Vasia Resort & Spa

It's clean and the food is good, and the price for what you get is great. There are several pools to choose from, though no nice beach close to the hotel. I'd rate it four stars at most, definitely not five.

We had a family room with a balcony of its own, which gave us somewhere to sit outside when the weather wasn't quite right for the pool. The pools, gym and spa were enjoyable, and the service was excellent from check-in to check-out. Breakfast had a huge choice, and dinner was great too, especially the salad bar and freshly prepared mains. The staff at both meals were friendly and helpful. We loved our stay at Vasia.

We paid £1695 for all inclusive, and I definitely wouldn't return to this hotel, though I'd go back to sisi. The food wasn't very good, there was no entertainment or music, and several times when we played music on our little speaker by the pool, we were told to turn it off. I complained a few times that Germans wouldn't let us play bingo or pool, but it got me nowhere. Our room was kept clean, but the rusty balcony chairs ruined my clothes. We had to pay £120 in taxes on arrival. When I asked why, they said it was because the hotel is 5 star. Please believe me, it definitely isn't. Communication was poor, and no one showed or told us where everything was. I only found the last two of the four pools on our final day. This place wasn't for me.

The buffet is pretty good and there's always something to pick, though some dishes aren't prepared very well. The staff are friendly, and everything was very clean. The resort is listed as 5 star on some websites, but it's a nice 4 star place. There are three pools plus two small adjoining pools, and it's right by the sea. A free hotel shuttle takes you to a nice sandy beach. The kids' club is free for children over 4; under 4s pay, and babysitting is also available. Trips around Crete can be booked at reception through Cretan Odyssey. They're generally well organized and worthwhile.