Latania

having stayed in latania appts in stalis with my family and my inlaws we were delighted with our holiday there, it was our first time to crete,the appts themselfs were spotlessly clean as maid service was everyday with towels and bedding changed twice weekly,the pool though smaller than we imagined was lovely and clean with excellent bar service and really friendly staff,kichen and bathroom although basic had everything provided so you could easily manage to cook and shower adequately,road outside could get busy and motor buggies became annoying as they were so cheap to hire everyone seemed to have them,caution to outside people doing surveys as we found this a big con to sell you timeshares,bars and restaurants are great with some great food and offers available.

2 readers found this review helpful

We stayed at Latania May 2010 for two weeks which ended up being 3 weeks, due to our little girl getting chicken pox. Our little girl is 2 1/2 years old and it was really good for her, she loved it, we all did. We had a one bedroom apartment which was bigger than a 2 bed apartment we had in Zante. The rooms are typical of what you get on greek islands, but the grounds are so pretty and nice to see. The pool is lovely, it does get deep but even my little girl loved being in the big pool! Manos and Sasa are the best barmen around and really look after us. All the staff make you feel like family than guests. They all looked after us even when our girl was poorly.There is a park at the back of the apartments that does cross a road but I would not leave my child to play on a park on their own so it does not matter if you have to cross a small quiet road.They are located very close to the beach, shops and places to eat. Everything is right where you want it. The bbq nights and burger nights are great value for money and the quiz are a right laugh!Knossos next door is the best place to eat. Star beach is the best water park even more so if you have younge kids as it's free to get in, you pay for the big slides and sunbeds. Better for the little ones as they have a good toddler pool with slides etc which is all they need so why pay for it! Saterlite bar is good for food and drink. The girls are really nice and will give you good tips on where to go. Visit the aqaurium it's well worth it, cheap to get to buy bus.Go to junior land for toddlers, they have a good selection of toys and a bouncy castle and they do really good food. Would recomend any one to go to Latania no matter what age or if you have kids. When we were there, it was a mix for all ages and familes and it was real fun getting to know everyone.We will be back there as soon as money will allow!

1 reader found this review helpful

peciallyIt was our 1st time to Crete and we stayed at the Latania apartments, our party consisted of 2 adults and 3 children. Our first impression was that although basic, the rooms are very clean,and are cleaned on a daily basis, sheets and towels changed every other day. The staff were extremly friendly, from the bar staff to the cleaners, especially Sasha & Manos and couldn't do enough for you. The apartments are ideally located to lots of different restaurants, the Creta being one of our favorites!! and with young children, the beach was a five minute walk across the road, as i have said, the rooms are basic, but you'll be out every day, and it's cheap enough to eat out, for lunch time, there is a bakery, come coffee shop five minutes down the road, which does freshly made bagettes & sandwiches,( a lot better than making your own)!! If you enjoy swimming & water rides, we can recommend the Aquasplash water park for a great day out, our children range from 6years to 16, and have all said we would go there again.

We have just come back from two weeks in Stalis. The location of the hotel is good, not great as many other have suggested, as it is at the bottom end of the main resort area. There are some nice places to eat close by but if you get bored of the same places its about a 10 minute walk up to the main resort area. Very 'Britified' lots of pubs with nothing but British pub grub, struggled to find any traditional tavernas. We went with an 18 month year old and a three year old but wouldnt again - the pool area is just a few steps away from the main road and the play area is across a road so we constantly had to watch the children like hawks; the place is completely tiled/marbled which is to be expected but I think they clean it with Pledge as its so slippy. My baby boy fell and hit his head so many times, my daughter fell just walking normally from the main room into the bedroom! Pool is very deep aside from a tiny kids area so no good even for slighter older children who can swim, about a meter in I was out of my depth at 5foot3.
We needed a cot for our son - they gave us an ancient and filthy plastic mesh cot with a chipboard base covered with two loose pieces of basic foam. We told them we were not happy but they had nothing better to replace them with and still wanted us to pay (30euros) whether we were happy or not! Thomson were helpful and agreed they were disgusting cots and actually provided brand new travel cots from their villas for us and our friend who was also there with a one year old.
I felt the cleanliness left much to be desired, sheets and towels are old, lots of mould in the bathroom and didnt dare look at the matresses! Had to wash all the kitchen equipment before using it, in respect of food to buy close by there isnt much choice apart from tinned food and pasta sauce. Little fresh produce apart from cooked meats, some limited salad, cheese and fresh bread but nothing to make a substantial meal with - for instance no meat to cook. A few places sell frozen food like fish fingers but no facilities in the room to cook them.
On a positive note the bar staff are great and looked after us and the kids well.

2 readers found this review helpful

We had a lovely holiday at Latania Apts in Crete. I booked the holiday online and didn't really know where we would end up! but, it couldn't have been better! Our holiday party consisted of me, my husband and two thirteen yera old girls and we all had a great time! the hotel was welcoming very clean and in an ideal location.There was entertainment at the hotel if we wanted and the activities we joined in with were great fun. The hotel is in a very good location to enjoy the rest of Stalis town. you are in the centre without it intruding. the beach is literally across the road but there is a very nice pool at the hotel as well. I would recommend this hotel to anyone who wants a fun summer holiday with their family.

1 reader found this review helpful

We have stayed at the Latania 3 times now and have had the best time there, we get treated so well,and they cant do enough to make your stay as good as it can possibly be.
Its a very clean place, the rooms are cleaned every day and bedding and towels are changed twice a week.
Sasha & Manos treated us like royalty!!! Nothing is too much trouble.
We have had no problems of any kind, but while we were there somebody wanted to change rooms as they said their balcony was too small! This was done with very little fuss and just goes to show that if it can be done it will be done.
Stalis has a lovely clean beach, the restaurants are great with delicious food and exellent service.
There is a nightclub opposite the Latania, but if you dont enjoy that sort of thing it didnt matter as you could not hear it from the Latania.
We had bbqs and quiz nights and karaoke on a tuesday night which was great fun and got everyone together for a good giggle, but again if its not your sort of thing it didnt matter as it didnt impose on anything else. All in all i would recommend the Latania as a great family holiday, our Thomson rep was available most days to make sure we were ok and to book any trips you may fancy.

3 readers found this review helpful

After doing some research on the net about these apartments after we had booked them, we were a little dismayed to read all the bad things that people have been saying about them.
We need not have worried as the place was nipping clean. The pool and surrounding area was very clean and tidy and we did not see one single cockroach while we were there (a major concern of the wifes)
Manos and sacha are really great to get on with and will bend over backwards to accomedate you (they even went into town to get a birthday cake for my son).
All in all it was £700 well spent on a two week break for three poeple.
I would also like to add that after reading some of the reviews that people have left i think that they give an unfair view of these apartments, yes they are basic and this is reflected in the price, it is also reflected in the fact that these apartments are in the skytours book which caters for holiday makers on a budget, so if you want luxury then pay the extra and stay somewhere else, please bear this in mind before leaving any more bad feedback for these apartments as they clearly do not deserve to be put down!

1 reader found this review helpful

Having read the reports before we went i was a bit dubious about the accommodation and what we were letting our selves in for! But i can honestly say there was nothing to worry about what so ever. The apartment was cleaned every day, we had clean sheets and towels 6 times in 2 weeks (every other day) which is more than i change mine at home!!! Yes the apartments are basic, but where in Greece isn't? It's not the most sophisticated country in the world is it??? We had kettle, toaster, coffee maker as well as pots pans and utensils all we needed for a self catering holiday.Location was excellent, right on the main road and closed to everything, but as the apartments are set back there is no real noise through the night. The staff were all good and helpful and basically we had a really good holiday.

1 reader found this review helpful

Hello Every one!
Well we have just returned form a holiday in stalis, staying in the LATANIA APARTMENTS!!!
Firstly stalis is a great place for families, couples and young children. Our daughter is seven and there was enough for her there to do. The bar owners and restaurant staff are very friendly and welcoming. We recomend a visit to El Greco's restaurant on the beach road, good food, great staff and nice atmosphere. Overlooks the sea, which is really nice at night. Another firm favourite was La Fontana further along the beach road, the food here is excellent, and has lots of choice from pizza's, pasta and greek cuisine. Staff very professional and a lovely restaurnat. We loved it here by far the best resturant in stalis!
Beach was far to cramped for what we are used to, it is covered in sun loungers and umberellas, at six euros for two! No space to just bob your towel down at all!!
The apartments well, read loads of things on here and I was really worried, but I am afraid some is true, they are not cleaned enough at all our sheets were only fully changed four times in two weeks!!
We arrived on the sunday and it was the wednesday before our beds and towels were changed! We ran out of toilet paper (we were given one roll) I asked the cleaner for one, and she said I had to go to the supermarket for some!!!!
Room very dated, bathroom not cleaned properly, just a quick mop through! I had to ask for clean towels twice. At the end of the two weeks our bathroom started to smell, we had no window in there either, however the bins were changed every day. When we did get clean towels and linen these were nice and white, and smelt fresh. Manos and sasha the pool bar staff are great, you can have a laugh with them, and they put on a good greek night! very cheerful guys! Pool area lovely, nice surroundings around apartments, but as the sun moves around one half of the pool is in the shade either side of the day, which is really annoying! ha
Stalis is definatly worth a visit but maybe stay some where cleaner! The good thing about these apartments is the location this is excellent.

1 reader found this review helpful

We have just returned from the worst accomodation we have ever stayed in. We are couple who travel 2-3 times every year and usually stay all inclusive. We booked a late deal (the day before) but did not pay a late deal price at £440 each. We were told it was a four star and the pictures on the thomson site and Latanias own website certainly gave the initial impression it was a four star. How wrong could we be! We had a studio apartment witha balcony no bigger than a shoe box overlooking waste land and a quad bike hire place that could be heard at all hours of the day and night (jet washing). Our balcony was the only source of light into the room and was overlooked by two other balconies-quite literally. As the privacy was a problem we had to keep the door shut most of the time making the room dark and gloomy. The beds and pillows were rock hard, sheets and towels changed maybe once in a whole week. The wardrobe was dirty-I left my clothes in the suitcase. No Tv which you would expect from a four star. The kitchen had no oven or microwave, the kettle was filthy and the coffee machine was not to be used. the fridge was dirty along with utensils.The bathroom had a dirty old bin and an odd plastic red table in it? dirty old bath mat and cold showers all week with no room to move to wash. No toilet roll provided. Air conditioning was 60 euros for a week and they even charged 1 euro to have a sunbed round your own pool! the pool was by no means large as described and the lounge area was very dated and old fashioned. the toilets around the pool were in the basement and very old , dirty. Altogether it was a very depressing and dirty place with unwelcoming staff as for the rep we never saw anyone! I wonder why! This holiday was overpriced as we only actually got 6 days for our £440. We did not spend any time in our room or use any of the facilites so we would have been better off going on an all inclusive with the money we spent on eating out and entertainment. We would go back to Stalis but not to the Latania-there are much better apts and hotels than this we were very mislead by the brochure and websites. Never again and will not trust Thomsons recomendations.