Vanisko Hotel

Our flight was cancelled, so we needed somewhere to stay unexpectedly. The rooms were clean and comfortable, and breakfast was a good buffet.

The location made getting around easy. There’s a large supermarket across the road, Lidl is a two-minute walk away, and the bus stop right outside goes to and from Heraklion quickly. The airport is a 10-minute drive. The pool was lovely and had a lifeguard on duty. Our spacious room had a nice balcony, was cleaned every day, and the towels were changed every two days. The air conditioning worked perfectly, which matters in the Greek heat. The staff were always friendly and ready to help, and they made my first trip to Greece feel very welcoming. I had a wonderful stay and would highly recommend it.

Our stay at Hotel Vanisko was quite a negative experience, mainly because of how the staff treated us. At the buffet, a staff member wouldn’t let us sit at a table we chose even though others were empty. She directed us to sit near the entrance and spoke to us in an unpleasant tone in her own language. The morning bar waitress said the card machine wasn’t working, but we saw her using it later that afternoon. When I asked her not to heat the milk but also not to give us a cold cappuccino, she reacted with clear disapproval, as if our preference was unreasonable. I hope she never gets that attitude in Spain, where we don’t treat visitors that way. The lifeguard also scolded my children for swimming to the end of the pool, although my son has been swimming confidently for years. Much younger children were doing the same thing all day without being warned. Speaking frankly and with respect, if you’re Spanish and expect polite, respectful treatment, I wouldn’t recommend this hotel. We wouldn’t be treated this way even at the worst hotel in Spain, and this place apparently presents itself as a quality establishment. The staff aren’t polite.

The pool was lovely, though a little chilly in the late morning, and the lifeguard was always smiling and attentive. We also had quiet, non-smoking neighbors, which helped make the stay restful. The staff were friendly and helpful everywhere, from reception and breakfast to room service and the pool. We liked our room, number 412. The separate large beds gave us a good night’s sleep, the fan worked well, and closing the balcony shutters on our last night helped even more. The small balcony caught the morning sun and sunrise, with a view over the road and Agios Stefanos. The fridge worked, and the compact shower suited us. Breakfast was a treat, especially the fresh fruit, perfectly cooked fried eggs, and delicious pasteli. There’s a supermarket across the street by the bus stop, a small convenience shop next door that sells essentials and bus tickets, and a beach nearby. A couple of small things could be improved: water spreads across the bathroom floor because the shower has no separation, and the area gets slippery. A few more hangers, plus a drying rack or balcony hooks for towels and swimsuits, would be handy.