Achilles Terpsichori Apartments - nr Chania
Operator and Date: freelance - august 2004
Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : jim yuill- coatbridge (45, 44)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
kalamaki on the outskirts of chania is an excellent location to stay, hire car is not required as the local transport system is excellent. eating out is excellent as there is plenty of tavernas and restuarants either within walking distance or a short bus or taxi ride.
the terpsichori apts are very good and the owners are genuinely friendly. we had a great holiday and would reccomend it to anyone looking for a quieter holiday with nice accomodation. the freelance rep has been living on the island for 14 years and has plenty of advice as to where to eat and what to go and see, we were not dissappointed by any of the advice she gave us. the apartments suffer from some traffic noise but this would not deter us from returning as we enjoyed it so much
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alexandros Studios and Apartments - Kalamaki, nr Chania
Operator and Date: Direct Booking
Opinion submitted in Jan 2005 by : 46,46,12,10
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Kalamaki is a small resort, ideally positioned midway between Chania and Platanias. It has a safe sandy beach - very shallow shelving and an arc of rocks to the left of the beach ensure only gentle waves roll up onto the beach. The Kalamaki Beact Taverna is worth a very strong recommendeation - they provide free sunbeds/umbrellas and hope rather than insist that you buy drinks/food from them. Manys the time we have recovered with iced coffee/juice in the morning and lunched on club sandwiches or greek salad or(my favourite) tuna salad. They also have a sit down restaurant and do full meals at any time. There are a few shops, bars and restaurants near the beach. Ok for food and drink essentials + newspapers and sport on tv. There is also an excellent bakery.
The Alexandros is a very friendly base. Michael and Inka are very genial hosts. The rooms are clean and airy, have air conditioning and a reliable supply of hot water. The pool is kept spotless and the onsite mini market seems to stock every thing that you could possibly need. The bar sells snacks during the day, salads, omlettes, burgers, toasties etc. During the evenings the bar is the social hub, staying open until the early hours. Thereare also occassional special evenings - Cretan Dancing and/or Mezes/food nights.
Chania is an interesting town by day and a spectacle in the evening. Venetial buildings, the lighthouse, the harbour the lights, great restaurants (cheaper away from the harbour)and good shopping/browsing. Good for gold, modern art, clothes, leather and pottery.
Platanias has almost a wide a range of shops as Chania + a long beach. This beach is not so suitable for young children as it shelves quite sharply and the waves are not broken by any rocks. it is great for strolling in the evening - the shops are open late and there are an excellent selection of restaurants and bars.
There are other resorts also nearby and getting around is no problem - hire cars available, taixis plentiful - Mickael or Inka can phone for you and there are ranks in each resort. The bus service is also very reliable and cheap. Just five minutes drive inland is the village of Galatas - with a few excellent restaurants and a small World War 2 museum.
There is an excellent water park (Limnopolis)just ten minutes drive away. Or the waterpark can be reached by the 'Big Red Train' from Platanias.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chrispy Hotel / Village Chania - Chania
Operator and Date: Libra - September 2006
Opinion submitted in December 2006 by : Pat Lawson - Littlehampton (63,55)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
The hotel is quite some way from the Airport but on a good bus route to Chania and the fares are very cheap. Ideal if you only want to chill out by the pool, although the beach is very stony and the water is rough. You can walk to the next village - about 30/40 mins, either along the road or the beach and there are tavernas along the way if you want a rest.
The All inclusive package leaves a lot to be desired. All meals are buffet style and fresh with a good variety but breakfast was rather disappointing as the American breakfast was non existant but plenty of eggs ( cooked diffrently every day ),cold meat, cheese, salad, fruit, cereals,yogurt and fresh bread.The only drinks that were included were tea,coffee,weak brandy, ouzo home made cocktails,wine and a poor lager.Wine with meals would have been nice.Although there was no evening entertainment the other guest of all nationalities were very friendly and we sat and chatted together and enjoyed what drinks there were.We did not have the room we had booked but nevertheless it was very clean and was no problem.
The whole place is very clean and we would not hesitate to go there again just to have have a quiet restful holiday although it is certainly not 4* quality.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chrispy Hotel / Village Chania - Chania
Operator and Date: FLEETWAY TRAVEL MAY 2006
Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : SEAN WANLESS 39,50,30,27,8,10 MONTHS
Resort Rating: Below Average
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
just got back from chrispy village.what can i say?we read the reviews before we left.have to agree with them all.
the place is in the middle of nowhere. food is catered towards the germans who seem to be the most important guests. there were only 12 brits there week that we stayed. we were stared at constantly. there was no entertainment what so ever.. nothing for kids at all. came to 11pm and it was deserted.. as for all inclusive package what a joke. we have been AI many times in SPAIN and you want for nothing..
hotel was immaculate and we had brilliant weather or i dont know what we would of done...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chrispy Hotel / Village Chania - Chania
Operator and Date: Broadway Travel - October 2005
Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Jo, Lee, Jan and Alan (46,48,45,<)
Resort Rating: Below Average
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
Very disapointed with the Chryspy Village and Hotel. Acomodation rated as 3-4* however in our view we would class it as a 2-3*. The service received for'All Inclusive - extremely poor, the food on offer was diabolical, (our only good meal was breakfast and the bread rolls.)
Infact we jumped into a taxi each night and went into Platanius. We found a warm and friendly family run resturant and ate there(Minos). My other half says the steak and pepper sauce is second to non. In fact we never had one bad meal or poor service.
We won't be going back to the Chryspy Hotel and village, far one its to far out, and I'd advise people when booking not to go for the 'All Inclusive Package', its not worth it.
In the defence of the hotel we can say the hotel was very clean and a credit to its team of cleaners, and the pools where both lovely, however the beach was just pebbles and rubbish, and I wouldnt advise anyone to go into the sea, its very choppy.
This place is ok for a last minute, cheapy!
take some good reading material!!!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chrispy Hotel / Village Chania - Chania
Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Sunset - Sept 2005
Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Tony-Debra LEEDS ( 42,42.)
Resort Rating: Poor
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
The chrispy hotel,village,what a joke (all inclusive).Just back from this joke of a hotel,few good points,room nice & clean,pool ok thats it.Bad points,food american brakfast nonexistent,boiled eggs,cold ham,cheese,bread and ceral.As for the drinks in the al weak lager,water from the tap tea & coffee.The cocktails looked like slush pupie drinks, and come 11.00pm were removed from the bar and put down the sink so you could not finish what was left(11.oopm was the end of the all inclusive deal for the day ,deal what a laugh).The other meals were a joke as well,on the first night we had a taste of the buffet and went to have a meal outside the hotel.That was the first and last diner& evening meal i ate their.
The holiday cost us £8oo for a week what a waste,i recommend you look for another hotel somewhere else,possibly near plantanias were it's a bit more lively so be WARNED.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chrispy Hotel / Village Chania - Chania
Operator and Date: (Thomson Holidays
Direct) Thompson - September 2005
Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : 25, 33
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Below Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
Having just arrived back from holiday yesterday it is a pleasure to eat a lovely bacon sandwich. Me and my Fiance booked to stay at the Chrispy Hotel and Village, All inclusive which we were really looking forward to.
Having booked to stay in the 4* accomodation we thought we'd live like kings for the week. How wrong we were. We had to stay in the 3* part of the village which in all fairness wasn't too bad, the toilet was cemented together though!! I completely felt surrounded by Germans who weren't the freindliest to be honest.
The food for All inclusive was totally disgusting, the first day I did think that it wasn't too bed having cold salads, unfortunatley as for the main meal, well I couldn't even guess what meat it was and the potatoes swam completely underneath oil. It was completely cold and I don't even think it's cooked on the premises. Nothing is labelled so it's a complete guess what is what. I lived for the bread rolls(frozen) and cheese which we had for breaksfast and dinner then had to eat out in one of the two Tavernas available across the road (they were VERY nice).
The hotel I feel will do anything for other nationalities other than English, the Greeks even know how to speak to them fluently. We heard bad reports that holiday makers were being told to be quiet after eleven at night because they were laughing!!! isn't this what its all about. The cocktails at the bar were....... well what can I say....... BAD. At eleven o'clock on the dot, the beer pub was disconnected and the ouzo and cheap brandy were taken away. All it was short off was a bell for last orders.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chrispy Hotel / Village Chania - Chania
Operator and Date: lastminute.com September 2005
Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Diane and Kevin, Staffs (47,44)
Resort Rating: Poor
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
Not ones for whinging but just wanted to warn others who might be tempted by the hotel's `All Inclusive` deal -it was certainly not what we expected. Hotel is out on a limb, 45 minute bus ride away from Chania and there's very little to do other than bask by the pools. No entertainment in the evenings, other than two Greek dancers who appeared Thursday night.
Food very basic, repetitive with strict limits on the All Inclusive eg. two balls of ice cream between 10 and 12 and 4pm and 6pm. Bar was the worst insult. We felt like second class citizens as we were forced to drink from plastic cups, even in the evening. Those who paid got a glass, we served ourselves, even cocktails being dispensed from a self serve canister. One consolation, we never suffered any hangovers, it would have been impossible on the strength of those drinks!
We ended up seeking some proper drinks at the nearby resort of Plantanias, again a bus ride away, but worth it to find a proper bar with a good atmosphere and a beach you can use. Hotel Chrispy beach is very stoney, very unattractive and sea much too rough to swim in - red flag flying throughout our stay.
Beach lovers should head for the south coast where Elafonissi offers fine sand and warm water for swimming.
Only positive side to Hotel Chrispy was the cleanliness. Rooms cleaned every day but Sunday and gardens very well kept.
We will not be returning to this resort - there's not enough to keep you there for even a week and most facilities had extra charges, eg. jacuzzi cost 9 Euros for 10 minutes - and it's in the public pool - tennis 7 Euros, ditto for sauna. They even charged for the air conditioning!
We'll stick to self catering next time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chrispy Hotel / Village Chania - Chania
Operator and Date: Med Hotels - Sept 2005
Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : J - England (20,20,21,22)
Resort Rating: Poor
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
We have just returned from a week in this place. What a nightmare! We were given the wrong accommodation which the rep was not nterested in sorting out and then when we were moved we were moved from 2 rooms into 1 room with a camp bed! When you have payed for 4* you do not expect to spend your holiday on a camp bed. When trying to contact our travel company with the problems they said they would call us back and we are still waiting now!!
The food in the hotel is not up to very high standards. I went on the understanding that AI meant that you could have virtually what you want and when you want it. This was certainly not the case. It was the same things for meal times at lunch and dinner and inbetween you could have a snack of a cheese or ham roll at specific times. You could not get any food after 9.30pm unless you payed for it and if you were considering taking children to this hotel be prepared to take them away from the hotel so they can eat. The bar was not what was advertised, to begin wiht if you were an AI guest you had to drink out of white plastic glases! There were only 2 spirts available, these were ouzo and a weird brandy.
The holiday was advertised to have entertainment at the hotel, what a joke!! Only one night do 2 dancers come to the hotel and do 2 dances in the dark and then leave again!! For entertainment you are best to go to the next town, 1 euro on bus or about 10 euros in a taxi.
The beach which is advertised is a pebble beach and very, very choppy.
The manager of the hotel gave us the excuse that we were allocated the wrong rooms as the hotel was very busy and over booked!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chrispy Hotel / Village Chania - Chania
Operator and Date: MEDIA TRAVEL - 2005
Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : NOREEN TUCKER 54 ,57
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
This holiday was ALL-INCLUSIVE I do not think the owners knew what all in-clusive
means The food was disgusting the first week but did get a little bit better the second week.
You could not get many of the local spirits unless you complained to the manager then you were limited to what you could get.IT was very very quiet with only two cretein dancers on a thursday. The bus service was quite good and cheap although it was a bit more tricky coming back than going taxis quite expensive. The hotel waswas clean and it had a nice pool near the beach which was not to good very stoney not many tavernas nearby either
All in all not avery good holiday especially when payed for taxi never turned up (media travels fault)and you have to pay 35 euros to get back to air port.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Creta Palm Resort Hotel Apartments - nr Chania
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice august 2004
Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : jenny jay lauren alex (45,41,13,12)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Opinion:
we stayed at creta palm 3star apartments, and were a bit nervous, we like to stay 4star or above.
we were really pleased with the one bedroom apartment we had it was very spacious and very clean. The pool was very clean, the staff in the restaurant were brilliant extremly friendly and efficent,
say hello to vangelis, eleni, stella sophia. Stalos is quiet but there are plenty of restaurants. Chania is a short taxi ride away and worth a visit. Also try to do the Samaria gorge Excellent. We would love to go back to creta palm apartments again.
Excellent holiday.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demetra Studios and Apartments - Chania
Operator and Date: Sky Holidays - September 2004
Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Paul & Tracey - Blackpool (34, 35)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
First time to Crete and were pleasantly suprised by the standard of the resourt ad accommodation.
The apartment was far from basic, very clean and well maintained by the friendly staff. The beach was a 2 min walk away, with plenty of sunloungers and several tavernas which were very reasonably priced for a light snack during the day.
Platanias was only a 5 min walk away which had a large selection of tavernas and restaurants including an excellent Indian and Chinese.
Excellent holiday - very impressed with Celia the representative who had a wide knowledledge of the island.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grand Bay Hotel - Kolimbari nr Chania
Operator and Date: Simpson Travel - Oct 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Oliver & Kelly Wyllie (29, 24)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
What a wonderful hotel. We didn't have good weather but the hotel and the staff made up for it. A fantastic place to be, very peaceful. Would definatly go back, but perhaps in August instead of October.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grand Bay Beach Hotel - Chania
Operator and Date: Tui - June 2005
Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Rafael Sosa - Hanau, Germany (32,36,17,15,8)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
What a fabulous hotel. This was not our original hotel we chose for our trip, but I am so glad that my travel company had to change our original plans and have us stay at the Grand Bay Beach Hotel in Kolymbari, Crete. The hotel staff were so friendly and they made sure that your comfort and needs were their utmost concern.
The pool area was nice with a beautifult pool and even a pool bar which connected to the main hotel bar. The rooms were large and the majority of them have balconies overlooking the beach (which this hotel is only 50 meters from the beach). The food was great with breakfast and dinner buffett included in our stay (and many desert options for the kids). The eating area is outside under a covered patio area right next to the pool which provides a nice relaxing meal while being able to watch the waves roll in on the beach.
My family had a terrific time and would definately stay at this hotel again. I would recommend this hotel to anyone wanting a nice quiet relaxing vacation in Crete.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hara's Paradise Apartments - Kato Stalos
Operator and Date: Manos July 2007
Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : Chris, Graham and Meg (50.48.15)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Second time at Hara's and another great holiday.
No building work taking place at all, so don't worry about dust etc. Haroula and her 3 boys really looked after us. The beach at Kato Stalos is lovely and has a welcoming breeze. The resort has only one draw back and that is the busy road, but as long as you know your green cross code you will be OK. Lots and lots of fabulous restaurant serving great food and wine. Our favourites are The Cactus and Kri Kri, although Geogialis(think thats how it's spelt) right on the beach serves a mean full english breakfast. Mambos is a bar that caters for the younger clientelle (a bit loud for us oldies) A visit on the bus to Chania is a must,the harbour is breathtaking.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hara's Paradise Apartments - Kato Stalos
Operator and Date: (Manos Direct) Manos - May 2007
Opinion submitted in May 2007 by : Andy & Lynn Rushton - Birmingham (47,48)
Resort Rating: Poor
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
Extensive building work in front of and behind property that we were not warned about.
Rooms are small, smelly and covered in concrete dust. The outer shell of 2 storeys has already been constructed next to the room that was allocated to us - room 4. Lorries, JCB diggers and concrete mixers start working at 8.30am.
The building work at the rear of the property is more advanced that at the front, so has obviously been ongoing for some time.
Kato Stalos is a very run down area with a very busy road running through it which you cross at your peril!
Hara's Paradise is anything but, and should be avoided at all costs.
We asked to be moved from the accommodation, and transferred to the Foudoulis Apartments in Georgioupolis ( a lovely resort with a village square, 10km beach and plenty of places to eat).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hara's Paradise Apartments - Kato Stalos
Operator and Date: (Manos Direct) Manos - July 2005
Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Janet Case - St Helens (49,42,16,13)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
What a brilliant holiday! Hara's Paradise Apartments are owned by Haroula and her fantastic family, Yiannis, Christos , Giorgios,and young Yiannis. Kato Stalos is a lovely resort and the beach is fantastic. The only problem is the very busy road separating the apts from the beach.
There are plenty bars and eating places. Our favourites were the Cactus Taverna and the Piralia which is right on the beach.
Their are some excellent trips and we went to the Limnopoulis water park which was great value for money.
But it was Haroula and her family that made the holiday so special.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Haridimos Apartments - Chania (Tavronitis)
Operator and Date: (Olympic Direct) Olympic - May 2007
Opinion submitted in May 2007 by : Adeline - Norfolk (56)
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
We have just returned from these apartments and had a great 2 weeks. The apartments are the usual basic style but clean and fairly well kitted out in the kitchen area. We had a 1 bedroom apartment so it was large although I believe most are studios. They all overlook the pool area which is lovely and has plenty of sunbeds and umbrellas.
Katerina, the host is very pleasant and speaks good English.
The apartments are located about a 15 minute walk from Tavronitis village which is very Greek, not at all touristy but it does have a supermarket and a couple of tavernas (although not sure about food at these). A car is recommended.
The local beach is literally about 80 yards away and the view over the sea is superb - however, the beach is totally un-sittable on as it is large pebbles/boulders but in some respects this is an advantage as it keeps the area quiet. And there are no other apartments or hotels within the immediate area. There is a taverna on the beachfront about 3 or 4 minutes walk away which serves good food.
We would mention that the BBQ on a Thursday night is a whopping 30 Euros per person but if you don't go you will be kept awake until 2 or 3 in the morning!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Haridimos Apartments - Chania (Tavronitis)
Operator and Date: (Olympic Direct) Olympic - June 2006
Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : Susan McKenna
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
These apartments were recommended to us by a friend and we were delighted with them. We wanted somewhere quiet and it was so peaceful. As a vegetarian there was an excellent choice of food for me each day and Katerina was happy to cook specific items if requested. I came home with several of her recipes and have tried some already. They were almost as good as those she made.
We shall certainly return.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kalyves Beach - Chania
Operator and Date: July 3rd 2007
Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : K.O.B (36, 15, 12)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
hi, kalyves beach hotel is a good hotel, but not excellent.
The room we stayed in was badish because we had no A.C. and no windows only the doors leading you out on to the balcony. We complained about this and a man did come up and fiddle with a few bottons on the wall and left again, but the A.C. was still not working so that wasn't very satisfactory. We ate in the hotel a few times (but only dinner) because the breakfast ended at 9am. the food was good.. its a very quiet hotel. but most people from the hotel where on the lovely beach right behind the hotel, the beach was gorgues and for us who had the lovely sea view rooms it was lovely. I would recommend you go and visit the acropolus in greece it was lovely. staff in hotel were good but the women in the bar where very slow to serve you, (just like when you went to a restaurant) u have to be very patient with that!
but the overall accomodation was execellent, but i wouldn't really recommend this hotel for someone who is looking for a very high standard! but i really would recommend the town - kalyves.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kalyves Beach - Chania
Operator and Date: Medhotels
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Robin & Jean - Washington (52,52)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Below Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
Having said that the accommodation rating was below average, in reality the overall accommodation is of a high standard, but we were initially put in a room which on entering had a overwhelming smell of damp, on inspection we found a large area of damp with black mould, On opening the balcony door it was like walking into a jungle with no view at all and no chance of getting any light into the room.
We immediately requested that we be moved as this room was not satisfactory, the room believe it or not was 101, aptly named I would say.
We were told that there were no other rooms available at that time and we should ask again the next day, this we did and were told to come back later only to be told the same again and again.
After three days of constant nagging by us and eventually requesting a refund we were finally moved to another room with a wonderful sea view.
However we were made to feel like outcasts by the hotel staff, who seemed to take it as a personal insult that we would not live in damp conditions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: may 2007
Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : alie, rob. keleigh, lewis 36, 37, 4 ,21mths
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
have just returned from a brill holiday at the louis creta princess 2 wk holiday couldnt fault it one bit.
rooms
very basic and comfortable we had a bungalow with a double and two single beds in we also had a cot in still with plenty of room to move around. plenty of storage double wardrobes and 4 draws under the single beds. but you only sleep and change in the rooms
food and drink
unlimited food and drink local beer is lowenbrau (farting juice) but okay to drink, mainly drank shorts and cocktails.
food is fantastic, although on our 2nd week the food got a bit repetitive. its right what people say the pizzas are fantastic chinese is good all you seem to do is eat and drink.
staff and reps
staff were really friendly especially in the restuarant, the staff took time out to tease kids. the kids reps tasha and katie were brill with kids even on their days off, they would take time to talk and play with kids around the pool they were brill.
pool
HUGE, brill, very safe for kids, plenty of subeds no matter what time of day.
entertainment
well what can i say serena, karmilla, barbara, omar, fabritzio, titziano,and simone they were fantastic, worked really hard all day and night brill shows, grease night not to be missed .
location
a bit out of the way but there was a bus stop outside of the hotel costs about 2 euros each to platanias, loads of bars and shops.aslo there was a free shuttle bus that you had to book the day before.
overall
fanctastic holiday, would definalty go back.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: First Choice- May 2007
Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : Gemma and Simon Hampshire 18,18
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Well to begin, this place completely amazing.
The main hotel is huge and immaculate! As soon as we walked in we knew we were going to have a great holiday. We stayed in the bungalos that surround the pool. The maid came in everydy and gave us clean towels, cleaned the bathroom and made the beds really well, they were also really friendly! the bungalows were great, loads of space for two of us! the balcony was quite small, but adequate. We didnt get a view of the pools which were amazing, we were on the other side but we still had a good view of the sea, which is literally at your fingertips!
The resort flows out onto the beach, and although it was a shingle beach,it was still nice. It wasnt extremely busy as it was only may (still v.v.vhot!), but as the week went on it was busier. Food was great, a little repetitive but still delicious! the only thing i can say that is bad bout the louis creta was that when it was 8pm, the food hall was rather busy and a little hard to get a seat, and it was only may!
Me and my boyfriend met some lovely people as well, we all had a great laugh and made the most of a great all inclusive deal! the food and soft drinks were avaliable pretty much 24/7 and were great! the alcohol (especially the cocktails) were great as well and were served 3pm til midnight! we had some funny times getting alcohol after then! Although it is pretty remote, the next town isnt too far and very good!
we thouroughly enjoyed our holiday and would recommend it to anyone!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: First Choice - May 2007
Opinion submitted in May 2007 by : 2 x Adults (20 +25)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
I had read alot of reviews before staying that, to be honest, did'nt leave me with great expectations for the hotel. However, we was pleasantely surprised, the rooms were very clean, the pool area was lovely and food was not bad, it does get a bit "samey" after a while which i think you have to expect at an All Inclusive.
Not much going on around the hotel, but you can get the bus into the nearby town - Platanias, where there is alot more bars, restaurants and shops, Its about 2 Euros per person.
We stayed in the Bungalows which are set around the pool and i definetely think they are worth requesting as they look newer than the main hotel building, which could probaly do with a lick of paint but there is nothing dirty or untidy about the hotel.
Overall, great value for money and a lovely relaxing holiday.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: First Choice - October 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Jim 'n' Deb ( 50,49 )
Resort Rating: Poor
Accommodation Rating: Below Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
Having read all the previous reviews, we went knowing that the pool area was good, the beach wasn't and that the beds were hard. We had also been to the Louis Zante Beach previously, so we though we would be okay. Little did we know.
We arrived to be given a garden room. It was awful. It smelled of drains, the bedding and furnishings were damp and some bright spark had decided to paint all the woodwork midnight blue so it seemed even more oppressive. We spent precisely 5 minutes in the room before we asked to be moved to the main building. That was no problem and we got a room on the fourth floor. Not bad and average for the type of hotel. Yes, the balcony was small, but big enough for two.
What happened next won't happen to many others who read this review, but it shows what can happen when things go wrong. The first full day we were there we had a thunderstorm that began at around three in the afternoon and went on until after midnight. As the hotel is at the bottom of a hill by the 'beach' all the water flowed into the hotel, literally. Water poured through the roof of the restaurant and bar and most of the ground floor flooded. Rooms opposite to us, on the fourth floor, also flooded due to water coming through the doors and windows. In the late afternoon, while my wife was in the shower, they turned off the electricity and water without warning. Dinner was served to people who couldn't shower or even use the toilet by candlelight with towels and buckets around us, catching the water. The electric came back on during the evening, but we were still without water in the morning.
Like I say, this won't happen to most of you reading this, because Crete doesn't have any rain from May to September. What it proved to us was how little the hotel think of their guests and how poor the First Choice reps are when they have to actually do something.
Now to the review. The rooms are nothing more than average, and are not properly cleaned during the week. Only our bottom sheet was changed, never the top sheet or pillowcases. The food is plentiful, edible and totally boring. The staff, with the exeption of reception, are surly and unfriendly and in some cases downright rude. The animation team are, well, Italian and deliberately wacky. Priceless. Only children could find them appealing. The pool areas are very well maintained and very clean. The 'beach' is the worst I have ever seen anywhere. The 'pretty resort of Maleme' consists of a couple of tavernas, a few supermarkets and a china shop.
DON'T RENT A CAR THROUGH THE REP!!! They will tell you that they provide the best insurance, better than other companies. Totally untrue. We rented a car through the SIXT company in reception and got a group two car for 60 euros cheaper than a group one with the reps for three days with exactly the same insurance. It was then upgraded to a group three.
As I said, the First Choice reps are great and always around when things are okay, but they disappear when things get tough. They do not take criticism easily as they are too used to being told how wonderful they are.
The hotel needs a complete refurbishment, but won't get one. It is too well appreciated by groups of families with young children who are far too easily pleased and happy to put up with second best. They are prepared to let their children run riot unsupervised while they get noisily drunk.
If you do not have kids, stay away.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: first choice-end of sept begin of oct ( 2 weeks )
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : husband , wife, kids , 37,37,7,3
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
The loius creta princess was an absoultley fantastic hotel for couples and families, an all inclusive dream , ice cream lowenbrow beers, pizzas kebabs,caveries,soft drinks,barbeques,a chinese( twice in aweek supposed to be every day but towards end of season but enough of something else to fill you )salads, puddings to die for,.
If you have booked this hotel for 2007 dont worry we had an great time 3 swimming pools really safe for toddlers and youngsters,food on drink every minute for 14 hours non stop,hotel entertainment team eddie/ fabio /nicola, laura/ laura/+ some one else fanatstic the sketch shows really show thier talent all mimed in english dancing jokes and sketches great really funny. musical shows also good greek night monday boring but 2 other all in bars to choose from outside or in pull your own beers wines and soft drinks,water in restaurant and in all bars,.
the weather was also spot on,rained on day we left otherwise hot hot hot.
first choice kids club reps holly an tony fantastic with kids even off duty came sat with us all in show bar still making fuss off kids, they could have just gone else where on night off to get rid of kids but credit to them didnt mind at all. even on last day when should be on airport duty came tearfully to wave us off.
hotel crowd english especially good lot, germans, french,scandinavians apart from the odd coupe as usuall no manners but that didnt no way spoil our hols.
made some good freinds first week and 2nd week.
rooms basic but to shower an sleep in just what you want,bungalow bang on pool and bar side excellent.
location not much around at all few bars and apartments to right of beach same price as home for beers and pop only made odd trip to front who needs to go any where with all this on tap.
all in all fantastic holiday good food good hotel good company will be going back definatley.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: First Choice Aug 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Olga, Al, and 5 children (45, 43, 11, 9, 6, 3, 11 months.
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Excellent holiday could hardly fault anything. Fantastic pools big and small, shingle beach, but not too crowded. Food marvellous, a wide variety each evening, carvery, international dishes, children's buffet, huge selection of salads and desserts etc. Best Pizza ever served at lunchtime. Children loved it, loads to do not to mention all the icecream and drinks that they wanted. Animation team work really hard, join in if you want but they don't push you. There is one animation team member called Eddie, comes from USA!!! He is really sporty and loads of fun. The brochure say the rooms are basic but they are of a good standard although the balconies are tiny. Air conditioning not that powerful but good enough for the amount of time spent in the room.
Definitely go back without a doubt some time soon.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: First Choice - August 2006
Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Lynn - Skegness (42,34,11)
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Hotel - Fantastic! The food was wonderful, plentiful and was hardly repeated throughout the two weeks we were there with so much to choose from .
The swimming pools were great and extremely child and adult friendly. Don't bother taking beach towels with you, you can get them free of charge from reception, and they can be changed every three days.
The rooms are clean and big enough (how long do you want to spend in the room apart to sleep?)
The entertainment during the day was excellent, Laura the kids rep kept the kids entertained all day, and the other animators kept the adults amused as well.
At night the animators came into their own - a different show every night (apart from Greek night on Monday)the dancing was wonderful (especially Nicola and Laura) and a delight to see so many musical shows and the odd night of audience participation (some being up for it more than others!) The animators are mainly Italian (even though Nicola insists he is from Jamaica) but all the entertainment is in English
A lot of German and French in the hotel, they do tend to not believe in queueing for food unlike us Brits, but you do get used to it.
Outside the hotel there is not a great deal to do, the trips to anywhere interesting take a long time to get there - over two hours to Heraklion, but the free bus to Chania is well worth taking advantage of. Elephonissi beach is well worth visiting with its pink sand.
Toilets and hygiene in Crete can be a bit of a culture shock - no putting toilet paper down the toilet only in the bins provided, and some toilets in Chania are little more than a hole in the floor - a shock if not prepared!
Would definitely recommend the hotel to anyone if you want to stay within the hotel or just occasionally venture outside
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: First Choice - July 2006
Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : The Hindles - Blackburn ( 36,35,35,32,10,9,5)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Well what can we say! Another absolutely fantastic holiday at this superb hotel. Was really enjoyed by the adults and the kids.
First choice reps, hotel staff, catering staff, bar staff, maids and the entertainers all did a fantastic job. One little thing that let the side down was the IN-HOTEL PHOTOGRAPHER. He takes your money when you order the photos then rips you off with very very poor quality photos. If you complain,he does a vanishing act and leaves his assistant who speaks limited English to fob you off. AVOID HIM AT ALL COST !! Other than that, we had a brilliant time and will not hesitate to go back yet again.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (Thomson Holidays
Direct) Thomson Holidays
Holidays - July 2006
Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : Mrs Ward - Staffordshire (37, 36, 35, 33, 9, 8, 7,6)
Resort Rating: No rating
Accommodation Rating: No rating
My/Our Holiday Review:
Well we can give you feedback when we eventually get there! We fly on
Tuesday 18th July to their sister hotel as the Louis Creta Princess has
overbooked the hotel! Yes we were informed by our travel rep yesterday
Thursday 13th July that we are now required to stay in the sister hotel
4 miles away as they have no rooms for us. So we begin our holiday in a
hotel that we didn't book and they are giving us £40 each adult
compensation and £20 per child but nothing for one child as they had a
free child place, a courtesy car to transport all 8 of us from one hotel
to the other on the Friday. We worked it out that it has cost us £240
per day to stay at the Louis Creta Princess Hotel and they are giving us
£100. No upgrade offered and no free ironing service either seen as we
are now having to live out of our suitcases for 3 days!! Thomson Holidays
can do
nothing and neither can ABTA, so beware just wait for that phone call a
couple of days before you are due to fly.
All this and they have changed the flights 3 times so we are now having to get the children up really early and this is not what we booked or agreed to!! We will log on again when we return to give you an update.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: First Choice- May/June 2006
Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : Steve Flack-Plymouth(37,37,30,26,9)
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
The resort is very quiet - a few bars and taverns along the beach - very good value and a change from the buffet, they all have kids playgrounds etc.
Small shop outside the front of the Hotel, a lot cheaper than Hotel shop.
The Beach is very pebbly and the sea gets deep very quickly. We hired a car from Motor Maleme (outside the front of the Hotel) very cheap and all inc insurance. We went to Elafonisi Beach by car (hour drive) most amazing beach I have ever been to with crystal clear shallow waters and amazing scenery. We got a bit lost and travelled through the mountain roads - not for the faint hearted. Very scary but very beautiful countryside.
I wouldnt visit again purely on the basis that Crete is a large Island and I would prefer to visit a different part.
I would rate the Hotel/Resort overall as 3 star but with no major gripes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice August 2005
Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Elaine 46, Paul 46, Alex 10
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday this summer. The all inclusive package was brilliant with plenty to eat and drink all day long. Pools were excellent. Animation team really great. We had pool side room which was lovely, could sit on balcony overlooking pool. Everywhere was kept spotlessly clean .
Took several bus rides/taxis to Platanias where there are shops and restaurants galore, nice for an evening stroll. Also went on several organised trips and would recommend seeing Elophonissi - beautiful (a long trip through the mountains though and the roads are narrow!!!); the Souda bay cruise where we were able to swim from the back of the boat, and for the kids the water park at Limnoupolis.
The weather was lovely throughout our 2 week stay and we would recommend this holiday inspite of the less than sandy beach ( you need sand shoes) and slightly choppy sea!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (Thomson Holidays
Direct) Thomson Holidays
- July/Aug 2005
Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Cheltenham - 12, 15, 16, 38, 40, 40, 48
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
The Rooms - the rooms here were basic, we had two rooms for 2 people and one family room. As it turned out the rooms for 2 people would have been more suitable for the family room as this consisted of 2 single beds and a sofa bed (for children aged 12 and under). There was enough space in the room but when 4 people were put into one room, furniture was taken out to make room for this, therefore decreasing the storage space. The fridge facility in the room was extremly handy. The rooms we had were in the main hotel not the bungalows. TV was good, some English film channels (Greek subtitles).
Food & Drink - food here was varied. Breakfast time was extremly busy come 9 o'clock and so the "specials" (pancakes and waffles) were often running out and people getting turned away by 9.30am. Hot breakfast was good though with a good variety. Lunch was very good with a fresh pizzeria open making pizzas constantely from 10-3. Here there were also varied snacks until the main lunch opened at 1pm at the main pool bar. This did tend to be left overs from the night before that was server here. Dinner time was generally good but there was not much of a variety, only 4 options per night + one on the chefs specials.
Drinks were okay with certain cocktails each night, different at each bar, but when the ready made cocktail ran out they then did not serve anymore - basically refused to make you up another one from fresh, even All Inclusive guests. Staff were lax about children getting beer from the pump, not stopping anyone from getting it. Soft drinks were okay and there was plenty of water machines.
Staff - we actually found all staff very grumpy and not at all helpful. There was one exception of a barman who had a joke with the kids but that is it!! Reception staff and resturant staff did not seem much bothered with any guests.
Pool area - this was VERY good. The pools were very big and there was plenty of room for everyone. The pool games were played in a seperate pool so anyone swimming was not constantely hit with balls! There was a shortage of sunbeds and even though adverts are up to not reserve sunbeds it had too be done. Only once did I see hotel staff removing towels from beds and this is because locals were complaining about not having first preference.
Entertainment - the animation team were good with the kids and had a lot of activities available for them to do, day and night. They did very well for the limited resources that they had. Adults also had things to do like archery, water polo and volley ball.
Location - really in the middle of no where!! if you walk to the right of the beach there is a few shops and supermarkets not to far, as well as resturants. (The hotel shop is very expensive, use the shop over the road for about half the price on everything)!!!! We hired out a car and went to some beautiful beaches, but they were a few hours away. The water park was a good trip out for all the family if you enjoy places like that, limited slides but still great fun!!!
Overview - We've been to other Louis Hotels and so therefore were disappointed with the standards of this one as previous ones have been very good. I doubt we will be going back there again, its only strength the big pool area.
If you do have 4 people in a family 2 rooms are strongly recommended, not 1!!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (Thomson Holidays
Direct) Thomson Holidays
July 2005
Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : 45,40,15
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Below Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
We've happily stayed at a Louis Hotel for the last 4 years - but this one certainly dissapointed. Main complaints are that the evening meals were bland, overcooked etc - and the dining room reminded us and everyone we spoke to of the school dinner hall - very bare and noisy with lots of people bumping past you all the time. Almost all the staff were unfriendly, which amazed us as we aren't new to greece at all and normally friendliness is guarnateed - can only assume that the staff are really unhappy.
Hotel building is really shabby but the pool is excellent. Bathrooms are miniscule. Don't believe the stuff about not putting towels on sunbeds - everyone does and the hotel doesn't remove them - so if you can't beat 'em..... The 24 hour Tour operator service was dire - and it even cost money (you have to ring them at your own expense if you want any help!)- really poor.
Good things are that there were almost no mosquitos - joy and happiness !!! We liked Maleme - it is a genuine working village - but if you want wild night life then forget it. In short yes we would go back to Maleme - but certainly not to the Creta Princess - well not at least until the buidling, the food and the staff friendliness are all seriously upgraded.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - July 2005
Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Peter (40, 36, 9, 3)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Below Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
Location very remote.
Hotel, shabby, crowded, old fashioned, outdated. Definately not 4 Star, would just maybe scrape a 3 Star at a push.
If you have a family the rooms are absolutely tiny but clean.
Far too many guests for the size of hotel. The Dinning room was exceptionally overcrowded and extremely noisy, for breakfast and dinner. You had to wait for a table to become empty then wait for a waitress to clear it and re-lay it. (Is this 4-Star, I think not!!). Food was average standard with not much choice.
Kids club was very good.
Pools are great, but again extremely busy.
All inclusive so you could drink your sorrows away, and believe me you will need a drink when you arrive here!!
Never, never, never going back here.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (Thomson Holidays
Direct) Thomson Holidays
Jun 2005
Opinion submitted in December 2006 by : Andy and Claire 29,30
Resort Rating: Poor
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
Don't even bother . This is the worst waste of money dive of a hotel we have ever endured. We booked this for our honeymooon as we only had a week to spare of holiday and really wanted home after day one.
If you are blonde and female your life will be made a misery by over-zealous male staff - you can't even go to the bar without comments being passed and sniggering etc. I couldn't even go to the bar in the end as I was getting so upset !
The room was a dive, the restaurant was pants, no wine list , never a 4 star hotel. I wish someone had told me about greek toilets before I went - it is disgusting in 100 degree heat to have dirty toilet paper lying around in bins!
Save your money go to Mexico to the Moon Palace where we went the following year. This is a dump, the staff are gross and it is filthy. i feel better after that but over 1200 pounds poorer for a 2 star holiday!
Really good taverna down the road if you also decide that you can't eat the all-inclusive this place serves.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice June 2005
Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Tommy,Jo Ryan & Owen (33,34,10,6)):
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Well, what can I say, first time we've been All Inclusive and would certainly will do it again, the hotel is superb, rooms are a bit small and basic, but they are cleaned daily, the pool is fantastic best i've seen. I've heard bad reports about food and drinks in All inclusive hotels, but I have no complaint's about the food and drink at the Loius, the beer and wine certainly were not watered down ( the hangovers we had will tell you that!!)The entertainment was great the kids had a graet time, didn't see them all day( which was nice!!)there were plenty of sunbeds for everyone and the pool area was kept spotlessly clean.The staff were very freindly.
The resort is a bit quite, a few bars and shops we liked it , but everyone is different.It is well worth taking a trip to Chania on the free bus, it has a lovely harbour,and is very Quaint. Well i'll have to leave it here, or i will go on forever, I will defenetly be going back ( I missing the place already). If your going, have a fab time ,we did.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice june 2005
Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : sue nick abbie jodie
Resort Rating: Poor
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Spent a week at the louis creta princess hotel on an all inclusive basis. Food was very good and plentyful, drinks were good in the fact that there was self service for beer, wines soft drinks and tea and coffee.
The hotel has a night club open until 2am with was welcome as the resort was very quiet. The animation team work
extremely hard but have seen better. Its worth taking the free bus into Chania and also a taxi into Platanias as there
are some very nice shops.
Glad we only went for the week as there is only so much sunbathing you can do, would not go back as like to see other places
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - May 2005
Opinion submitted in Jan 2006 by : Blackpool
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
We went in May of 2005 a party of 13 under 25's on an all you can drink holiday.
The hotel was fantastic and we could not fault the accommodation and the pool area is fantastic. At this time of year you do not find any queues at the bars or within the restaurant, however I would imagine in high season there would be for the bar. The location of the hotel is very remote and the local bus or taxi is required to get to anywhere with a bit of life, however being so many of us and with so much to drink we soon kept ourselves entertained. The maid service was excellent the rooms are cleaned daily with towels and beds changed every other day (we think, cant quite remember after all the tequila!!!) Overall the food was OK we have had worse in good restaurants in England. The snaks during the day and evening were excellent you can get anything from BBQ food, Greek Salads to Hot Dogs, Burgers, Pizza and chips.
I would reccommend this hotel to families or couples looking for a quite holiday. I would not reccommend it to a large group as the staff did get fed up with us by the end of the week. The reps by the way are brill!!! they work really hard trying to keep you entertained. I would definately go back to the Louis Creta with my partner or family in the future.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (Thomson Holidays
Direct) Thomson Holidays
Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : John Gowland - Buxton (45,50)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
This Hotel is fantastic, We stopped in one of the bungalow type rooms and it's better than in the Hotel as you are closer to the pools and beach. The beach is quite stony and not much sand but there's loads of room around the pool area and no shortage of sun lounges. The food is served for 20 out of 24 hours and is varied and extremely good. The poolside bar is self service for beer and red and white wine but the beer is very watery and the wine is virtually undrinkable due to its highly diluted state. However in the Hotel bars the beer is much improved and so is the wine and the local spirits are ok. The staff are very attentive and the cleanliness is second to none. It's a bit out on a limb but there's a free bus into Chania daily if you book at the reception the night before.
Overall its got to be worth 9 out of 10, The only minus point is the watery alcohol at the poolside bar.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - 2005
Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : Stuart Harris - Potters Bar
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Where do I start? its difficult as I want to rave about every aspect but i'm limited by time incase I get caught writing this at work!
I went with my other half who is 20 and I'm 23 but we didnt want a holiday permanently on the p**s so when we heard about this place and saw the pictures, we fell in love....and we werent dissaponted!
The Rooms -
Very basic but kept immaculate. for 2 people, it was perfect. A shower and bath, fridge and a small balcony (and a tv which has films in english with greek subtitles, perfect for the evenings in before a trip). we had a room in the bungalows which was a minutes walk from the main part of the hotel but seemed nicer than staying in the main building.
The Food & Drink -
Unlimited, varied and very tasty. I managed to put on half a stone in a week. From pizza to pork chops, chips to vegetables, there truly is something for everyone at all times of the day. I reccommend breakfast as the english breakfasts can fill you up for the day!
The drinks were unlimited and they work on a self service basis at the beach bar but spirits are poured for you and the bar in the main buliding is all served with snacks hot and cold.
The Staff -
Very good english, very polite and very helpful bar one grumpy receptionist but you cant win 'em all!
The Pools -
HUGE!!!!! only problem is they are fresh water pools and I dont think they have clorine in them. we went in for a dip on the first day and both ended up with colds. Minor problem! Also, there are more than enough sunbeds for each person to have 2 each in the busy season!
The Location -
The main problem with the location is it is in the middle of nowhere. There are busses in to the main town (Platanyas) but a taxi is only 8 euros. Well worth a visit if you want a night out! The beach is only 100 yards from the pools and is perfect for a walk in the evening but beware, pure pebbles! another minor problem and not really worth mentioning!
Entertainment & Trips -
So many yet so little time! The animation team are not just for the kids but also for the addults. They had bingo one night, a cabaret show the other and there was a disco a few nights! there was more but were were to busy on trips!
The excursions were brilliant, but I highly recommend the bike tour to the orange valley! one not to be missed is the greek night, a litre and a half of wine to myself...did it for me! The boat trip to balos bay however, should only be for sun worshippers and not the active. I feel I wasted 92 euros to sit on a boat all day as I didnt want to sit in the sun on a beach! we all learn from our mistakes!
Overview -
For our first all inclusive holiday, I want to go back next year. It was superb. The only thing that really got my goat was several bus load of germans who turned up 3 days before we went but the hotel ...... they took their towels away if they were left on the sunbeds in the early morning!! I love them for that!
Overall, this is perfect but if there is more than 1 child in your party, get them another room as the rooms are too small for 4 but big enough for 3!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice september 2004
Opinion submitted in Jan 2005 by : Mark, Traci, Charlotte and Chloe (34,33,11,8)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
What can we say? we have been to the Louis Creta Princess for the last 3 years and each year it has been brilliant.
All the hotel staff are excellent, especilly the animation teams(we have had 3 different teams over the 3 years all of who have given 110% to make our holiday enjoyable).
Yes, the resort of Maleme is a bit off the beaten track and there is not a lot going on localy, but when the hotel is this good it doesn't need to be bustling, there was everthing we needed inside the complex.
The swimming pools are the best i have seen anywhere in Europe.
The rooms, whilst a little on the small side were plenty big enougth for the 4 of us(after all, we only used them to sleep and get changed in!)
The food was always well presented and plenty of choice of dishes, plenty of different meat, fish, pasta, salad,even pizza at lunchtime.
I read a review that said the beer was watered down? we and all our friends certainly felt the worst for wear on more than one night after drinking it!!
The first choice reps did an excellent job of keeping us informed of what there was to see and do, but by our third visit in 2004 i think we could have done the welcome meeting ourselves as we had done just about everthing in their briefing!
The hotel provides a bus into Chania a couple of times a day and i would recommend everyone to take advantage of this nd do a little exploring.Chania is a beautiful city with lots to see and do. A visit to the harbour on an evenig is a must for everyone, it is simply stunning!
Also please visit the Commonwealth War cemetry at Souda Bay it is one of the most moving experiences i have ever had, i still get goose bumps when i think of all those men dying in such short amount of time.
The trip to Samuria Gorge is good day out but not for the faint hearted, don't try and kid yourself that its only a short walk.
Elafinisi looks just as good as any tropical beach anywhere in the world. Although a little isolated, we hired a jeep for the day rather than going on the organised excursion and to say the drive was an experience is an understatement! (just ask my wife, her finger nails are just growing back!!)
Well thats about it, all thats left to say is THANK YOU to all the staff and animation teams, keep up the good work and we will be back again in 2006, see you soon xxx
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: Firstchoice September 2004
Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Pete and Elaine (43) Sophia (3)
Resort Rating: Below Average
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
This was our first 'all-inclusive' holiday and we were unsure what to expect.Usually we go to a small Greek island with 200 inhabitants and a few tourists but Sophia now needs the company of other kids so we chose a hotel with a kids club. This hotel turned out to be a great choice. Sophia loved the club which was well-run by Tina and Jo. She chose to go to every available session. There were even evening sessions where they took the kids for their meal and then had fun. This also gave us the chance to dine in peace a couple of times.
The hotel itself looks a bit dated and the rooms are fairly basic, but as we only slept there this wasn't a problem. The shingle beach is very poor and there really isn't anything of note outside the hotel nearby but we didn't find this a problem as there was everything we needed on site. The only money we spent whilst there was on a newspaper each day and an inflatable ball.There was constant hot water and a powerful shower. Everywhere was kept spotlessly clean. The quality and choice of the food was excellent. The freshly made pizzas and pasta dishes at lunchtime were particularly good and for the two weeks we were there we never had a meal that we didn't enjoy. The Lowenbrau beer seemed full-strength and the wine and spirits were perfectly fine. There were never any restrictions on the number of drinks you could take away from the bar areas and never any queues. The pool was huge and very enjoyable. There were always plenty of sunbeds and umbrellas available at any time of the day, and there was never an early-morning rush to reserve them.
The animations team did an excellent job and should be congratulated. They really worked hard to keep everyone entertained. They arranged games from 10am to 5pm then went on to do the kids disco and later a show. Even though we are normally reserved on holiday, they managed to coax all three of us to take part in the activities but without being 'pushy'.
The whole experience was very enjoyable. So much so that we are likely to book again for next year.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice August 2004
Opinion submitted in Jan 2005 by : Martin, Joan, George & Harry (36, 36, 6, & 4)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
The only fantastic thing about this hotel is the pool.
The buffet breakfast was terrible. We opted to wait for the Italian restaurant to open at 10am just to get something edible! The evening meal was not much better. Plenty of it, mind, but not of a very good quality.
The all inclusive beer was what we would call gnats something or other and served in plastic cups. Certainly not a premium beer. The only place you cuold get a glass was in the main hotel bar and then only a half pint jug. They stop the all inc at midnight and charge 2 euros for a small beer. I ended up walking along the beach to a lovely little taverner and drinking ice cold Mythos out of an ice cold pint pot for 1.80 Euros. Take your pick!
The beach was rubbish, although that is not technically the hotls fault.
The hotel bus to Chania runs at ridiculous times. The return journeys I mean. They get you there nice and early but unless you want to come straight back you have to have the patience of Job as your there till abuot 4 o'clock.
As I have said, the saving grace was the pool. It is as good as any I have seen anywhere. The girls who ran the kids club were also great and they deserve medals for the hard work they do. The barman upstairs was also a bit of a hoot. He used to tell me a new Greek word every evening and I wolud get 2 Euros worth if I could remember it the next night.
Ok, it did have its good points butI am being totally honest when I say that this place just isn't up to the standards you would expect from a supposed 4 star hotel.
I haven't mentioned the bungalow accomodation as you only wash and sleep ther so they don't count. Unless they were dirty. Which they were not.
the animation team work hard and would leave you alone if you wanted.
I should also mention that on the beach the have an endangered species of sea turtle whih nests there and vounteers walk the beach earjy each morning to check on the nests and eggs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (Thomson Holidays
Direct) Thomson Holidays
-july to August 2004
Opinion submitted in Feb 2005 by : Richards and Williams family's!!!
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Well what more can we say than great,great,great!!!!!!!
This was one of our faviourte holidays EVER!!!(and we've been a few places!!) there was loads for the two youngest (nicki and loz) to do including scuba diving lessons in the pool! And a great disco for the other three kids!!(the nine of us when one night and really enjoyed it!) We would reccomend this place to anyone and everyone!! We couldn't forget to mension the animation team!They were great with the kids and we loved them!
The pools were good, one was used for water polo most afternoons but the other was just for a good swim!!!!! One tip for getting a sunbed is to get up early and reserve one before breakfast!
The beach was nice but a bit limited as there was no beach bar! If you want to take a swim in the sea BE CAREFUL as its a bit windy some days and look out for the warning flags!
We went on a trip to a canyon which was really good!!!! Again we would reccomend it to anyone!!!
The rooms were good but in one room we got a little camping bed (about 40 years old!!) and in the other room there was a dodgey bunk-bed that could of done with a lick of paint!!
Enjoy your visit we did!!!!!!!!!!!
Might see you there!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Creta Princess - Chania
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice -2004
Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Margaret Barton - 66,58
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
This was our third All Inclusive holiday to Greece in less than 12 months and this was for 14 days,
This hotel is excellent it catered for every one It had a turnover of every thing of 14 days, the food was great, pizzas made while you watched every meat available daily, the food was great. The pool tremendous never seen one so big, there was 3 restaurants were you could get from one or the other and eat it where you liked, so it never got boring,the entertainment staff worked so hard from 10 in the morning to 12 at night , and the shows were excellent, we missed one show that was done with fire in the pool, as we watched England lose in the Euro Cup, never mind it was a free bar when Greece won.
The hotel provided a bus service to and from Chania, which is a beautiful harbour, the bungalow rooms were a bit small but it wasn't a problem as we were very near the beach and that compensated that as I had my morning capachino coffee on a sunbed watching the waves.
This was an excellent holiday and it is the only place that we said we would visit again.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marias Apartments - Platanias
Operator and Date: Kosmar- July 2007
Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : Rachel, Liverpool 29
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
The apartment was very spacious- 1 bedroom not just a studio. Marias has no pol but you can use the one next door at the Ariadne. Pool is only small but there wasnever anyone in it and the water was so cool. No problem ever getting a sun bed.
More of a resort for couples or families, not for groups of party goers, however we enjoyed it all the same!.
Weather was FANTASTIC!!! 45 degrees on the day we arrived, but it did cool down (to about 35!!!!!)
Flew with EXCEL who were also fantastic!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Hotel and Apartments - Chania
Operator and Date: Individualy - July 2005
Opinion submitted in Dec 2005 by : Lord Mike
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
i have been to mike's apts since 1994 and have returned 2-3 times each year at various times of the year. what can i say apart from they are the best well maintained and serviced apts i have been to and the owners and staff are the most polite and friendly people you would care to meet, nothing is to much trouble and if they dont have something you want they will endeavour to get it to make sure you have a great time. the home cooked food at mike's hotel which is all traditional cretan food is prepared by helena the owner wife and is delivered to your table by excellent staff and always with most politeness and good manner.
for me i will never find a place that will match the location and character of mike's apts and i will never find the service that i have recieved for the last 11 years take my word for it that this is an oustanding place to stay and you will not regret booking (you can also book direct with the owners son manos who will always reply to any emails he receives
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hotel Molinos Park - Chania
Operator and Date: july 2006
Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : sonia & donna
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
After staying for one week at Molinas Park we couldnt wait to get home. I have read other peoples reviews but thought they were been too picky but little did i know.
we arrived on the saturday at 12.00 no rooms were ready for us we had 6 kids with us the youngest been 7 years old all we wanted to do were get into pool to cool off. 2 hours later we asked were the keys were finally we got our rooms me with 3 kids my sister in the room next door with 3 kids. we both had 2 beds for 4 people.
At night we went down to resturant all we saw was slop and chips it didnt change all week we all got stomach cramps and were sick.
3 of the nighs we were woke by fire alarms going off we didnt dare go back to sleep incase the alarms were for real no one came up to the floors to let us know we were safe.
one night we were up while 5.00 in the morning looking after 2 kids one 4 years old and the other 7 years old there mothers had gone out clubbing we only discovered this as the 4 year old was screaming in her room no lights were on and she couldnt find her way out we had to get security guards to go in each of there rooms to rescue them what a sad thing to see.
another night bar men were fighting with customers.
what a hell hole to be stuck in for 1 full week.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nontas Studios - Kato Doratso, nr Chania
Operator and Date: (Golden Sun Discounts) Golden Sun September2004
Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : John Stretch [55 52 54 56]
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
O.K. we went with Golden Sun, never mind it can happen to anyone. Area quite towny, very busy main road which can be noisy if you have an appartment at the front. Not much to see and do in the evenings if you like walking around and in and out of little shops etc. Beaches fabulous, three little coves to choose from all very safe but sunbeds expensive.
Restaurants to vist are Dimitris & Sakis on the road to old Daratso. Very friendly and cheap, food good. Don't go to Zorbas just up the road and definiately do not have the lamb in sauce. Yuk it was joist boiled lamb in fat! The starters were very good. A must is Gourmet restaurant, from apartments turn left and go almost down to the bottom of the road. It was the best. Ask Mike if he is still wearing his Benny Hill glasses.
Car hire cheap and well worth it although taxis are very cheap for local journeys. Don't take the rep's cars or trips, shop around you can get them for a lot less. Georgeopolis is stunning well worth a visit or to stay. Chania is lovely, horse and carriage ride very reasonable and worth it. Rethymon very nice, larger than Chania and more modern with MacDonalds! Ride the little white land train for an interesting tour of the old town with commentary.
Apartments are beautiful, the best we have ever had in Greece. Very clean, large and modern. No kettle. Swimming pool very safe and plenty of sunbeds. Stelios, the bar manager and general dogsbody makes the holiday. He is wonderful, very helpful and interesting always a story to tell. If he offers to take you on a trip, do it. We hired the car and he drove all through the mountains picking walnuts, avocados, pomegranits and all manor of wild things. Spoilt by Golden Sun collapsing whilst there, management terrible for a couple of days very volatile and demanding money.
All in all a lovely place. Very quiet and relaxing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nontas Studios - Kato Doratso, nr Chania
Operator and Date: (Golden Sun Discounts) Golden Sun - September 2004
Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Lynn Macgill ( 50, 52)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
We have just spent a great week at the Nontas Studios. The hotel/studios are very, very clean and comfortable. Our studios was spacious and well equiped. All of the rooms have balconies, our looked onto the road, which some people did find a little noisey, although the noise did not bother us as we enjoyed people watching from the balcony. The staff are very friendly and will move you into a quiet room if you ask. The quietest rooms are at the back and possibly overlooking the pool. The maid service is daily with one linen change mid week.
Buses are regular and cheap into Chania and other resorts along the north road of the island.
The beach is a short pleasant walk away ( about 10 mins.) and there are plenty of eating places to choose from. The local supermarket is across the road from the hotel.
The hotel is family owned and the family are really nice and very helpful. We especially like the puppy!!
We would definately go back to the Nontas!!!
Hope this information is helpful - have a good holiday.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Olga Apartments - Aghia Marina nr Chania
Operator and Date: (Kosmar Discounts) Kosmar - October 2004
Opinion submitted in Dec 2004 by : Alan Fisher- Newcastle (57, 57, 59, 60)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
These apartments are very well looked after and have a great location as they are adjacent to the beach. These apartments were amongst the cleanest we have stayed at and the staff were exceptionally helpful. The pool bar was not as busy at this time of the year but served good snacks and lunches and was very reasonably priced. We were on the lower floor and would have preferred an upper floor facing the beach purely for the view.
Taxis were very cheap so we used these to go to Chania (the drivers are mad but this adds to the excitement!!) Chania definitely worth a visit.
This was our second time in Crete so we did not hire a car but we took the trip to walk the Samarian gorge which was fantastic even if it was a bit hard on the old knees. It was well worth getting up at 5 oclock!! We booked with the local Tour/Car Hire shop just along the road from the apartments. The deal was cheaper through them than the holiday company and very well organised. We went on a Saturday which seemed to be quite a busy day. They did say that Mondays and Tuesdays are quieter (probably because these are the changeover days) which would make the walking in the gorge more pleasant and less busy but if there are not enough bookings they cancel the trip altogether - bit of a Catch22! It would be impossible to do this trip independently unless you could get to Chania bus station very early in the morning and I can't see how it would be cheaper. Transport back from the bottom of the gorge is not easy either - you have to take a ferry and the tour bus picks you up at the next stop along the coast where there is road access.
Local facilities could not be better with supermarkets next door and a cash machine outside the apartments - a great holiday.
I really recommend these apartments
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Palazzo Porto Platanias - Chania
Operator and Date: First Choice - July 2007
Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : F du Cann (61,48,8)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Opinion:
10/7/07 to 24/7/07
We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at the hotel to find that it had/was undergoing an upgrade and extension as we werent told about this by First Choice. The new extension to the hotel included a well set out reception, more rooms and an extra pool. Our room was well presented and our small private pool backed on to the new hotel pool and surrounding area which made it easy to use both. The hotel staff were very friendly and virtually all spoke good English. The restaurant was supposed to have a dress code for gentlemen (eg. long trousers of an evening) but I cant remember it ever being enforced during our two week stay. The food was very good and quite varied and the wine list extensive although mostly local wines.
There is a Kiddies Club run by the hotel and we found this to be very good, the staff were excellent.
In all I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone seeking a very pleasant holiday, be it family or just couples as the facilities provided suit both.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Palazzo Porto Platanias - Chania
Operator and Date: Independent June 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Tony Swinbank - Durham 53,51
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Had two week holiday in Crete - first week at a wonderful small hotel at may.gr near rethymnon and then moved onto this one. Extremely disappointed after the first one. Hotel itself very good, breakfast excellent ( we had booked B&B)but room overlooked a building site - even though we'd paid a supplement for side sea view. Pool was large enough but often in shade and limited sun beds - that wouldn't have mattered as beach and sea directly in front. However the charge for sunbeds by the hotel itself was 7E / day and very crowded whereas at far end of beach we found lovely area which was free if you bought a drink from their small bar.
Platanias full of places to eat - some in old village up the hill with great views but we found the 'Symposium' good and reasonable. Chania itself well worth the visit - easy to catch a bus - but they do get crowded - but on whole preferred Rethymnon.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Palazzo Porto Platanias - Chania
Operator and Date: (Thomson Holidays
Direct) Thomson Holidays
- september 2004
Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Gwen Lucas - manchester (71 - 60)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Lovely small resort with selection of shops, bars & restaurants.
Lovely friendly people, delicious food and easy to get out & about. Nice beach with selection of beach bars. Hotel Porto Platanias was in agreat location , not quite enough sunbeds but so cloe to beach it didn't really matter. Do try the Italian Restaurant "Zefferenas" it is excellent. Thouroughly enjoyable holiday, must go by bus to Chania & visit the Naval Museum to learn about the Cretan history.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Panorarma Hotel - Chania
Operator and Date: Jetair - august 2005
Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Inès - 31
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
Positive:
- very nice pool (for adults)
- excellent food
Negative:
- next to a very busy mainroad (=traffic-noise + extremely dangerous to cross the road or walk on --> pavements are poor))
- next to a go-carting
- a few supermarkets at 5 min.
- bars or reataurants: not many + beside the busy road
- to take a walk is impossible 'cause there's nothing to see + dangerous
- expensive drinks (coke 2,5 euro )
- childeren: small elevators (problem for wheelcair for baby),pool is not good for small childeren (too deep)
- I've got the impression the hotel is not totally renovated: only the poolarea. The rest is rather oldfashion (I don't mean traditional)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Panorarma Hotel - Chania
Operator and Date: Travel Bargains/ Med Hotels - June 2005
Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : Tattersall - 27, 28
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
A gorgeous hotel! We were so impressed with the pool and terrace areas that we found it really difficult to drag ourselves away to explore the island.
Plenty of sunloungers and there were never more than 3-4 people in the pool (and often no-one at all!). This may have been as the season doesn't really kick off until end of June). The only downside was the wind, which often picked up around lunchtime and made it difficult to sit by the pool without your towel/book etc blowing away!
Note: in eary June it was quite chilly at night, so take something to cover up!
It was very peaceful as the guests were mainly couples without children. An ideal place to visit if you don't go in for all the 'cheesy' hotel entertainment. They do hold a Cretan night on a Weds, but we happily ate in the restaurant without being disturbed.
We'd never gone half board before and didn't intend to eat in the hotel much. That all changed once we were there as the food was so good!! We only ate out on our last night - but wished we hadn't bothered! (we ate on the harbour and had terrible service. After waiting 45 mins for our main course they brought me the wrong dish! I ended up cancelling it, as everyone else had already finished eating.)
Chania town was easy to get to (be brave -get the bus!)Buses are modern and only cost 1 euro each way. They stop right outside the hotel and you can even buy a ticket from reception. Taxis are 7 Euros each way (buses finish aprox 10.30pm).
We didn't find an awful lot to occupy ourselves in the evenings. Chania is very pretty, but small so it doesn't take long to walk round the bars/rests/harbour areas. If we hadn't made friends with another young couple, we'd probably have been quite bored.
We felt the excusions were quite limited, as they either involved long coach journeys or 8 hrs of walking! We did the boat trip to Gramvousa (Pirate Island) and Balos (Blue Lagoon) which were both really worth seeing. Excellent for sea swimming with beautiful clear blue waters. The sea was pretty rough though, so don't go if you get queasy!
Next time we would probably hire a car so we could go exploring ourselves, but this didn't ruin our enjoyment. The hotel was so lovely we were happy to relax by the pool and wait for our next feed!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Panorarma Hotel - Chania
Operator and Date: The Sticklers - July 2004
Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : The Sticklers - Kent (50,45,14,12)
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Booked this holiday at the very last minute and we were not disappointed and are very much looking forward to returning some time.
'Panorama' is an apt name for this Hotel as there are magnificent views from all places especially the pools and terraces. It is worth paying the extra for a sea view though. Millions of sun beds and umbrellas therefore no need for the early morning towel patrol! Many Greeks seem to holiday here and the Brits were in the minority which made it very peaceful.
Our boys lived in the pool or on the table tennis/snooker tables. We were glad that we had not taken our 18 year old along as it is definitely not a teenager sort of place (unless all they want to do is 'Chill').
The Hotel is rather on its own on a busy road (not a noise problem - only a crossing one) but it is only a short bus ride (90c) or taxi (6 euros)into Chania. Chania is beautiful and well worth the visit! Food is varied but good and buffet style and staff are friendly. Meals are taken on a lovely tree covered terrace where you can enjoy lovely views both morning and evening. The pool bar is also good and the menu is varied and perfectly adequate for a lunchtime drink and snack.
Went on an organised trip down the west side to the south tip of Efonisi(?). Great coach ride through villages and the gorge (glad we weren't driving) and although the beach was pretty spectacular it was too windy for umbrellas on the day that we went and there was no shade save for the trees at the back of the beach (500 metres or so) which the greeks had bagged. Sea also absolutely FREEZING! Perhaps worth checking weather situation before you go.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Panorama Blue - Chania
Operator and Date: Argo - August 2007
Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : Kevin Steer - West Sussex (57, 50)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
We really enjoyed our holiday in the executive wing of this hotel. The noise from the road is not a problem. The sun bathed the whole of our exclusive pool area virtually all day but you could withdraw onto the patio for shade if you prefered. The food was okay but we chose to eat out on four occassions. Forget Chania Town go to Platanias, the other way. The restaurant Mylos is highly recommended, it is a converted water mill, but be sure to book. Drinks are always expensive in hotels. I didn't find walking a problem and managed 5 to 10 miles a day along the roads with little problem. Walking to Platanias was better than going the other way towards Chania.
Hotel staff were very friendly and couldn't do enough for you. It was the barman who recommended the Mylos.
Don't bother going to Knossos, early start, 3 hours in a coach and very disappointing when you get there. Another 3 hour coach ride home after a two hour visit to the town of Heraklion for lunch. Not expensive, 35 euros each, but not worth it.
We will definitely be going back to this hotel which is ideal if you are looking for a quiet, relaxing holiday.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Panorama Blue - Chania
Operator and Date: Argo - Sep 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Kareb abd Colin (43 and 58)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Just returned from a week at the Panorama Blue in Chania. We booked on a half board basis and decided to upgrade to a pool deluxe room in the executive suites as a treat.
The Hotel positives:
Hotel was well maintained and the little touches if you were in the executive suites were a nice touch (free tea/coffee and juices all day, plus a free aperatif before dinner (which we made the most of due to the hotel prices!!). The views from the main pool area were as described - fantastic and you would never have a problem getting a sundbed. Pool snack bar is where you eat breakfast if you are in the executive suite and this was good. Generally the service was good.
The Hotel negatives
As other reviewers had commented, the hotel was on a busy road, however I would not say that the traffic noise was a problem, nor was the go kart track. It is not ideally located as there are not a lot of bars or tavennas near by and negotiating the road at night is a no no. The drinks are mega expensive (I would say a bit of a rip off actually!!) and the food was buffet (different theme every night) but not outstanding (however I am biased as I do prefer to have my food freshly cooked for me so not a big fan of hotel food being kept warm. On the last 2 nights they moved dinner inside to the restaurant, you had to queue to get in and sit in some cases on long tables (a bit like Butlins), we choose to eat out on the last night as it was not very enjoyable. If you do book a deluxe pool room be warned that the sun doesnt actually get around that side of the building until about 5.30pm so you dont get to use your sunbeds or the pool in front of the rooms (they dont tell you this when you book).
Only visited Chania twice, we did find a nice tavanna to eat in (sorry forgot the name though) but I would say all in all Chania is very expensive I think you are paying for the location in the harbour.
To sum up we had a relaxing holiday but would not return to Chania nor would we go half board again. The hotel itself is a 3plus rating and the executive suites 4 in my opinion. Self catering or B & B is a better option as you can please yourself as to what you eat and when.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pearle Marine Spa and Health Resort - Chania
Operator and Date: Argo July 2004
Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : Gareth Jones (27,27,24,24)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Our Holiday to Pearle was booked on the recommendation of our travel agent, who usually comes up trumps with what they are able to suggest.
This hotel was superb, as two youngish couples we would normally look for something a little more lively, however the standard here far made up for its 'just out of town' location. It really is a perfect enviroment for a relaxing holiday. If you are able to hire a car then there are a million reasons why you should chose this resort. We loved our accommodation and the food was perfect every night. We aslo considered having a small wedding here next year we thought the location was that good !!!
We have nothing to say about this hotel as a criticism.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Perle Hotel - Chania (Stavros)
Operator and Date: Argo - Sept 2004
Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Phil Catterall - North Yorkshire (51, 49)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Good Points:
Gardens with far reaching sea views from the balcony if you pay the extra.
Friendly staff.
Good food - plenty of choice.
Excellent layout - stand-alone rooms within the gardens with sea views - rooms within main hotel building some with sea views. Very clean.
Not affected significantly by aircraft noise yet within 20 minutes of Chania airport.
Excellent pool area, more than enough sunbeds to go round.
Reliable bus service to Chania six times a day, although last returns from town are early at 8.00 pm. Bus fare is cheap at 1.5 euros single. Taxi from or to Chania is
10-15 euro.
Free savoury snacks and crisps with every round of drinks.
Bad Points:
High prices for bar drinks, snacks, i.e. 33cl bottled Amstel beer 3.5 euro - draught beer had run out in early September (and no more was being purchased) but was similarly priced. Nescafe also 3.5 euro.
Area around outdoor pool exposed if the wind gets up.
We only saw the indoor pool being used a couple of times, it looked very nice but was overlooked by two floors of public areas and was surrounded by tables and chairs for the dinner and wedding reception that were held on the two Saturday nights that we were there.
Main bar area lacked atmosphere as it also serves as entrance hall and reception. Very little entertainment was available in September. The Hotel was very quiet then.
General:
Perle Hotel is almost new and by Greek Standards truly 5 star. There is an African theme running throughout the Hotel - it is understood the Greek owner lived in Africa for some years and the furnishings throughout the Hotel are very unusual for Crete/Greece. I was told that the Perle opened for business in 2002. We did not use The Perle Roi Health Spa facilities, these are available for use by guests at extra cost. We booked the package as half board through Argo Travel. The hotel management are very flexible in that you could take lunch and forego evening dinner if you gave them sufficient notice.
We decided to book the Cretan Night trip through Argo Travel. This took place outside at a Taverna in Therissa. This was a poor night. There were 4 dancers, it was cold sat outside in the mountains (according to the leaflet it's held indoors), the "free wine" was no stronger than shandy and the toilet facilities (2!) were inadequate for 9 coachloads of tourists. We were four English amongst a coachload of Finns. This wasn't a problem, however the Finns got all the information about where we were going en-route and we got told nothing.
Car hire was done via the Argo Rep with a company from Rethymon called Status Car Hire. We had a Ford Ka. It was good value for money and problem free in all respects and was delivered and collected from the hotel.
The area around the hotel is sparsely populated rough ground. Some development is taking place but it is just a villa here and an apartment there at present. We walked to Blue Beach (2 km) and Stavros (3 km) on several occasions where alternative facilities are available for refreshments at Tavernas. The village of Tersanas is also within walking distance around the headland (about 4 kms) but apart from a small beach there is little attraction to go there.
I feel that so long as you accept that the Hotel is relatively remote with a 30-minute taxi journey to Chania I can recommend it. This would be a positive attraction for many.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hotel Pilot Beach - Chania
Operator and Date: Tui August 2004
Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Keith Ditcham (39, 32, 6, 4)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
The hotel consists of two parts seperated by a tunnel under a busy main road which unfortunately can still be heard from your balcony at night. There are four outdoor pools of various sizes and one indoor but the sea is more appealing.
The hotel is ideally situated on a lovely sandy beach that gently slopes into the crystal clear warm water. Even if you are guest sunbeds and parasols are extra averaging 10 Euro per day for a family of four.
Food is bland but there is plenty of it and I suppose the only comment to make is that it won't make you ill. Lunch however is either one of four different rolls or a three course buffet meal. The lack of choice is limiting and one would expect more from a hotel of this alleged "luxury" standard. There aren't exactly loads of tavernas within easy distance either so you are largely tied to the hotel or need to hire a car.
Take your German phrase book with you because English guests are in a minority and are not really catered for. Our children were largely ignored by the animation team as they were non German speaking.
You may wish to consider booking somewhere else.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Platanias Hotel - Chania
Operator and Date: (Thomson Holidays
Direct) Thomson Holidays
may/june 2006
Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : jean&fred sheffield retired
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
platanias hotel in a wonderful position on the outskirt of the resort right next to the sea.very modern studio spacious shower room kitchenette area a little cramped but adaquate this hotel will take some beating for cleanliness.platanias boasts lots of shops and resturants but we thought eating and drinking was on the pricey side.trying to walk anywhere was a nightmare having to dodge in and out of traffic as pavements are either too narrow or so hazzardous.
a nice resort plenty of variation a visit to chania is well worth it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Platanias Mare - Chania
Operator and Date: june 2007
Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : rachel peek - denton (10,15,18,40)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Just came home from holiday, had a fantastic time.
The hotel was absolutely excellent, its situated right on the beach with a medium sized swimming pool situated at the back of the hotel. There was no fighting for sun beds as there always is on holiday. Staff were fantastic YAMAS maria and theo - they will do anything for you and are always avaliable to you. Our room was at the back of the hotel so you could wake up open the doors onto the balcony and sit watching the sea. There is a range of different bar/eating places and they're all really friendly people =] would deffinaely go again and again and again had such a fantasic time thank you maria and theo and everyone else that made our holiday what it was =] =]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Platanias Mare - Chania
Operator and Date: (Thomson Holidays
Direct) Thomson Holidays