Marigianna Apartments

5 readers found this review helpful

IGNORE ANY BAD REVIEWS!!!! On our 2 week holiday in Crete, we booked our first week at the Marigianna Apartments in Sissi, and the second week at Sofia Mythos Beach in Bali, Rethymnon. After reading some of the negative reviews on this website, I was so surprised when we arrived at such a gorgeous place. The garden and pool area was immaculate and lovingly tended every day. The mountain views were constantly amazing. The little kids playground in the garden area was perfect for our 5 year old and 2 year old to play safely, and in the shade too. We wanted to self cater, so were not expecting (or wanting) to have our rooms cleaned and fluffed up for us every day.... with 2 small children, we like to tidy up after ourselves and have some privacy. Our room was clean and lovely. It was perfect for Crete living, and everything was exactly what was needed. The apartments are set in a typical leafy Cretan countryside lane, which was beautiful and full of the sound of crickets when the sun went down, and a one minute walk to shops and the sea. The water was piping hot and lovely any time of the day or night- which is brilliant as sometimes solar powered heating systems do not heat the water until the afternoon. The air conditioning was fantastic- quick, effective and really quiet. We didn't think that we would need it in the beginning, but it got so hot at night that we requested it after a few days. It is pretty typical to pay extra for air conditioning in Crete, and 6 Euros a night is the standard rate. The family that run the apartments are all lovely. They were the kindest, most hospitable and most generous of all the lovely people we met in Crete. For young children it's brilliant too, close to everything that you need, and yet quiet and relaxing. There is also an excellent taverna round the corner (The Pink Flamingo) with a children's playground in it, which has the most amazing menu selection, and the food tastes fantastic! We were so sorry to leave when the week ended, and although our room at our next hotel in Bali was about twice the size of that in the Marigianna, the staff were offish, the room was noisy, the water was always freezing cold and the kids never slept properly there. We still had fun and enjoyed ourselves, but it wasn't a patch on the Marianna apartments. Our son actually requested that we spent our last day and night back at the Marigianna - so we packed up a day early and drove halfway across Crete to go back there!!! It felt like coming back home. (Both our children slept all night happily in their own beds that night!) Manos the ownder is the most excellent of hosts, and the feel is more that of a guesthouse than an impersonal hotel. He was always helpful and always friendly, even when running around serving a family of 5 at the bar whilst cooking our children breakfast and making us coffee! I cannot recommend the Marigianna Apartments enough. Sissi is a wonderful base to explore Crete, and the Marigianna is perfectly situated in amongst it, providing eveything that you could possibly want on a self catering holiday to experience the real Crete. I was almost put off booking our first week there when I read some of the negative reviews, and ignoring them was the best choice that I could have made, and I really hope that anyone reading this review will avoid making that mistake too. BOOK THE MARIGIANNA...... you will NOT be disappointed!

9 readers found this review helpful

all i can say is wow, wow, wow!! On first impressions the apartments took my breathe away, they are much bigger in real life than the photos. Everything about the apartments and the holiday were to our expectations and even more. Manos, Vasili and harry are great hosts. they know how to look after they're guests and make everyone feel very welcome. the rooms are very clean (the cleaner does a great job), the views from the rooms are great especially the sea views. they have a large pool area and pool bar which is perfect enough to relax by or have a laugh with vasili and harry. the surrounding village of sissi is a nice little quite place with plenty of restaurants and bars, our favourites were kokotas restaurant (up by the second supermarket), avra restaurant by the seafront. one of the best things about this village is how friendly and relaxing the locals are, they don't hassle you at all. i would reccomend everyone to go to sissi especially the marigianna apartments, it is the perfect relaxing holiday and if you want to see more of crete you can hire a car and explore.

5 readers found this review helpful

We have just returned from 7 great days in Sissi at the MariGianna Apartments.
The accomodation is clean and a good standard - as normal the cooking is limited to 2 hobs but we never needed these - air con was an extra at €6/day but vital!
The owner, his son and Harry at the bar are really friendly and make you feel very welcome. They organised 2 BBQ's (€10-€12/head) with more food than you can eat and had a singer on one night. The large grass area is great for sunbathing and the pool good for cooling off...
The breakfasts (small english €4) are good value and tasty.
Drinks are not too expensive either compared with the rest of the resort - large beer (400ml) €3.
[Drinks can be charged to the room and you can pay by credit card at the end of the holiday]
The location of the appartments is convenient for access to Sissi but set back enough off the road to be very quiet. These are 2 supermarkets and loads of places to eat close by.
Lots of the people staying had stayed 2/3 times before - always a good sign.
If you go down to the main road, trun left for the best value food (away from the sea front), Kokotas was great for Greek food and the waiter not pushy to get you to come in - 3 courses, 1 litre wine €20/head - you must visit it.

4 readers found this review helpful

These family run apartments are fantastic. Everything is clean and tidy with lovely green, grassy areas on which to sunbathe, if you do not wish to stay by the pool. The pool bar is open all day, and, on most nights, closes at midnight (or, at least the music is turned low, or switched off altogether.
The family work very hard to keep everyone happy AND IT WORKS. I would go again tomorrow!
The nearest sandy beach is about 500 meters from the apartments.
Sissi is a quiet place, with a good selection of Tavernas, and it is only a couple of minutes walk to most of them.

2 readers found this review helpful

We have holidayed all round Europe and Egypt for eighteen years without difficulty or problem and this is our first review. As you read you will see why.
Journey arrangements and flight (Monarch) were excellent. Transfer was smooth and trouble free.
From the outside the Marigianna looked good although some assistance with bringing luggage up the track to the hotel would help (others have commented on this). We were looking forward to the standard of room that we have met elsewhere.
We were allocated room 315. Room 315 was dark, small and poorly furnished.It was so small that the bed was jammed into a corner against two walls and we had to climb over each other to use it. The promised balcony was tiny and overlooked building work and half completed buildings. The room was simply not suitable for a two week stay.
We spoke to the owner and he at once became belligerent and refused to help claiming he had no other rooms available. He then showed us an even worse room in the basement. After that he walked away leaving us standing.
We could not contact the tour rep until Friday and tried unsuccesfully to find alternative accomodation. Finally we decided to cut our losses, as we clearly were getting nowhere with the owner, and move on rather than spoil our holiday.
We hired a car from the very helpful "Stop" car rental in Sissi (who were excellent) and began a tour of the island. We toured for twelve days staying at five different places and all the accomodation we found was superb and inexpensive. All the other Cretans we met were helpful and polite.
Despite the Marigianna we had an excellent holiday although it cost us more than it should as we lost on the Marigianna hotel.
The Marigianna has a pool (unheated) but the hotel is some distance from the sea which might create difficulties. Most of the other hotels we saw in Sissi have bigger pools and more facilities than the Marigianna.
We were surprised to read that some accomodation at the Marigianna is better than that offered to us and wonder why this was. We have also read reports of other guests having similar difficulties to our own with both the accommodation and communication with the owner of the Marigianna.
P Waltham.

4 readers found this review helpful

We've just returned from a 2 week stay at Marigianna Apartments and it was fantastic. We were in a studio on the top floor and it was spacious, very clean and had a balcony. The owner, Manos, and his son, Vasillis, could not have made us feel more welcome. The pool area is big and is spacious with grass surrounding it, so when the breeze is blowing it helps to cool down the 85 degree heat. Manos makes a mean English breakfast and Vasillis is a laugh. They both speak perfect English, so no problems with communication. Its only a 5 minute walk into the village with numerous restaurants and bars and there are beaches nearby too. The supermarket is only 1 minute away with everything you could possibly need. We cannot recommend these apartments highly enough and we met people that have returned year and year. Check out the website at www.cretemarigianna.com and email is [--]

just back from a great holiday! the staff were lovely specially the wee waiter demi hoo always said "i kill you"
apartments were very clean, bed linen and towels changed at least 7 times in two weeks we wer there :) pool was also very clean!
we ate at the taverna in the apartments a couple of times too which was nice but across the main road down past the two supermarkets the lucky shamrock is a lovely restuarent and bar to spend the night :) and lorraine cathron and thomas wer lovely bar people hoo i will never forget :)x
we met some lovely people too :D lots of irish :) on the last week four irish girls came and they made our holiday finish lovely :D niamh sharon louise and emma :D siobhan your knickers! they wer the best :)
i would recommend this holiday to anyone realy :D its quiet but only 1euro 40 away on the bus from hersonasis for the younger ones :Dx
we will be going back :Dx

1 reader found this review helpful

Just arrived back from a fantastic holiday in gouves , the resort is fantastic and great for children . The marigianna was lovely the people really friendly and could nt do enough for you .The appartment was a 2 bedroom and it was huge 2 toilets ,2 balconys excellent for what we paid .The pool area was spotless and cleaned regulary.The walk into the center was not good with two young kids the brochure says 1km but it was 2km they is a sign outside appts , so we ended up getting taxis that was 6e each way. The beach was lovely but again a good walk not good when its 42 degrees.The main road isnt a problem you dont have to walk on it theres a dirt track that runs on both sides so its not dangerous ,dont be put off from what people have said about it.I would reccomend it to any one as long as you dont mind walking ,i would go back but id stay closer to the center.

Clean apartments with limited facilities around the area. Small but pleasant pool which can become very busy considering the beach is a 10 minute walk. On site restaurant (1 only) serves lovely food.
Staff were a bit solemn but helpful. We arrived at 2am, had to walk past pool to get to our room but pool wasn't lit at that time of night (just perfect for someone to fall in).
Pool bar open until 11pm with friendly waiter who will also partake of a few bevies while serving you!
Treacherous main road outside, lethal for crossing so make sure you have everything you need before venturing to 'the other side'!
All in all, a good holiday, v hot, perfect for a 'late deal' holiday, not sure so about staying here if it were my main holiday of the year.

The rooms in the apartments were very spacious and fairly clean although the sheets weren't changed as often as we would have liked.
The air conditioning was not up to much, there was only one unit to cover a two bedroomed apartment, but the hotel did let us have a fan for the second bedroom free of charge.
The apartments are quite far from the beach although the brochure states over the road and the road you need to cross is a very busy dangerous road, with about eight junctions which is quite harrowing if you are not used to the way they drive.
The staff in the apartments were very helpful but I would not recommend eating there as it was very expensive and not up to much.