Apollonia Beach Resort & Spa

The spa prices seemed unclear and kept changing, and we also couldn’t extend our room on departure day, even though we were willing to pay. That added stress at the end of a stay that had already been disappointing. We booked all-inclusive, yet bottled water cost extra, and so did using the in-room safe. A two-day chess tournament brought more than 500 adults and children to the hotel, and the noise, shouting, and children running around made it hard to find anywhere quiet. Shared areas became messy, and finding a table for meals was so difficult that some guests took their plates back to their rooms. Water dripped from ceilings in several places, with buckets set out to catch it. Staff told us to be patient because the group would only be there for two days, which didn’t feel like a considerate or professional response. Service also dropped during that period, and there was only one kind of coffee available. The stay fell short of what we expected, and we wouldn’t recommend the hotel.

On our last day, reception told me to check out at 11:00, even though my Jet2 Holidays bus wasn’t coming until 21:00. I was told I could stay longer for another €80. For an all-inclusive Jet2 Holidays trip, that was a really bad end to the holiday. I also had to pay €4 for an espresso with ice at the bar, and when I asked reception for two bottles of water, they said I could buy them at the supermarket. The restaurant looked very old, and the food seemed more like three-star than five-star quality. This doesn’t feel like a five-star hotel to me, maybe three at best.

We were a big family with two rooms opposite each other, and we were both very happy with the arrangement. The people cleaning rooms 640 and 645 were especially lovely, responsive, and did exactly what we asked. They did a fantastic job, and we had lots of nice chats and laughs with them. The hotel itself was clean and fresh. The buffet was quite okay, and the freshly baked pizza from the pool snack bar was really tasty. Staff in the restaurant and at towel service were less pleasant. The hotel is on the edge of Amoudara, where there isn’t much to do outside the property.

The rooms felt old and depressing, smelled bad, and had beds like cardboard that were extremely uncomfortable. Breakfast had plenty of options, but everything I tried was poor quality, and I left hungry. To me this isn’t a five-star hotel, maybe three at most. A huge disappointment. There are much better places to stay in Crete, so don’t spoil your holiday here.