Olga Studios

The rooms are spacious, and breakfast has plenty to choose from. Staff are very friendly, and there’s a lovely dog! Chersonisos and Heraklion are close by car, and the bus stop is right outside.

I had a really great vacation here on my own. At first I was a little worried, but Olga helped me figure out how to plan my time. A car would be useful, though it isn’t essential since the public bus stops right in front. Restaurants and supermarkets are nearby, and the beach is about a six-minute walk. The couple were so welcoming and had a great attitude. The rooms were clean, and the pool was great on hot days. It’s a good place for families with kids. I booked through Booking.com in the lower price range and expected less than I got. If you’re after luxury, this probably isn’t the spot, but it works well for a good, affordable holiday.

Thanks, Georgios, for the drink and for letting us watch the Euroleague finals with you while we waited for the bus. It was lovely meeting you. Take care, and keep loving the game! Greetings from Serbia.

The rooms have the basics for living in, including air conditioning, a fridge, cooking facilities, beds, washing facilities, a table and chairs, and a balcony. We spent most days out and used the studio to relax at night and sleep, and it suited us perfectly. We wanted a traditional family run Greek place and that’s what Olga Studios was. We’d read the negative reviews beforehand, but felt they weren’t fair. If you intend to spend your whole holiday in the room, it may not be for you. The location worked really well. It’s about a five-minute walk to a nice stretch of beach with places to eat and drink, and shops, a supermarket and more places to eat are within ten minutes. Bus 7 stops right outside and runs nearly the length of the island. A taxi from the airport took about ten minutes and cost around 35 euros. We would have taken the bus for 8.20 euros if we’d known it stopped there, and we did use it back to the airport. Georgios, Stella, their kids and Romi were wonderful hosts. They went out of their way to make sure we had what we needed. I saw Georgios go out and buy after sun for a French couple who’d come back badly sunburned, without asking them to pay. He’d bring ice creams for my kids and drinks for my wife and me. He knows the area inside out and offered to help us get a better price on a rental car. Stella greeted us every morning with a big smile and a good morning, and was always happy to help. Her Freddo cappuccino was the best I had there. We ate out most nights, but Georgios cooked for us once and it was amazing, better than the nearby places, which seemed aimed at tourists and tourist prices. He also trusted us to take a drink if he was out, keep a tally and settle up later, which we appreciated. On lazy days by the pool, they often brought snacks with our beers, including crisps, cucumber and delicious olives from their garden. The kids’ outdoor play area has slides and a little playhouse, all under umbrellas. There’s a deep pool, brickwork and steps nearby, so young children need watching. Music usually plays, and they asked what sort we wanted. I’m happy with all kinds, so that suited me. There’s a TV behind the bar, usually showing sport. The studio did everything we needed for days out and a place to sleep, but it’s not a resort room to stay in all day. Romi is a lovely, well-trained dog who mostly lounges on the sunbeds, though he follows Stella around. He’d jump onto my sunbed for belly rubs and cuddles, and liked to play by gently holding my hand in his mouth. He doesn’t bite. My son cried when we left because we don’t have Romi at home, and I miss him too. We’ve just returned from two weeks here, my wife, our children aged 8 and 15, and me. It was great, we highly recommend it, and we’ll be back. If I could give it more than five stars, I would.