Real Palace Hotel & Studios

I liked that the hotel sits away from the main strip, and going early in the year meant things were peaceful. The staff made us feel welcome, and I had a good laugh with the barman on a couple of evenings. I ate dinner there twice and really liked the food. I had a great time and would visit again, though I usually don’t return to the same places.

Really good place, with a nice pool, good food and comfortable accommodation. The staff are friendly, and it’s about a ten-minute walk from Malia old town and the centre strip. Highly recommended 😀

The location was handy, with just a short walk to town, the strip, and the beach, plus plenty to do nearby. We stayed for seven nights and had a lovely holiday. The pool area always had seats available, and we never struggled to get a sunbed. Our room was clean and nice, and the air conditioning worked well. Staff were very friendly and excellent. Breakfast included a fry-up, cereal, croissants, and more. We also paid for a couple of lunches and dinners, which were great, and there were lots of cocktails to choose from. We hope to stay here again.

The owner stood out as especially kind. He seemed to work nearly around the clock and clearly put a lot of effort into things. We also met several of his relatives working in their own shops around Malia, and they were all lovely. The hotel is well placed, and the nearby party strip was fun. We gave it five stars because we had such a good stay, problems were sorted quickly, and the staff were super nice. We hadn’t realized air conditioning cost extra, at 70€/week, and there was also a tourism tax of about 10€ per person. It didn’t bother us too much because the hotel was so cheap and we felt we got a lot for our money. Our room was very clean and just what we wanted. It wasn’t large or fancy, but we only used it to sleep while we were out, so it worked perfectly for us. It does get very bright in the morning, which could make sleeping in tricky. We didn’t try the food, but liked the drinks. The pool makes clever use of its small space, with lots of different sunbed styles. I’d recommend it, 10/10 for what we paid.