High Beach Hotel

The staff were always ready to help and sort out anything we needed, which made a big difference. I can’t say the same for customer service in Germany! The all inclusive service was also great, with good quality drinks and snacks available all day. The beach just in front of the hotel is beautiful. We loved the food at the main restaurant, with something different every day, and had a brilliant meal at the a la carte restaurant right on the beach too. It was an absolutely 11/11 holiday. Greece was a first for me, and after this experience I’m wondering why I didn’t visit sooner. I’d recommend the Hostel without hesitation and will definitely come back.

We were there from the 3rd to the 6th of April and had a great time. The atmosphere was lovely, the staff were really friendly and welcoming, and we enjoyed the food and the facilities. The outdoor gym was our favourite. The outdoor dinner we’d booked couldn’t go ahead because of the weather. Since we had a late flight on our final day, manager Vasilis arranged a late check in and a complimentary cab to the airport. Such a kind gesture. We absolutely plan to return. Thanks again!

What sets High Beach apart for me is how well the resort is run. The staff are professional, courteous, quick and friendly, and the place is kept very clean and orderly. Each room gets its own beach sunbeds, so there’s no need to claim them with towels at dawn. The beach in Malia is lovely, too. The neighborhood has plenty of good shops, bars and restaurants, though there are also loud nightclubs. Buffet food was good, if not excellent, which is our one mild complaint. We went in April, during the shoulder season, and the nightly price was excellent value compared with five star all inclusive resorts elsewhere. We’ve stayed at more than a dozen all inclusive resorts in Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Greece and other places, and High Beach ranks among the very best. Plenty of resorts call themselves five star, but this one really is.

By the fifth day of our ten-day stay, we were so uncomfortable that we just wanted to leave. We didn’t enjoy the visit at all, and it was the worst hotel experience we’ve ever had. We had never complained before and hadn’t wanted to cause trouble, but I couldn’t let this go unreported. We emailed a formal complaint, and it was simply ignored, not even addressed. I hope the hotel reviews its service standards, staff training and guest relations, and treats guests equally regardless of nationality or age. The water in our room was extremely poor quality and smelled so strongly of chlorine that we couldn’t use it for basic hygiene. I had to use bottled water to wash my face and rinse my mouth, which is unacceptable for a hotel of this standing. Room cleaning was unreliable. On two days in a row, our room wasn’t cleaned. It seemed housekeeping wouldn’t come unless guests were awake early. When I raised this with reception, the cleaner came in visibly angry and made inappropriate gestures, apparently in response to my complaint. In the days after that, the cleaner entered early while we were asleep, even when the “Do Not Disturb” sign was up, and asked to clean. We felt we had no privacy. I was also deeply concerned about how management, including Vasilis, and security treated us. We stepped into a situation with disruptive, intoxicated guests, but were blamed and threatened with eviction. Security watched us so closely all night that it felt like harassment. One guard shone a flashlight straight at us while we sat on our balcony, without any explanation. When we asked what the issue was, the only answer was “Big issue.” When we went back to our room, the police were called there. They arrived, quickly decided there was no issue, and left, finding the situation unwarranted. Management never took responsibility or apologized. We were treated with disrespect and suspicion, and eventually didn’t feel comfortable bringing up anything else.