• traveled 11 years ago
This year I was in Crete for the third time. So I have something to compare. Three hotels in Crete, all "three": "Amnissos" "Mari Beach" and "Kalia Beach" - three different areas in Crete: Rethymno, Chania and Heraklion. Hotel "Kalia Beach" is the worst of the three. I'll start in order. First of all, I really didn't like the host company "Phoenix Tour".
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This year I was in Crete for the third time. So I have something to compare. Three hotels in Crete, all "three": "Amnissos" "Mari Beach" and "Kalia Beach" - three different areas in Crete: Rethymno, Chania and Heraklion. Hotel "Kalia Beach" is the worst of the three.
I'll start in order. First of all, I really didn't like the host company "Phoenix Tour". Not only was their bus late for our arrival, and we, like unfortunate "homeless people", stood for forty minutes in the sun and watched the passengers of our flight go to their hotels. Finally, we got the bus. Our hotel was the first on the route, so the guide from Phoenix did not even consider it necessary to take us to the hotel. She led us to the road and said: "Walk straight along this road. You will see your hotel there. " After that, we saw the guide only once, when the next day she came to offer us her expensive excursions (as usual, the same excursions on the street behind the Marina Hotel cost half as much). To all the questions when we will see her again, we have not received an answer.
Now about the hotel. The only big plus of this hotel is a very beautiful and well-groomed territory. Very beautiful flowers grow in the inner garden. The walls are lined with greenery. For a "treshka" area is just wonderful. But there are many more cons. The layout of the hotel is made in such a way that only a tavern for guests, a restaurant (through the tavern) and a large spacious hall overlook the sea, in which the reception is located. So the employees are very happy to work there. What can not be said about vacationers. Stuffy, not ventilated rooms, no air conditioning, the windows of the rooms look at the front doors of other rooms. The constant feeling that you are a participant in the reality show "Behind the Glass".
Pleasantly pleased with the breakfasts. A three-day cycle (scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs, boiled egg) added variety. Plus for breakfast every day there were canned peaches, but otherwise - a standard European breakfast. The only negative is the absolutely inedible sausage.
But at lunch and dinner, at first we were shocked by the presence of a cook and a food distributor. Still, for several years I got used to the fact that "All Inclusive" involves a "buffet", where everyone can choose what to take. But after a few days everyone got used to them, because they gave as much as you asked for and did not create any special problems. And waste with such catering was still noticeably less. But the food itself was depressing. Still, earlier, in other hotels, I got used to the seven-day menu cycle, but here, as well as in breakfasts, the menu was repeated every three to four days. The choice was very small: two hot options, two or three side dishes. The almost complete absence of salads. It is difficult to call coarsely chopped vegetables salads (there were usually five varieties): tomatoes, cucumbers, beets (carrots), peas (corn) and cabbage (broccoli). Sometimes, when rice or pasta remained from lunch or dinner, they were mixed with the same vegetables. Soup is for dinner only. And to call it a soup, even European, is quite difficult. Still, in a European soup, as I heard on the radio, as a rule, at least something should float, for example, a boiled egg or a piece of chicken. Here, the soup was a stew of water and a few tablespoons of dry potato powder.
The only "plus" of lunch and dinner is the constant availability of fruits: in addition to standard watermelons, there were always melons, or grapes, or nectarines, or grapefruits. In addition, I would like to say a big thank you to the waiters for their friendly and well-coordinated work. They really remembered us by sight and already on the third day they knew our tastes and brought our favorite drinks.
Beach. The website of the travel agency says that from the hotel to the beach - 20 meters. As it turns out, this is a pure lie. Not to the beach, but to the sea 20 meters. But swimming there is impossible, because the entire coastline in front of the hotel is littered with stones. To the nearest (the best, but very expensive beach: 2 sunbeds, towels, water and an umbrella - 8 euros) - 100 meters. To a more democratic one, where sunbeds cost 6 euros for a couple and you can sunbathe on your bedding - 200-300 meters, but the people there are like sprats in a jar. The other one at the Aphrodite hotel is also about 300 meters away. There is a closed bay, there are no waves. But on the other hand, there are enough stones, and the water is already beginning to bloom and algae are growing. Since I don’t like sunbathing, I chose an expensive elite beach with a good flat sandy bottom for swimming. I just silently threw my bag into a free place behind the sunbeds and swam. And then she went to the hotel. After all, all the beaches in Crete are public. And you only have to pay for additional services.
In general, it seemed to me that this place - Gouves is more designed for parents with children from 7 to 10 years old, who will be happy to splash in the pool, go swimming in two water parks, visit an aquarium and an exhibition of dinosaurs. There were also several options for water excursions on a boat, but I was not on them. A train ride in this place did not give me any pleasure. Although excursions on trains are the best and most inexpensive entertainment in Crete!
I'll start in order. First of all, I really didn't like the host company "Phoenix Tour". Not only was their bus late for our arrival, and we, like unfortunate "homeless people", stood for forty minutes in the sun and watched the passengers of our flight go to their hotels. Finally, we got the bus. Our hotel was the first on the route, so the guide from Phoenix did not even consider it necessary to take us to the hotel. She led us to the road and said: "Walk straight along this road. You will see your hotel there. " After that, we saw the guide only once, when the next day she came to offer us her expensive excursions (as usual, the same excursions on the street behind the Marina Hotel cost half as much). To all the questions when we will see her again, we have not received an answer.
Now about the hotel. The only big plus of this hotel is a very beautiful and well-groomed territory. Very beautiful flowers grow in the inner garden. The walls are lined with greenery. For a "treshka" area is just wonderful. But there are many more cons. The layout of the hotel is made in such a way that only a tavern for guests, a restaurant (through the tavern) and a large spacious hall overlook the sea, in which the reception is located. So the employees are very happy to work there. What can not be said about vacationers. Stuffy, not ventilated rooms, no air conditioning, the windows of the rooms look at the front doors of other rooms. The constant feeling that you are a participant in the reality show "Behind the Glass".
Pleasantly pleased with the breakfasts. A three-day cycle (scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs, boiled egg) added variety. Plus for breakfast every day there were canned peaches, but otherwise - a standard European breakfast. The only negative is the absolutely inedible sausage.
But at lunch and dinner, at first we were shocked by the presence of a cook and a food distributor. Still, for several years I got used to the fact that "All Inclusive" involves a "buffet", where everyone can choose what to take. But after a few days everyone got used to them, because they gave as much as you asked for and did not create any special problems. And waste with such catering was still noticeably less. But the food itself was depressing. Still, earlier, in other hotels, I got used to the seven-day menu cycle, but here, as well as in breakfasts, the menu was repeated every three to four days. The choice was very small: two hot options, two or three side dishes. The almost complete absence of salads. It is difficult to call coarsely chopped vegetables salads (there were usually five varieties): tomatoes, cucumbers, beets (carrots), peas (corn) and cabbage (broccoli). Sometimes, when rice or pasta remained from lunch or dinner, they were mixed with the same vegetables. Soup is for dinner only. And to call it a soup, even European, is quite difficult. Still, in a European soup, as I heard on the radio, as a rule, at least something should float, for example, a boiled egg or a piece of chicken. Here, the soup was a stew of water and a few tablespoons of dry potato powder.
The only "plus" of lunch and dinner is the constant availability of fruits: in addition to standard watermelons, there were always melons, or grapes, or nectarines, or grapefruits. In addition, I would like to say a big thank you to the waiters for their friendly and well-coordinated work. They really remembered us by sight and already on the third day they knew our tastes and brought our favorite drinks.
Beach. The website of the travel agency says that from the hotel to the beach - 20 meters. As it turns out, this is a pure lie. Not to the beach, but to the sea 20 meters. But swimming there is impossible, because the entire coastline in front of the hotel is littered with stones. To the nearest (the best, but very expensive beach: 2 sunbeds, towels, water and an umbrella - 8 euros) - 100 meters. To a more democratic one, where sunbeds cost 6 euros for a couple and you can sunbathe on your bedding - 200-300 meters, but the people there are like sprats in a jar. The other one at the Aphrodite hotel is also about 300 meters away. There is a closed bay, there are no waves. But on the other hand, there are enough stones, and the water is already beginning to bloom and algae are growing. Since I don’t like sunbathing, I chose an expensive elite beach with a good flat sandy bottom for swimming. I just silently threw my bag into a free place behind the sunbeds and swam. And then she went to the hotel. After all, all the beaches in Crete are public. And you only have to pay for additional services.
In general, it seemed to me that this place - Gouves is more designed for parents with children from 7 to 10 years old, who will be happy to splash in the pool, go swimming in two water parks, visit an aquarium and an exhibition of dinosaurs. There were also several options for water excursions on a boat, but I was not on them. A train ride in this place did not give me any pleasure. Although excursions on trains are the best and most inexpensive entertainment in Crete!
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Good afternoon. I want to write about this "super" hotel. Rested from 14.06 to 05.07. the room was 105. the room was small, the refrigerator did not work (3 times I came up and asked to fix it, but they constantly answered me that it was working, although the temperature in the refrigerator was the same as in the room).
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Good afternoon. I want to write about this "super" hotel. Rested from 14.06 to 05.07. the room was 105. the room was small, the refrigerator did not work (3 times I came up and asked to fix it, but they constantly answered me that it was working, although the temperature in the refrigerator was the same as in the room). There was no air conditioner in the room! although, when it was determined with the hotel, it was said that all rooms have them. I also know that they are not in at least 3 rooms of the main building.
The breakfast is very bad. Lunch and dinner - normal, but finishes 10-meter line for food. The dishes are washed poorly, several times the foam from the detergent dripped on the dishes. Constantly delay for 10-20 minutes this very lunch-dinner. No cereals, soups, for the entire restaurant and 4 buildings of the hotel there are only 2 children's glasses.
But the biggest minus for me personally is that for 3 weeks the children in the hotels did not drink fruit !!!!!!!!! ! there were only cucumbers and tomatoes (often unripe). Watermelons and melons were given in pieces only in the first week of our stay (every other day). Then they began to crumble melon and watermelon together to the size of a vinaigrette, and everything in a large bowl. Apparently it's much more economical. I wanted to negotiate for money at the hotel to buy watermelon for children (the hotel costs one big watermelon 3 euros). I was even willing to pay twice as much. but I was given such a price that I refused. In St. Petersburg, a watermelon would have cost me 2.5 times cheaper. In stores bought 3 times - 2 times thrown away, the 3rd turned out to be 3-ku.
The room was on the first floor - damp....A small one (1.5 years old) ended up in my hospital with the flu a week later. Among the vacationers there was a woman doctor, she said that there was a fungus in our room, because of this, the baby got sick. She tried to get another room for us (on the second floor), but the hotel manager was VERY rude to her (or rather yelled), brought the elderly woman to tears. And of course we stayed in our room.
The sea is nearby, but in the first 3 days everything was covered in oil!!!! ! I'll post a photo.
Conclusion: NOT LIKE IT. EVEN if this is not an expensive hotel - such a hotel and service are not needed for nothing.
We won't go there again and wouldn't recommend to anyone. Before buying this hotel, I read a lot of reviews from Russian, British, and German. Europeans rated this hotel 2 out of 5. I thought, probably, people are accustomed to rest at 5, and I am modest in requests, not spoiled - everything will be fine, but...................REALLY DID NOT LIKE.....
Think for yourself....and good luck to those who still dare to go there - it will come in handy
The breakfast is very bad. Lunch and dinner - normal, but finishes 10-meter line for food. The dishes are washed poorly, several times the foam from the detergent dripped on the dishes. Constantly delay for 10-20 minutes this very lunch-dinner. No cereals, soups, for the entire restaurant and 4 buildings of the hotel there are only 2 children's glasses.
But the biggest minus for me personally is that for 3 weeks the children in the hotels did not drink fruit !!!!!!!!! ! there were only cucumbers and tomatoes (often unripe). Watermelons and melons were given in pieces only in the first week of our stay (every other day). Then they began to crumble melon and watermelon together to the size of a vinaigrette, and everything in a large bowl. Apparently it's much more economical. I wanted to negotiate for money at the hotel to buy watermelon for children (the hotel costs one big watermelon 3 euros). I was even willing to pay twice as much. but I was given such a price that I refused. In St. Petersburg, a watermelon would have cost me 2.5 times cheaper. In stores bought 3 times - 2 times thrown away, the 3rd turned out to be 3-ku.
The room was on the first floor - damp....A small one (1.5 years old) ended up in my hospital with the flu a week later. Among the vacationers there was a woman doctor, she said that there was a fungus in our room, because of this, the baby got sick. She tried to get another room for us (on the second floor), but the hotel manager was VERY rude to her (or rather yelled), brought the elderly woman to tears. And of course we stayed in our room.
The sea is nearby, but in the first 3 days everything was covered in oil!!!! ! I'll post a photo.
Conclusion: NOT LIKE IT. EVEN if this is not an expensive hotel - such a hotel and service are not needed for nothing.
We won't go there again and wouldn't recommend to anyone. Before buying this hotel, I read a lot of reviews from Russian, British, and German. Europeans rated this hotel 2 out of 5. I thought, probably, people are accustomed to rest at 5, and I am modest in requests, not spoiled - everything will be fine, but...................REALLY DID NOT LIKE.....
Think for yourself....and good luck to those who still dare to go there - it will come in handy
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• traveled 17 years ago
Refrigerator - for a fee, air conditioning (if you want it to work for you), also paid 5 euros per day. On the beach 2 sun loungers with an umbrella 6 euros per day. We tried to sunbathe on the sand right on the towels, not really - the sand is constantly all wet. Either dew falls in the morning, or from constant humidity.
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Refrigerator - for a fee, air conditioning (if you want it to work for you), also paid 5 euros per day. On the beach 2 sun loungers with an umbrella 6 euros per day. We tried to sunbathe on the sand right on the towels, not really - the sand is constantly all wet. Either dew falls in the morning, or from constant humidity. But vacationers who were especially thirsty for a tan bought air mattresses (6 euros) and sunbathed on them. But a big plus - on the beach there is a shower and comfortable changing rooms, a toilet. In fact, for some reason there are no such services on the beach in Europe (at least in Portugal and Spain).
About food. The buffet that everyone is used to is missing. Rather, it is, but only in the morning, when the choice of dishes is very poor. In the morning, breakfast was present - Muesli, cereal, milk, yogurt (which is more like our sour cream), 2 types of sausage, which is inedible, cheese (not the best), tomatoes, feta, sometimes there were boiled eggs. To drink - drinks, standard, such as UPI, tea, coffee (which was bad, although their apparatus). There was also a cake (we did not like it) and 2 types of jam. That's all. Lunch and dinner were quite tasty, varied, but the cook himself, who stood at the distribution, put them on, and put what you showed him. This is usually 2 meat dishes, 2 side dishes to choose from (potatoes or rice, sometimes pasta), some local dish. Fish was rare (for all the time we were cooking it 2 times. ) Basically it is pork and lamb. But they cooked it deliciously. Salads could be put on your own. There were 6-7 of them every day. For sweet grapes, mousse. Sometimes there was melon. Lunch and dinner did not differ in the choice of dishes. Soup for all the time was once and then for some reason in the evening. Those who are accustomed to the Egyptian gorge will find it difficult to readjust. Personally, we have not seen a big problem in food, but for information I am writing about it.
Animation, which is indicated in the directories, is absent at all. Rest is boring. Bars and restaurants in the surroundings lure visitors, but for some reason no one dances. Once only in a nearby pub, drunken Englishmen danced under karaoke in English. We went to Hersonises (we rented a car for 8 days for 150 euros with all insurances - a Chevrolet Avio), we did not notice the vibrant nightlife described on all sites. Shopping and all, bored people sit in taverns and look at each other. Of course, there is no such fun as in Turkey. I will update my review after a while.
About food. The buffet that everyone is used to is missing. Rather, it is, but only in the morning, when the choice of dishes is very poor. In the morning, breakfast was present - Muesli, cereal, milk, yogurt (which is more like our sour cream), 2 types of sausage, which is inedible, cheese (not the best), tomatoes, feta, sometimes there were boiled eggs. To drink - drinks, standard, such as UPI, tea, coffee (which was bad, although their apparatus). There was also a cake (we did not like it) and 2 types of jam. That's all. Lunch and dinner were quite tasty, varied, but the cook himself, who stood at the distribution, put them on, and put what you showed him. This is usually 2 meat dishes, 2 side dishes to choose from (potatoes or rice, sometimes pasta), some local dish. Fish was rare (for all the time we were cooking it 2 times. ) Basically it is pork and lamb. But they cooked it deliciously. Salads could be put on your own. There were 6-7 of them every day. For sweet grapes, mousse. Sometimes there was melon. Lunch and dinner did not differ in the choice of dishes. Soup for all the time was once and then for some reason in the evening. Those who are accustomed to the Egyptian gorge will find it difficult to readjust. Personally, we have not seen a big problem in food, but for information I am writing about it.
Animation, which is indicated in the directories, is absent at all. Rest is boring. Bars and restaurants in the surroundings lure visitors, but for some reason no one dances. Once only in a nearby pub, drunken Englishmen danced under karaoke in English. We went to Hersonises (we rented a car for 8 days for 150 euros with all insurances - a Chevrolet Avio), we did not notice the vibrant nightlife described on all sites. Shopping and all, bored people sit in taverns and look at each other. Of course, there is no such fun as in Turkey. I will update my review after a while.
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