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Amoudara Hotels and Apartments A - Z Apollonia Beach Hotel - Amoudara Operator and Date: med hotels-june 2005 Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : andrea grover-brighton (41,41) Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: having just returned from this hotel and read the reviews , i can only assume that this hotel has improved hugely this year! my girlfriend and i left kids behind for a break and it was wonderful.the rooms are basic but clean and felt quite greek and the staff were all excellent and very welcoming.the food was fantastic, with lots of choice and free ice cream!the whole hotel is all inclusive including beach bar so you dont have to drag yourself very far at lunchtime and the cocktail list is huge. this hotel is perfect for families and couples wanting a quiet relaxing holiday and yes there is a power station nearby but youre not aware of it.the surrounding area is not particularly pretty but the hotel grounds are lovely and there are plenty of trips available to prettier spots.the water park is worth a visit. i would definately go back to this hotel --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apollonia Beach Hotel - Amoudara Operator and Date: Medhotels - October 2004 Opinion submitted in Dec 2004 by : The Kennedys - Scotland (43,42,16,16,14) Resort Rating: Below Average Accommodation Rating: Good My/Our Holiday Review: We like to holiday in Greece for a week each October but this was our first time in Crete. Because the Apollonia Beach hotel doesn't feature in any UK tour operators brochures, don't expect to meet many fellow Brits. The hotel is about 10 miles from the airport at Heraklion. As we were a party of five, it meant us having to take two taxis to the hotel at a cost of 20 euros per taxi. If you are booking the hotel online through Medhotels like we did, apparently you can pre-book airport transfers but we only found this out at the hotel welcome meeting. It certainly isn't publicised on Medhotels website. However the Medhotels rep did organise return transfers on departure at a total cost of 15 euros for the party, quite a saving! If you are looking for a quiet and relaxing holiday then this hotel could be for you. The resort of Amoudara is very quiet (at least in October it is) and the nearest bars and restaurants are about a 20 minute walk away. We were all-inclusive so were quite content to stay at the hotel in the evenings. Our two rooms were situated on the ground floor of one of several blocks which were separate from the main hotel building. The rooms have stone floors which were unusual but which would help keep the room cool in the height of summer when temperatures soar. Also there is air conditioning although in October it was hardly needed. The rooms were comfortable enough with satellite TV (only one English channel though) but the bathrooms were a little bit scruffy and in need of a lick of paint. The main hotel building houses the large reception area, leading through to the main bar and restaurant. In the basement there is another large bar area where the mini disco and evening entertainment was held. Be warned that the hotel caters mainly for Germans and French but everything is repeated in English too, so just be patient. In summer the entertainment is held outdoors in a purpose-built amphitheatre type of thing, near the outdoor pool area. The food was quite unusual, not the sort of fare us Brits are used to having on the Spanish Costas - perhaps it's aimed more at German and French tastes. There was always a good selection of salads and pasta dishes, but the biggest shock was seeing pike make an appearence on the menu as the fish dish one day. I always thought that pike was practically inedible because of the strong taste, and we weren't tempted to see if it was true! Also, we were disappointed by the very limited selection of desserts. Sponge and chocolate mousse seemed to appear at every meal. Leaving the main building by the door at the side of the main bar, you find yourself under a leafy canopy with tables and chairs, which runs along the side of the hotel and is a very pleasant and shady place to have a coffee or a drink. Heading towards the beach, which is only a stone's throw away, are the outdoor pool areas. We spent most of the days here and had no problems finding sun loungers in the morning after breakfast. There is a snack bar here where you can help yourself to hot or cold drinks, but, as a previous reviewer noted, the snacks are limited to chips and sponge cake! We were disappointed with the beach. It does have a Blue Flag award so the sands and the water are clean, but at the water's edge there are a lot of rocks and sharp stones which put us and just about everyone else off swimming or even paddling. Also be aware that there is a large power station just along the shore which spoils the view a bit. What a let down! For a change of scene, it's worth catching the bus at the end of the road to take you into Heraklion which is only about 4 miles away. You buy your tickets (90 cents each way) at the little supermarket beside the bus stop. Heraklion is the fifth largest city in Greece and has loads of trendy shops (according to my fashion conscious teenage daughters!) To sum up then, we all enjoyed our holiday here. It was certainly a bit different to many of the other holidays we've been on, but we could be tempted to return. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apollonia Beach Hotel - Amoudara Operator and Date: Med Hotels - September 2004 Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : Laura & Steve - Preston (24,27) Resort Rating: Poor Accommodation Rating: Poor My/Our Holiday Review: Myself and my partner booked last minute to go all inclusive to the Appollonia beach hotel which apparently is a gold 4.5 star plus hotel I dont think so! What a disappointment it was like something from the 1950's old fashioned, very dark musty rooms which were very basic with dirty bathrooms the hotel generally is just in need of a good refurbishment, The food was ok with not much choice at all, The snack bar was dirty with no choice during the day all that was on offer was chips or ice cream personally chips is the last thing you fancy eating sat in the sun! The resort itself is in the middle of nowhere it takes approx 20 minutes to walk to the town which is deserted definately not the place for a young couple! There is no entertainment at night apart from the odd show in the outdoor theatre which is spoken in German French then English which was also a disappointment! The majority of guests at the hotel were Germans there was not many English couples at all, The English people that we did speak to all thought the same about the hotel as we did and couldnt wait to get home just glad we hadnt booked a 2 week stay! As you can see we do not recommend that you stay at this resort or this part of the island as it really is nothing special Im afraid. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apollonia Beach Hotel - Amoudara Operator and Date: Med Hotels - August 2004 Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : S Webster - Essex (32, 11, 9) Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Below Average My/Our Holiday Review: This was an all inclusive trip booked late. The hotel is made up of the main hotel, bungalows and superior bungalows. We were in what we christened the servants quarters. These were bungalows away from the hotel nearest the main road. We had to go up 3 flights of steps to our bungalow which is actually just a room. Upon arrival we had a double bed and a single so they had to put a camp bed in for my daughter. Not a good start. When we booked in at reception no porter service was offered even though I had 3 cases and 2 kids and was a lone lady. We dragged our cases over 2 roads (the service road into the hotel) and up 3 flights of stairs). The rooms were dull and uninspiring. Nothing like the pictures on the med hotel web site. They were clean however. There were apparently 4 pools but we only found 3 one of which was indoor and permanently locked. The food was never hot and repetitive. It was not Greek based more German based. There was supposed to be snacks such as pizza etc available all day but all you could have was chips. Cake (plain or chocolate) was offered for 1 hour in the afternoon. Milk was only available to put in tea at breakfast. After that you had it black or with cream. The staff were unhelpful and often offhand. Children were ignored at the bar. The entertainment was mostly in French or German with a bit of English shoved in as an after thought. The beach was lovely but it is a windy area so it was often rough we loved this but for those with small children it could be a problem. Amoudara is a small town within walking distace (about 25 mins) or a bus is available every 20 mins for 90 cents one way. There are souvenier shops aplenty and some nice restaurants. We ate out because the hotel food was not nice. There is a power station right next to the hotel. This is not just a small building. It has 6 huge chimneys pumping out yellow smoke 24/7. Made for a lovely view. I would visit Crete again but would not go back to the Apollonia if you paid me. 4 star? I don't think so. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Castro - Amoudara Operator and Date: Travel Republic (Internet Booking) July 2006 Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Stan Hubbard - Sutton Coldfield . 56 Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: Amoudara is on the northern coast of Crete. The prevailing wind was northerly and created a very welcome fresh breeze coming straight off the sea. It is close to Heraklion, about 5 km. Cost of taxi from airport to hotel was 20 euros and 1 euro 10 cents by bus. It is also fairly close to the Palace of Knossos only a bus ride into Heraklion and a bus ride out each bus ride costs a standard 1 euro 10 cents. Bus tickets are sold in kiosks and shops/ mini- markets. The Resort itself is basically a beach resort with a selection of bars, taverners, souvenir shops, mini super markets etc. I wouldn't say the beach was dirty, however, there were empty water bottles and drinks cans lying here and there The beach is mainly sand but are places where there is shingle. The sea is whipped up by the north wind and can give the impression of looking dirty but that's only because of sandy sea bed being disturbed by waves and the odd bits of seaweed floating about. There is a power station at the far end of the beach but I saw people swimming in the sea quite close to it without having any ill effects. Hotel Castro is very reasonably priced accommodation. Having the great benefit of not charging a single room supplement, very important for the independent lone traveller. It is about 4 or 5 minutes walk from the beach. Bars, shops, taverners etc. just a couple of minutes away and a bus stop right outside. It has a small swimming pool 24 hour reception which was useful because my flight had been delayed and I didn't arrive until 2-30 are. The room I was in was standard twin beds with TV, which, although all the channels were Greek, two or three of them showed films in English with Greek sub-titles. Shower, toilet and wash basin. Good sized wardrobe, desk and bedside cabinet and air conditioning was available at an additional cost of 5 euros per night. The balcony had a table and two chairs and certainly from the third floor where I was you could see the sea. I stayed on a half board basis. Breakfast and dinner were served in Maxims taverner attached to the hotel. Breakfast was fairly basic but adequate. Self service buffet Tea, coffee, orange juice, cereal, bread, jam/marmalade, cheese and ham with an addition that changed daily with items such as melon, yoghurt, tomato, olives,cucmber, cake. Dinner was 3 courses. Starter was either soup, salad or tzaziki. Main course was limited to a choice of two dishes which changed every day usually a meat dish and a fish or vegetable dish. Dessert was ice cream or coffee and another dish which changed every day such as fruit salad, peach crumble, and apple crumble. The dinner menu though somewhat limited was fresh, tasty and generally included a Cretan dish in some form. The service was good and all the staff were helpful and friendly. Everyone could speak English as well as some German and Polish. I would certainly recommend this hotel as good value for money and the resort as a place to relax and enjoy the sun --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gorgona Hotel - Amoudara Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice??? - 2005 Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Andrea, manchester Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Good My/Our Holiday Review: We stayed at the Gorgona Hotel, Amodurra, Heraklion, Crete. The staff at Gorgona were lovely: all appeared to be Elvis look-a-likes, very helpful, very good at brinbing drinks to you at the pool and very tolerant of drunkeness! What more can you ask for?! Another bonus, if you get a room on the top floor you don't have to get up til noon because the cleaners start from the bottom. The room needed a lick of paint but the fridge worked, as did the TV and air conditioning. The pool was a good size and the pool side bar was open until 8pm. As for Amodurra- when are the Greeks going to finish it off?! There are no tavernas on the beach yet. Don't go to 'uncle georges' unless you want to wait 2 hours for your tea! There was a sweet woman called poppy who has a shop/sunbeds/loo's/showers on the beach. She brings you beers n food on the beach, and she has a hunch back, so you'll have no trouble spotting her! Zorbas bar, authentic Greek place is very friendly and good for cheap drinks. The tavernas were ok, but not much fresh sea food around- dissapointing for a by-the-sea resort. A lot of activities advertised actually took place outside of Amodurra, but there was lots of windsurfing going on and they are building a cinema (right opposite Gorgona!). Overall, nothing flash and not a good choice of nightlife but has potential to be a very relaxing holiday location. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Imperial - Amoudara Operator and Date: Argo - September 2005 Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Steve and Danni - Walsall (39, 21) Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: If you are looking for a quiet romantic holiday where you are only a short walk to the beach, local restaurants and shops, or have a young family, then this would be a resort worth considering. Amoudara is a quiet resort that unfortunately is a little lacking in entertainment. During our one-week stay we only found one bar that had a live greek band playing, and only one other where there was greek dancing, although this was so devoid of guests it apparently didn't happen. We only found one bar offering karaoke but it required ten people to make it viable. This was disappointing for us as we are both singers. Having said this there were a number of tavernas/restaurants where prices were reasonable and the food was fantastic. We found that typically three or four of them were rammed full of people and the others were very quiet, although it appeared that different ones were busy each night. The traffic on the main road was heavy at times and Greek driving leaves a lot to be desired, but it was no worse than other Greek resorts and English rush hour in a small town. Care must be taken as Greek driving is really bad, and remember to walk on the left so you can see approaching vehicles. The Imperial Hotel was very clean and tidy, and there was always a warm welcome courtesy of brothers Georgio and Zak along with their mother Maria. The food at the hotel was excellent and exploded with flavour offering a superb opportunity to sample real Greek cuisine at a very reasonable price with wonderful hosts. Georgio and Zak were excellent hosts, endeavouring to ensure that our stay was a pleasant and enjoyable experience. Much of the produce used in their cooking comes from their own farms, along with wine made from their own grapes. The pool was very clean and was larger than some other hotel pools in the resort. At 3m deep it offered the more adventurous swimmer a good depth into which to dive. For the less capable swimmer and younger visitors the pool tapered quite quickly to a shallow end, adjacent to which was a baby pool. We thought this was more than adequate for children of all ages when appropriately supervised by their parents or a responsible adult. The pool area was a proper little suntrap but also housed adequate shaded areas if you wanted to avoid full sun. An added advantage was that the pool was reserved for hotel guests only so there quickly developed a sense of community with other holiday makers, all adding to the friendly and pleasant atmosphere. Although we found the resort a little quiet, such was our satisfaction with the Imperial that we would gladly recommend it and return, possibly using the hotel as a base from which to explore the rest of Crete by car. The taxi fare from Heraklion to the Imperial was only 10 Euros, (we negotiated 7 Euros on one occasion) so it would be easy to organise this trip independently. Heraklion itself is a bustling centre, excellent for shopping with many designer and traditional shops, with an active central area of bars and tavernas. However, beware where you eat. We ate in one taverna and the food was very poor. Locals in Amoudara said this was typical of Tavernas in the capital. Overall we enjoyed our holiday, thanks to the courtesy offered by Georgio, Zak and Maria. It appears this is common as most of the other guests at this hotel were frequent visitors, with one couple returnng on their fifth visit for their honeymoon. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Imperial - Amoudara Operator and Date: Argo - Sept 2004 Opinion submitted in Jan 2005 by : Heather & Paul - kent (45,38) Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Below Average My/Our Holiday Review: There is little to do in this resort except for the beach - the only good thing is that it is a short bus ride away from the capital, the buses run very regularly & inxpensively. The Imperial is a minimum 10 mins walk from the main road where most of the restaurants/bars/supermarkets are; but BEWARE the road from the accommodation to the main road is used as a 'ratrun' by locals at all times of day & night and is therefore very noisy and dangerous. It is advisable that the road is crossed with care as poorly lit - the best route, however, takes you past several well used bins! The accommadation used to be a hotel but is now self-catering but the rooms are not geared up to even basic food preparation and there is no dining table & chairs. When we challenged this with the Rep, she flippently suggested that no one "self-catered" as people ate out & what was supplied was standard for Greece. As regular visitors to Greece we have paid less and received better facilities than what was supplied here. The pool bar was fine, the snack food reasonable but the children's pool was over 2 foot deep so beware when taking any children here. Be very aware if you book this holiday as the accommadation is at the far end of the resort; that the beach is a further 10 mins walk from the main road & that there is a large German tourist base here. Needless to say we will not be rebooking this part of Crete or to use Argo holidays again. Had this been our first visit to Greece then we probably never return. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marianthi Apartments - Amoudara Operator and Date: Independent August 2004 Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : K. Burgin (44, 43, 16, 13) Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: Very Friendly at the apartments which is run by Mikalis and Lisa. The apartments are very clean but basic. There are 12 villas and a reasonable size pool. The nearest beach is a five minuite walk down hill with some lovely views. But a 10 minute walk back uphill. We found a lovely beach called Almiro which is a short taxi drive (4 euro). It has a swimming pool at the end of the beach with a lovely quiet bar and also free sunbeds and umbrellas. The beach is very good for the children as it has sea rides. Agios Nikolaos is a beautiful place with a good range of shops. At night you can eat by the lake running through Agios Nikolaos.There is a wide range of restaurants and we ate in a different one most nights. The Cafe du Lac was a nice bar to have a drink in and it has a balcony that over looks the lake. Food good everywhere with slight difference in prices. Went to Aqua Splash water park, a good day out. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marilena Hotel - Amoudara Operator and Date: Travel Republic July 2007 Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : B Chapman - Bournemouth (42, 34, 16, 11) Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: Ao moudara is quite a quiet resort with nothing at all for children today except play on the beach. The Hotel Marilena had no entertainment and staff were reluctant to serve, sometimes we waited up to an hour to get a drink. If you want to escape British holiday makers then this is the resort for you. Guests are mostly Greek, Eastern European or German woth a few Dutch thrown in for good measure. The Hotel was basic to say the least and on the good side, the pool was clean and large. The food in the hotel was nasty and smelly. Staff were not very friendly although the girl in the pool bar was lovely shame the same couldnt be said for the rest of the staff. Evenings were resricted to the arabic bar which was great and staff friendly and the saloon bar where we spent the early part of every evening. Towards the end of the evening it got rowdy and not a place for kids. Crete was great and we had a lovely time but we hired a car and got about thankfully if we were stuck in Amoudara for more than a week i think we would have moved to Bali. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptuno Beach Resort - Amoudara Operator and Date: Aspro (My Travel) June 2007 Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : Welshtaffy 55,53,53, 49 ,15 Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: The Hotel is also known as the Neptuno Orange Beach Resort. Location: Set in a narrow busy street leading off the main road. It is situated in a town called Ammoudara which is located just outside Heraklion (6KM). Ammoudara Main Street is very busy and does not have pavements in some parts of the road. There is a local bus service which takes you into Heraklion for 1.3 Euros. The bus runs every 20 mins. From Heraklion you are able to catch buses to anywhere. Room: Was quite big and clean with a fridge provided, Dressing gowns, and slippers also provided. Beach Towels are provided on request at reception, deposits are required. Staff: The staff were very pleasant and helpful but like everywhere there is the odd one or two. Reported to reception that the air-con was leaking when going for breakfast on return the maintenance person was repairing it. Some rooms do not have plugs in sink and when asking for one they try to discourage you from having any but insist and they will provide. Only one pillow each requested more and again delivered within 30 mins. Bar staff work very hard and long hours and don't recognise who is next but I don't think that this is intentional. Cleanliness The Hotel is very clean and throughout the day and evening there are cleaners around. Although it states the cleaners work 6 days a week they cleaned the room's everyday while we were there. Restaurant: Clean and plenty of tables to eat on. Selection of food limited but always warm. Fish, 2 meats or more, Pate, Salads always provided. Breakfasts are continental not the British breakfast although fried eggs & Bacon were served. You must try some of their fresh bread, I will miss that. The snack bar was of a very poor selection compared to other all-inclusive places I have been to. Swimming pool & Beach: Kept clean and no need to get up crack of dawn for the towel rush. Although by 10.30 you would struggle to get a lounger in the pool area, the sun loungers on the beach were also free and were plentiful but beware they also let them out to non-hotel residents for a charge. Clientele: The hotel Clientele is made up mostly of Belgium, French, with the rest German, Polish, Russian, Romania & British. There was about 5 families from the UK, It was the first time that I have ever stayed in a hotel with so many nations and British being the minority. So my first thoughts were want have I let myself in for I needed have worried. It was the first time that I have ever stayed in a hotel with so many nations and British being the minority. Unlike myself the other nations could speak several languages including some English. All the nations were friendly especially the polish families we met. In the past I have tried to avoid hotels which are full of other nationalities but after this holiday is would not worry me at all. Entertainment: The entertainers tried very hard and worked very hard to entertain us but due to all the nations there it was difficult. Overall the entertainment in the day was good but entertainment in the night was poor. Toto stood out for me with his efforts and love for the job he does. Due to only one bar by the pool and entertainment area there was not anywhere you could go for a quiet drink. General: The Airtours rep was like the scarlet pimpernel unable to locate him. He was not at the hotel 3 days of the week and then he was very hard to find. Any person who likes going on excursions I suggest you go to Heraklion and visit the information centre in the bus station and you could save pounds by booking there. Hiring of a car check the rental places because prices vary. This the first time that I decided not to hire a car because the driving skills of the locals was nowhere near the skills of the UK. We visited the Aquarium which was well worth the cost but beware local buses are not always reliable. Although I would not go back to this area again I would visit Crete again. I would recommend this hotel to people who like a quiet Hotel beach holiday. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptuno Beach Resort - Amoudara Operator and Date: ARGO HOLIDAYS OCTOBER 2006 Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : mr,and mrs, earnshaw. 53., 50, rochdale lancs. Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: all in all good holiday,rooms spot on ,emailed hotel to make sure we got king sized bed in room which the did,food ok for ai,towels changed daily,rooms made up cleaned daily,beach towels supplied for deposit,bar and restraunt staff tops,toto and ebor,very good for a laugh and entertainment,i would go there again,weather just changed for the worse on last day,argo holidays are very good value,thanks,mal. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptuno Beach Resort - Amoudara Operator and Date: (Olympic Direct) Olympic.......September 2006 Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Steve Ash, Wiltshire, 53,54,61,66. Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: The resort of Ammoudara, no matter how you look at it is only average and the end where the Neptuno is located is poor. Its a long strip of bars, shops, apartments , hotels and wasteland. At the Neptuno end its like derelict village untill you come to a brand new Carrefours and LIDLs at the worst traffic junction I have seen. The Hotel is down a poor side road which leads to the beach and has some dodgy bars in it. When you walk into the reception its a different world.The staff are all very helpful and friendly. The cleaners are hard at work from 7 am to 10 pm. They sweep the car park every day! Its a small hotel, about 140 rooms which we found ideal because there was no queueing for anything. Mealtimes are long and so no rushing, the dining room is very tasteful with everything matching, The furniture is real wood not plastic, real cloths, Proper china etc. The food is a good mix of spicy Med and tradional english so you can get meatballs in tomato sauce with brussel sprouts and mash, if you wanted to. Plenty of sweets and icecream although the sweets are the same every day. People have said that the food is the same but thats what buffet hotel catering is about, using leftovers. A good chef can always use leftovers and they do here. Try the Greek potato omelette or the stuffed courgettes. I could go on but there is always someone to moan. The pool is a reasonable size and clean and theres always plenty of sun beds. The only bar that was in use was the pool bar but that opens at 10 and closes at 12pm so thats OK. Hot bar snacks are there all day and at night the entertainment focus's on the pool bar area. Although the entetainment is at times rather juvenile it can be funny. It consist of bingo and audience participation games. Funny if its not you being laughed at. The beach is very good and right behind the bar area. All in all we had a very relaxed time and would certainly go back, others might not agree, especially the lady who took her bottle of HP sauce to every meal ( I kid you not)or the chap who was there for 7 days and went out for Sunday lunch and complained because he couldnt get a curry ( there is a Chinese and Indian in the village) Well worth the money if you get a good deal. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptuno Beach Resort - Amoudara Operator and Date: Argo, June 06 Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : Allen Chandler , Sarah Chandler, 55, 50 Resort Rating: Good Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: Hotel is advertised as being new in 2005, on arrival we were placed in an annexe building alongside the newer building, this was most definately not built in 2005! It was a great shame because we felt the accomodation we got was only up to 3 star standard not 4, the shower in the room was a complete let down, the wall bracket held the shower head vertically and would not adjust, we did complain, as did many other guests but nothing was done. The location next to the beach was excellent as was the service from the staff of the hotel generally. Food was good but a toaster available at breakfast time would have been a good idea and was something we would have expected from a 4 star rated hotel. Overall feeling - good if it had been 3 star but we had paid for 4 star and felt let down. Do try the diving on offer from the nearby diving institute, it was great!!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptuno Beach Resort - Amoudara Operator and Date: Medhotels - October 2005 Opinion submitted in Nov 2005 by : The Kennedys - Scotland (78,71,43,43,17,17) Resort Rating: Below Average Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: If you are looking for a relaxing holiday then the Neptuno Beach Hotel could be for you. Our family (3 different generations) spent a week here in mid-October shortly before the hotel closed for the season, so it's fair to say that some of the facilities and activities might be busier in the high season. First impressions of the hotel are not that favourable - it's situated up a narrow lane, just off a busy main road, sandwiched between some rather run down apartments. But once inside it's clear to see that this hotel is modern and well-appointed. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. We were fortunate in as much as our balconies overlooked some waste ground with the sea in the distance. Rooms on the other side if the hotel overlooked a scruffy apartment block. It was really hard to fault anything about the hotel - the food was varied and tasty, the staff were friendly and helpful, and there was a nice and relaxed atmosphere around the place. My elderly parents (who had never been to Greece before, nor ever been on an all-inclusive holiday) seemed quite delighted with their holiday. The teenagers in the party weren't quite so impressed, as most of the other guests seemed to be middle aged couples, so while we spent the evenings enjoying the free drink and entertainment, the two girls spent their time back in their room watching DVDs on the player thoughtfully provided in all the rooms! Entertainment took place indoors every evening except one (due to rather unseasonal weather) and usually comprised bingo followed by a quiz. Not particularly exciting you might think, but it seemed to be enjoyed by most of the guests. We understand that the entertainment would normally be held outdoors in better weather, where there was room for more audience participation and dancing. Special mention must go to Ebo and Rita who were in charge of the activities - especially Ebo who is great laugh and exactly the type of person you need on holiday! The hotel is situated right on the beach with free sun loungers for guests, but we found the sands to be covered in litter in places, we even saw broken glass on one part. Whilst the hotel itself is fine, be aware that the surrounding area is quite run down, although buses run into the city of Heraklion from the stop at the end of the lane. A return ticket costs 1.40 euros and takes about 15 minutes. Heraklion is quite an industrial town but has a good selection of shops and restaurants in the centre. If you go, I'm sure you'll have a good time! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptuno Beach Resort - Amoudara Operator and Date: Sept 2005 Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Resort Rating: No rating Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: We stayed at the Neptuno Beach Hotel in Amoudara in late September 2005 for one week. The hotel vey clean, but bar staff very slow, it took ages to get a drink. The hotel I would say is 3 star and not 4 as promised. Food was good and staff in restaurant very nice. Only 1 bar by the pool area, and a small bar in reception which was never open all the time we were there. The hotel does not cater for anyone if it rains as it did one night we were there. They shut the bar as soon as the rain starts and said the bar in reception would open, after sitting in the restaurant for 2 hours we gave up waiting for it to open, also there are only a few sofas in the reception area and no other place for people to sit. The rooms were very clean, but sheets could be changed more often. The area of Amoudara is very isolated and no paths to walk on so you have to take care of the traffic, also the hotel is not far away from a power station. We would not go back to this hotel. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptuno Beach Resort - Amoudara Operator and Date: Med hotels August 2005 Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Keith, Dianne & Amyleigh ( 42,36, & 8 ) Resort Rating: Below Average Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: We were really looking forward to this holiday have been to other greek islands and have really enjoyed the experiance, Iam just glad that we met some fantastic english familes or this holiday could have turned into a nightmare. The accomadation cannot be faulted really it`s brand new, the rooms are cleaned daily at any time from 07:30hrs and you hear every sound in the corridors morning and night. The food, well i have never tried chips for breakfast and i don`t think i ever will, there was lots of choice for the food but most had a herb coating and it was`nt for me, also the kids food was pretty limited they just wanted to get to the dessert section and to be truthful that the only place i wanted to go and eat, This food was not four star and as long as they keep dishing that kind of food up it never will be, i have eaten better food in a motorway service station. The pool bar food was always cold, but that never seem to bother the kids though and there we no snacks after the restaurant closed a 21:30hrs, The pool area and beach, there always seemed to be plenty of sunbeds and none of the putting towels on the night before, the beach was lovely and animation team were great water gym, darts and come the night time they were still going strong with quizzes, bingo and shows. Manos and vicky running the bar in the evening were fantastic they never stopped. The thing that started to spoil my holiday is when the bar staff started to fight amongst them selves one off them got fired, Then theres the proffesional lifeguard this guy walks around all day with his mobile phone in his pocket, banning kids from the water at his pleasure for 30 minutes at a time, ok some of the kids were running around and bombing in the pool but they are on holiday, in the evening this guy doubled up as a glass collector and then started to throw them all over the pool bar area on two occasions that i saw him, i did report him as children ran around this area in the daytime but i was told it would be cleaned up for the next day. so for the resort well there is`nt one there are some bars and a few taverns that stretch over 1 to 2 miles or you could get the funny train and go and visit the power plant. once out of the hotel when you turn right beaware ther are no footpaths for at least 500/600 yards and you are dicing with death as the road is also very narrow. if you are ever told that this is a up and coming resort it may well be in the future but not for a long time. one last thing if you have night flight make sure you book an extra night at the end as they will only let you know on the morning of departure if you can keep the room on. well for us i dont think we will ever do all inclusive in europe again this as put us off for life, and of crete i hope we go back one day but not this hotel and never this resort. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptuno Beach Resort - Amoudara Operator and Date: Travel bargains.com - June 2005 Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Tracy and Clive Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Good My/Our Holiday Review: On arrival in the early hours we were greeted by a friendly receptionist who checked us in and directed us to the restaurant where food had been laid on for us. The room was clean, however, there was no remote control for the AIR CON, t.v, DVD Player and there was no fruit and wine as promised! On awakening the following morning there was a stench of sewerage coming from 2 doors away, this resulted in most guests being moved to upper floors including ourselves. After the hassel of moving rooms, the promised t.v, DVD and Air con remotes where all there. Breakfast, dinner and evening meal were all taken by the pool overlooking the sea, which we enjoyed. The food was 3* and not 4*, the reason being some dishes were not kept hot and others were not replenished. The drinks were adequate and no queues at the bar. The entertaniment was average as Ebo and Rita gave 100%. The hotel section of the beach was kept clean and run efficiently by the lifeguard who we think was called "Ulysses". He was very friendly and we encountered many long entertaining conversations with him. Coming out of the hotel and turning left there was nothing other than a large supermarket, obviously the other alternative was going right. This could be a matter of life or death because of the busy road and no footpaths! Once you have made it to the footpath there were quite a few bars and shops all the way into Amadouara but it isnt really worth the walk. Overall the hotel was new and the facilities were clean and well maintained. The staff were friendly and helpful but the holiday was spoilt by the loacation and the disappiontment of, in our opinion the 3* food. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptuno Beach Resort - Amoudara Operator and Date: MED HOTELS MAY/JUNE 2005 Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : Finnies - 46,45 & 13 Resort Rating: Below Average Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: Stayed at Neptuno Beach 24th May till 1st June 2005 after booking late deal. Hotel is brand new (only opened 3rd May) and was lovely, finished to a high standard with bathrobes and slippers, hairdryer, toiletries,TV and DVD player (with films for hire for wet days!), fridge (stocked) and air conditioning/heat which you can control yourself. Hotel is small, only 110 rooms but staff are falling over themselves to be helpful, especially Ebo, the lifeguard and the Palestinian waiter/bellboy for whom nothing was too much trouble. Food was of a high standard but maybe the choice for small kids was difficult as they did not do the usual nuggets etc. Dining-room (dishes and cutlery beautiful), lounge, pool areas etc are spotlessly clean and lovely, loads of sunbeds/umbrellas at the pool and beach, entertainment was typical, bingo,disco,quizzes etc but the atmosphere was good and thats what makes it. Resort itself we did not like,run down,dirty and dead although they look as if they are trying to resurrect the place as there were bars being renovated and work ongoing on the beach etc. All-in-all we had a lovely week and although we probably wouldn't return, I would recommend it if you are looking for a lovely hotel, with high standards in a quiet resort. Taxis from the airport are about 17 euros but if you plan to hire a car and have not booked one in the UK, then the airport is cheaper than the resort!(Malia and Gouves were half the price of car-hire in Amoudoura) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptuno Beach Resort - Amoudara Operator and Date: Med Hotels May 2005 Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : A Tovey 46 and 11 others between 46 and 59 Resort Rating: Good Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: Area flat with local shops within walking distance. Good clean beach and hotel pool area. Food varied, well cooked and well presented. Staff very helpful, friendly and cheerful. Entertainment was good, the animation team was Ebo and Rita who both worked hard to entertain and to involve guests in the activities. Day and night activity was around the poolside bar, this ended at midnight and was far enough away to not disturb those that wanted an early night. Froso serving behind the bar did everything possible to make sure the Raki and shots kept flowing and her Greek dance adds to the atmosphere. We went early in the season and the hotel was nowhere near full. Rooms are well sized, some with the added bonus of a sea view. All in all a very good holiday. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptuno Beach Resort - Amoudara Operator and Date: Complete Travel Solutions - 2005 Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Andrew Rycroft - Sheffield (47,45,11) Resort Rating: Good Accommodation Rating: Good My/Our Holiday Review: The hotel is a brand new hotel,The hotel is well decorated. It is classed as 4*, but it is more like a 3*. THe hotel has some nice touches, e.g iced towels around the pool (but the waiter did not have enough to go round) Fresh beach towels supplied every day at a cost of 5 Euro deposit per towel for the length of your stay. The hotel seems to overbook a lot, and we were placed in a different hotel for the first three days. The room was nice, but the first room we were given only had a campbed as the third bed, this was very uncomfortable. We were moved to another room that had three proper beds, this was very nice. Each room has a TV & DVD player. We were all inclusive, but a few things were not included and you had to pay. e.g milkshakes and fresh orange during the day. The hotel is due to expand over the next few years, and I think in a couple of years it will be a very good hotel. The entertainment at night is a bit monotonous, and the animation team expected the guests to play game to entertain, rather than them entertaining the guests. The bingo bango was too long, due to the fact every number was anounced in about six languages. Overall we enjoyed the holiday. The food was excellent. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptuno Beach Resort - Amoudara Operator and Date: Med hotels - 2005 Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Simon & Carol Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: Superb hotel, being new this year a few (very) minor teething problems but nothing worth fretting about. The hotel is spotless through out & rooms cleaned daily. Food was very good (as good as the Candia Maris 5* next door)meat & fish cooked in front of you so you do know its fresh. Service throught the hotel was excellent with extremely friendly, helpful staff. Swimming pool area was clean though we were on the beach every day as the sea was as warm as the pool & the breeze was welcome.The beach is sand & you can walk out to sea about 30m with the water only being around 3-4ft deep. (sand sea bed) Take a mask & snorkel as plenty to look at. Thanks to all the staff for making this a fantastic stay.Ibo, Rita, Justina & Ewelina provide the daily/night time entertainment. Special thanks to Mamoun who is the "bel boy"/ waiter he is a top bloke, always offering a smile, help or information. Ulessis, the life guard will spend time having a chat with you about Crete past & present.( what ever you like) Spiros, resturant/bar manager. Don't alter the little handle on the beer pump as you get 'froth' & Spiros coming over. We both saw it happening day after day!!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Olga Studios and Apartments - Amoudara Operator and Date: May 2006 Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : Kevin R - 51 Resort Rating: Good Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: Well located studios backing onto the sandy beach. Pretty basic rooms (i.e. no kettle) but immaculately clean, tidied every day but Sundays. Try to get one of the rooms at the back for a sea view and relative quiet from the main road at the front. A small pool at the rear of the building is sheltered from any sea breezes with a few sunbeds for residents, a larger number are located on the beach at the back, priced reasonably at 5? per pair per day (although I don't know whether this may increase towards high season). Prices for bar-meals and drinks are very competitive unlike many others who tend to charge higher than the local bars and bistros. The resort is relatively quiet with a smattering of bars and restaurants, and couldn't be called lively. For those who want to venture into the local town (Chania) a bus stops directly opposite the studios running into the nearby town approx. every 15 minutes. Also opposite are a well stocked supermarket and bar. Although there are several restaurants very near I would really recommend a short walk to the nearby Lottos Pizza Restaurant which despite the name serves some of the best quality food I have tasted in a Greek resort, well priced and with excellent service. Turn left out of the studios and walk up the main street for about 400 yards and it's on the right opposite a garage. Don't be put off by the name, it is a real quality restaurant and invariably full with other diners. If you want a resort with lively nightlife I'd try somewhere other than Agia Marina but if you just want to chill for a week it's for you. I certainly couldn't fault the Olga Studios and would recommend it as a base for your holiday.
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