Apollo Hotel 1

Very relaxing stay. If you want a full on holiday this is not for you. However if you are looking for a relaxing Greek stay it is good. This is our second visit and will go back again.

We came for a week as a British couple and had a great time. We had room 101 which was like a mini suite with a little sitting room and a large balcony too. The cleaners came every day and made the bed and changed the sheets during the week also. The location isn’t ideal, it’s out of the way however there is a little taverna opposite which is lovely and does nice food and wine. There is a little minibus that takes you to a local beach and fetches you back. Also from the bottom of the road there is a land train to go to Georgioupoli or lake kournas. Also there is a taxi service you just use WhatsApp to order. Very easy to get around once you’ve worked it out. Also the bus to rethymno is from the bottom of the road only €3.20. So the food wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t great, mainly it was always cold. And you had to guess what it was. The all inclusive beers was ok but the wine was shocking! But there is a lovely taverna down the street called Pelagia and that does jugs of lovely wine for €7. It’s mainly Germans in the resort and the staff speak fluent German and little English but they were extremely friendly and helpful, they made meal reservations for us at a nice restaurant and were always giving everyone raki and having a laugh Overall a lovely holiday!

I wouldn’t really rate this as a 4-star hotel based on the room facilities and overall conditions. The bathroom felt quite old, and the cleanliness was not impressive (we noticed quite a few spiders and dust). One unpleasant aspect was that we booked three rooms, but while two were located in the main building (Apollo 1), the third was placed in Apollo 2, which is about 100 meters away. On the positive side, Apollo 2 is a newer building and the rooms there did look like 4-star quality, more modern and comfortable. When it comes to food, it was just okay – nothing special. Breakfast was exactly the same every single day for the whole week, which was a bit disappointing. Dinner was decent; not outstanding, but personally I enjoyed it, even though opinions in our group were mixed. The staff and management, however, were truly excellent – very friendly and always eager to help, which made the stay more pleasant overall. One thing to be aware of: there is a daily tourist tax of €10 per room. This is not charged by the hotel itself but a local regulation, and in our case, it hadn’t been communicated by the agency, so it came as an unexpected extra cost. As for the surroundings: the hotel bar closes strictly at midnight – so if you’re planning on enjoying cocktails into the night, better order two at 23:59. 😂😂 The town itself is also very quiet with no nightlife. Great for families who want peace and relaxation, but if you’re young and looking for fun, this place might feel more like a bedtime story than a holiday. Tips for Travelers: - If you’re flying in, definitely rent a car. The local beach (Vantaris Beach) is quite basic, with big waves that make the water cloudy. On the plus side, a sunbed costs only €5 per day, which is a great price. A car will allow you to explore many more beautiful beaches nearby. - Don’t miss Lake Kournas – it’s absolutely worth a visit. - If one day you don’t feel like eating at the hotel, there are two excellent restaurants very close by: • Aman (about 3 minutes away) – perfect for gyros/souvlaki. • Pelagia’s Yard (about 5 minutes away) – great for seafood or slow-cooked meat dishes.