Sergiani Garden

For a simple self-catering holiday, the rooms have what you need, though storage is very limited. Air con works well, but costs an extra ten Euros a night. WiFi is good, and the pool area is very laid-back with an excellent bar. The rooms do get cleaned and the bedding changed every few days, while towels and bins were dealt with almost daily, but the cleaning itself could be better. The location is fine, though the website makes the beach seem closer than it is. The nearest small stretch is about a 5 minute walk, and the best part takes more like 10-15 minutes.

The grounds look lovely, with grape vines and pear trees all around, and they’re kept very clean. Our rooms were nice and clean too, with cleaners coming every other day. We were a group of two adults and three teenagers, while my mother, partner and brother stayed in another room. The beds were comfortable and our balcony had enough room for all of us to sit outside. The pool is fabulous and there were always free sunbeds, with nobody putting towels down early. Nikos at the pool bar was funny and couldn’t do enough for us. The food was tasty and reasonably priced, the drinks were great, and there was plenty of choice. I’d recommend the local beer and his special sangria. Nikos and his son helped create a wonderful atmosphere, and the place was spotless. We went to a barbecue and a cocktail evening with music and dancing, which my teenagers loved. The restaurant was beautiful too. Don’t miss the feta in the oven or the prawns. I wouldn’t stay anywhere else and will most definitely return.

The family who run the place were polite, attentive and extremely friendly, and the gardens are beautifully cared for, with many of the vegetables grown there. The apartment kitchen has basic cooking facilities, but we managed to cook about half the time. Towels and linen were changed every couple of days, and rubbish was collected daily. There’s free parking on site, and the location is handy: beaches are only a few minutes away on foot. A rear gate puts you by the main bus route to Heraklion and Ag Nik in two minutes. The pool is well managed, with a bar and snacks, and the main restaurant is one of the best around, with a varied menu that’s freshly cooked, very tasty and modestly priced. Rooms are clean too. This place is much better than its official 2 Star rating, and with these facilities, I can’t imagine wanting to stay somewhere better. For excursions, try the Paul Marie Travel Centre just west of the hotel. We got great service there.

My 3-year-old started calling the hotel “Home” after just two days, which says a lot about how welcome we felt. The manager and the whole team were so friendly, the service was impeccable, and the restaurant food was the best in the area. There’s a quiet sandy beach about 50m away. Our week has just come to an end, and we had a wonderful time. We’ll miss you. Thank you for everything.