mix of people. Personally a

Devlopment
 There is much property development in the area with sales geared toward the british, (there were at least 8 estate agents selling holiday homes)and it is to be hoped that over development does not spoil the area

All in all we had a enjoyable holiday and I would recommend the resort to families or couples looking for a quiet and relaxing

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Irini Studios - Almirida

Operator and Date: Direct Greece - May 2006

Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : John and Lesley - York (58)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We chose this accommodation because it was described as having a lovely sea view, but nothing could have prepared us for how fantastic it actually was - the resort laid out below us, the White Mountains in the background (still with snow on in mid-May) and a vast swathe of Souda Bay with islands, headlands, and a fabulous sunset every evening.  The studio itself was comfortable but nothing special inside, but the balcony was enormous so we enjoyed our breakfast outside every morning, and a quiet ouzp every evening watching the sun go down.

Almirida itself is a small, quiet resort with a pleasant beach and a range of bars and tavernas.  These were pleasant enough but not outstanding.  however we would recommend Francoise's bar for light lunches, delicious crepes and waffles and excellent coffee.  And for having a very quiet TV! 

Public transport isn't great so if you want to explore you'll need a hire car.  Almirida is an excellent base - we went up into the mountains, down to the south coast, to the far west coast and, closer to Almirida, visited Chania and the Akrotiri peninsula.

Definitely not the resort for you if you like a lively nightlife, or lots of entertainment for the kiddies.  Best for couples and people who enjoy walking, scenery and relaxation.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Analipsi - Crete

Europa Beach Hotel - Analipsi

Operator and Date: Travel Bargains/Med Hotels - May 2005

Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : Marcus Cobley - Leicester (32,24,1)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The Europa Beach Hotel is like many AI hotels located away from any main resort centres. The small village of Analipsi is a 20 min stroll and well worth venturing out to visit frequently. It has a small numbers of bars & restaurants. We ate out 2 evenings and didn't experience a great culinary delight yet I'm confident they are there somewhere in the village with approx 8 restaurants to choose from. The bars were quiet yet the locals extremely friendly. Try Edam Garden & El Paradiso for superb cocktails. I talk about the village first as the hotel is no great shakes! 

The beach outside the hotel isn't wonderful and you will be charged for sun beds wich didn't go down too well with anyone staying at the hotel! Clearly the hotel don't own the beach nor have they made any kind of arrangement with the local chap who pounces within seconds as your towel touches the bed!

The hotel. Positives ~
Cleanliness. Spotless through the hotel with brilliant service in the rooms from the maids inc regular changes to towels & sheets.
The desserts in the restaurant. As mentioned by another guest on this site. They were sensational!!
It's supposedly a 4* hotel. It isn't in my book. The food was certainly varied with plenty of choice. When you consider they are catering for such large numbers you are never going to enjoy mouth tingling food but having said that it was okay.
As you'd expect beer was watered down and served in small plastic cups. Couldn't even get a pint of it! And the wine gave you a shiver as you tasted it! Definately great to escape in the evenings and experience a proper pint of Amstel/Mythos in the village! 

The pool areas were okay with 2 main pools and 2 children's pools.
I wouldn't say the staff were particularly happy except at reception where they were superb and keen to help you as much as possible.

In a nuthsell this is an average AI hotel which if you are looking for a short break away lounging around the pools then it is really is okay. More than that you might go crazy as it's clear for all to see that everything is delivered on the cheap. Costs are minimised in the quality of food & drinks particularly.     

We felt a bit disappointed but I think that was because we paid a fortune at half term break. Yet most of our holiday costs were for the flights. Which of course has nothing to do with the hotel! So as long as you are not paying out a load of money for a holiday here this is a decent hotel for a lovely relaxing break in the Cretan sunshine. As long as you venture out a little bit! There is a host of different activities you can get involved in inc ater polo & volleyball.

The weather was splendid in late May!
Would we return to this hotel? No.
But many poeple had a smashing time at this hotel according to this site and I can understand why. It just depends on what you are looking for from your holiday.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Europa Beach Hotel - Analipsi

Operator and Date: Travel Bargains - 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Bev Hunt & Family Age 38, 34 & 9

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

After reading some of the reviews already in existence on some sites about the Europa Beach, I was a little concerned about what we may find when we actually arrived, but our worries were completely unnecessary.

The Europa Beach Hotel was separated from the beach by a very quiet road.  The beach closest to the hotel was ok, but was very stony and rocky below the surface of the water, so we did tend to walk further along to bathe.  The village of Analipsis is about a 10-15 minute walk along the beach, and has far nicer sand, and is a nicer area to bathe in.

The hotel itself was very clean and well maintained, with a very large, well presented lobby area with plenty of seating.  The rooms were clean and smart, although basic.  The dining room was spacious and on no occasion during the entire week did we experience problems finding a table.  The food was great, and I was most impressed that chips did not appear on the menu on one single occasion, although they are available daily at the pool snack bars, along with pizza slices.  The labelling of the food could have been clearer, but I don't think this was any big problem.  My 9 year old son managed to find something that he liked every meal time, although specific kids items (burgers, chicken nuggets, etc) were not offered.  Not a bad thing, in my own opinion.  Packed lunches are also provided if you plan days away from the hotel.

The hotel grounds were immaculately kept and very well planted with beautiful shrubs.  Gardeners were evident daily tending to the grounds.  There were two pools both with free loungers.  The loungers were a source of irritation, as guests left towels on loungers from the first day they used them to the very end of their stay, as their was no requirement for them to be removed overnight.  I did point out to the hotel that this was an unacceptable practice.  Even so, loungers were not really in short supply, so it wasn't a big problem.  The pools themselves were clean, and one had a small tiled slope connecting a little kids pool to the main pool which the children could slide down on their inflatables.

Entertainment was provided every night.  English visitors were in the minority with guests being predominantly French.  Even so, the entertainment team did perform their turns in numerous languages, so it was watchable.

Overall, I think the Europa Beach was great.  A very quiet location............not suitable if it's nightlife you are looking for..........but great for families.  

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Europa Beach Hotel - Analipsi

Operator and Date: Sunstar - Sept 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : mel & Lee ( 43,43)

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Fantastic hotel, friendy staff.
Food was aimed at Europeans not english but that said most days found something to eat. If you have picky kids dont go. Rooms good and bedding and towels changed every day.
Entertainment was entertaining and plenty to do throughout the day. The animation team worked hard.
We went in September so things were relaxed but weather was fantastic.

Overall good holiday but its what you make it of it youselves. Join in with activities and have a laugh, we played boules alot and got to know Italians, Germans and French.
The only downside is that the nearest shops are quite away from the hotel so not good for little legs.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Europa Beach Hotel - Analipsi

Operator and Date: Argo Travel - August 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Charlie, Sal,Zoe, Dan,Katie,Nikki,Stacie -Birmingham (37,34,15,13,10,8,6)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

What a fantastic holiday we had at the Europa Beach, having 5 kids we where worried about going to a quiet location like Analipsi but I have to say come the last day of our holiday we where very sad to be leaving.
Accomadation-
Although it is rated 4 stars the rooms are quite basic but clean, infact the rooms are cleaned every day with a change of towels, satelite TV, air con, hair dryer,
radio.
FOOD & DRINK
The Europa is All Inclusive and offers a good selection of greek food, THANK GOD not a hamburger in site, so if all you like eating is junk food I would'nt recommend you stay at this Hotel.
Unlimited local drinks all day.
Staff -
I can honestly say the staff at Europa were always friendly & very helpfull to us.
OTHER QUESTS -
As always there seems to be people who are never happy & we did hear a few moans mainly about food / staff but I can only let you know about my experience.
ENTE

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Holiday Village - Analipsi

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - Sept 2006

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Tony & Pat - Liverpool

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The Holiday Village in Analipsi comprises of  old and new accomodation units. The room we stayed at was one of the modern ones, it was very spacious with air conditioning,bathroom with bath and shower, television (no English channels)and both a double and a single bed. There was maid service daily, with fresh towels.

The hotel has three swimming pools,with one pool designed for younger children, adjacent to the kids club. The food was a buffet, and in my opinion dissapointing.
breakfast was mainly Continental,however there was a limited choice of cooked foods,omlette,frankfurters,etc that where often luke warm. We only tried the evening meal on one occasion, and decided to buy our dinner in the village restaraunts where at least the food is served hot.

The best Taverna by far is the Marina, it is located by turning right out of the hotel and taking the second road on the right, the Marina is the first Taverna that you come to about 200yds on the left hand side of the road.

Be warned, if you are looking for a lively resort give Analipsi a miss,When we were thre in Sept, it was very quiet,with the main attraction being a parade up and down the seafront by our continental cousins taking in the sea air.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Kritikos Asteras - Analipsi

Operator and Date: (Olympic Direct) Olympic - July 2005

Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Richard Gill - West Yorkshire (34)

Resort Rating: Poor

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Olympic Holidays certainly didn't describe the correct resort & accommodation details, it was described as being in the resort of Hersonnissos when in fact it was in the middle of nowhere - with nothing for the adults to do (let alone the 6 children that came with us).The nearest place to buy essentials required when on a self catering holiday was a 25 min walk away (not at all ideal). 

The hotel itself was shabby and dangerous - we were expecting basic but not to the degree it was. Furniture was broken, windows smashed,patio door handle came off so we were unable to sit on the terrace. The bathroom door jammed leaving my wife panic stricken for 20 mins until myself & brother in law kicked and pushed it open.Electrical wires were showing from the light fittings and shower.The baby pool was slimey and stagnant with a huge hole which unfortuately my two year old son found when he fell down it.For your safety and the safety of your children DO NOT get tricked into going to this resort or hotel!!!

£3000.00 later we booked another hotel in Rethymnon at our own expense (with no help from the rep or olympic in general)and managed to have an ok holiday which was otherwise a disaster.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Nana Angela Apartments - Analipsis

Operator and Date: (Libra Discounts) Libra - Sept 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Tracey & Vince, Exeter (26, 28)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Just spent two weeks at the Nana Angela Apartments.  The apartments itself were very nice and clean, maid attended everyday(apart from her day off) and we had clean towels and bedding every other day.  Angela was friendly for the first few days but i think we upset her by not going to the weekly bbq so she didnt really speak to us much then!

The swimming pool is lovely and clean with plenty of beds and the food from the pool bar was excellent too.

Beach wasnt brilliant but not bad either.  There was quite alot of seaweed about. 6 euros for two beds and an umbrella, plus a bowl of water to wash you feet off and they bring round free watermelon too!

There are about 10 restaurants to choose from and our favourite was Volcano - They did fantastic pizzas and pastas and the best moussaka ever!  Also La famila was excellent too.

We also recommend the train tour which picks you up from the beach for 9 euros which takes you on an hour and half journey around a couple of nearby resorts including hersonissos.

The resort itself is very quiet so only suitable if you are looking for a very relaxing holiday.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Nana Angela Apartments - Analipsis

Operator and Date: (Libra Discounts) Libra Holidays - September 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : S.Barton - London (26, 26)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just returned from a weeks visit to Analipsi, Crete and had a fantastic holiday.
This was our second visit to Crete and we loved it even more this time around. We will definately be returning again one day.

Analipsi is a village resort with plenty of tavernas, restaurants and shops aswell as a few cocktail bars. No young lovely crowds, more for couples and families.
Everyone in Crete is so friendly and will do all they can to make you welcome.

The beach is sandy with both spots for sunlounger and shade hire (6 euros for 2 beds and a shade all day) aswell as space for those who just wish to put their towels down onto the sand.
Water is clean and clear and when we went in September, very warm.

The Nana Angela are one of the better locations for self catering accomodation in Analipsi, 2 mins from the beach and ammenities of the resort.
The Nana Angela is a small apartment complex with good clean accomodation, although basic but then everywhere in Greece is unless you are in a big hotel complex. The Nana Angela have a pool, pool bar serving food and apartments with either patio or balcony. We stayed in a studio apartment which had 2 single beds, table and chairs, wardrobes, small balcony with table and 2 chairs on and a bathroom with shower.
Please remember the greeks rarely have shower curtains, this is not a fault with the accomodation, its quite regular out there.

The Kitchenette was basic, with only fridge and 2 ring cooker but the food in the village is lovely and good value.
The rooms also have air conditioning and safety deposit boxes available at a local charge. In the summer months you WILL need the air con so please take a few extra euros if you wish to hire it. I think it was 35 euros for a week or something like that?!

One of the best recommendations for the Nana Angela I would say was that alot of the guests we spoke to were returning visitors. The couple in the apartment next to us had returned for 2 weeks after enjoying their stay in June so much!!!!

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Nana Angela Apartments - Analipsis

Operator and Date: (Libra Discounts) Libra - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Rod & Sheila (57,58)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Before I booked the holiday, I only read 2 reviews in here on the Nana Angela apartments and both were positive.
From our own experience I am left wondering if we stayed at the same place!

On arrival at the accomodation we were horrified to find that our allocated dingy room was tucked away in a corner no more than 5 yards from the bar. I asked immediately to swap to other accomodation. This was turned down. We were resigned to stay in that room for 7 whole days - for which we should get medals!
First thing we found was when we tried to shower the drain backed up and the waste water flooded the floor, though this was fixed within a few hours.
Now noise during the daytime is fine - we expect that of course with many young children enjoying the pool - no objection to that all.
What we were shocked about was that some parents let their young kids run around squealing and shouting until 2am while they stood at the bar being loud mouthed - with no regard at all for anyone wanting to sleep at that time in the morning.
So if you like some quiet at 2am forget Nana's - go down to the beach and try to sleep there with only the crashing waves to keep you awake!

The village itself seems to be a bit run down with shops and businesses shuttered while other newly built units are left empty. As a stark contrast to this there is a magnificently ornate interior in a modern church in the main street.
A forlorn flickering light hung across the middle of the street by the apartments  seemed to sum up the whole feel of the area for me.
The beaches between Gouves and Hersonissos range from volcanic rocks throught to pebbles and fine sand with Analipsi beach having a good sandy stretch.
We would never go back but we talked to people who thought it was a wonderful place to stay - one woman even said that the idea of going home made her cry!

So families with small children who are just happy to stay round the pool all day may love it.
We do not and so made a mistake in going there, but we did enjoy the long walks long the beaches!

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Olga Ritsa - Analipsi

Operator and Date: (Olympic Direct) Olympic - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Every's and Harrigan's 44, 38, 13, 9 and 47, 37, 10, 8

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

BEWARE OF THE ROAD!!!

Analipsi is a quieter resort near to Hersonnisos (1 Euro bus ride) It has plenty of Tavernas and Bars but even in high season was not very busy. For those looking for lively nights, there were a couple of cocktail bars but I think most youngsters head for Hersonnisos or Malia.

The accomodation was "basic greek". Although the rooms were quite spacious, and the shower room even had a shower curtain, the standard of maintenance and cleanliness was poor. The pool was small by some standards, but as it only serves the 10 apartments it was not too bad. There is NO pool bar or anything else for that matter. What there is though is the main road. The road from Heraklion to Hersonnisos goes right past the apartments, and is raised from the ground level of the pool. Therefore you have the constant drone of traffic 24/7, combined with everyone driving past staring in at you while you are sunbathing, or sitting on your balcony (or in your room if you don't lcose the curtains)

I'd defiantely go back to Analipsi again, excellent food in La Familia, Poseidon and Mythos. Zoe's bar for cocktails and pool. And the best local bakery for fresh bread, pies, pastries and doughnuts ever. But we unfortunately wouldn't go to the Olga Ritsa again purely because of the road!

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Analipsis - Crete

Europa Beach Hotel - Analipsis

Operator and Date: (Golden Sun Discounts) Golden Sun - July 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Phil, Essex (34, 33)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Hotel.

This was in a remote location which was the type of thing both of us needed. Quite and relaxing is the two main themes this hotel offers you. It's an all inclusive only resort and thus makes it easy to get drinks and food when required. The staff are helpful and the poolside crew do their best to get you motivated (if you want to play any sports like volleyball or water polo). If you say 'NO' then they leave you alone, honest.

Food.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in your price including all local drinks. If you ask for Bacardi and coke, you get Ricard and coke, and so on. The food is varied and even with my fussy pallet I found a good range of food to eat without ever going hungry. The poolside bars also offer pizza, chips and cakes throughout the day if you ever get peckish. The food in general, tastes milder than we expect over here in the UK in terms of spice and texture, but I was impressed with the choice. All rooms contain an air con (free) and TV. En-suite bathroom with shower.

Staff.

Can't fault them. Friendly from day one and very approachable.

Resort.

Remote. Nice beach and lovely blue waters. The weather when we went was scorching (between 30 and 37 degrees), making it impossible to sun bathe without seeking shade every 30 minutes. If bringing children during this period be cautious of this as I saw loads of children with bad sunburn.

Overall.

I would go again to the Europa when my daughter gets older as it gives you a nice break and the children who were there looked like they were really enjoying themselves with the staff activities laid on for them.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Nana Angela - Analipsis

Operator and Date: (Libra Discounts) Libra - Aug 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Sharon Callow (45,44,16,13)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The nana angela appartments were owned and run by a fabulous family, all the guests were made to feel like one of the family, it was fantastic for my 2 children aged 13 and 16 they made lots of new friends in the appartments,most people in the appartments were english and mostly famalies.  The town of Analipsis was clean and friendly and there were numerous resteraunts and bars but to our joy no discos or rowdy bars, all in all we made lots of new friends and most people in the appartments cant wait to go again next year, a definate 10 out of 10 for us at the Nana Angela. p.s look out for Zoes bar and la Familie italian resteraunt.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Nana Angela - Analipsis

Operator and Date: (Libra Discounts) Libra - June 2004

Opinion submitted in Apr 2005 by : Kim O'Neill & Julie Linnen

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We booked our holiday at the last minute and we were slightly worried that we would end up in a rough hotel. We needn't have worried. The Nana Angela is a lovely place to stay. 

The owners, Angela & Nikos are great hosts. Extremely friendly. The apartments are quite basic but immaculately clean and the pool is wonderful. The apartments are within a stones throw of the beach and there are plenty of bars and tavernas to choose from. All in all we had a lovely holiday and we would definitely go back there. Had we known how nice it was going to be we would have booked a fortnight instead of a week! In fact we raved about it so much my sister and brother in law booked to go a month after we returned home. They thoroughly enjoyed it too

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Stella Village Hotel - Analipsis

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - Sept 2006

Opinion submitted in March 2007 by : Sid Richardson - (61,58,)

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

Quiet location not much nearby,will get worse due to bars competing with All Inclusive Deals.
Accomodation very basic, beds consist of a mattress on a concrete base.
The accomodation in the new Stella Palace is far superior.
The bar prices are much more expensive than the local bars,and we did consider upgrading to all inclusive until we tried the food.We finished up eating out at local bars most nights as the quality and choice of food on site was poor.
The entertainment seemed to be geared towards the French and Germans,who were by far in the majority, and was conducted in about five languages, it was embarrassing to watch.
Will not be making a return trip here.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Stella Village Hotel - Analipsis

Operator and Date: Sunset - 2006

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Sharon Edwards - Basingstoke (43, 35, 7,4)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

When we tried to get a review of this hotel we couldn't because 2006 was the first year that a British tour operator had used the hotel.  We had looked at the hotel's official website and from this we knew that the hotel mainly catered for German guests (approx 70% of guests were German, along with French, Spanish, Italian and approx 10% British).  

The only problem with this is that the entertainment team ("Animation Team" as they like to be called) had to translate every announcement, instruction, script into 5 different languages which, after a few days can be quite irritating.  However, the Animation Team did extremely well to accommodate all nationalities as best they could.  The kids club was always very busy and the team did their best to include British kids but it wasn't really the same as having a British entertainer due to the communication barriers.  However, the kids shows were superb. The Animation Team did all the hotel's entertainment and worked very hard but it would have been nice to have outside entertainers such as a singer or dancers just so that you had at least a couple of nights away from the same voices constantly translating. 

The accommodation was very good.  The appartments were basic, clean and air conditioned and situated in lovely maintained gardens. Not one mosi bite all holiday just a few small lizards running across the ceiling!  We overlooked the sea and were very impressed with the accommodation.  As for the sunbeds - there were plenty - and there was none of the usual reserving of beds at ridiculous hours of the morning to which we have become used to when we stay in mainly British occupied accommodation.  It made me think this is now a British thing!  Most days there were plenty of spare beds scattered around the choice of FIVE pools.  The pools were excellent.  Our kids loved the pool with the flumes but were also safe in the two kids pools and shallow ends of the larger pools.  Very clean too.

We stayed all inclusive and my only complaint was the fact that the drinks did not include bacardi or vodka it was just local brands of beer and local drinks such as raki and ouzo - yuk. It was a bit of a rip off too because all inclusive drinks were served in small glasses and with no straws for kids etc, whereas paying guests had large glasses and much better service in order for the staff to gain tips.  This was also the case in the restaurant where you didn't get the same service as the non all inclusive guests.  Other than that I thought the food was very good.  It may not have always looked appetising as it was pretty similar food each day, however I made the effort and tried something different every day and thoroughly enjoyed every meal.  There was always plenty of choice (meat, pasta, fish, lasagne, mousaka etc) and lovely fresh salads.  The desserts were gorgeous ( if you like pastries such as baklava). There were a few British people who commented on the lack of chips and chicken nuggets for the kids but personally I thought that was a good thing!  Breakfast was OK but the same every day.  Not exactly our idea of a good cooked breakfast.  

The resort itself is quiet but is not too far away from Hersonnisis (10 - 15E) by taxi.  We caught a local bus to Aghios Niklaus which was well worth it.  Livelier resorts are not far away if you wish to hire a car.  In summary if you are looking for a lively, bustling holiday then this probably isn't for you.  However, if like us you have young children and just want a relaxing holiday with great weather, a beach across the road (which incidentally was nothing to look at but was very safe for kids and free sunbeds) then this is ideal.   

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Stella Village Hotel / Stella Palace - Analipsis

Operator and Date: Sunset August 2006

Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : 31,30

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The resort was nicknamed Hella Village after the first few days. This is the first year that the hotel has been available to Brits. Approx 70% are German with the remainder being made up by French, Italian and about 20 brits were there during our stay.

As a result of this theres the usual no queueing system adopted by the Germans at the bar along with the morning fight for sunbeds. The bar staff along with serving beer in 250ml glasses with 1 inch heads on are rude and feel agrieved that they have to serve you drink at all. The all-inclusive drinks package DOES NOT include spirits. Its beer, soft drinks, raki, ouzo, red & white wine and thats it. Much to our surprise when we ordered a vodka we had to pay? Also on 3 of the nights the all inclusive bar finished 15 minutes early at 10.45. The bar clock stated 11pm but it was clearly 10.45 with everyone I checked with. The barman said it was 11pm as he had started 15 minutes early that day! Unbelievable. I have never seen this on holiday before.

The food was rubbish. During our 7 day stay we ate out on 3 occasions. I have been since told that the food is the usual for Greek resorts. There was no toast for breakfast just bread. Breakfast was fried egg or omellete with beans on some days and those dodgy mini sausages. Dinner was a selection of left overs from the tea the previous day and then evening was stodge. I can reccommend the Anilipsi Steak House some 10 minutes walk in the direction of Stalis. Monday night is best as its a Cretan night for 20 euros including a meal and dancing and plate throwing etc. The staff are friendly and cant do enough for you which is more than can be said for Stella Village.

The hotel is also in the main flight path for Heraklion airport and theres one flight every 5 minutes including throught the night.

I have to say that the accommodation itself is excellent. Clean & the air conditioning is brand new and the main argument in our room was that the room was too cold as you can set it to whatever temperature you want. The pools are great with slides etc for the kids and theres the new Stella Palace facility next door on the same complex which has a massive pool, new wooden sunbeds (very hard to lie on) and a swim up bar. unfortunately the swim up bar is not yet open but I'm sure it'll be great when it does. The accommodation at the Palace looked really nice.

Kids club - its in German as is the entertainment at night which is conducted by the hotels animations team.

Would we go again...no. It was the attitude of the staff and the food that would stop us going. This hotel will not be in the Sunset brochure next year with the rate of complaints. One brit couple spent 3 days asking for reallocation only to find that our sunset rep had not even informed the head office on the island then he went on the sick. Ask the office for a change not the rep as he wasnt very good.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Anissaras - Crete

Paradise Bungalows - Anissaras

Operator and Date: on the beach travel - aug 17th - 1st sept

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : terry revill - 38,( mrs revill, 36, Kim, 14, Jamie, 8, ) notts

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Me, My Wife, our daughter, Kimberley aged 14 and our son Jamie aged 8, enjoyed our stay at this hotel,

The Food was so good, my wife wanted to take the chef home. (well he does make a mean Chicken Soup!!!)

Vicky the Entertainer,  was very good, she is at the hotel 6 days a week, and has a varied selection of things to do during your stay. (Personally... I enjoyed the balloon darts!)  and there is always  a kids club on, during the late afternoon.
with  general entertainment on in an evening for every one!

there's a pool table room at 2 euros a time

Billy the barman always was very polite and helpful (His real name is Vasilis, but preferred to be called Billy)

the rooms are cleaned every day, the pools are very clean and well maintained  too.

fresh towelling and bedding at least 5 - 6 times a week.

and there is a bus from the hotel that leaves for anissaras beach at 10.00 am and picks you up at 2.00pm that is provided by the hotel (which is nice!) and a bar called 'captains' is a nice place on anissaras beach for a a drink or a bite to eat.

a great time was had by all

if i was to add anything that was a minus for this hotel, it would probably be the location,  however  the brochure for this hotel did state that it was in a quite location, so we were warned. so i'm not complaining :- }

bus fares are very cheap, there is a bus stop about 10 minutes away from the hotel, and if you are prepared to travel and explore the island of Crete you will find it is very easy and economical to do.

would recommend to families and couples alike.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Paradise Bungalows - Anissaras

Operator and Date: Med Hotels - August 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Susan Dickson 35, Sarah Andrews 38

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We wanted a relaxing, peaceful holiday and that is exactly what we got!

Paradise bungalows are set off a main road up on a hill with stunning views of the mountains and the sea.  A quiet location, it is perfect if you want to escape for a week or so and lounge around in beautiful surroundings.
Rooms are clean and spacious with Satellite TV, Hairdryer, Fridge, Air Con, Balcony. Clean towels every day, sheets changed twice a week.

Restaurant is excellent with a wide and varied choice for evening meal.  Breakfast was a bit repatitive but then it usually is. Both pools were very clean with plenty of sun loungers to choose from!
The bungalows are set in acres of beautiful gardens with fruit & nut trees growing right outside your windows.  We especially enjoyed the freshly picked almonds from our balcony!

This is a family run hotel, with everyone making you feel very welcome.

For a cheap but excellent meal out, go into Old Hersonissos town and experience a traditional greek meal. The two of us ate and drank a substantial meal for only 29Euro for us both.  If you eat out in the evening, the hotel will supply you with a lunch pack free of charge. This was excellent, with bread, salad, meat and water complete with plate & cutlery.

We would definitely visit again.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Serita Beach Hotel - Anissaras

Operator and Date: sun star leisure - june 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : gavin - jarrow (23,20)

Resort Rating: Poor

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Where do I start..  overall hotel itself was very nice clean and modern.

we were all inclusive and would never go AI again.  food was the same avery night and was never hot - only warm.  the drinks were poor, cheap wine and beer.there was only one bar in the hotel and it had a queue a mile long.

As for sun beds - think again - you'll have to get up at 0600hrs to get one- never enough to go around.

beach - pebbles and about 10 metres wide and 50 long. poor.

i'll never return.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Villa Marina - Anissaras 

Operator and Date: (Libra Discounts) Libra AUGUST 2005

Opinion submitted in Feb 2006 by : JENNIFER 27, TONY 37

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Booked a holiday with libra to go to Crete.  The flights were terrible but the less said about that the better.  When we finally arrived in crete we were pleasantly suprised.  The Villa Marina apartments were set in lovely surrounding and were clean and spacious apartments.  The food at the bar was great the next morning after a few hours sleep!! 
We had a gorgeous view of the sea and sunset from ours.  

Although it is 15 minutes walk from the beach down a hill, when you get there you appreciate the quietness of the beach, it is lovely.  In the resort itself there isn't much to do but you do get the best of both worlds, a chilled out day on the beach and a if you are up for it, you can go up to Hersoniss for the night and stay out for as late as you like.  It is a quick 5 minute bus journey or taxi away.  There is loads to do!! The people who owned the apartments were lovely and waved us off when we left, I would recommend this apartment to anyone if they are looking for a holiday with the best of both worlds.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Villa Marina - Anissaras 

Operator and Date: Libria - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : kate - Cambridge (29,26)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Villa Marina is a lovely set of apartments, it was just what we wanted as a couple going to Crete. The other people that stayed there were all english and were manily small groups of 20 somethings while we were there. We had a downstairs apartment and it was clean and as it was self catering it had various kitchen utensils such as pots pans plates and cuttlery. it had two hobs and a fridge and a electric kettle. the location of the vila was ideal for us, the beach was just a short 15min walk down the hill, and Hersonissos was about 15 mins away by car. We spent one evening out in Hersonissos and paid 6 euro for a taxi back in the early hours.

the surrounding gardens of the villa are lovely, the fruit growing around is really nice, there are grapes, oranges, lemons, pomegranate, limes, figs etc, the lemons came in handy when we had run out of a mixer for our vodka! if you are looking for a nice chilled out place to stay then this is ideal, it is in a good location to be away from the hectic town of  Hersonissos but you have the option to go into it if you like, 

two minor negative points are... the crickets in the grape vines outside our apartment were so loud you had to raise your voice to speak to eachother, one ended up dive bombing into our veranda and they are so horrible and ugly!! the other point is the villa is in a flight path so you do hear planes flying over but you get used to it very quickly. 

i couldnt find any pictures or reviews about these apartments so hope i have helped? 

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Bali - Crete

Amalia Apartments - Bali

Operator and Date: Kosmar - June 2007

Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : Susan & Jerry - 40's

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Bali is a small laid back resort consisting of 4 beaches, 2 fairly large, 1 by the harbour and 1 quite small. All have sunbed and parasols at a cost of 6 euros for 2 beds and a parasol.

It would probably take about 30 minutes to stroll from one end of the resort to the other but if you do not wish to walk there is a small train which serves all areas of the resort.  I think it was 5 euros for a round trip.

Lots of tarvernas serving good food, our favourite being Psaropoula which was about 5 minutes walk from the Amalia studios. Enough supermakets and tourist shops to serve all your holiday needs and friendly locals.

The Amalia apts/studios are in a great spot approximately halfway through the resort making it easy to reach either end. They are clean and tidy with a lovely pool area and pool bar serving snacks throughout the day. The pool never seemed crowded and the staff were friendly and helpful. Air conditioning was available at a cost of 6 euros per day and there was also a room safe costing 2 euros per day.  Towels and linen were changed twice a week and bins emptied every day.

Hire cars are available and as Bali is not far from the National highway it was pretty easy to get all along the north coast. There are boat trips from the harbour and of course trips organised by Kosmar.

I would definatly return to Bali and would recommend the Amalia accommodation.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Amalia Apartments - Bali

Operator and Date: Kosmar                August 06

Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : Debbie Brown       (40,30,27)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just read Mark's review for Bali August 06.
We too thought it was a lovely place to go for Sun,Sea and brilliant company.
We go on hoilday to relax, so we didn't do any sight seeing, although this is available, but mostly outside the resort. There is a local who leaves down the road who takes you to places of interest for a small sum of money, and of course the Tour operators excursions.
The pool area was lovely, very clean and peaceful.
As there are only about 10 appts, you get to know other holiday makers, which was nice.
As Mark said the staff are brilliant and great company. The rooms are very clean. Although the rooms are advertised as 2*, we felt they were more like 3*.
This was one of the best holidays we've had and we will be returning in August this year.
Just a warning to those of you who are thinking of trying the Amalia appts, Everytime 'Raki Time' is shouted out, everyone by the pool bar MUST drink it ( children excluded). So be warned and have fun !!

Oh and hi back to Pat, Mark, Catherine, James, the two teachers (sorry forgot your names)and everyone else whose names I've forgotten.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Amalia Apartments - Bali

Operator and Date: Kosmar - Aug 2006

Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : Mark Heron - Newcastle (40,36,12,7)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Bali ai a beautiful resort 50 minutes from Heraklion. It is a bit hilly but that just adds to its charm and beauty. It has four beaches. 3 small beaches and a large beach. All beaches are very clean. Not too much to do durnig day but relax.
The tavernas in Bali are all fantastic value for money serving traditional Greek cuisine. The resort is perfect for couples wishing to relax and families who like to laze by the pool or play in the sea.
I could go on about Bali - If like us you like places with no lager louts, Just meeting new friends in the Tavernas etc
then I highly reccomend you try this place. It is that good.

We stayed at the Amalia Studios and Apartments. The brochure said it was 15 minutes walk from main harbour area, but we found it was not that, probably a very leisurley 10 minutes. The apartments are probably ideally situated in my opinion dead centre of the village.
You can reach all beaches within 10 minutes going west and east. The apartments themselves are very well set out. Only about 10 apartments in all, this was great because the pool area was never overcrowded.
The pool was kept very clean. The pool area also had a pool bar serving food all day. The staff (Adonis, Niki and Tina) were very friendly. They became more like friends. They will stay open untill you go to bed. Remeber to shout ''Raki time''.
The apartments are cleaned everyday except Sunday. These apartments in our opinion were fantastic and the staff were too. A brilliant holiday in all and I  would say if you prefer self catering holidays in a nice environment - GO HERE.

Hello Adonis, Nikki, Tina and Manos

Hi - Gill, Nick, Ant, Tony, Kelly, Hollie, Tom, Paul, Sarah, Duncan, Tina
Charlie, Debbie, Simon, Amy, Angie and Mark.  Sorry if I missed anyone out.

Go to Bali and stay at the Amalia

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Atali Village Hotel - Bali

Operator and Date: (Kosmar Discounts) Kosmar    august 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : keith pattison newcastle [39;37;8;6]

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

What a cracking little place. 

Apartments were immaculate with friendly staff (Adnois and Nikki) Five excellent sandy
beaches safe for kids. Low key nightlife aprox 20-30 restraunts and tavernas all serving excellent Greek cuisine. Car hire advisable as the bus stop is a 35 minute walk onto the main highway and taxi hire is very expensive.Best places to visit in the surrounding area include Rethymnon and Chania, both places a shoppers paradise. 

We would definatley go back again and would recommend it for anyone wanting a relaxing holiday in pleasant surroundings away from the hassle of Blackpool with sun resorts.

Finally a word of thanks to Marc the Kosmar rep top man plus a Geordie as well.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Atali Village Hotel - Bali

Operator and Date: Sunstar - Sept 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Vanessa Lord - Hartlepool (49, 50)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Bali itself is quite pretty but extremely hilly and although the travel companies will say that it is not suitable for those with walking difficulties I would argue that it's not suitable for anyone who is unfit either. Beaches are generally good with safe swimming. Nightlife is very low key and centered either around the harbour at one end and along the beach at the other end (less than a mile away but seems like 5) with a few cafes, shops and bars in between. A shuttle bus would of been ideal to get from one end of the resort to the other but there was nothing like that when we were there.

The Atali Village like most of the hotels was up a steep hill. It is listed as 3 stars but I would only give it 2 at best. We have yet to meet our representative who just left us a phone number in case we wanted to get in touch for any info.  Rooms were basic but kept very clean by the maids who came in every day. The beds however were extremely hard and uncomfortable and the showers were never more than tepid. The hotel has a nice pool but it is mostly very deep, however there is a childs pool as well.

The food was awful most of the time, a very limited menu which was usually cold anyway (including the tea and coffee). For example, spaghetti bolognaise twice a day for fourteen days along with other sometimes indiscribable dishes. We ate out a lot of the time even though we were all inclusive. 

In addition, the bar closed at 11pm instead of 12:30pm which we had been told. The hotel obviously caters for the French (which Sunstar failed to mention) and was full of French people. In the full fortnight we never spoke to or heard any other English people in the hotel. Our stay was made worse by the fact that the animation team in the hotel never involved us in any of the dayly or nightly entertainments which were open to the French, even down to a game of bingo - we were never asked to take part and were always left out.

We would never go back to Bali as it is a little to quiet for us and certainly wouldnt recommend the Atali village to the British.  

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Hotel Bali Star - Bali

Operator and Date: Kosmar - July 2007

Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : John Curran - Glasgow ( 44, 39, 9)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I am surprised nobody has ever commented on this Hotel as I would highly recommend it.

Like the resort itself, the holet is laid back and very relaxing. Cleaned every day and FREE air conditioning + FREE fridge.
The room also has a radio and telephone.

FOOD: different food every night, something for everyone, from cooked meat/fish to pasta + salads

RESORT: the hotel leads onto the beach via their garden. Very laid back and so friendly. Lots of car hire firms; usual tourist shops, tavernas etc.

I would highly recommend The Hotel Bali Star to anyone wanting a relaxing , clean and friendly holiday

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Hotel Bali Star - Bali

Operator and Date: Kosmar - May 2007

Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : Pam  and Chris - Cheshire

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We went to this hotel the first week of the season ( 2nd May 2007) What a warm welcome we got from everyone! Dimitre and George took our cases off the bus and up to our room,We have never had that before! Room over looked the garden towards the sea. What a view WOW. The room was spotless with TV Fridge and telephone. We only went for a week and the bed linen and towels were changed every day and the room also cleaned every day. The food we found quite basic but adequate. The grounds and pubic areas spotless again and very welcoming. 

A super hotel SUPER people and a charming resort to chill out and relax.A BIG HELLO TO ALL especially SANDRA and JOHN who work in the real estate office.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Elpis Studios & Apartments - Bali

Operator and Date: Kosmar June 2007

Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : James Clark -Edinburgh ( 47, 41 )

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Fantastic value for money apts, very spacious 3 storey nice pool and pool bar with very friendly bar staff. The owners Dimitri and Poppy are always on hand and make their guests very welcome. They also have their own car hire company which is very competively priced with further discounts for Elpis/Kosmar guests.Nearest beach is only 2 or 3 minutes walk and the main beach with watersports and lots of bar/cafe/taverna type establishments is less than 10 minutes away, the harbour where most of the main bars and restaurants and another beach is situated is around 10/15 minutes walk ( quite hilly) Bali is perfect for those looking for a typical greek resort ( not a British bar in sight ) and has a fantastic mix of nationalities who enjoy good food and fairly low key nightlife although their are a couple of nightclubs in the resort if your are travelling in a party of mixed ages. 

As a travel agent with 30 years experience I would consider myself to be fairly well travelled and Bali is certainly up there as one of my favourite destinations.    

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Elpis Studios & Apartments - Bali

Operator and Date: (Kosmar Discounts) Kosmar September 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Lynne and Roger Palin (52, 54)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We were very pleasantly surprised at how clean and spacious our apartment was. The sheets and towels were changed twice a week. We hired a Kia Sportage for 65 Euros for the day from the car hire office at the apartment. Be aware that if you go into the foothills of the mountains it is very hairy driving! The evening boat trip was well worth going on as was the coach trip to Rethymnon and Chania (the guide, Miranda was a mine of information)
We disagree with the other reviewers about the local beaches, finding the nearest one ideal to go swimming in the sea being of soft sand and gently shelving.

By far the best taverna was "Psaropoula" overlooking the first beach, the food was excellent and the staff were friendly especially Eleni who very quickly treated us like friends and who spoke fluent English. You must try the "Pink Panther" cocktail if you fancy something non-alcoholic.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Elpis Studios & Apartments - Bali

Operator and Date: (Kosmar Discounts) Kosmar - July 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Suzi Barr - Glasgow (42,38,11,7)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was probably our favourite holiday to date.

Resort -

Although not very well known it is not a small resort.It has at least 4 beaches and loads of bars/tavernas.

This is not really a negative but advice only - for girls - DO NOT TAKE HIGH HEELS!It is a very steep,hilly resort with one hill being known as "cardiac hill!"

Accomodation -

This accomodation was very clean and well maintained.The pool area was also very clean.

Fave restaurants -

The best we found, although we never had a bad meal, was Porto Paradiso.The pizzas were amazing!!!!!and it was really cheap!

All in all a fab holiday - the people are really friendly, the resort was unspoilt and very "greek" and it was great value for money too which is exactly what we wanted.We will definitely be going back to Bali!

P.S. The catamarran trip is well worth the money - a great day out!   

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Elpis Studios & Apartments - Bali

Operator and Date: (Kosmar Discounts) Kosmar -may 2005

Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : adrian and sandie butcher

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

the apartments were excellent value for money, clean and spacious.we had the biggest balcony ever! everyone one was friendly and helpful.we were there the week before half-term so it was quite and peaceful and plenty of sunbeds available.the pool is far to deep for a non-swimmer and children .the resort is very quite but this was just what we were looking for.it is fairly hilly but we didn`t find this a problem. 

we hired a car from the apartments which was good value and having travelled around other resorts in crete we thought we had found one of the best.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Elpis Studios & Apartments - Bali

Operator and Date: (Kosmar Discounts) Kosmar July 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Lynda Yuill , Anglesy (45,45,13)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We had not travelled with Kosmar before, and having chosen probably the cheapest holiday in the brochure, were very surprised and impressed with the studios and the resort of Bali. 

The apartments were spacious, very clean and modern, the whole complex was in immaculate condition.  The pool even though it was very deep was kept clean every day.  Nicos and Fortis at the pool bar were very friendy and kept both adults and children amused by throwing any willing person in the pool.  Dimitri and Poppy the owners are excellent hosts.

The resort of Bali is a fifteen minute walk from the apartments, where the hub of the nightlife goes on.  The tavernas are all very good, standards and prices are all similar.  Our favourites were the Panorama, and Valentinos.

Car hire is a must, there are numerous reputable car hire firms in the resort and prices similar.

This unexpected holiday turned out to be great fun, we met a great bunch of people who really made our holiday. 

Bali will always be remembered with fond memories and a place we would visit again.  

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Elpis Studios & Apartments - Bali

Operator and Date: (Kosmar Discounts) Kosmar - May 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Barbara and Juliet - Bristol (52 40)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This holiday was a present for my friends 40th birthday, so I wanted everything to go well.

After an 8 hour delay at Bristol Airport, with no one giving us any information, we were very tired when we finally arrived. We then found the Rep was no where to be found, the owner having to go and find him.

Our apartment was situated on the top floor, which was quite a climb with the suitcases.  However the Rep did redeem himself by helping up the last flight. Our apartment was spacious and very clean, having a separate bedroom and living/kitche area,  The kitchen is typically Greek with the normal two cooking rings and no kettle.  The bathroom was a fair size with a shower and curtain.

We had a lovely large balcony with a partial sea view, this had the normal furniture with the added benefit of a large clothes drier.

The pool area was very nice with loungers and umbrellas.  The pool is a little small and was freezing, however as we did travel in May, this will hopefully warm up later in the season. Snacks were limited at the Pool Bar, but the toasted sandwich was very nice.

The resort is very hilly and was let down by the beaches, which were small and shingle, although there is a better beach about 20 minutes walk away. The tavernas by the front were very alike, but the food was always excellent and good value for money, as were the drinks (especially the cocktails.)

We hired a car from the apartments and travelled all over the island. I do not think there is enough to occupy you in Bali for a week.

I have travelled to many of the Greek Islands, including Crete,  and this was not my favourite resort.  Having said that, it was perfect for a relaxing holiday.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Nostos Hotel - Bali

Operator and Date: Kosmar Holidays September 2006

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Sue & John Nicholls ( 50 somethings)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was the second time we have stayed with Eleni & Yiannis at Nostos Hotel in Bali, Crete, and on our arrival we were greeted like old friends.

The 12 room hotel is very much a family run business, with newest addition Harry (18 months old) a regular presence. The rooms are cleaned i.e bins emptied and floor swept, every day. Linen is changed once a week. Towels are provided but if you like big bath towels - take your own, as those provided are on the small side.
Remember, this is Greece, so if you want a hot shower - have it early as water is heated by solar power.
Check out time is 12 noon, but if you have a late flight you can reserve the room for an additional payment of 5 euros per hour, up to about 10 at night, depending on occupancy of the room the next day.

Bali itself is lovely, very steep hills, so ladies don't bother with high heels. This also means that it's not really child friendly, or suitable for those who are not so good with, or who don't like, walking. Taxis are few and far between. Having said that, the 25 min walk to the main harbour is well worth it, as there are loads of lovely restaurants, offering every kind of food you can imagine - even Greek! We also found a great mix of nationalities, Eastern European, French, German, Dutch, which made for a great laid back, cosmopolitan feel.
The bakery sells the most wonderful cakes, bread and snacks, and is open seemingly 24 hours - with food served by the  diminutive and ever smiling lady owner. The place is spotlessly clean and smells divine - try it!!

All in all, a great place for a relaxing holiday, don't go there if you are after wild nightlife or the usual "holiday rep" entertainment - it ain't that kinda place!

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Nostos Hotel - Bali

Operator and Date: (Kosmar Discounts) Kosmar - May 2005

Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : Catherine Williams - North Devon (27, 27)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We stayed in Bali for a week at the end of May. It was an extremely relaxing and peaceful place and we really enjoyed ourselves. The resort is friendly and relaxed, full of tavernas serving delicious food at really reasonable prices. It also contains various shops to buy the essentials, postcards, etc.

The resort is spread along the coast within a bay which is surrounded by mountains. It takes about 20 minutes to get from one end to the other, and the Nostos Hotel is situated at one end, with the harbour being at the other. The road which leads through the village is winding and steep in places, but just take your time and you really shouldn't find a problem, you can always stop off at one of the many bars for a drink on the way!

The hotel is almost ontop of the largest beach, which consists of course dark sand and some rocks at either end. 2 sunbeds and a parasol cost 6 euros a day to hire, but we stayed by the pool most of the time, only visiting the beach to go snorkelling. The pool is deep enough to dive into at one end, and there is a child's pool at the other. There are not a lot of sun loungers, but we never found that a problem, even at 10 am. Between the pool and the beach is a bar which serves lovely drinks and food, and the owners can be found there most of the time, and they are really friendly. The other side of the pool are the rooms, approx 18. 

Our room was at the back of the hotel so we didn't hear any noise coming from the pool or the bar. It was fantastically clean and had everything we needed (except a kettle.) Air-con was 6 euros a night and there was a safety deposit box if you want one, but the whole place felt so safe that we didn't bother. Sometimes the water was cold in the shower (and sometimes non-existent) but that's greek plumbing.

A couple of good excursions to take would be Knossos near Heraklion, and the boat trip from the harbour to Rethymnon. There are plenty of others, and you can always hire a car and go exploring.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Bali and the Nostos Hotel, and would recommend it to anyone who wants a relaxing holiday and doesn't mind walking up the odd slope.

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Sofia Mythos Beach Hotel - Bali

Operator and Date: Sunmaster - Sept. 2006

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Barbara Hanford - Redditch (53,54)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We stayned in Hotel Sofia which is a family run basic but typically Greek hotel. The room was clean and we had free use of a fridge and air-conditioning which was good but the best part was the wonderful view across the bay.(Well worth the climb of lots of steps)
We had a small private balcony which extended into a larger one shared with 3 other rooms.  The sun set (and moon rise!)
over the hills and sea was fantastic!
We were half board and the food was a buffet service for which the people staying at Mythos Beach over the road also joined us.It was very laid back - sit anywhere - alongside the pool and a lovely veranda with the same view as our room.

The food was basic and only Greek style (if you dont like Greek food dont have evening meal!) There were lots of salads and lovely fresh vegetables, always pastas,rice, potatoes and a choice of meat - usually lamb chops, chicken or fish. Desserts were usually fresh fruit - very healthy!
The resort of Bali is very traditional - fishing boats in the harbour sorting out the catch each morning - we went on the Calypso to Reythymon - good value, and there were lots of other boat rides available from the harbour.
The beaches were small but nice and sandy and the sea shallow and quite warm.
As the resort is built on a hill there are steps or slopes to get down to the beach/harbour area but we didnt find them a problem. Obviously not suitable if your're not so mobile.

Nighlife is very low key - mainly bars and tavernas playing music but no dancing unfortunately! We were a bit disappointed the hotel didnt have a "Greek Night".
The liveliest bar was the Pirates Bar (built like an old galleon into the side of the cliff) mainly because of the "buy 2 get one free" offer.
We also went to Chania which was a lovely old Venetian style city - again with a nice harbour/tavernas.  
We enjoyed our holiday and wished we had 2 weeks intead of one!

Book this Hotel Direct    Package Holidays    Holidays Direct    Last Minute

Sofia Mythos Beach Hotel - Bali

Operator and Date: Med Hotels - July 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : C Cooke 46, G Cooke 47

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Bali is a fairly small resort and more geared toward the continental European than the British holiday maker. The harbour area is almost entirely without British visitors who tend to stay in the areas just outside of the harbour. The town consists of five coves each with a beach. The two harbour beaches are very small and rather crowded but the waters there are always calm and without obstacles in the water. The bigger beaches are less crowded but may have some rocks on the sea bed. the sand is dark and can discolour clothing but is generally clean and well cared for.

The harbour area is already over developed with apartment blocks and can be claustrophobic. We visited the last week of June and the first week of July and it was laready very crowded. I would imagine that it would bea lmost unbearable in the high season and school holidays. All beaches are provided with sunbeds and parasols for which a standard fee of 2 euros per bed or parasol is payable per day. (ie 2 beds 1 parasol - 6 euros. The resort is fairly wide spread and it takes approximately 25 minutes gentle walk from the harbour to the eastern end of the resort. The largest beach is at the eastern end and has been recently, and quite tastefully developed with beach side bars and cafes in open style. Cafe Del Mare is particularly friendly. There are numerous small supermarket and souvenir shops and an abundance of restaurants and tavernas. The supermarkets can be expensive and a 17km drive to the larger supermarket on the outskirts of Perama will save you a considerable amount on shopping (ten euros less for a bottle of Jack Daniels for example). 

Driving in the area as in the whole of Crete is what one could call "an adventure" and definitely not for the faint hearted. Be extremely careful when driving on the island as double white lines and no overtaking signs, along with speed limits and other traffic regulations, appear to be there to be ignored. It seems normal practise to overtake a vehicle which is already overtaking another vehicle whilst negotiating a blind bend with double white lines. The National Road is the only motorway type road on the island and has one and a half lanes in each direction. The half lane is a hard shouloder, picnic area, parking area, vendors selling pitch and, most important of all, for you to use to get out of the way of the lunatics who seem hell bent on beating you to the finish line or killing someone in the process. 

The Hotel: I am afraid my advice in relation to the Sofia Mythos Beach Hotel is stay away. My wife and I stayed on a half board basis. The hotle is split into two. The Mythos part is apartments upion which I cannot comment however, the Sofia is a subject on which I coulod talk for hours. It is, I am afraid to say, the worst I have ever stayed in. 

The three star rating is, to put it mildly, a joke. The rooms are poorly finished and badly furnished. Ours had exposed wiring and old plumbing hanging out of the walls. The rooms are in blocks which are reached by an extremely steep slope or by steps. We were only two thirds of the way up the hill and it was 76 steps from the pool area to our room. The pool was small and only maintained to the minimum standard. The cleanliness of the rooms was reasonable if you didn't mind waiting until 6pm for the maid to appear and you are not averse to a double bed being made using three single sheets. It would appear that the hotel have a shortage of double bed linen. 

The overriding factor is the food which is, to put it mildly, a disgrace. It is bland, tasteless, unrecognisable and, to be honest, unhygienic. Breakfast foods are left out overnight at the mercy of the flies. Dinner is served in unheated displays, again open to the flies, and is unpalletable. No drinks of any kind are available with dinner unless purchased, even water. I have never in my life smelt or tasted food so foul (and I spent 15 years in the services) and my wife and I spent the majority of our holiday eating out rather than suffer further stomach upsets. The hotel also seem to be suffering from a toilet tissue famine as, despite requests we were left without any and finally had to purchase our own. 

The air conditioning is extra outside high season at a cost of approximately 60 euros. The satellite TV is also extra but onlyu has german and Russian channels. Safe deposit boxes are in rooms but again are charged as an extra. We were the only English people in the hotel which appears to cater for the Eastern European traveller. With regard to the hotel, my letter of complaint is in the post. If you have booked a holiday at this hotel my honest suggestion is to make all efforts to change it. In general cretan people are extremely fr