I was lucky enough to win a Villas4U holiday worth £1000 and we chose Crete as we have never visited this Greek island before.We went for a week at the beginning of May.
On our departure day we had to leave the villa by 10am but our return flight wasn’t until 10.20 that evening so we were unsure of what to do until we had to leave for the airport. During a walk around the town we came across a small 2 star hotel that had direct access to the beach.The restaurant & bar were on the beach so it was an ideal location.There was also a lovely lawned area with sunbeds which surrounded the pool.We explained our situation and asked if we were able to use the facilities on our last day.The very charming and friendly manager ( Astorius)was very helpful and said we could have a room for 20 euros which was half the daily rate.We were really pleased as this meant we could have a shower prior to leaving for the airport and had somewhere to leave our belongings rather than in the hire car. Our room was a good size ,extremely clean and had a balcony.The rooms were accessed via a “contactless” card. There were basic but adequate cooking facilities along with a fridge as the rooms were advertised as apartments.The ensuite shower room was also very clean with sink,toilet & bidet.
We loved the lawned area by the pool –the sunbeds were plentiful with the option of sitting by a small table & parasol.There was a small play area for children but as it was at the beginning of the season we didn’t see it being used.There were also toilets nearby the pool which were very clean.Everywhere looked clean ,tidy and well cared for. The pool was fantastic-one of the best pools I have ever used!!(see photos)And believe me I have swam in many!! As we were only there for the day we didn’t use the beach but did have a quick paddle in the sea!!However there were plenty of sunbeds & parasols but think you had to pay for them? We had lunch in the restaurant which was virtually on the beach.You could choose to sit under one of the huge parasols or inside the restaurant.(see photos)There were also many areas to sit in the sun but we opted to eat in the shade .The food was brilliant-see photos-and very reasonable.My husband chose a savoury pancake which looked a bit bland as it arrived without any garnish but was very tasty.As I am addicted to feta cheese I had requested a piece with my salad and it was probably the best feta I had ever tasted!The salad was really fresh & delicious.The whole bill including a drink each (plus a mojito for me pre lunch)was 22.50 euros which we thought was extremely reasonable given that the quality of the food and standard of service was excellent! As we have decided to return to Crete next year for a “touring” holiday we definitely will be booking a few nights at Marinos Beach Hotel.Please see their website for more info . www.marinos-hotel.com Please note that I have rated "facilities" as very good which is aimed at the pool , sunbed area & beach restaurant.As it is a 2 star small hotel it doesn't have the same facilities as a larger hotel such as multiple bars,gym or games room.Also as we were only there for the day we could not honestly review the suitability for disabled guests(marked as average) but we did see ramps etc and there were rooms on the ground floor. We did go and have a look at a large 4 or 5 star Hotel in the area but although lovely with lots of facilities it had an impersonal atmosphere compared to Marinos.
