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Kokini Hani Hotels and Apartments A - Z Hotel Arina Sands - Kokkini Hani Operator and Date: First Choice - Sept 2006 Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Emma Busby-Staffordshire (34,30,9) Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: First time we had gone All Inclusive and it wont be the last. We are frequent travellers to Crete and this year we decided on something different. The holiday has got to be the best yet!The hotel is really clean, nice staff and the food has something for all tastes! The rooms were cleaned daily and our maid always folded the Pjs up etc which was a nice touch! The towel service that the hotel provides is really good and allows you to have clean beach towels everyday if you wish. The animation team were brill, they put their heart and soul into their work. If you didnt want to take part in any activities then all you had to say was no! The kids run club 'mini club' our son thought was great and he went everyday and made friends there. also he took part in the evening 'guest' show with the animation staff! We had a really helpful rep who was there everyday even though we didnt need her it was good to see. All in all a really nice holiday was had by all and we are even thinking of going back next year!!!!!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Arina Sands - Kokkini Hani Operator and Date: First Choice - 2006 Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : Donna 41,42,15,15 Resort Rating: Poor Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: this was a very nice hotel, quite large but compact, food to suit all needs, and very good food too, even do chicken nuggets and chips if you have a really fussy child, the pool is huge, only complaint is its salt water, so take your goggles!! we had a lovely room, right on the beach, could hear the waves all the time, rooms are large but basic. entertainment there was abit cheesy, but the entertainment team were a lovely group, they worked their butts off, trying to get everyone involved and do their best, and were really friendly the first week we were there, there were quite afew british people, by the second week there were hardly any, so if you looking to mix with lots of british then this isn't the place for you, i really enjoyed having lots of nationalities and met some lovely people, my son met a lovely russian girl, who he's now keeping in contact with. the other british in the hotel were lovely people and we all became good friends, if you reading this you know who you are!! especially the couple who's taste buds weren't up to much!! and ken and barbie!!! lol its a great place to meet other nationalities, its clean and the staff are very helpful, the resort is nothing to write home about, but most of your needs are met by the hotel and there is a bus stop right outside the hotel to go exploring other resorts all in all we had a very good holiday --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Arina Sands - Kokkini Hani Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - September 2005 Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Rose & Les - Milton Keynes (both 55) Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: What can I say, loads of Sun, Sea, Sand and food. What a fantastic time we had meeting loads of people and made some very good friends. The layout of the complex was absolutely perfect, plenty of sun-beds (free) and plenty of space. Fantastic big fluffy towels issued for the beach/pool every day (free). Getting a sun bed in your favourite spot did mean getting up at the crack of dawn, but hey, it was so worth it. The staff were very friendly especially Katerina in the Taverna. We had such a wonderful time, we have already booked to return back to Arina Sands next year - Cant wait!! - Well done to 'Max' (the Animation Team leader) and his team, they did a brilliant job entertaining us all. I had the song "La Bamba" in my head for days after we got home. Fantastic resort, fantastic staff, fastastic food, fatastic CRETE!!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Arina Sands - Kokkini Hani Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - Aug 2005 Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Wayne, Jane & Ashley (40,40,13) Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: Well we went to Arina last August, and it was FAB. Kokkini Hani itself was a bit barron, not much happening, and the tavernas were empty!! Arina Sands was great and the animation team were fantastic, they really made our evenings. The food was really good, the best was the BBQ's. Anyone that is booked to holiday here will have a great time. There is a bus stop right outside so it's no problem for you to explore the Island. Overall no complaints, and we wouldn't hesitate in going back. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Arina Sands - Kokkini Hani Operator and Date: (Panorama Direct) Panorama-August 2005 Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Laura Butters-Bolton (34,33,10,1) Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: Our holiday at the Hotel Arina Sand was brilliant. Entertainment The Animation team was excellent and catered for all ages. The only problem with the evening shows was that it was indoors and got extremley hot. Other than that it was wonderful. All the shows were really professional and well organised by the director of the animation team,Max. Pool The pool was really big and good but the only problem we had with it was that the water was salt water. Food The food was fantastic especially in the main restraunt. There was lots of variety and there was different styles and types of food each night such as the italian night,the greek night and the gala dinner. Accomadation We stayed in the beach bungalows and they were great and quite spacious. Also we could sit outside our bungalow at night and have a drink as the bar was only 30 seconds away. Places to go Go to Water City as it is only 9 Euros in a taxi. Also Malia is nice to go to because it has a beautiful beach. Overall We had a fantastic time and would definately reccommend it to any body,especially families. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Arina Sands - Kokkini Hani Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice june 2005 Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : chris notts { 45 40 13 11 } Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: went to arina sands in june what a brill holiday. food on tap beer on tap and great weather. The staff and animation team couldnt do no more for us ,we didnt want for anything.Went to water city up the mountains its brill, some of the slides were amazing.Went in taxi cost 7 euros,bargain.Booked this holiday on a late booking so was a bit nervous as to what it was going to be like,as never been all inclusive before.No need to panic ,CARNT WAIT TILL NEXT JUNE. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Arina Sands - Kokkini Hani Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice 2005 Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Shelley Burke, London (41, 7,5) Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: Nice hotel in superb location. Lovely, friendly staff, good food. Basic but totally adequate rooms, daily cleaning, fresh towels and bed linen every 2 days. The staff are very very welcoming to kids. The big thing is that the hotel looks across a gorgeous bay to the west so pretty much everyone goes out on the deck and watches the sun set after dinner. Superb. Not a good place to go if you hate "foreign" food or are dependent on a rep to help you sort activities. The buffet is wonderfully varied and international and there's not a lot of hamburger and chips type food going - fine with us but some English visitors were complaining. We went with First Choice and never saw their rep, and heard similar from some people who'd booked through Going Places. But who needs those reps - don't let that deter you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Arina Sands - Kokkini Hani Operator and Date: Fisrt Choice - 2005 Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Sandra (46, 45, 16, 9) Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: This is a great family holiday resort. The staff are all helpful in particular Katarina in the taverna always has a smile. The animation team keep the fun going all the time. The food is plentiful and varied. Lots and lots of glorious sunshine. A very restful 2 weeks. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Arina Sands - Kokkini Hani Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice-october 2004 Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : mark goddard-atherton(38,24,12) Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: Well,just come back from hotel arina sands.This was our first all inclusive package holiday. Were do we start,we arrived at the hotel at 4 am saturday morning to be greeted by a very chirpy and well mannered man on reception, who very quickly got us booked in and shown to our room. We were staying in one of the beach side bungalows which was very nice with a huge sliding double glazed window,which was then a 10 second walk onto the beach. The bungalow had a nice clean,big bathroom with a toilet,shower and bath,i have never been in such a powerful shower,brilliant for waking you up in the morning after all the beer. There was lovely fresh towels in the bathroom every day and the maids did an excellent job of cleaning and making the beds every day.. The bungalow had its own air conditioning unit,television,telephone,haidryer,loads of clothes hangers,mini fridge and safe. The pool and beach areas were excellent and spotlessly clean with plenty of space to set up one of many,mainly new sunbeds. The restaurant had an excellent choice of meals at all times,even fussy kids like ours actually ate more than we thought she might have done.There was lots of variety to choose from including special theme nights,barbecues,italian etc.There was also a very good selection of wines,beers and soft drinks available with your meals. Now on to the entertainment,as it was the end of season(last week in october)things were a little quiet,BUT the animation team did an excellent job of keeping everyone entertained right up till the last minute.Through the day there were beach games,volleyball etc.And at night although no professional acts,the team did a brilliant job dancing,singing and acting,with different shows each night,then followed by a disco till 12pm. We hired a car and went to visit the loads of different little moutain villages all with spectacular scenery and culture. Although it was end of season there were still lots of shops and places open to visit and see.We particualy like the shopping as most of the shops were selling all the clothes off cheap. All in all we had an excellent time and are already looking at prices to go again next year. A must for anyone looking for a hotel were you can relax and unwind.......... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Arina Sands - Kokkini Hani Operator and Date: (Panorama Discounts) Panorama - June 2004 Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : The Greenwoods - Yorkshire (37,37,11,8) Resort Rating: Poor Accommodation Rating: Good My/Our Holiday Review: On reflection we all enjoyed the holiday despite there being some disapointments. The location of the hotel is 10mins from the airport and right under the flight path of the in coming planes making it quite noisy at times.Kokini Hani is " low key"(said the rep),with a few bars and shops but no holiday makers, its totally dead, like a ghost town! The hotel its self was quite full with a mix of German, Russain/eastern block, Dutch, French and a few English people. The atmosphere was relaxed even if you had to get up at 6:30 to get a sunbed! The main hotel is spacious, modern,bright and very clean the staff were friendly and helpful. We stayed in the sea front bungelows which were small plain, just one room with 4 beds in and not enough storage for 4 people but clean with beds made every day and wonderful big thick white towels changed every day and a hairdryer provided. The food was good with lots of choice,and various bars serving various different foods all day long. Although fussy children might struggle. The pool was large and very clean but was a cocktail of salt water and chlorine, so take your goggles.A big plus was pool towel service, big yellow fluffy towels which you could change every day- so don't pack towels. The animation team did work hard, even performing the evening show-sorry no professional acts here.they did get a bit irritating somtimes with their persistance for you to join in. Our 2 boys couldn't join in as they aimed it at the adults and the mini club only did pasta necklaces, hair braiding, painting,etc All the advertised activies in the brochure like the water sports are all for adults not children- a big disapointment and our children got bored. a good place to visit is water city - 5mins away by taxi the boys loved all the slides.Get a car and explore, there are some beautifull views if you head in land. over all a good holiday but we would not go back again. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Arina Sands - Kokkini Hani Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - May 2004 Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : From Milton Keynes - Montana Darby 14, Lorraine Darby 34, Dave Darby 42. Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: Hello everybody. My name is Montana and I have just got back from the Arina Sands hotel in Crete! Where do i start?? It is an absolutely gorgeous place to visit. We arrived in Crete in the early hours of the morning and was really pleased to see that the hotel was located near to the airport. Some people may not like this but I thought it was great as we didnt have to sit on a hot, boring coach for 2 hours!!! On the way to the hotel we drove through a town of shops, bars and restuarants. This brought a big smile to my face! When we got to the hotel I was really impressed with the standard of the hotel. It was nice and clean and had shiny marble flooring. Also there was nice sofas to sit on in the reception and really posh oak card tables. We went straight up to our room and by this time it was getting light. We opened the balcony door and i was amazed at our view! I never thought that paying that little bit of extra money for a sea view would make such a difference! The view was absolutely amazing. The rooms were decorated nicely and also had good condition carpets. The bathroom was very clean and had a massive sink area for us ladies to do our hair and make-up. There was also a safety deposit box in your room instead of the normal reception with a fridge, aswell as air conditioning. These little things can make all the difference when you in the heat! The breakfast was delicious. I never heard anyone complaining about it. Every morning there was a variation between crepes, pancakes and fried eggs. The lunch was nice too. This was different every day. And also the dinner was good too. Also there were special greek food nights and italian food nights. This was refreshing change too. During the day, there was also snacks available, including pizza, sandwichs, toasties (my personal favourite!), spaghetti, chips, burgers and many more foods too. Also there was as much ice cream and cakes as you could eat!! This especially seemed to keep the younger children occupied. During the day, there was activities going on every 15 minutes, these included, basketball, dancing, aerobics, water aerobics, volleyball, football, waterpolo, darts, archery, french boules, cycling, water sports, tennis, table tennis and loads more. These activities were all organised by the animation team! These were such a laugh. They worked really hard to keep everyone satisfied and worked 18 hours a day! They also provided very foreign entertainment which was funny after a while, but they definitely tryed their hardest to be your friends and get you to join in. Also they had nearly everyone up doing the club dance evverynight which a right laugh! They had lots of energy and were great to be around, especially Kevin, David and David(the other one)! Thank you for making our holiday an excellent fun-filled experience. The beach was gorgeous. It was literally on the beach which was great! It was really soft and the people on the beach who controlled the watersports were really friendly! The beach was quite long and it was enjoyable just strolling down the beach catching a nice tan in the breeze! The pool was really nice too, except from it was a FRESHWATER pool, but it does state this in the brochure. This was the only thing i didnt like but i soon solved the problem by buying some goggles!(available at the minimarket or the shops adjacent to the hotel complex). Also a great idea with this hotel is that you can have clean, fresh, soft, fluffy, FREE, beach towels given to you everyday. This was a help as we could use these everyday and replace them for clean ones at the end of the day too. The hotel has many facilities for people to do. There was a giant chess board on the roof aswell as its own mini golf course which was a great laugh to watch and play. There was also a games room for the older children such as myself, with pool tables and table tennis, which was free of charge. There was doctors available 24hours. I felt sorry for him as he must have got bored! We saw the same doctor every night watching television in the reception as we dragged ourselfs up to bed in the small hours!!!! There was three bars in the hotel complex which always provided a efficient service, especially at the pool bar! The lady behind was really kind and welcoming and managed to keep the queue short and also refill on the ice-cream, coffee, orange juice and water machines. Also in the hotel there was a jewllery shop that sold magnificent pieces of jewellery, aswell as designer makes at superb prices! These included, luis vuitton, dolce and gabbana, fendi, gucci, christian dior and also prada! This is a muct buy for any women who loves her designer makes! The hotel is set in a good location. About 5 minutes walk up the road there was a large selection of shops, bars and restuarants. A little tip: DO NOT WAIT HALF AN HOUR FOR A BUS LIKE WE DID!!! THE BARS AND CENTER OF KOKKINI HANI ARE JUST ROUND THE CORNER! Also about 20 minutes taxi journey down the road, the center of hersonissos is situated! The taxi costs around £30, so it is difficult to visit there often! Your taxi driver will probably be called Marinnos. He is really friendly and can speak very good english which is helpful. This place is absolutely massive! It is great. There are superb clothes, shoes and designer shops, aswell as souveniour shops, and bars, clubs, tavernas, gorgeous restuarants and also the harbour is situated here too. I loved this place and i really wish we had visited it more than once!!! And the othere way from the hotel there is a smaller town called Heraklion whHRC was apparently a smaller version of Hersonissos. So i guess this would be a great night out too!!! Also about 10 minutes drive up the mountains, the best waterpark in crete is situated. It is a really good day out for the whole family as there are loads of rides for you to enjoy. They also do dleicious stonebaked pizzas there, which is a must buy for all you pizza lovers! Back at the hotel there is still a lot to offer for the children. Theres a mini-club which always looke liked they were keeping the children busy and allowing the parents to relax for a few hours. There was a seperate pool for kidsa and a playground with slides, swings and climbing frames. There was a cinema which had films on most nights at 6pm for the younger kids, such as Finding Nemo and then another film on at 9pm for adults and older children, such as Love Actually. So there is a range of activities for kids to do here. Also for people my age(14)there is lots to do too. As i have said, there is a games room and normally in here you will find all the teenagers. Here there are a mix of older children so you dont have to worry about being left out! I met some great people out there too. Especially Yasmin, AJ, Martin, Emmy, Roy, Jan, Maddie, Graham, Jo and Thomas! So if your reading this now, then i hope you are all okay and have great memories of our holiday, because i know for sure that you all enjoyed our holiday as much as wed did. Sorry this review is soooo long but as you can see i had so many great things to say about the hotel. I hope you have enjoyed reading it and i hope i have reassured your minds. Please visit this hotel as it is great. I would recommend this hotel to anyone who likes having a relaxing but also fun-filled holiday!!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Blue Sky Apartments - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : Ian Taylor - Dudley (48 and 49) Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: We can highly recommend the Blue Sky apatments,the studio we had (208) was spacious with ample storage space,the staff were fantasic and couldn't be more helpful and the English breakfast great value a super way to set you up for the day ahead,there is a minor "but" some of the apartments need just a small amount of attention such as work surfaces are are showing signs wear and tear and need replacing nothing to spoil a holiday though. To sum up the Blue Sky superb value for money accomodation we will return soon. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cosman Hotel - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Golden Sun Discounts) Golden Sun August 2004 Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Tom and Val Speer - Scunthorpe (66,62) Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Good My/Our Holiday Review: We stayed at the Cosman Hotel for 2 weeks commencing August 24th 2004 having got a last minute holiday from teletxt offers (Internet). We were a bit apprehensive at first after reading some of the reviews but knowing the basic fact that one man's meat is another man's poison we arrived with the attitude of making the most of it. The Cosman complex is quite picturesque especially an night - well, from our room anyway. I wouldn't fancy the rooms at the poolside however. Yes, the accommodation is basic but not at all unbearable when you have settled in after a couple of days and know the ropes, so to speak. However, the staff are a first class bunch of people - led by Manos the Manager, his wife Lefka and son George and the others being Stella and Maria with an excellent night barman, also named Manos. I have to say that they were all very warm, friendly and outgoing. We were on a s/c basis but also ate at the hotel for a reasonable price quite often and always enjoyed what we ate. We made excellent friends with the other guests some of whom we keep in e-mail contact with and on the whole, the other guests were really nice people. One bad point is the rather dear price for drinks - E3 for a large beer - but that price seem to be general throughout the resort. If the opportunity should arise, we would definitely go there again. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cosman Hotel - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Golden Sun Discounts) Golden Sun August 2004 Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Robert, Priti and Alisha (56, 44, 3+) Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: Pleasantly surprised, having read the other reports before going (but after booking). Best thing is a combination of layout, family attitude generated by managers, good pool, proper Greek food and decent apartments - all adding up to that hard-to-pin-down thing called atmosphere. No Brits from hell even tho everybody was from UK and same operator - the staff moved very quickly and unobtrusively to stop bad behaviour so you hardly noticed. Wonderfully uncompromising attitude to providing food: high quality salads and Greek breakfasts (people who complain should read the brochure first - wish they'd have honey, though), main dishes completely varied through 2 weeks and often delicious (don't miss lamb stew with potatoes baked with tomatoes and oil, and stifado OK too). No concessions to north European 'tastes', thank goodness. We'd expected to eat out a lot but mostly ate there in the end. Also ignore some of what you read about the rooms. These are also definitely Greek, so you can expect to splash about in the bathroom and you can always put up some extra pictures on the walls (get the kids to draw some - on paper, that is!). Staff are brilliant, but there is one rip-off and that's the 'local charges'. You could buy a fridge for less, so we did without. Needed a fan, could have bought that too. Perhaps visitors could start doing this and passing them on to other residents when they leave. Drinks also very expensive. E2 for a cup of hot water with a tea bag is way out of order. Location also needs a warning. Unless you go in spring or autumn it's a long hot walk to the beach (best one is east, opposite medical centre and behind a big German-package hotel) and you should hire a car if you can even for that (agree with comments in earlier review about the first one to the west - it's called Inter Hellas). Also for meals out, because there are better eating places down the road than in the high street, for instance at the last big beach before the airport where the first one you come to, with menu in Greek only, has good fish, lamb chops, etc. The Chinese/Thai opposite the other local beach is surprisingly good, open till midnight, and does takeaways if you're late home from a day out. We paid E280 for a car for 12 days and with the days out as well it was well worth it. Forget about the organised excursions, especially the so-called Greek village up the hill, tho the water park must be fun if your kids are the right age. Good rep this year who lives locally. Golden Sun presence pretty unobtrusive and if you wanted you could forget there was an operator involved at all. Otherwise a great time, our nearly-4-year-old made lots of friends, we relaxed, and we would recommend this to anybody who has their eyes open, knows what to expect for a cheapish place in Crete, and doesn't mind being a bit off-beach. PS: Now that Golden Sun has gone bust we don't grudge the Cosman any of their bar and hire prices - on the contrary. Might be the only income they got this year. Good luck to them and we hope they find another operator quickly --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dionysos Studios - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Golden Sun Discounts) Golden Sun - Sept 2004 Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Paula Foster - Manchester (37,38) Resort Rating: Below Average Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: Quiet, unpicturesque resort on the road between Heraklion & Ag Nik. Small sandy beach with gentle slope, sunbeds etc. Plenty of places to eat, very good greek food from all places visited. There are a good handful of bars, gift shops, supermarkets, car hire places all on the one road. On the down side, if the sun doesn't shine there is nothing to do in Kokini, you can however get a bus out of town, Heraklion is only 20 mins away, Hersinossos 20 mins the other way. Dionysos Apartments were excellent, George & valentino are always around to help with drinks, snacks etc, nice clean pool & plenty of sunbeds. Rooms cleaned 2-3 times a week by their mother. Airport is only 15 mins away which is good for transfers but also means you are on the flight path, the noise was never a problem though. We were told of a place to eat frequented by only Greeks & by recommendation, cant remember the name, but to get to it the path was opposite the big pottery shop, walk down the concrete path towards the beach for 100 yds, there is a small taverna run by a scottish lady & her greek husband, she will tell you what is on the menu, which will include fish caught that day.Really good food & free raki. We will go back to Crete sometime, but unfortunately not Kokini, a week was plenty. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dionysos Studios - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Golden Sun Discounts) Golden Sun - August 2004 Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Di Baker - Cornwall (41, 13) Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: I am quite loathed to share this little finding and would quite like to keep it my secret, but that's not fair! I booked this holiday with my 13 year old son last minute after finding only one holiday review and no photographs of the hotel. This was the first holiday alone with my son and I was a little apprehensive. We arrived at our little hotel after a short transfer of 20/30 minutes and were pleasantly surprised by how pretty it was. The small group of apartments is surrounded by well kept gardens, has a small pool and bar by the side and is only 5 minutes walk from the beach. We were warmly greated by young, handsome, smiling George who showed us to our immaculate apartment - thanks to his lovely mum (a very busy and lovely lady who speaks little English but has a wonderful smile). The apartment consisted of a little kitchen, bedroom with tv, safebox and air conditioning (safeboxes free, air con 5 euros per day - well worth it). There was a small washroom and toilet with shower and a little veranda. Upon exploring outside we found a pool and bar and were greeted by people from the other apartments. Here there are always sunbeds and shades free and as there are only 10 apartments all guests get to know each other well. We made some great friends. Each evening George's friends (a really lovely group of lads) came to the bar to watch the Olympics. The sense of national pride was fantastic throughout Kokini Hani. As one Greek lady said 'It is a the year for Greece we won the football, completed (although last minute) the Olympic stadiums and even come third for the Eurovision song contest, which has never happened before and even beat Britain!' George keeps this bar open until the last guest goes to bed, and we often found that went into the very early hours (4 a.m. was not uncommon). Light snacks were available but beware of the owners home made raki and drinking games!!! I should know better at my age... However, I am glad to say I wasn't the only one that drank only water the next day. In Kokini Hani there are many lovely authentic Greek restaurants and we ate often at a place just down the road and opposite which looks very basic but is cheap and very good (sorry can't remember the name but breakfast is advertised outside at only 2.95/3.95 euros for large). You can eat at the fish restaurant and this is lovely overlooking the sea at sunset. George's cousins also run an excellent chinese/thai which is a couple of minutes away and if you mention his name you can get 10% off. We took the privilege of visiting the Olympic stadium in Heraklion and watching Iraq v Australia, this was a truly fantastic experience. We also spent a day at the waterpark which is only 20 minutes away by coach. All of this was arranged by a very accommodating lady at Amigos, who appears to have superb rates for any trips and offers good advice. The beach runs along the whole of Kokini Hani. The sea can be calm one day and there may be high surf the next. The beach to the left is long and thin with few rocks and there is a bouncy castle in the sea which kids can play on all day for 3 euros. To the right of the resort is a beach which is under a cleanliness project, they state that 'the only thing they want left on the beach is your footprints'! Here you can get a sunbed, snacks, play volley ball and there are flags to tell you if swimming is advisable or not. To round up - our holiday exceeded all expectations: The warmth of our hosts, thier friends, the people of Kokini Hani and other people we met made this a very memorable experience. I hope to return with the rest of my family in the very near future. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Kamari - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Libra - 2006 Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : John Rose Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: The resort is excellent if you are looking for a quiet place to relax and enjoy the beautiful sea views. The people at the Tabepna tarvena were exceptional. Food was rally good value for money. sunbeds too are available for a very good price. The people in kakkini hani were all very freindly. T he only letdown was the accommodation which was very basic to say the least. The decor is in desperate need of updating and the rooms would benefit from tea and coffee making facilities. Noise was a problem - not from the planes flying over but from the other guests as the wall were paperthin and the patio doors creaked something awful. Travelling to or from the beach is not really advisable after dark if you are alone as you do have to go under a dark underpass. The hotel is not a place that i would choose to stay in again- although the resort did make up for any disappointments. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Kamari - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Miss Ellies Travel September 2005 Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Sarah Ward - Manchester (29,34,30,33) Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: When we arrived at the resort it was the middle to the night as we had been delayed for hours. The hotel owner Jordan came and opened the bar for us. Throughout the whole holiday, he did everything he could to make us feel at home. He even organised for my husband and friend to go fishing with his brother. The hotel is a nice walk away from the beach and even though you do have to go under an underpass (watching for random cars!!)it is not noticeable how long you walk for. The rooms were basic and in need of updating, but when you only spend time there sleeping and getting changed you don't really mind. It was near the airport and motorway but we never found the noise a problem when sitting on the balcony at night. The resort itself is about 10 minute walk away and once you get there, there are plenty of restaurants and small bars where everyone is friendly and is value for money. The beach is clean and quiet, you can wade out quite far. Access to other parts of the island are easy if you do not hire a car. Buses are every 10 minutes and they go absolutely everywhere and the veiws are breathtaking. Breakfast is continental, but you can pay extra for a cooked breakfast if you want, which we did and found it to be quite nice. The pool was really nice, situated at the back of the hotel it was clean quiet. All in all i would recommend this hotel to anyone who want to just chill out for a week in a resort that is not too busy but very friendly. Hotel Kamari will be having a visit by us again. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Kamari - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Libra Discounts) Libra - September 2005 Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Sarah Williams - London (28, 28) Resort Rating: Good Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: Our room in the Hotel Kamari was clean but basic. It had a shower but no bath. You are advised to get up early if you want a hot shower - the first two days we got up at around 9.30 and the water was cold. Unfortunately for us this meant getting up at 7.30 for the rest of the week - it wasn't ideal to feel the need to set an alarm when on holiday. The hotel was quite close to the main highway. The noise wasn't a problem provided you kept the balcony doors and shutters closed. However, because of the road noise we did not sit on the balcony very often. The breakfast provided at the hotel consisted of cereal, fresh bread, jam, boiled eggs, ham, cheese, tea, coffee and orange squash. The biggest disappointment for us with the hotel was that noise carried through the walls between rooms. Every time a toilet was flushed, light switch turned on or balcony door opened in the rooms next door and when people were in the corridor, we could hear it clearly. The hotel was about a 10 min walk from the shops, restaurants and beach via a highway underpass. The biggest expanse of sand in Kokkini Hani is to the west of the resort (just past the Arina Sands Hotel). We found a quieter but much smaller sandy beach in the centre. The sea was clear, shallow and calm on most days. The resort itself is quiet. We would advise hiring some transport and exploring as there is not much to do other than sit on the beach in the resort. The bus service is clean and runs every 30mins. It cost 1.30 Euros per person each way to the more lively Hersonissos and the journey took about 20mins. Nearby Gouves had a much longer sandy beach which would have been perfect apart from the land backing on to it being littered with rubbish, probably due to the nearby campsite. We had a relaxing time in Crete, but a week in Kokkini Hani is plenty. We booked last minute and went in the last week in September so got a cheap deal and despite the gripes, overallwe were happy with the hotel given the price we paid. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Kamari - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Goldensun - July 2004 Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Darin orr - Ayrshire Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Good My/Our Holiday Review: Visiting Crete for the first time we avoided Malia and opted for the unknown Kokini Hani. Price was a factor as it was a late deal. The resort itself proved to be a gem as we were looking for a more laid back holiday. Plenty of bars and good restaurants and a couple of small beaches. The sea however was great. Waste deep for 50 yards out and sandy under foot for over one hundred, really good for swimming. The resort is also ideally positioned for the islands main waterpark, only 10minutes drive. The Kamari hotel is slightly out the way on the other side of the main highway. Reached via an underpass (10minute walk). It seems to be the only hotel of sorts on that side of the highway but we found it ideal. It has a fantastic pool, good for kids at one end and 9 foot deep at the other, complete with spring board. A very laid back hotel run by Jordan and his family. They were really friendly and being Greek, very informative. There is noise from the highway but opt for aircon and the noise can be shut out by closing the balcony door. If you want value for money and like a hotel where you can take it easy, then this is worth a visit. The entire resort suffers slightly from aircraft noise as it is under the flight path but you get used to it after a day and it is in no way loud. To sum up, relaxed hotel, and a resort which you will share with local Greeks. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lyda Apartments - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Budget Travel July 2004 Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Richard Lawlor -Dublin (43,43,7) Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: We have just had our best holiday ever.The Apartments were very clean,with plenty of sunbeds for everyone.The people of Crete are some of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet. Eating out is very cheap,we never spent more than 35 euro on a meal any night.The best places we found to eat were Kostas,250m from the Shamrock Bar,and the Minoan rincess,which is the first restauranton the right when you turn at the Rainbow. A car is a must,but do shop around,as we paid 130euro for a car for 5 days.One of the people paid 250 Euro for the same car for 4 days only. We can't wait to go back again. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Niros Beach Apartments Operator and Date: (Panorama Discounts) Panorama/Manos/My Travel - sept 2004 Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Dayl 34 & Cath 33 Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: As Niros Beach is only in its 2nd season (in 2004) there were absolutely no reviews to hand. However, I did locate their web site and although it isn't the best web site in the world it will give you a really good idea of the actual apartments. freewebhosting hostdepartment com/n/nirosbeach text htm We were somewhat apprehensive on arrival (at night). However, we woke up the following morning and every thing just got better and better. Niros Beach is approximately half a kilometer from Kokkini Hani and is of an equal distance from Gouves too. Both of which are quiet towns with Kokkini Hani being the busier of the two. The 'strip' (for want of a better word) that Niros Beach is located on is approximately half a K long. This consists of only a handfull of tavernas/bars. (perfect if you just want to chill out!) There is a regular land train which runs from Kokkini Hani to Gouves but we didn't find where the stops where until too late into our holiday. The nearest stop to Niros Beach incidentally is just opposite the Ambrosia Taverna which is approx 150m away. The Apartment was an extremely spacious one bedroom apartment which would easly accommodate 4 people. It was excellently furnished and the whole apartment complex was kept very clean. There was a fridge, 2 cooking rings and ample pots and pans, cutlery and crockery etc. The maid called approximately every other day. It is a very small complex (25 apts) with a small bar with Pool Table and a lovely but small pool with free loungers/umbrellas. Understandably the manager would sometimes close the bar early if trade was quiet. The complex is Situated directly opposite a small shallow beach with crystal clear waters. The beach is divided by short piers every few hundred metres (so if you fancy a spot of fishing take your fishing rod!) The two nearest tavernas are Medusa and Dakos. Being on the left and right (respectively) as you leave the complex. Medusa was superb for an evening meal with beautifully fresh local food and excellent service. Dakos was a smaller and more popular with the locals, excellent for lunch but we didn't get to have an evening meal there. The local bus service is excellent. From the main road busses run both East and West to Malia and Haraklion (about every half hour or so). A single to Heraklion will cost approximately 1.20 Euros. They are comfy air conditioned busses with a conductor on board. Haraklion is definately worth a visit by the way. There were only two negative things about our stay in Crete. 1. Niros Beach is directly under a flight path and can get a little noisy if things like that bother you. However, I have to add that this didn't keep me awake! 2. It took us approximately 3 days to recover from Samara Gorge. It really is hard going (and we're quite young, health and fit!). The views are breathtakingly spectacular and there is lots of extremely safe refreshingly cold spring water along the walk to keep you hydrated. A word of warning though (it was the 19th of September when we did the walk in temperatures of 37 in the shade!) Once you see the Greek flag you are relieved (but that relief soon becomes dispair when you discover you've a further 3k to the village/harbour) Overall, I would definately recommend Niros Beach if you want somewhere laid back and 'non touristy' to escape from it all but still be in a prime location to expore the island. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: teletext holidays Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : Hillier Swindon Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: We booked a 5* holiday with teletext holidays for £2495 for 1 week.2 adults 2 children.We were told we would have a 2 bedroom suite as we have a 13 year old who we paid full price for.We ended up with a hole in the wall with 2 beds and 2 camp beds with foam mattresses all in one room with a small bathroom, overlooking the pool which blasted loud music out all day.We complained at reception along with every other british tourist who felt they had been let down by the tour operater. In my opinion the hotel is 3* on the upgrade and 2* on standard rooms.However the resort is good for kids and the beach and the food were of a good standard especially in the taverna.We decided a change to greece away from Spain and their islands.Their is also a severe mosquito problem.The resort is also attracted to more european tourists,not so much british.sunbeds are gone by 9am. I have just arrived home and felt the need to let people know.I have slept all week on a camp bed so my wife and kids could sleep well.Also if you have kids remember you are all in the same room so forget a romantic week. The hotel i feel is not to blame it is the tour operater. I paid £2500 for 1 week that i feel was worth about £1500.It is no way a 5* ,it is a 3* by spanish * rating at best.SO please beware of operaters saying 5* it would not come close so do not believe them. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Sun Star Leisure now Hotels 4 u - 2007 Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : Davies family - Hereford (46, 43, 16, 11) Resort Rating: Good Accommodation Rating: Below Average My/Our Holiday Review: After reading reviews on this hotel before travelling we expected to be staying in a 3-4 star hotel as opposed to the 5 star ratings on SunStar's website. However, on arrival at 11.30pm to our room we were disappointed to see the standard was not at all like the pictures on the website. 1. Ants crawling all over the floors, walls and even bed! 2. Big gaps under the balcony doors allowing easy access for the slug-like caterpillars. 3. Big rust patch in middle of bath 4. Dripping taps 5. Dripping water from upstairs room (whether that be from toilet or bath we don't know)landing on our head whilst taking a bath. 6. Light bulb over mirror not working. 7. Radio not working. Having spoke to Brits finding themselves in the same situation as us it seems that it is a ploy of the hotel to try and get you to upgrade to their so called VIP rooms. For our family to do this would have cost £450 for the 14 nights. Having said this when we did complain to Reception about our room within 10 mins someone had cleared away the ants and all in all the maid throughout our holiday did her best to keep this under control. The actual hotel complex itself was fine, staff were friendly, food adequate, (although watch out for tap water being served out of bottles at the poolside bars!). Overall we will never book a holiday with SunStar Leisure or Hotels4U again because we feel if they are happy to put their clients into rooms of this standard they are not a company we wish to deal with again, and we will inform friends and family accordingly. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: last minute-October 2006 Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Shirley Cousins(50,57) Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: We had a superb room which was kept beautifully clean throughout the week.Towels were changed daily and the sheets three times during the week. Food was plentifull and on the whole there was something different to enjoy on a daily basis.All members of staff we found to be helpfull and keen to assist.Despite the storms and rain of the first couple of days(the worst in living memory according to news 24)we had a relaxing time, returning home tanned and in need only of a diet!! We certainly did need the insect repellent though, perhaps the unseasonal rain gave them a boost, for the first time we were both bitten...tip for those who forget it, the sliced fresh lemons in the dining room cleans the bites and wards off further attacks.We had a balcony room overlooking the sea but others in the bungallows seemed as pleased as we were.As a bonus the local red wine was drinkable...not lovely by any means but certainly drinkable.The more you have the more interesting it becomes. Enjoy your holiday. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: sunstarleisure Aug 2006 Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : a millington - warrington ( 37,33,14,14) Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Poor My/Our Holiday Review: After using sunstar leisure for many years now at always staying at a Mitsis Hotel without any complaint. I have just returned from the RENILA BEACH 5 STAR HOTEL On arrival at the hotel we were escorted to our room. I immediately told the night manager that I was not happy and demanded an alternative room, at the time, the very early hours of the morning, all that I could see was that the room we had been allocated was dirty and poorly maintained. The duty manager would do nothing and suggested that I return after 10 am. At 10 am the next day I was at the desk in THE LONG QUEUE OF HOTEL GUESTS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE POOR ROOM QUALITY. I conveyed the following complaints about my accomodatoion to the receptionist. 1. MY ROOM WAS DIRTY WITH DIRTY FLOORS,WALLS AND CEILING 2. MY SHOWER TAP AND WASH BASIN TAPS WERE RUNNING CONSTANTLY 3. THE BATHROOM WAS DISGUSTING AND THE TOILET SEAT DIRTY AND CRACKED 4. THE FOURTH BED WAS AN OLD RUSTY, DIRTY AND MISHAPED PORTABLE COT COMPLETELY UNSUITABLE FOR SLEEPING ON WITH A DIRTY THIN FOAM MATTRESS. 5. THE OTHER TWO 'CONCRETE AND WOOD' BEDS WERE DIRTY AND UNCOMFORTABLE WITH DIRTY MATRESSES AND HUMAN HAIR AND SKIN EVERYWHERE. 6. THERE WAS A STRANGE AND PUGNANT SMELL IN THE ROOM 7. THE TERRACE WAS DIRTY AND SHABBY WITH BROKEN FURNITURE. 8. THE PILLOWS PROVIDED (1 PER GUEST) WERE INEFFICIENT 9. THE TELEVISION PROVIDED WAS CRACKED MAKING IT ELECTRICALLY UNSAFE. 10. THE FITTED WALL LIGHT WAS HANGING OFF THE WALL MAKING IT ELECTRICALLY UNSAFE 11. THE BATHROOM LIGHT SWITCH WAS HANGING OFF THE WALL MAKING IT ELECTRICALLY UNSAFE. After speaking to the second of the 'most agressive and uncooperative staff members' that I have ever encountered I was getting nowhere and so decided to fing the REP, You do not have a Sunstarleisure rep at the resort and I was told to use the AEGEAN TRAVEL REP who had conducted the welcome meeting. The woman told us quite blankly at the reception desk that she was not responsible for helping us out with this aspect of our holiday and that we must contact Sunstar leisure directly in the UK. I telephoned you that morning at a cost of 15 Euro and could only get to an answer machine. After being cut off several times. I left you a messge requiring that you contact the hotel and get my room changed. I checked several times over the next two days but you DID NOT CONTACT At this point I decided that my holiday was fast running out and so would have to unpack in the room that I was stuck with. I offered the hotel more money to move me to a VIP Room, they were overbooked and could not, I later discovered the following: 1. Holiday makers in the queue who were represented by Thompson were All given a better room ( I have names and addresses) , I was the only passenger. with yourselves. 2. The shower was broken and so I had only the option of taking a bath. 3. The pugnent smell in the room was caused by rotting material underneath the refridgerator. The food was appauling and only a few members of staff at the hotel were freindly. I have booked several holidays through you now and spent a fortune with you, I have also previously reccommended you to lots of people and have never had a problem in the past. After finding myself completely isolated in a foreign hotel with hostile staff and no company representation, I shall never use you again. I paid four adult fares for a five star hotel, I was not given four adult beds, the room was sub standard and would not merit more than 1 star, the accommadation and food would not merit more than 3 stars. DO NOT BOOK THIS HOTEL. It is sad that unfortunately this hotel seems to be two hotels running in parrellel. Ther are good clean and well maintained rooms BUT THESE ARE VIP ROOMS ONLY. and there are a few members of staff including: All of the animation team and a couple of waitresses who really try their hardest to serve and entertain. Sadly the staff on the whole are ignorant and miserable, I even witnessed a full blown shouting match between two receptionist ( funny as hell for an adult but distressing for a child to witness). NOT RECOMMENDED. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays -May 2006 Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : Turner-Hartley 34,34,11,9,21mth,38,35,10,13mt,24,21 Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: First impressions of the hotel were fab, we were shown to our rooms, up and down alot of steep steps with 2 buggies, we later found an easier way round with no steps, first impressions of the room were not good very dated and the wardrobes and draws smelt of damp the plugs in the sink did'nt fit and the loo didnt flush, the balcony was unsafe for our 21mth old as he could fit through the gaps, but as my husband pointed out we only change and sleep there. the complex is beautiful though, my only grip on that is that it is not safe for little ones, low walls with steep drops there is no railing or fences any were so we could'nt let our little boy out of his buggy. on a positive note we had a very good holiday though I'm very fussy with everything,eg food, accomodation, but the food was amazing, the staff were very friendly even the maids fanned out the childrens pjs every day which was a nice touch. In the evening you will get served quicker if you give a tip, the staff there were friendly also, the food in the taverna was the same every day which could get boring, nice location though looking out to sea, the beach was beautiful, had to put towels on early though as the sunbeds all went, theres nothing much off the complex, you need to pay to go on excursions to get off the complex, water city well worth a visit, the rep gave us wrong information all the time I think he needs some more training though!!. All in all I would love to go back we had a brill holiday but the rooms just need a refurb and railings putting up round the complex then little ones are safer. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Sunstar Leisure - Sept 2005 Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Mark(39) & Sandie(36),Billy (7) Ruby(4) Smith Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Good My/Our Holiday Review: Holiday Date 23rd Sept 05 - 4th Sept 05 Hotel - This was our first all inclusive family holiday,and we were not disappointed.Although not the 5 star of international cities standard our accommodation was clean and adequate,we opted for the bungalow style accommodation.The location was fantastic just a stone's throw away from pool,beach and restaurants.We as a family with two young children found that the food was excellent,varied pretty frequently and catered for us all.There was a chinese restaurant on site which was lovely,but you needed to get up early the morning before (at least 8 o'clock)to book. The entertainment (Animation Team) were also fantastic,they were a really great bunch of people who aimed to please 100%, the kids loved them and there was absolutely no pressure to join in if you just wanted to chill!We could not fault the staff in any way,they were always happy to help especially those in the restaurants. Drinks were also available throughout the day by the pool and beach, and a waiter service from 5.30 -12.00,on the balcony of the hotel. A definite must if you have children is a visit to WATERCITY(12E Adults and 9E child), a waterslide complex only 10 mins by taxi and only 9 euros per taxi. The slides vary from "kamakasi" to child friendly. Excellent fun, not too much of a wait especially for the very fast ones! Food and Drink available on site too. The centre of Heraklion is "shop heaven" and has a big market every Saturday. Beach - Excellent private beach, plenty of sunloungers, free pedalos and canoes (just book in advance), reasonably priced thrill rides ( sliders, paragliding etc..) Pool - Only downside was that it was salt water and a couple of tiles missing around it. Tour Operator - efficient and helpful, taxis picked us up from airport to resort and back again on time. Would definitely recommend tour operator and resort and hotel to friends and family --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) JMC - August 2005 Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Jackson Family -( 47,35,11,07 ) Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: Where do i start the good points or the bad points.It would be easier to point out the good points. 1/ The good points about this so called 5* hotel which should be a 3* at a push is the rooms if you pay extra for a upgrade.The maids kept our room spotless unlike some of the basic rooms that we have seen and heard of. 2/ The chinese was great if you are willing to queue from 7 in the morning till 8 in the morning when they start to take the bookings.When i queued up one morning i was second in the queue when i got to the front i found there was about eight tables already booked.I found out the next evening how this was done there is one greek waitress that is in charge of the chinese waitresess and there was quite a few people who were not in the queue the day before giving her tips i take it this is a way of not queing in the mornings like everybody else has to. 3/ The best part of the beach is not the rinela beach hotel beach but the hotel next door there is more room but it will cost you 7 euros for 2 sunbeds but they do not allow glasses on there beach unlike renela beach they also supply a lifeguard unlike rinela beach and they have people walking around picking up rubbish and keeping there beach lovely and clean. Now for the bad points about rinela beach. 1/ Everything that you do at rinela beach you have to queue up or give lots of tips to get any sort of service.There is not a great selection of food from day to day even if you go to the taverna it is much the same from day to day.The only way to get any change is to get out of the hotel and have a decent meal. 2/ As for entertainment you have to get into the theatre very early to get a seat that is the only place in the hotel where anything is going on at night.You go around the reception area and you have to move from seat to seat to get a comfertable seat.Also be prepared to wait from around 15 mins to half an hour to get your drinks the best bet is to order 2 and when you finnish one order another. 3/ The swimming pools are a joke the main pool has got a bridge but the middle of the is broken and just ropped of any small child walking over the bridge could quite easily fall into the pool.Even at midnight when the theatre is finished you get some of the kids diving off the top of the bridge into the pool there is no security anywhere on the complex. 4/ As for the childrens pools there is loose tiles around the pool area and several children had cut there feet and needed medical attention there is a so called lifeguard at the childrns pool which she starts from 10 in the morning till 6 at night but her hours are a little different she comes and goes when she likes she sits with her back to the pool when she is there either doing her nails,flossing her teeth or on the phone and if you have any accidents in the hotel there is no first aider in the hotel as my daughter found out they called in a doctor which does not accept the E11 form for any treatment and the so called going rate for any treatment is about £75 or 115 euros but they dont tell you this till you get to this private medical centre. 5/ All in all this hotel is at most a 3* at the most and it is not all inclusive because you are having to tip all the time to get any service. You should only tip if you are pleased with the service you are getting not tip to get service. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: sunstar leisure - july 2005 Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : mr & mrs gallagher (32, 28) Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: Absolutly fantastic, best hotel i stayed in yet, booked as a late deal with sunstar leisure, very helpful and friendly definetly going back next summer, Thanks sunstar x x x --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: sunstar leisure - july 2005 Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : miriam - wigan (44,36,29,21,13,10) Resort Rating: Good Accommodation Rating: Poor My/Our Holiday Review: The only thing that resembles 5* in this hotel is the view from reception! After this it all goes down hill fast.The rooms are damp,smelly,ill-equipped & infested with ants & cockroaches. The beds are concrete-block bases with mattresses that feel just as hard.The pack of three bedside drawers in our room was so damp it was unusable.You couldn't even open them without feeling ill from the smell.The wardrobe was covered in what we later found to be cockroach droppings!My daughters camp-bed was not only rusty but covered in ants every morning. In the restaurant,when you finally got seated,it was very hot & sticky.The food was the same day-in-day-out.Bland & not very good.If you went in for lunch you later found the same menu being served for dinner.The best food is to be found in the taverna which had to be booked the day before. Down at the pool areas be very careful as loose,missing or broken tiles are the norm at this hotel.So are sharp edges around the pools themselves. In the evening the two options were "waiter service" at the piano-bar & cafe-bar or a trip down to the theatre.If you go down to the theatre make sure you go down early to get seats as it gets busy later.Opting for the piano-bar is more relaxing,but a little too quiet.A bit of music wouldn't go amiss."Aris" the waiter is the best thing about the whole experience. We will never go back & won't be recommending it to anyone. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Sunstar Leisure - July 2005 Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Lorelei Cliffe - East Sussex (21, 22) Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Good My/Our Holiday Review: My boyfrield and have just come back from 2 weeks at Rinela Beach. Before we went I read a lot of reviews about this hotel and they are actually quite accurate. I would agree that this is not a 5* hotel that we as the english would expect. Its much more like a 3*. When we got to the hotel it was about 11pm and we were pleased to learn that we had been upgraded to a VIP room. However, I also paid £100 extra for a sea view room. The room we got put into was at ground level so we could only actually see the fence between us and the sea. We were near the smaller pool though which was ok. I would certainly say that this is not a hotel for couples. This is very much a family hotel with most of the entertainment being for the kids, which we could here in our room every night until midnight. The food in the main restaurant is buffet style and is pretty average. Again not 5*. I would recommend trying to book yourself into the chinese of Taverna as much as possible but you need to book in before 9am the day before as it fills up quickly. I would also like to mention that rinela is under the flight path for Heraklion airport. The noise is a little annoying and could be heard when in our room. I was woken a few times by the planes but they do not fly over all night. The only other thing i would like to mention is the drinks service. In the main restaurant you should expect to wait up to 15 mins to get your drink after you have ordered it. I would suggest ordering your next drink when you are half way though your first. Personally I would not return to Rinela beach but i would not say that the hotel is terrible, just not my cup of tea. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Sunstar Leisure - may 2005 Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Chris - Newport (40,39,13,9) Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: Having recently returned from a last minute booking, i can say we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The first week was definately quieter and a lot less busy than the second week, mainly because the second week started to fall into to the school half term. first impressions were a bit doubtful, the room wasn't ready when we got there, but we had lunch as it was mid day and it was ready for us when we had finished. the rooms are definately basic but clean. the hotel grounds are spotless and beaches immaculate. kokini hani is only a small resort and ideal if you just want to relax, no good if you are looking for night life. the food having a child who is really a picky eater we had absolutely no problems. The main restuarant is very well presented and a good variety was always available. The chinese you need to book before 8.30 in the morning if you wish to eat there the next evening. The Taverna again you need to book a day in advance but not so early in the morning. The food at the Taverna is very similar to the restuarant but with alot more spices added to it. Ample sun beds on the beach even on the second week, around the pool did get full early on the second week but no problem on the first. Waiter service again no problem the first week but definately a problem the second, this was mainly due to the fact that there is just not enough waiters for customers. this was only eased slightly by the opening of the theatre in the evenings where all the entertainment took place. by the way here you can go to the bar and order your own drinks. much better idea. the animation team work non stop every day except a monday. it doesnt matter if you are on the beach or by the pool there is always something going on from volleyball, water pool, water gymnastics, quiz, darts or just plain stupid games. but if you say you don't want to do anything there is no pressure. the hotel reception staff and the maids are wonderful. nothing was to much trouble. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Sunstar - May 2005 Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : James & Helen (36) Resort Rating: Good Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: If you have booked to go to Rinela Beach lucky you! We had a great holiday. We booked all inclusive - the food and service were fantastic - we could not fault it. The Chinese Restaurant (located in the corner of the main dining room) is scrumptious. To book you need to go to reception the day before - get there before 0800 as it gets booked up quickly! Once you are up, you can be first in the queue for the freshly made pancakes at breakfast. The Taverna was nice too but we prefered the choice of the main dining room. The animation team were fantastic and worked really hard but it is up to you if you join in - you certainly aren't harrassed. The Aquagymnastics are fun but the Water Polo sessions did get a bit competitive! The "nightlife" is very relaxed, you can chill on the patio of the main hotel or watch the entertainment in the theatre, good fun. The pedaloes and water canoes can be booked for free on the beach but you need a windsurfing license if you want to use those. There was a powerboat there most afternoons for paragliding, skiing and banana riding - all pretty reasonably priced. The beach was nice and family friendly. Good sandcastle sand and great for swimming. If you want to play tennis take your own racquets & balls as the ones from the hotel had seen better days. There are plenty of bars, restaurants and shops along the main street but we mainly stayed at the hotel as it was so lovely. If you just want to chill out and relax there is nowhere better - we will be going back! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: May 2005 - Sunleisure with Olympic Odyssey and Aegran Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : Michael Humphrey - Lincoln (58, 54) Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Good My/Our Holiday Opinion: My visit to Rinela Beach Hotel took place between 3 - 10 May 2005. Overall, I was very happy with my early season visit enjoying the package and warm sunny weather. I would estimate occupancy at about 60%. The UK agent was Sunstar Leisure, flights seemed to be through Olympic Odyssey and on Island administration and tour representation was by Aegean Travel. The 3 agencies mentioned above all fulfilled the contract and Sunstar kept me well informed. The Aegean agent’s hotel visits were not well spaced through the week, 3 visits. However, she was contactable through an emergency number. Olympic Odyssey stated that they needed 48 hour confirmation of return flight booking but I did that through the Aegean Rep. Transfers to and from the Airport were efficiently conducted and the journey time between airport and hotel was about 15 minutes. Only 1 downside was beyond the tour operators. Queuing for check in was chaotic and poorly controlled with the choke point being the x-raying of baggage prior to check in. The departure lounge is quite inadequate for the number of departing passengers. The Rinela Beach Hotel facilities can be seen on mitsis-rinelabeach com. The site accurately gives the hotel facilities but all my emails were returned stating that the hotels mailbox was full. Before I follow the Hotel pattern with observations I will comment on some of the complaints I have seen. The Hotel is about 400 metres off the usual airport approach. The aircraft can be heard but I did not regard the noise as intrusive and could barely hear them when I was in my room. Reception staff always took a courteous approach to me but did show frustration towards a guest that could not speak a language with which they were not familiar. Waiting staff served drinks efficiently during waiter service only hours. There were no queues in either of the main or Taverna restaurants. I stayed in a standard room that provided everything as advertised except for the music radio. No shampoo was given and the ration of soap a little meagre. Room maintenance was efficient. Storage is not great and laundry services are available at the hotel, not mentioned in any room brochures, or in the village about 800 metres from the hotel. The main restaurant and Taverna serve similar food that varies little from day to day. However, the choice was large although repetitions would be unavoidable during a 2 week stay. The Taverna requires booking at Reception either the day before for lunch bookings or the early morning for same day evening bookings. The Taverna is by the beach and convenient for those idling on the beach. Now note this. The Chinese was delicious despite a relatively small menu, very popular. You must book this 36 hours ahead. If you do not book between 0730 and 0830 the day before you want to eat Chinese you will not get a seat. And that was low season!! All day snacks are merely adequate. They fill a hole. The pools are clean and the sports programme is full. The activities are known as ‘Animations’ and although you are invited to participate there is no heavy pressure. During my stay there were no Animations on Monday. Some of the Animations are in the vicinity of the large pool and some people may think the noise intrusive so for those, select a bed by the small pool or the beach. Beach beds might be in short supply in the high season. Prices in the Hotel Shop are expensive. You can buy 6 bottles of water for a few cents more in the village than 1 bottle in the Hotel Shop. However, newspapers such as the Mail and Mirror, published on the same day in Greece and available in the early same day morning are sold at the printed price. Think carefully before hiring a car. The bus runs from just outside the hotel giving regular and speedy access to Iraklion. Onward connections are also good. Additional to the tours operated by your tour companies there are at least 2 island tour operators situated in the adequate but not noisy village. Overall, this holiday filled all my expectations. I have no major gripes and am happy to recommend this holiday to anyone who has not previously tried an All Inclusive. Especially so if you take it out of high season. I arrived home relaxed and with fond memories of the hotel, village and the island. Importantly, I arrived home feeling in a relaxed state of mind but debating whether or not an All Inclusive offers all. At least for me. A valuable experience that lacked nothing but may not be quite my thing. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: sunstar leisure - April 2005 Opinion submitted in Apr 2005 by : Dianne and Garry Holmes 46,47 Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: We have just returned from a fantastic week at the Rinella Beach,this was booked aprox 5 weeks to departure.I was a litte aprehensive, as I do not normaly book via teletext, prefering to book direct via the internet.I had never been all inclusive before(although my husband had). We cannot believe the value for money. I cannot praise sunstar enough for their customer service,their oversea representation and most of all the staff at the hotel. We are regular travellers taking 6 or 7 holidays per year, travelling mainly in europe on last minute cheap breaks. Our favourite place being Greece and her Islands.Having been to Greece on numerous occasions we are more than aware that Greek accomadation can be very basic,however bearing this in mind the Rinella Beach should quite rightly be classed as 5*. Perhaps not the 5* you would expect in Benidorm, but who wants to go to Benidorm anyway. Rinella is a purpose built complex(done very tastefully) in the middle of nowhere. However it does have everything you could need. It has large gardens 3 swimming pools ample sunbeds and its own private beach with AI bars available at all locations.We did wonder out a couple of times but really once you have seen one Greek village they all seem the same. The only down side to the holiday was the bcheck in precedure at the hotel, this was organised chaos.Also there is a Tavern and a Chinese Restaurant on site these need to be pre booked as numbers are limited, a little tip look after the waiters(tips appreciated) and they will help U as best they can. We went out of season and it was fantastic, I can imagine this place gets very busy in high season but so does everywhere. The entertainment team are so hard working its unreal, not really my cup of tea, but you could get away from them if you wanted to. Overall we feel that we owe Sunstar and especially the Hotel money, what superb value!!!!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Sunstar - March 2005 Opinion submitted in Apr 2005 by : Wendy & John (40ish!) Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: The Rinela Beach. Nice hotel but definately not 5 star more like 3. Rooms were clean but sparce and had a few plumbing dificulties. The food was good in the restaurant and the staff also. As it was early season the Chinese and Tavern were not open when we arrived. The Chinese did open after a few days but the food was very salty and the service poor. The pools were nice and the beach was clean and very nice. There were plenty of sunbeds. The resort really wasn't open during our stay as we were very early season but in the summer there would be the usual mix or shops bars and restaurants. We booked through Sunstar and were very disapointed with them. The information we were given before the holiday was totaly diferent from what actually happened. This ended with us being told when we were already on the plane to go home that we were going to Manchester and not Gatwick and that we would be taken by coach from there to Gatwick. They had known this for sometime but chose not to tell us until we were already on board to go home - not much you can do then! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinella Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays Opinion submitted in Jan 2006 by : michelle 26 rob 27 alisha 7 chloe 4 Resort Rating: Below Average Accommodation Rating: Poor My/Our Holiday Review: If i'm honest we didn't have very good impressions of this hotel to start with. Simple things like the grass surrounding the hotel being overgrown and unkept made it look rather untidy and having to pull all your suitcases up three flights of stairs to get to your room as there are no lifts. We only hoped that our room would be ok.As we entered the room for the first time we were very disapointed.The beds were like just a mattress on concrete, our toilet wouldn't flush, nor would our bathroom window close properly. I remember saying "how can we spend 2 weeks here?".The only good thing about the room was the balcony which had a view over the sea. The pools were good, apart from this black oily substance which seemed to surround the childrens pool, which got all over the childrens floats and over clothes staining them. The food in the main restaraunt we found very poor. Most of it was bland and tasteless and it was the same day in day out. However we found the food in the Chinese restaraunt faultless.The worst food we had was from the poolside snackbar which serves sandwiches, hotdogs and melon.One of the sausages on the hotdogs which we were served when bitten into was green inside. We were absolutely discusted and immediately went to complain to both the manager and our rep, needless to say we didn't touch an hotdog again. We even had to complain again to the manager on our second week. We were around the pool and as children do they make friends with other children.They were thirsty so they went to the poolbar for a drink of coke each. About 30 minutes later I asked the children if they would go and get me a drink of coke, as they liked the independance of going up to the bar and actually getting something, and as I watched them a man seemed to be telling them off and was refusing to give them the drink. I went over and asked him what his problem was and he started to lecture me about the children having too much coke. I reminded him that we had paid for All Inclusive so we could have as many drinks as we liked but he continued to lecture me on how I shouldn't be letting my children have too much Coke.I was infuriated by this and reported this to, again the rep and the manager. The resort itself we didn't find very good either,on occasions we would venture out to restaraunts just for different food, they were okay, but the bars were empty, no atmosphere what so ever,far too quiet for our liking. To end this review with a good point, the beach, we thought it was great,the best thing about this hotel, but we wouldn't ever go back. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinela Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: sunstar - 2005 Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : tracey hahn 36 48 Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: This hotel was very nice,always clean,staff very friendly.The food was very nice fresh and hot.The only bad points were the rooms not to good.This hotel should be rated as 4 star and not five, entertainment was poor. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinela Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Sunstar Leisure - 2005 Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Emma McCarthy (20, 35) Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: What a Fantastic holday I have ust come back from!!!! Last month me and a friend decided we needed a holiday, so we looked on teletext for something that was all inclusive, with a pool, a beach and entertainment..... WELL WE GOT THAT AND MORE! When I first walked into the the reception area it was well decorated and comfortable. I saw the pool (It's huge!) and then the beach and I knew we had made the right choice. Our room was situated on the side of the resort, which gave us great views of the sea and of the mountains. (I think there are only a few rooms without a sea view!). Ther balcony was quite big and the chairs were comfy. The rooms didn't seem 5* to me but they were clean and tidy with a maid visiting every day....and the double bed was huge! Considering you spend a little amount of time in your room on holiday the 3* quality was all we needed! The food was fantastic! The main restaurant was very busy but you always got in very quickly and the fod was varied and almost all was cooked in front of you. Very Healthy too! The only way you get fat on this holiday is by eating the whole of the desert trolley!!!! I will say book the Chinese straight away at 7:50am in the morning for the next day as it gets booked very quickly and we didnt manage to get in! However, the taverna is easier to get and in an fantastic food (stonebaked pizzas and kebabs ---- FABULOUS!). If you get to know the short little waiter in the taverna you can manage to get in without booing (but i never told you that!. We spent most of the week by the pool, at the pool bar with GEORGE (fabulous barman who insists his mother in law is the only thing not included in the price!). We also liked the beach being so close to the hotel room (although to get a sunbed anywhere i suggest getting up at 8am putting your towel on a sunbed then going back to bed! I know it doesnt seem to be fair and you are not supposed to reserve but everyone else does and its each man for themself when it comes to sunbeds!). I have to say the one thing that made my holiday out of everything else was the entertainers!!! Magda, Coco, Tomas, Alex and CO aka ANIMATION completely made our holiday. Always getting us involved making us feel like we were special to them and even Coco wanted me to go and live with him out there. The shows were fab (although amateur), the best being the drag show in which they roped my friend into dancing to swan lake complete with wig, makeup and fish net tights. Alex made me cry with laughter and Magda is just completely mad (make sure you have enough fags as she loves to come over and nick them!!!!!). I'd also recommend going to the MELODY CLUB opposite the hotel which kicks off once the hotel entertainment has closed (The animation team often come over and many a night did we have break dancing competitions!) The Hotel is great for meeting others from England so hi to Jodie, Mary, Andy, Teresa, Kath and Gazza! Lee what happened to you chickening out of the drag show! We only came back last week but are already planning our return to the hotel in September so we will see you soon Animation!!!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinela Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Sunstar Ltd - 2005 Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Jane (23+23) Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: We booked the Rinella Beach with sunstar 6 days before departure. The flight was with Alexandair which was on time but the plane had not been cleaned and the toilets really smelled offensive. The in flight meal was not worth serving the bread was like a brick! When we arrived at the hotel it was lovely with nice grounds and reception which was worthy of a 5* rating. However when we finally found our room the tiled floor was like a paddling pool!!! The air conditioning was leaking! We mentioned it to reception and it was fixed that night. The room was very basic and definitely not a 5* more like a 2/3, however it was clean. At night our block was very noisy and one night a fight broke out and security had to be called!! Not my idea of luxury. The restaurant was lovely with a wide variety of foods, the chinese was also lovely. The Taverna was situated in a nice place near to the beach however stray cats wondered round and the food was very limited and was often served with flies!! During our stay we found it impossible to get sun beds due to people putting towels on them a 6am and not turning up at the pool until midday! One morning my boyfriend got up at 5am to reserve our sunbeds otherwise we'd never get them! The staff were very friendly although there could have been more waiters in the evening. In the evenings it is waiter service only so drinks are limited. The beer is also watered down!! I enjoyed my stay at the rinella beach but it definitely wasn't a 4/5*. More like a 3*. I'm only glad we got our deal last minute and paid far less than the brochure price. I wouldn't have been happy if i'd paid full price. The resort of Kokini Hani is quiet with a few bars and shops but is relaxing with some nice scenery. The waterpark is only a few miles away and only cost 9 euros in a taxi. This is well worth a visit if you like that kind of thing and sunbeds here are plentiful. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinela Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: October 2004 Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Janet Edwards - Maidstone (48,45,15 ) Resort Rating: Good Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: Everything I had read on this site was relevant. The accommodation was not 5* and many people paid to upgrade but it was adequate and cleaned every day. The hotel and grounds were well kept and the position of the hotel with its own beach is fantastic. If you want a beach holiday where you spend your time exclusively in the hotel you would not be disappointed with Rinela Beach. The resort is convenient being so near the airport and at first sight seems quite rundown but we spent some time walking in the evenings exploring the shops and enjoyed visiting the pottery shop where the owner was playing the balalaika. We hired a car for a few days and took the hire firms advice on where to visit. The mountain villages and a bay along the coast towards Rythminon called Bali were our favourites. Rythminon itself is worth a visit if you like to browse the shops. Driving can be hair-raising but my husband is used to driving in London so soon acclimatised! The food in the hotel was extremely varied at every meal. I am vegetarian and my husband and daughter have different tastes but we all found something we liked. We didn't try the Taverna but booked for the chinese restaurant which I loved but my husband was not impressed with. Deep fried banana and deep fried ice cream were the desserts on offer! The kitchen was just behind a bar so the limited menu was cooked to order in front of you. It does getted booked up quickly so put your name down as soon as you get there if you are interested. We were very lucky with the weather and spent more time than we usually would on the beach. Canoes and pedaloes were free but you needed to book at busy times. We also went on the banana boat and jet skies which you paid for and para sailing,sliders and hot rings were available. Life jackets were always provided and safety advice was clear and patiently repeated for the nervous! Dogs and cats moved freely about the hotel grounds. They were very sweet tempered and did not pester you begging for food but happily took it if offered. Children were picking the dogs up and sitting with them on their laps. Somebody must have been clearing up after them because I did not see any mess. They actually seemed to be an attraction rather than a nuisance. The animation team worked really hard every night, trying to include everybody but did take no for an answer. Parts of the comedy show ,I felt, were in questionable taste but it must be difficult providing visual humour so all the nationalities could appreciate it. All in all as our first taste of the Greek Islands we were very happy with our holiday. Ps some of the staffwere a bit off and in one case downright rude but the rest made up for them. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinela Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - August 2004 Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Judith Hodson - Chorley (48,37,12) Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: This was our second visit to Rinella, first time in 2001. It was brilliant then and better still this time. There are a few tips to mention and I hope they are of help.Don't upgrade with travel agent, when we enquired with Thomas Cook how much to upgrade to a V.I.P. room their price was £15p.p.p.n - £45 per night for th 3 of us, £630 in total for the 14 nights. I e-mailed the hotel in April and was told that we could pay on arrival a total of 280 Euro's, approximately £190! Bit of a difference to £630 and it was well worth the money. We had waiter service 7am-midnight,mini bar filled daily with coke, fanta, water and lager, towelling robes and slippers, toiletries, more tv channels, pool towels. Reps trips were a rip off especially the Cretan evening in the nearby village of Anapolis. If you want to do Spinalonga book it with people on beach, not rep, we did this and our boat was a small fishing boat with about 14 people on it and the reps one had about 300 people on it! Knossos is a bit misleading. You didn't have to pay to get in a few years back and also there has been a lot of repairs and patching up done, kind of defeats the object of seeing a ruin! We ate in the taverna for most of our meals, lunchtime and evening. Once you've eaten in the taverna you won't want to eat in the main restaurant again. Help yourself to wine, beer and soft drinks in the taverna! If you want to make sure youre booked in, e-mail hotel about 4 days before you go and ask them to book you in for as many meals as possible. (We had breakfast delivered every day as part of our V.I.P. package)We did try the chinese but it wasn't brilliant. Bus stop outside hotel into Heraklion 1 Euro for msjor stores like Marks and Spencer, Next, McDonalds etc. Hope this is some help. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinela Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Cosmos Discounts) Cosmos- augast 2004 Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Dave Simmonds- walton on thames 54,48,15,12 Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: What a great Holiday we had. The location of the hotel was perfect as it was right by the beach and so we had breeze the whole holiday which suits my dad. The rooms were very clean and big depending on what room you stay in as some are better than others. There are 3 pools but they are incredibly salty. I would expect them to clean the pool more often than they do, particulary as they claim to be a 5 star. (what it says on the door). The animation team- they were fantastic and it must be hard for them to meet people and then see them leave every week. This team were the most hardest ever working animation team i have seen in all the all inclusive hotels i have been in. They provided all the day time entertainment, and the evening entertainment 6 days a week. All though the evening entertainment was OK not the best, i give them a lot of credit as it is all done by themselves. I have no idea where they find the time to reherse the shows they do. Overall these people are very hard working and deserve to have a lot of money. The food was very average all though good. They dont change what they have in the restraunt. So i reccomend going to the taverna for lunch then the main restruant for dinner but u need to book for the taverna. The hotel is a great place to meet people as myself being 15 met a lot of mates. From all over england and even a couple of french girls. There are dogs around the hotel they were really cool but not very good hygene. The pool bar served its own food but served drinks in glasses around the pool and 2 of the mates i met cut their feet due to glass and i nearly did. At least 1 glass got smashed during the day and it varied in the evening. its alrite when your older cos u can see it, but what about little kids they dont know when a glass has smashed. The hotel has its own beauty salon and hairdresser, gift shop. But they can be expensive so i recommend going across the road where they are cheaper what ever you are buying. Although the location is great as it by the beach. the hotel is built on a slope and so has a lot of steps and passages which make it nicer than your average hotel, but it can be a pain if your carrying heavy suitcases. Overall this was one of the best holidays ive had. So thanks jimmy, robbie, rach, stevie, jess, jade, roxie, the rest of the england crew and the animation team for making this one of the best holiday ive had for a long time. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinela Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Media Travel/Sunstar - August 2004 Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Sue Lawrence - Littlehampton 45, 45, 41, 35, 12, 7, 7 Resort Rating: Very Good Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: When we arrived we were impressed with the reception area and the fabulous views from the terrace to the sea. We were told striahgt away that there were no 4 bedded rooms available and that they would find us alternative rooms for the 1st night. We accepted that, we had just arrived and we were all tired. What they didn't tell us was that the alternative room was in a neighbouring 1/2 star hotel next door. Beware. We were moved 1st thing the next morning so we let it go. But be warned! The rooms were spacious and reasonably clean, but definitely need refurbishing. Not 4* quality. The position of the hotel is fantastic right on the beach although there are quite a few steps to navigate. The main swimming pool also needs refurbishing. It was not as clean as I would expect and there were loose and broken tiles around the outside. All the pools in the hotel are extremely strong salt water. The smaller pool was much cleaner and looked quite new. The all inclusive option was excellent. The food was very good quality and a good choice for everybody, freshly made to order pancakes, omlettes and pasta sauces made with the ingredients you chose. There is a beach bar which had beer, icecreams, and slush puppies all included in the all-in package. The drinks included were cocktails, spirits, bottled water, pretty much anything you could want. With a few exceptions the staff in the hotel were not very friendly. We ventured out a few times, and there are quite a few touristy shops, good pottery and some good tavernas nearby, and a place where you could arrange trips if you wanted. We went to the nearby water park Water City which we found cheaper to go to using a taxi for four of us. We took a packed lunch from the hotel which was excellent and more than enough. If you are only going to this hotel for one week book any meals in the hotel Taverna and Chinese restaurant one your first day. They were booked up more than a week in advance and we couldn't go to either. All in all a good holiday, and we would go back to this hotel, but if you looking for something really special this may not be it. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinela Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays -august2004 Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : steph hire 39,37,12,8 Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Average My/Our Holiday Review: our stay at the 3 star rinella beach was hot ,relaxing and fun. the standard accomodation is definitly not 5 star as claimed on the door however if you wish to upgrade at a cost of 10 euros per adult and 5 per child per night you will see a BIG difference we saw the rooms courtesty of val from scunthorpe -hi! There are 3 x resturants at the hotel a main one,a chinese and taverna,the latter u have to book at reception way in advance i.e.a week 4 the chinese food is plentiful if a little repetetive by the last week and i wonder just how many pancakes the young lady makes at her station PER WEEK she was lovely and chatty and made my day at breakfast with her twirly pancake maker there are 3 pools and a slide the main pool is busy and music and the animation tem are based there the bottom pool is quiter and u get george at the pool bar who always serves the kids and enjoys a chat be prepared for a few sets of steps which will keep u fit during your holidays as the hotel is built on a slope ending with the beach which is lovely but with very low sunshades watch your head!! nemo was susan from warringtons favourite animation team member but they all tried often a little risque at times magda is great fun DO NOT book the trip to heraklion with the rep it is a rip off its only costs a family of 4 ----5euros 1 x way but they charged 60euros for a glorified bus journey --rip off also it s spot the rep as he is there not often and communicates nervously as if expecting complaints when he is please use local buses from just outside hotel cheap ,cool,and quick 5mins to gouves 15mins to hersonisos and heraklion however conductors are often young blokes with no manners so be aware. all in all we met some geat people val dana joseph susan david steven and katy who had her 10th birthday and the hotel even arranged a cake unannounced and we would go back no problem but ask for a pool view by the way the dogs were adopted by a german holidaymaker who took them home with him not before the nicked our daughters mule which was qite fun highlight is chinese which is fab food a water park is a 5 min taxi ride away 50 euro to get in 20 euro taxi return hotel is spotless rooms cleaned everyday and sheets changed however low spots not enough toliets or bins anyware. 5 female and five male in hotel and only 1!!! by pool no god rinella sort it out waiter service fab at night cocktails are lethal one final thing no diet drink ---nightmare if you are diabetic or watching your waistline --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinela Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays july 2004 Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Shona Stirling 40 ,40 ,14 ,13 ,12 ,10. Resort Rating: Average Accommodation Rating: Excellent My/Our Holiday Review: Two forty year old women and four kids fancied an all inclusive holiday in Crete. we chose the Rinella Beach Hotel. we made a very good choice. Rooms were fine and very clean it was definatly worth paying the extra for a sea veiw. Food was very good but may get a bit boring if you were there for two weeks. Poolside snacks were a bit dire and were laid out in the sun all day. It was worth booking the chinese and the taverna for a change but book as far in advance as possible. Packed lunches were awful not to be recommended. Watersports on beach were excellent but please note that kids must be 16 to use the free canoes,pedaloes and windsurfer but we managed to talk Roland round to letting the kids use the canoes as they were all excellent swimmers. All in all we had a great time at Rinella Beach and would not hesitate to go back. We were a bit worried about the close proximity to the airport but the planes were hardly noticed. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinela Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: July 2004 Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : 53,52,17,11 Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: Good My/Our Holiday Review: This hotel is one of the best hotels that we have ever been to. The entertainment is really good through the day and they do not push you into doing activities only if you want to.The tavera is to die for the food is absolutely brilliant. The staff are very helpful and friendly, all you could ask for. Food in the restaurant is really nice plenty of choice, the pancakes especially worth standing in the queue for! The evening entertainment catered for all age groups they put their heart and soul into everything they did. We would recommend this holiday to all age groups. We loved it!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinela Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - June 2004 Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : Janette - North Somerset (36/11/13/43/11/14) Resort Rating: Excellent Accommodation Rating: No rating My/Our Holiday Review: WOW... what a great time we had HOTEL: Nice and spacious, rooms were a little basic for 4 star but we were hardly in them so was not a problem. FOOD: Excellent, lots of choice, something for all nationalities and if there was something you were missing the staff would make sure it was served the next day, wonderful service. The Taverna was special, we ate there most days as the food was lovely. ANAMATION TEAM: Two words....Top Banana, never have we had such fun and laughter in 2 weeks, god they work so hard to provide an excellent program all day and night - 6 days a week.They made our holiday, we played many games with all nationalities, made some great friends and will not forget the memories, we are already planning a reunion with them all next June. Thank-you so much to all the Team, Mimo, Magda, Yani, Alex, Momo etc. BEACH: nice, pleasant, kids loved the sea, we went out on hotel pedelo thingy and caught the waves, great fun TOWN: A little quiet, brought home some nice pottery. Had a few relaxing moments in Tavernas chatting to the locals who were very friendly and pleasant. SUMMARY: Great time was had by all, get onto our bus Rinella, we loved you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinela Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - May/June 2004 Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : E.Carter - Preston (35.29.10.8) Resort Rating: No rating Accommodation Rating: Poor My/Our Holiday Opinion: I don't really know where to start! We booked as a family with friends 11 months previous to go on this hoilday. We sat down as a group to pick our ideal holiday. We picked the Rinela Beach - what a mistake. On arrival the reception area looked really nice. As we had booked with friends we had requested adjacent rooms when we booked, our local thomas cook even faxed to remind them. When we each got our keys we were no were near each other. We went to look at our rooms. Nothing like the brochure, small to say the least, extremely smelly, the corridors were dark and dingy. This is no exagerationthe grids in the floor had no lids on them. There were open rust areas all over the place. It was exteremly dangerous all over the walk ways to walk at all. Broken tiles> Big holes in the floor. Our son cut his leg quite bad on some rust. We were on the way back to reception to ask about changing rooms to hopefully better rooms together when we saw several dogs making themselves at jome by the pool. They were happily chewing bones. There were old bones there to as if it was a common thing. We could not get anywere with the staff at the rinela beach so we got our rep to the hotel. He went to tell the management about the dogs . He then showed us other rooms, but not together. They were worse than the first. Mould smelly etc. Before going back to reception we showed the rep all the health and safety aspects. We went back to the rest of the group to discuss what we were going to do. We got back to see a dog POOING BY THE POOL. Even our rep was in disbelief. The hotel was full a major health, safety and hygiene risks Certainly not a 4 star with an award for excellence by thomas cook. We never got to see the resort as we eventually the same day transfered to the sister hotel "serita beach" This hotel has the same ratings as the rinela beach. There is no COMPARISON. We got back from our holiday yesterday, we had a good time at the serita beach. The resort were we transfered to was not centrally located as we like being in the heart of things. This is why we picked the rinela beach origionally. We spent a lot of money on taxis to venture out. We didnt have a choice though as there was absolutely no way my family could have stayed there! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinela Beach - Kokini Hani Operator and Date: Sunstar Leisure - April 2004 Opinion submitted in May 2004 by : Andrea & Peter - Telford (49,50) Resort Rating: Below Average Accommodation Rating: Very Good My/Our Holiday Review: We don't do package holidays that often as prefer to sort out our own, but this was a very good deal for an early break. The hotel was very good but has a couple of potential downsides depending on who you are and what you are looking for: 1. It is built down a slope and as accomadation is in buildings not attached to main block this involves lots of steps depending on which room you get (we right on the front at lowest level). 2. It is right on the approach path for planes coming into Heraklion (we could see them land from our balcony) - now we found this great as we like planes but could be a problem for some as at times there is barely a couple of minutes between them. 3. If the weather is poor then there is not that much to do and despite the fact there are big lounges these get full (particularly on an evening and the animation stuff is going on). On the good points side then many plus's. A. The food is excellent, plentiful and loads of choice for every meal. B. The staff on the whole were very good - small exception being we were treated very rudely one day at reception. C. The rooms were immaculate - the maid service was excellent even cleaning on the day we were leaving (we had extended our room till 8pm). D. You get what it says you will get - food as above, drinks from 10am-12mn with very few exclusions (you even have a choice of 6 cocktails), canoes etc. The big downside for us was the location - if you are happy to stay in the hotel grounds you will love it. If as us you like to walk then think again - the beach does not offer much for a walk or you have to walk along the main street which is looking sadly neglected. We went out every day and saw more of Crete (it has to be said that we will go back but more to the western side of the North coast). Use the local buses for any trips - regular, reliable, cheap and get you to most places you want to go to. Worth a visit are: Ag Nic |