Stayed at Mikes Apartments end of Sept. Apartment on ground floor was great, towels and linen changed almost daily, but try to get higher floor it would be much more private. Apartments face the beach and the pool area is lovely. Lots of sunbeds etc. Hotel is at the rear just a few mins away on main road. Food in hotel lovely, and the staff are very friendly. Manos looks after everyone in the apartments and keeps you well supplied with "vitamins" in the pool bar each night! There are also several very good tavernas in Maleme so plenty of choice. The Black Lantern has good food, and they have live music some nights. If you want a relaxing stay you cant go wrong with Maleme. Several nice bars/hotels. The beach is pebbly, but it is fine and you can find lots of lovely beaches a bit further out. Maleme is a quaint mix of traditional and modern - you can walk alongside traditional fields next to an ultra modern apartment block and there are no high rise buildings or souvenir shops, only a few supermarkets which are more than adequate. Buses are frequent/efficient if you want to go to the more touristy Platanias or in to Chania and they are cheap, very comfortable just like our touring coaches. We also recommend hiring a car to explore, well worth it. Lovely fishing village at Kolumbari and beaches at Falasarna and Ellifinisi. You pass through some really nice villages and traditional tavernas, where they make you welcome and the food is good.
All in all, a lovely holiday. You will be happy to stay at Mikes or the other hotels and apartments in Maleme. Late September is a very good time to stay, the weather was perfect and it wasnt too busy. Crete is a lovely island and the smell of all the aromatic sage, thyme and rosemary etc, growing everywhere was wonderful. Val and Bob Mizen, Heswall, Wirral UK

we decided to book this hotel after reading its reviews and we were pleased to find that it was just as we expected. there was a warm family atmosphere and the staff (family) were superb, although probably not suitable for teenagers owing to lack of activities in the resort. the only criticism we had was that the bathroom was very small, and needed refurbishing. we would definitely visit again in a year or two. sue & keith long northamptonshire

We booked this hotel as a last minute trip based on the reviews on this website and were not disappointed.

Our welcome from Sophie and the family was lovely despite us being 7 hours late due to plane delays and she quickly sorted out our room (number 8). This room was ample for our needs and, although it was on the front of the hotel where the road was, we managed ok with the traffic noise. (Perhaps this was because we paid the extra for air conditioning and so didn't need to have the window open). The fridge and TV was fine but there was no dvd player as advertised in the brochure. Our only slight moan was we didn't get any fresh towels for 4 out of 7 days but ,as we didn't persue it with Sophie and perhaps there was a lack of towels for our room partly due to my husband being ill, it was not entirely the hotels fault.

Breakfast was very nice and consisted of a choice of 2 cereals, cake, continental hams etc and toast with jam etc. A hot breakfast was extra (4 Euros). You could eat al fresco or inside the main eating area with the patio doors open and breeze blowing through - lovely. We ate most evenings at the hotel as the menu was varied, service quick and the food as as cheap as the local tavernas. A nice extra touch was the raki shots (firewater - beware) and free fruit platter given for dessert with water & honeydew melon, grapes (good bunch) and another fruit - much more extensive that the freebies at the other eateries used.

We had to walk about 300m to get to Mikes Apartments to use the pool and get to the beach. The beach is very rocky and sea rough so we really appreciated the oasis of the pool with its ample sunbeds and parasols, convenient pool bar and clean toilet facilities. Food at the pool bar was reasonably priced for lunches and although the drinks were fairly priced too, we often walked down the road to the local shop with our small coolbag and bought our own cans, cakes, nibbles etc to save a bit of cash and get a bit of exercise. Computers with internet access were also available in the lounge part of the pool bar but as we didn't use them, cannot comment on price etc.

We were able to book trips from the Reps visiting the hotels. We went on the train for the "Grand Canyon" adventure (which was a waste of 4 hours - just a bumpy ride to one place with only tavernas for 40 minutes and back again) and went on the Elafonissi trip to see a decent beach (a lot nicer than Maleme but be aware it's very windy, no shade and costs 7 Euros to rent 2 sunbeds & a parasol). We independantly caught the bus outside the hotel to Chania for one evening (2 Euros per person each way and quite nice as they are UK style coaches - Sophie was great with the bus times - thanks) and spent a lovely evening watching the sunset over the pretty harbour and doing some shopping - well recommended!

We enjoyed ourselves immensely at Mikes Hotel and it was just the place for a quite retreat from the UK. It's not for people who want nightlife and maybe a bit too quiet for families who need to keep kids entertained but if it's a taste of Greek hospitality you are after - Mikes is the place to go!!

This hotel was the best i have been to in a long time.The family who run it are the most wholesome,honest & welcoming family i have ever come across. The apartments were great,very clean and apartment was cleaned every day,cept Sun.The actual hotel is just up the road but worth going to just for Marias Moussaka! Manos is the main man! He is also known as Dr Manos as he will keep you supplied with the Greek "vitamins" The organised trips from the hotel are fairly priced & i would highly reccomend "Hidden Greece" asd a trip of choice.In quite a quiet resort,but very close for people wanting some nightlife(I found the bars and restaraunts locally very good) All in all a good time was had by all & will definately return very soon! DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND GO TO THIS HOTEL.You will go back i can assure you of that.

Manos,If you want to bring mum to Sussex for a holiday please let me know & you can stay at my house.

Thanks for a great holiday.

Regards Hugh.