Imperial Studios & Apartments

this is our second visit to The Imperial Studios and we really love it. Zac and Georgio are fantastic hosts and always make you feel welcome.Georgio always makes you laugh with his funny stories and his toys Zac cooks lovely meals which are always fresh and delicious.We travel with our two daughters Rosie and Maisie and they are always spoilt by Zac and Georgio they are great with kids.The pool is a great place as there are only ever a few people in it so you have plenty of room to swim.Zac and Gergio also provide inflatables for the children.Maria looks after the rooms superbly they are always spotlessly clean.It is always sad to leave as it feels you are leaving really good friends.Thank you

Hi just got back from a 2 week holiday and have to say wish we were still there. Me my husband and 14year old daughter stayed here and have had a exellent time. Georgio and Zac made us very welcolm from the moment we arrived, we were greeted at the entrance and shown to the bar for a welcolm drink which was lovely after a long flight. The pool is lovely with loads of sunbeds, so no need to get up early. We went into amoundora to eat a few times, but have to say the food here was far better. If you get a chance to eat here when they put the wood oven on which is in the garden then please try it is really beautifull. The rooms are cleaned daily by maria who is Georgio and Zac's mother, and she does an exellent job. If you are looking for a relaxing traditional greek place with warm hospitality then this is the place for you. We have met some lovely people here and made great friends can't wait till we are back there. Tracy, Johnboy and Ellie.

We just stayed for a week and came home yesterday. Missing the hotel already. Zac & Georgio do everything to make your stay as wonderful as they can. The pool is fantastic never crowded and plenty of room to swim. The gardens are well kept and have plenty of sun loungers and shades, and Charlotte the cat is often found relaxing poolside when not busy with her kittens playing on the path.
The food is just gorgeous, cooked to perfection and delicious. Fresh squeezed orange juice is available and a lot of the food is produced by the owners so you know it's fresh.
It's a family hotel and Zac & Georgio's mother Maria looks after the rooms very well. Cleaned every day. The hotel is not in the heart of town which makes it peaceful too.
The weather was hot and sunny everyday so you'll need lots of suntan lotion. If you do eat out then we found Uncle Georges a nice restaurant the main road is a 5 minute walk from the hotel though until you find an ATM don't forget to bring Euros with you!
The guests become like a little extended family and almost everyone we met was a return visitor. We will definitely be returning too.

We booked on the strength of all the recommendations, and weren't disappointed.
Georgio and Zac welcomed us and made it feel like home. It was great that there were enough sunbeds and you could wander down at any time and find beds free. It was also good to be able to relax in a lovely garden area, complete with kittens and chicks!!
The rooms were cleaned daily and the bedding changed about every 3 days.
The only downside, and you can't blame Zac & Georgio, was the road noise. If the doors were closed at night it wasn't a problem, but because it was hot we left them open and were disturbed by cars and bikes. That said, it didn't spoil our holiday and I would go back.
Food was good. We only ate there a couple of times. There are good places to eat in Amoudara and I would recommend Uncle George's for good food, friendly staff, cleanliness and value for money.

Once again a great time. Good to see all the regulars Janet and Helm, Sarah and Niel, Rob and his wife. Lovley to see new faces and make new friends. Had a great Birthday with a lovley meal cooked by Zac. Even when the power went and candles came out it was brill. If you want a quite holiday with creat Creten food book this hotel. Rooms area cleaned on a daily basis. You can stay and relax by the pool or jump on a bus and explore the Island. My family and I have been visiting George and Zac for a number of years and we never get boared with the place or the people.
See you all soon in 2011

1 reader found this review helpful

georgio and zac and of course mummy maria what a great great holiday we have had with you i am hoping to come back some day with my sons and their familys to prove you can have a fab holiday abroad.

Thanks for giving myself and Jan a great holiday .
We have visited here many times and we will be back. We look forward to visiting your hotel again soon. Until then take care and we will be in touch .
Auf Wiedersehn and Jamas???
All the Best to you All
Helmut and Jan

I first stumbled across The Imperial in 2001 and my husband and I have been back time and time again. The Imperial is a lovely clean, fresh and well looked after family run hotel. George, Zac and Maria continue to provide all guests with a relaxing and comfortable stay at their hotel. George and Zac are two of the nicest guys you will come across. So genuine and kind to everyone. Zac is one amazing cook (with a little help from Andrew!!) They have an outdoor brick oven and will cook some tasty Greek dishes during your stay. George you will find behind the bar in the evenings and very first thing in the morning! (Does he actually sleep??) Here is a guy who will tell you some tales! Maria is George and Zacs Mother. She is such a lovely lady. Maria will clean the rooms daily so when you go back to your room after a day at the beach (or to much sun in my case!!!) you know you will go back to a clean and fresh room.
I like the fact that the hotel is small and the pool is only open to guests (no fighting for sunbeds!!) It is so welcoming and if you're after a relaxing break, then I would suggest to any of my family and friends to pay George and Zac a visit. There are plenty of bars and tavernas (Stellas for cocktails...although George makes a mean cocktail also!!)The beach is only a 5 minute walk up the road as is the supermarket.
Although Amoudara is a quiet town, it has everything you need for a peaceful holiday (not at all for 18-30!!) The main city Heraklion is only a 1.30 euro bus ride away, so head there if you want to go shopping. Evenings are best, far to hot in the day and everyone seems to kip in the afternoon!!! Oh and shops are shut on Sundays!! There's plenty of sigh seeing to do if you fancy that. Do some research before you head out.
Overall we always return home wishing we had never left!! We always have a great time and will most certainly be returning. Thank you George and Zac for once again a lovely holiday :)
Neil and Sarah Wood

I am so glad I read the reviews on this "peach" of a find! I was looking for a "bargain" break for myself and my 2 children (age 11 & 14), somewhere quiet but within walking distance of some shops, bars, restaurants and a beach - This is exactly what we got! On arrival around midnight the owner (Georgio) was there to meet us with cold bottles of water and a warm welcome. The accommodation which we were given initially was adequate but not quite big enough for a mum and 2 teenangers - Georgio promised he would sort it in the morning and true to his word he did just that - we moved to a much larger 1 bedroom apartment which was just perfect with plenty of space and a huge balcony over looking the mountains. We had a truly fabulous week and Georgio, Zac and Andreas could not do enough for us. I enjoyed peaceful mornings chatting to the owners and learning a little about Crete and the way they live. The children also benefited from some education on Greek Life. We practically had the place to ourselves and when we didn't it still felt like we did - the pool was situated in amongst an array of fruit trees and beautiful aromatic flowers. The food was absolutely FANTASTIC and as fresh as you could possibly get - Greek Salads to die for with the ingredients picked there and then from the garden. Nothing was too much for these guys. We had friends who were staying at the "all inclusive Neptuno Hotel" in Amoudara and they chose to spend most of their days with us at the Imperial for all the reasons above. We were within easy reach of the main shops and 5 minutes walk from the beach. We hired a car and drove up the mountains and to the Water Park (WaterCity) which was also fantastic - a great day out.
This hotel is just the most amazing value for money with everything you need! I wish I had enquired about the Air Con at the start of the holiday as I did not reaslise you could have this for a daily charge.
I would most certainly return to this hotel - maybe not ideal for teenagers unless they had friends with them but my 2 had a fantastic week!
Thank-you to Georgio and Zac for a very memorable week in Crete.
I now know why we met 2 sets of people who were on their 7th time at this hotel!!

We arrived in Ammoudara not really knowing what 2 expect and when we 1st got there we were a bit apprehensive as there isn't much to do at the resort. There are plenty of bars and restaraunts so you will never be short of food and drink. We did find out though (and pretty quickly), that Georgio and Zac are 2 of the best host's that anyone could ever wish for, they made our holiday absolutely fantastic!! The food at the apartments was to die for and far surpasses that of the taverna's down the main drag. Georgio has got to be one of the most genuine and funny men that we have ever met and we loved spending as much time with him as possible. Would DEFINITELY recommend this hotel to anyone that would ask!!! Thank you Georgio and Zac!!!
Claire and Neil 2010