Koutsounari

After 17 years of travelling around in my motorhome, I had never come across a campsite as clean, friendly, and helpful as camping koutsounari. Ill health means I can't travel anymore, so I now live here full time. Alita and her family are the friendliest and most helpful people you'll find in Europe. The site has everything you could wish for. One visit and you won't want to go to another campsite. I'd give camping koutsounar Crete five stars plus.

I stayed for ten nights and felt very comfortable here. The staff are responsive, and the best part for me was the privacy: every motorhome space has a screen around it. The campsite is large, with lots of pitches and different ways to stay. I was travelling by car, and paid €14 per night. It has what you need, including bathrooms, toilets, a kitchen, refrigerator, dining room, and mini market with various goods. There's also a washing machine for €5, but bring your own detergent. There isn't a restaurant on site, though plenty of nearby taverns serve excellent food. I'm taking off one star because the sanitary facilities could be better maintained. For several days the soap ran out and wasn't replaced, and I didn't see them being cleaned very thoroughly.

We stayed in a charming little stone house. There are small wooden cabins to rent too, each with a little fridge, table, and chairs. The campervan area was excellent, though often quite windy. The water was clean, and this felt like the better side of the island.

The location is very good and the beach is fantastic. The young people serving at the bar were also really nice and friendly. Still, I'm taking off a star because of extra charges that only came up at check in. They now charge separately for the pool and beach loungers, and also require a minimum spend per person. None of this was mentioned on the website, so I only found out after booking and paying. When I complained in writing, they replied, "Sorry, we have to cover our costs."