This was our 2nd trip to the hotel having first stayed in May 2023, on both times we stayed in the new part in a room overlooking the garden and pool at lower level, groundfloor the 1st time and upperfloor the 2nd time - you can hear the road in this section when the balcony door is open and indeed when using the lower level pool but it's not too obtrusive. Naturally, I found there is a greater level privacy with an upper floor room. The rooms are different between the floors, at ground floor you enter and exit via the front terrace meaning there is full wall at the back of the unit that allows for a separate sink unit to the loo & shower, upstairs you access the room from the back corridor meaning the bathroom is all in one. Note: the sinks are of a modern, trough like design and don't have a plug, so not like a basin which you can fill up, the shower is very powerful and leaves the bathroom floor very wet, but it is also heated so once mopped up with a towel it will dry fairly quickly. I found the bed comfortable once I was in it, it was a bit high for me, and squidgy - memory foam mattress type, but it was supportive, from somebody who prefers a firmer mattress I found it very comfortable, the bed bases are flimsy and do move slightly as you get in but it's not a massive issue. Robes, slippers and a hairdryer are available in the rooms as is a Nespresso machine but pods are not replenished. As other reviews have mentioned there is a charge to use the sunbeds on the beach, 20 Euros/day (if I recall correctly) which we paid no issue on days when we wanted to sunbathe, you do get water I thought it was just one bottle each, but when I went to the bar to purchase more I was told it was free and so it seems it is free water all day, i think the hotel could improve by being clearer with guests about the charge and what it includes - wet flannels are also dished out as are melon pieces, but it's a bit haphazard. The sunbeds at the pool by the beach fill up very quickly (well I should say fill up with towels very quickly) as do the front row sunbeds at the beach. Beach towels are provided and can be exchanged each day at at the spa, where you will also be offered a chance to explore the menu of treatments available at the spa (captive audience). I was genuinely interested in this but found the treatments on offer too expensive, they make it much better value to buy a 'package' which then whilst better value, it works out being very high cost and I imagine quite a long experience, the lady working in the spa is lovely and works hard running the spa and servicing guests with towels and dishing out the wet flannels on the beach. We stayed B&B. Breakfast was generally good with the usual offerings - continental and cooked, including leftovers from the previous day's dinner (ha!) I mostly enjoyed eggs with a small bread roll and salad followed by a nice strong coffee and cake - the cake was delicious. The restaurant area got very busy at around 9am so we sought to avoid that peak time to enjoy breakfast in a more relaxed environment. The hotel is located at the far eastern end of Agia Marina equidistant of two bus stops where you can go to Chania in one direction and Platanias and onwards the other, buses to/from Chania can get very busy, it was about 18 Euro one way in a taxi to Chania last season. Agia Marina itself has plenty of restaurants and a couple of bars, but being a purpose built holiday destination it doesn't have the charm of Chania or more traditional Greek resorts, but we found it pleasant enough for a week and as a base for a beach holiday and a bit or exploration - we went to Chania many times and also Palaeochora in the south. The worst part of my experience of the hotel was at the end of our 2nd stay when the hotel staff receptionist displayed a total lack of concern and zero willingness to help me when my partner fell ill and his symptoms escalated, it was the night before check out and he had been to the doctors and got antibiotics but was not at all well very disorientated and lethargic, our flight home was late the next day and I enquired about a late check out as clearly being so poorly he needed to rest, but the hotel receptionist was strangely hostile towards me, he initially said you need to check at 10am in the morning, but I pushed to explain the severity of the situation, but he said no, you have to check in the morning, I got emotional and asked to see the manager but told they weren't available, I rang my holiday rep who also spoke to the hotel receptionist to no avail. This was about 6pm time and the reps were clocking off for the night too. Long story short I booked us a room via 'booking.com' at a nearby hotel to use on our last day, checking out of the Atlantica Amalthia the next morning feeling very angry, bitter and disappointed so much so that now just the very thought of that reception area makes me feel very nauseous. My partner collapsed the next day and ended up in hospital, it turned out he as feeling so unwell because he was very close to developing sepsis. We were totally on our own, I pleaded with that receptionist for some help and support but he couldn't care less. I understand they had guests coming in and needed our room but I thought they might have at least offered to explore other options, particularly as i could see there were rooms available at the hotel via booking.com, admittedly of a higher standard than our room but I'm sure if they really wanted to help they could have switched things around, arranged for a last minute clean of our room, found us another hotel or offered to help with moving our suitcases, just something!! Upon reflection, I don't get all the other reviews about the staff being 'so friendly' this wasn't our experience during either stay, even prior to our horrible experience - whenever we took a seat at the bar/restaurant on the beachfront we were not even noticed, after waiting for service, we went to the bar ourselves, which was met with disdain so we mostly used Sebastian's next door instead. I contacted the hotel manager to complain in October 2023 he advised they are onsite most days and I should have asked to speak with him at the time, which of course I did ask, but I was told he was 'unavailable' and of course when faced with an unfamiliar situation you do not really have time to waste talking with people when it's clear they do not want to help. The hotel manager further advised me via email that they were intending to investigate the matter further but I have not heard anything since. We are planning to go to Crete again in the summer but this time we will stay at the charming smaller, traditional hotel we booked to use on our last day, and of course due to the situation I ended up staying there for a further 4 nights - the staff there couldn't have been more helpful and empathetic, and went above and beyond to ensure we/I was okay. Just shows, the 4 star rated establishments may appeal with their glossy brochures and shiny, polished exterior, but often they are just that, scratch under the surface a bit and it's all very shallow.…