Golden Bay Aparthotel

The hotel is very conveniently placed for getting around Malia, with plenty of nearby places to rent cars, quads, and bikes, as well as lots of restaurants. We were visiting Crete for the first time and booked this budget resort without checking the reviews first. The room was an okay size and cleaned well, and the older housekeeper replaced all the towels, though she didn’t clean the toilet. The facilities need a major update, especially the small bathroom. Its shower only has a curtain, so water gets all over the floor. Breakfast was limited to things like cereal, eggs, and brown bread, with little fruit and no muffins or croissants for the kids. We went into Malia town to feed them, where there were better choices. We didn’t use the pool.

Getting moved to Golden Bay Apts after our original hotel cancelled turned out to be lucky, since that other place would have been terrible by comparison. Akis, the manager, deserves a special mention for making us feel welcome. Everyone on staff was great, and the hospitality made for an amazing stay. The pool area was peaceful in the daytime, with plenty of loungers, and the pool bar had tasty food at reasonable prices. It’s a short walk from the main strip, and it works well for a lads’ or girls’ holiday as long as everyone’s respectful.

The service is incredible. Akis, the hotel manager, could feel like your best friend after just a few days. What a character! Golden Bay Hotel Apartments is a brilliant pick for a group of friends heading to Malia for a good time. It’s close to the beach, the old town, and the main bar strip, with great restaurants and food all around.

The location is fine, within walking distance of the beach and old town, and the family running the hotel are nice. But the rooms look older and more dated than the pictures suggest. We had cleaning most days, though the floor was never washed. The fridge was held together with duct tape, and the shower had no curtain or door, so the bathroom flooded every time we used it. The logistics need a big update too. If you arrive for breakfast half an hour before it closes, expect very little to be left and not much to be replenished. The pictures promise more than you get.