3 Star Crete Holidays

Annika Tomlinson

I spent a week here along with 8 other girls and from the other reviews left about this hotel, we were nervous. However as soon as we got there we were pleasantly surprised. Owners were very nice, we had to pay a deposit and wifi/aircon payment in cash upon arrival (you get €20 back at the end of your week depending on the state of your room). They told us the rules such as no loud music on the balcony’s after 11pm, no food or drinks that weren’t bought at the hotel to be by the pool ect (these all seemed reasonable). The rooms were very modern, clean and much nicer than we were expecting. However, we did have 2 single beds and a sofa bed which is not what we thought we paid for. We had to ask for a second mattress for the sofa due to it being extremely uncomfortable. Air-con does need to be paid for but it is definitely worth it as works really well. They also only provide you with one toilet roll and no hand soap, but these can be bought from any of the shops nearby. (There’s also a tiny shop at the hotel with a few essentials in) WiFi works wells if you’re near the pool/have a room near the pool. The restaurant in the hotel was amazing as it was well priced with lots of breakfast/lunch/dinner options. However it’s also less than 5 min walk to get to old town where there’s lots or traditional Greek restraunts. Overall, all the girls were very happy with our experience at Happy Days Studios and I’d recommend this hotel to anyone going to Malia.

Glenn Surname

AVOID AT ALL COSTS! 1 CRAPPY DAYS lived up to its name as the owners dog CRAPPED by the sun beds every day. 2 The owner would not let me lock a bike that I hired where the mopeds where parked and banged on my door angry to get it moved even though another member of staff had said it was OK, she would not let me keep the bike in my ROOM EITHER she said nobody steals there. 3 The bike I hired was stolen after staff moved it without telling me. 4 The TV didn't work. 5 The fridge didn't work. 6 loads of crap under the bed. 7 could not sleep any night because when people come in late it sounds like they are in your room, same when people talked on the balcony it sounded like they where next to you in bed the way the balconys are channeled TOGETHER LIKE AN ECHO CHAMBER. 8 Sun never got on my balcony morning or evening. 9 All the balconys are crushed up against each other, absolutely no privacy you could have eaten from there plates. 10 View from balcony was a wall and tractors. 11 It cost 3 euros extra every day for the room, (room tax) although I heard they charged 2 euros sometimes. 12 Air conditioning is an extra 63 euros a week. 13 WiFi is an extra 10 Euros a week. 14 The maid who I called ADOLF would not let me in my room and became aggressive because she'd washed the stairs. 15 The beach is a 45 minute walk from CRAPPY DAYS. 16 it costs an extra 25 euros to stay after 11 on the last day. 17 ADOLF the maid let herself in my room before 11 on the last day and told me to leave. Other than the above malia is beautiful I was cycling up to Rosa Gorge before the staff messed with my bike. Thanks to: Tom Mike Zane Who also contributed to the facts here.

Tayla Davis

Wrapping up my holiday at Happy days & we've had a lovely time here. The rooms are clean, the staff are welcoming & happy to help with anything you need. Upon arriving after a long day of travel delays I arrived at my room to find the toilet was leaking, so reported it the next morning where the hotel owner came to introduce herself to me & let me know she had tried to get someone to sort before our arrival but being a Sunday it was hard to do so & all rooms were fully booked so I was unable to swap rooms & someone would be out by the afternoon to fix it & later in the day I arrived back to find it had been dealt with. The hotel is in a nice location just off the old town which is beautiful. I can't fault our stay here, thank you Happy days staff! :)

elliot mairsss

I came here on a lads holiday and after reading some reviews we were very skeptical but the hotel was nothing like any of the bad reviews. We stayed in the “Apartment Superior Two Bedrooms” room and it was the best decision we made. The room was very spacious and perfect for 3 people. As you arrive there’s a few additional costs like tourist tax, air con cost, safe cost and a deposit. They are all fair costs and worth the money and the deposit was given back at the end as long as you keep your room in a good condition. The 2 pools were very nice and clean and there’s a lot of sun loungers dotted around the pool and bar. The staff are very fair and reasonable if you respect their rules. It’s located in Malia Old Town and is a nice 10-15 min walk to the strip. Would definitely recommend for young people looking at staying just outside of the strip. The pictures below are from the double bed room inside the “apartment superior two bedrooms” and the other bedroom had 2 single beds.

the magpies

Services- The internet is horrendous. Constant sign in to a sign in page, that’s when you can get internet. Limited devices per login. Told to sit outside my room for better reception. Said the area is bad. Not sure if it is site specific or the area in general. So I sit outside all night in the cold while trying to get work done. Not the solution I was looking for. Do not stay here if you need the internet. If you dont need it then the rooms are well presented. Need T towels, chopping boards, dishwashing liquid and hand soap at the bathroom basin. They did assist me with an additional login so I could join wifi with my 3 devices but of little use if the wifi is so bad you can’t connect. If you want to be away from the action the location is good but if you want to be in the action then this is a little way from it.

P. E.

For a low season price it's a very good place. Spacious room. If you take a room with the yard view, it's gonna be quiet at night. A few steps and you're at the sea. I'd definitely come again, it's a good, budget friendly place. 👍

Mike Dave

Basic rooms are in need of an update. The bathroom is the same needs a renovation . Everything you need is in walking distance. Beach very close, so are the shops. Owner always there till 5 pm for questions and directions. For breakfast and lunch , ood cheap food. Tip. Use the rrooftopterrace for sunbathing when it's windy.

Jennifer A KresseRodriguez

Manolis was amazing and so was his team. He told us about a beautiful rustic beach where we snorkeled in crystalline waters right off the shore. There were lots of gorgeous fish. The place was just what we were looking for. The price was incredibly good. It was super quiet. I love Hersonissos- I'm referring to the quiet part where Klery is. I highly recommend the self service restaurant called DAVID. They serve Cretan food and it is so good I'm still dreaming about it.

Celeste Settembre

Very close to the beach and the restaurants. Dirty rooms from the first to the last day of my holiday. Old furniture. I refused to have breakfast in there. A real nightmare.

Zuza W

Very nice hotel, clean rooms with air-co, talkative staff, good prices in the small restaurant (food was not so bad and well-sized portions; I had really cool iced cappuccino) and very close from beach, restaurants and small shops (lidl 10 minutes far by walk).

Samuel Grinsell

When we booked this Hotel it was one of the cheaper options in the area, so we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the rooms and the facilities at the hotel. The staff were lovely and vert attentive. We had food included and were happy with the quality. The rooms had air conditioning included! which was a big plus as most of the time we found this was an extra fee. Rooms were very clean and comfortable. The location is also perfect. As the name suggests you are central to Hersonissos town and also a short uphill walk brings you to the very nice old town! Definitely recommend!

Vladyslav Khmelnyk

We stayed here last year and it was amazing. Great service, wonderful people – especially the bearded man at the reception, the older gentleman from the service team, and the Albanian bartender – greetings to all of you! We wanted to come back this year but unfortunately couldn’t make it. Breakfasts were excellent, the atmosphere during Euro 2024 was fantastic. We really enjoyed the billiards, the bar, the good food, and the perfect location close to everything.

roxana nafei

I found the hotel to be affordable, but the room didn’t look good at all. The walls and such had mold that had just been painted over. The mattress was extremely hard, and there was no private parking—you had to park somewhere on the street. The only good thing was the breakfast buffet.

Dan Nemes

Really nice place for a hotel, 5 minutes of walking till you reach the beach. Shops even closer, not too loud at night so you can sleep Pool was really nice, exactly what you need in the afternoon before dinner. Open hours for pool are from 10:30 till 18:30. Really nice dinner, you can have spaghetti, you can have French fries, different kinds of meat but really wonderful cooked. The rooms are ok, the bathroom is quite small. Rooms are equipped with ac, fridge, safe box, tv. The staff is really friendly and will assist you in any way poasible.

Elena Stefanovic

the hotel was great, good food and good location. but the staff is definitely the reason i’m giving 5 stars ESPECIALLY because of Ele the receptionist. he was so sweet and really fun. definitely made our stay at this hotel 100 times better, it wouldn’t have been the same without him❤️❤️

Lena

Absolutely amazing stay! The hotel is beautifully designed — super modern, stylish, and very clean. The staff were incredibly friendly, funny, and always ready to help with anything we needed. You can really tell they enjoy what they do! The food was delicious with a great variety every day, and the animation made the evenings so much fun with their entertainment. The view of the sea was absolutely stunning — waking up to that every morning was just perfect. Overall, we had an unforgettable time here and would definitely love to come back. Highly recommend!

Conor Bradley

Stayed at end of October. Lovely hotel with very nice staff. Both pools very nice with plenty of sunbeds and hotel is close to beach. Food options were good and cocktails very tasty. Weather was still very good, 25-30 degrees for the week. When we went to check out on our last day at 11am we were told to stay in our room free of charge until we left for our flight at midnight which was very kind! We booked a shuttle bus from airport to hotel and back again. No issues. I would definitely recommend.

Aaron Morgan

Booked this hotel last minute, beautiful views, it’s run well by the staff who are very accommodating and polite. Food is all you could ask for and there are variations in the menu each day. Would highly recommend to anyone. Bonus, there’s a free shuttle bus down to the beach with plenty of restaurants and bars. Sas efharisto Aaron & Harry

Piotr Capecki

We were very happy with our stay at the hotel. The hotel provided very good conditions, beautiful views and the food was delicious. Throughout our stay, Ms Irene took care of us and provided assistance. She was very helpful and kind, and we had no problems whatsoever. Best regards from Poland.

Thomas Cross

Overall a nice hotel but not without it's faults. (Couple spending a week here). Me and my girlfriend booked a week here for some Autumn sun. After the first night we had to change rooms due to being next to a very loud road with no sound proofing. The staff were very helpful and accomodating for us to make this change so credit to them. Unfortunately we were placed next door to 2 male guests who liked to take drugs every night and were up until 4am shouting, banging and screaming (They would have been better suited to Malia). Despite their warning from hotel staff, they did not change their ways. There was also a dog nearby that barked loudly and repeatedly at the crack of dawn every morning. I am not a light sleeper but sleep was very difficult here. The walls being paper thin did not help. Another negative is the amount of people who reserve sun beds despite the signs saying not to. By 7am, every sun bed was taken up with towels by guests who did not come down until closer to 10am. Entertainment was also lacking but we did come slightly out of season so I can understand this. Final negative, the pool is not heated and was one of the coldest pools I have ever been in, but this was okay once you were in for a while. Not all doom and gloom: Despite the lack of sleep we had a good time. The staff were amazing, especially Irene on reception and all of the bar staff. Very friendly and helpful. The food and drinks are good. The food was a bit samey after a while however we went out for dinner on a couple of nights too so this was fine. The cocktails and beer were very nice. Wine was ok. Coffee was very nice compared to other places we have stayed. There is a shop on sight which is very reasonably priced for souveniers and water. Very friendly staff in the shop. There is also a spa, we both had a massage and this was well priced. It is in a very nice location with a small nice town nearby with shops and restaurants. Great views from the terrace. Other surrounding villages were nice. Good beaches. Transport is good. The hotel offer a free bus to the beach 3 times a day which is super handy if you have difficulties walking on hills. The hotel also offer 10 euro return bus trips to the city Heraklion (about a 20 minute journey) which we loved. The onsight restaurant Marea was amazing. Stunning food, drinks and views. We would also recommend the local wine bar Theros which is a 5 minute walk away. Overall, very nice staff and good location, but the lack of sleep and very questionable clientele bring it down (we may have been unlucky).

Adam Jarch

Food was nothing special – repetitive and without much creativity. Definitely don’t come here if you expect any kind of culinary experience. It’s warm, colorful, and there’s plenty of it, but that’s about it. With kids it’s not really a win either – the hotel doesn’t seem to count on families too much. We stayed in September and there were no animations or even basic kids’ facilities. The walk to the sea is quite far and crossing the main road from Heraklion with a stroller felt a bit like an adrenaline sport. The shuttle bus to the beach is fine, but you’re tied to fixed times (10:00, 12:30, 15:00). The beach in Gouves is great when the wind calms down, but after a windy day it was full of seaweed and the waves were rough (end of September). Walks around the hotel are basically impossible – best to rent a car and head somewhere else. For example, Stalis beach is fantastic with kids. On the positive side, the hotel staff were all really kind and friendly. But overall – we probably wouldn’t come back.

Jáchym Metlička

We had a great 7 day stay at the hotel. The staff were very friendly toward us and our small children. The food was great. We honestly never used the pools - it was 100% sea for us. I would come back to this place

Oleksandr Tishchenko

I stayed at this hotel, and I must say — it was absolutely wonderful! Despite its rating, the quality of service and experience exceeded all expectations. The food was delicious every single day, and the rooms were always clean and well-maintained. The pools were spotless, and even the outdoor tiles were washed daily — a small detail that really shows their commitment to cleanliness. But what truly made the stay special was the staff. Everyone was incredibly kind, always smiling and ready to help. Special thanks go to a man named Dali — the heart and soul of the evening entertainment. Every night, he hosted Showtime — whether it was a quiz, dance party, or karaoke, he brought great energy and fun to the event. What’s even more impressive is that he speaks (if I’m not mistaken) five languages — definitely French, Greek, English, and German — so conversations flow easily no matter where you’re from. He clearly gives his all to make sure guests are enjoying themselves, and his positive energy is contagious. I truly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a warm, clean, and fun place to stay. Don’t let the 3 stars fool you — this place shines bright!

Αντωνης Νταγιαντας

Had an amazing stay at Lyda Hotel! The service was excellent, especially Mr. George, who went above and beyond. The space is really big with beautiful pools and plenty of activities to enjoy. The food was delicious and overall, we had a fantastic experience. Highly recommend!

Lea Thompson

This is not a hotel that will receive repeat custom. I was lucky with room listening to fellow travellers. The food and drink choice is terrible and what is served is of low quality. This hotel should have stayed self catering. Nearly everything is extra, you cannot get a glass of water between 9.30am and 11am. The bar closes at 10.30pm so no water again until 7.30am. The snacks are served regimentally for 1 hour, 1 small tray (of their choice) at a time for over 1000 guests. Pay a little extra and go elsewhere. The only saving grace for this hotel is that there are two others. Valentina's and Rena's very close by where you can get nice food and drink.

Philippa Mander

Amazing hotel! Arrived around midnight & the guy on reception was so friendly & helpful, took us to our room. The room was lovely very clean & spacious. There was a large bottle of water and a plate of food...sandwiches etc in the fridge for us which was such a lovely gesture and welcomed. The hotel is on a hill away from the main road so nice & quiet but only a 5 min walk in to the town & to the beach. The food was really good, has themed nights including a crete night with dancing ! The hotel is very clean, quiet and the staff so friendly & helpful! Would definitely recommend and come again.

QAS

The hotel was very good. The room was spacious, nicely presented, and comfortable. The area was peaceful, and the food was excellent. The staff was exceptionally helpful and attentive. There were many friendly cats around the hotel, which was a lovely touch. The hotel wasn’t far from the beach, you could easily walk there in 5 to 7 minutes, and the beach was never overcrowded, with some spots even quite empty. There were also many supermarkets and plenty of activities nearby. The only minor drawbacks were that the pool was often crowded, and on one occasion, the room cleaning took longer than expected.

Sharon Tyson

We enjoyed our stay here and we would go back but there are a couple of things that need to be improved open the bathroom is kept very clean but it's very dated and needs re grouting. In the evenings it's so quiet from 9pm on entertainment nights and all night on other evenings. We did very much enjoy the food especially on special nights and the bar staff were great especially the day bar man and the evening cocktail man his cocktails were the best. All the staff we encountered were all very polite and friendly.

Lobster WRLD

AYYYYYYYY HOMIES! That place I went, to — sheeeeeshh. Everything about it was AMAZING, no cap! Let's start with the rooms, youre getting what you payed for absolutely, 100% worth it, bathroom was very clean and nice, everything was clean, the cleaning lady who comes every day is friendly fasho. The service? These guys are real friendly, nothing to complain about. Location? Lowkey goated. It's close to a beach, close to a shop (I'm gonna warn all yall tourists that boutta go to Greece, these small shops might look normal, but many of them sell some disgusting, inappropriate souvenirs and magnets where kids can see it all, so just a small warning if you're coming at this exact place in Crete, SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE!). Now let's focus on the positives, cause I can only talk about positive stuff in the sunrise village hotel. You basically get a big ahh swimming pool where your can spend time with the lil ones, beach bar is goated, everything you need. Now one of the best things about the place that 100% makes it worth it. The food dawgssss 😍😍😍😍. Like no cap, I loved the food whilst there, there was something for everyone, they got like unique stuff every day (when I came there was mexican food, then next day was Italian I guess and Asian, it was real unique) 😸 loved the breakfast options, truly amazing. I was once kicked out of the restaurant for being shirtless 😿 can't flex anymore bruv

Yvonne Skelly

Sunrise review I stayed at Sunrise Village for a week at the beginning of July with my family, including a 15 year old and 18 year old. What a wonderful hotel! We had a lovely welcome from the reception desk, Konstantina was there to answer any of our questions and she was most helpful and friendly. The food was of excellent standard, very tasty, varied and hot. There were always salads, feta, olives, dressings, pickles, etc. there was also soup available, and kids food set aside separately, such pizza, nuggets & burgers, and a selection of desserts and fruit too. The staff worked tirelessly to ensure the area was always topped up with food and clean. The staff also kindly arranged for my husband and I to have decaf coffee with breakfast as the machine didn't have this. Ask at this hotel and you will get, no matter what. There were two bars, one for day time and one for evening. Good selection of drinks, local beer, wine & spirits, plus some very nice cocktails, and bottles of Raki on the bar for guests to help themselves to. The evening bar closes at 10.45pm, so there is no late night rowdiness around the complex and plenty of late night bars down the road if required. We enjoyed getting a drink before dinner, and sitting on the open balcony area near reception as there were some comfy seats, also there is a pool table nearby in reception. Fairly large, clean pool, with deep and shallow end and a separate kids area. Pool towels are available for a refundable deposit. No shortage of sunbeds, plenty stacked up to the side. We had a maisonette, with 2 x sofa beds on the lower level and a double bed on the upper level, ideal for families. Each level also has its own bathroom and balcony. All very clean and comfortable, with good air con. The cleaners came in each day and did a wonderful job in our place as teens aren't the tidiest and we were able to borrow an iron from reception, free of charge too. The beach is a 7-min walk away, past a couple of small shops. The staff are a credit to this hotel, they will go out of their way to help and were ever so friendly and chatty. How anyone could comment negatively on this hotel is beyond me, it is a 3-star hotel that strives to achieve its best for it's customers, and succeeds. If something isn't right, all you have to do is ask and the staff will go out of their way to help. I've stayed in 4-star hotels and not had such excellent and attentive service. Would highly recommend this lovely, family-run hotel.

Elizabeth Sekela

We had an amazing stay at Maleme Mare. The resort is clean and spacious with two pools and and nice clean beach just across the road. Hotel is also very family friendly and doesn't feel overcrowded. Overall it has a very relaxed vibe and food was also amazing. Staff were fantastic, friendly and extremely helpful with everything we needed. Big shout out to Alex, Elena, Nikos, Stavros and everyone else that took such an amazing care of us. We enjoyed our girls trip so much and will definitely be coming back again!

Mark Vickery

A very nice clean hotel rooms are spotless, two pools food and little above average staff are very friendly and helpful. The beach is a pebble beach with restricted sun beds set by the local government, also be aware of turtles 🐢 that nest on the beach. Elena on reception a lovely girl nothing to much trouble, and sasha the head barman a proper nice. I wouldn't hesitate recommending this hotel to anyone. Overall my stay with this hotel as been positive.

William Hall-Atkinson

Stavros is a character, you'll hear him before you see him,laughing usually. Sacha behind the bar will remember your order. Rooms are clean modern and spacious. Food varied fresh and sometimes fantastic. Two pools and always sunbeds available, beach 20m away, grounds immaculate. Bus service to Chania stops at the hotel every 30 minutes. Local cats aswell.

Tim Hiscock

Lovely little hotel with great staff and lovely location. Shops and bars/restaurants nearby but not too close to the busy parts of town so nice and quiet. Good food, pools and right on the beach (over a quiet road). Regular bus service to Chania and other towns from right outside and very cheap. Entertainment is 3 times a week in the evenings and is ok but don't get too excited about the singer (its like vic and bobs guess the tune) you'll find out. Clean and tidy with good facilities, rooms, food and bar. Worth a visit

Raihiem Singh

Got back 10 days ago and was meant to review sooner.. had the best time here. It’s a smaller hotel so was nice and quiet compared to the bigger ones. The entertainment was fun, some of it (no spoilers) was so bad it was good and I mean that with love honestly wish I got to see the entertainment more. ALL the staff/cleaners and cooks were lovely and really added to the experience there. Look out for Shasha, he remembered my gin and juice order instantly and will ruin your morning with his special shots. Harry and Alex are both unreal at their jobs. Couldn’t speak higher of how helpful they were I’d give the hotel an 5* review for them alone and also Harry’s “dad” I forgot his name. Stavros is a real good entertainer and host but unfortunately was ill for most of my stay. I’d love to come back thanks for a great holiday guys