Astra Village Apartments

This was our second visit to this part of Crete. The Staff at Astra are excellent. Alex and the bar crew are fun, funny and go out of their way to make you welcome.
Extra cost for air-con, safe and late check out are irritating but this it would seem is they way they do it in Greece. The air con is a must if you want to sleep and survive the 45 degree heat we had.
A car is a good idea if you want to get the best out of your stay (lots to see in the region) but you can do taxis & excursions as an alternative. Big variations in price for cars so check out the internet before you go. Auto Union were good for us.
Only down side was reception woman who has an unfortunate tone, accused us of doing stuff we hadn't and made mistakes over charges. "Sorry" is not an English word she has mastered yet!!!
We'd go back tomorrow. Great place, great people. Thanks!

1 reader found this review helpful

The apartment was clean tidy and reasonably decorated. Cool (hot) water was sometimes very cool. Maids came in every day, linen changed once in mid week, maids turned the place over even if you were there which could be a bit disturbing and I’m talking 9.45am.
The village was small and compact with prices on average 30% dearer than any other Greek island we have been on, and that included food costs. All restaurants were much of a much ness.
Dutch cafe was very good with great coffee and service.
Huge huge drawback was heart attack hill! Unless you are mountain fit and under 45 then I just don’t reckon this area at all. Everything else was down the hill - then the slog or a taxi back up the hill - more expense.

1 reader found this review helpful

This was our first visit to Crete and most enjoyable it was too.
Koutouloufari is a lovely village and the people there are extremely friendly. We had a beautiful sea view which was absolutely gorgeous.
There are plenty of tavernas and restaurants to choose from but be warned - you get plenty.
Our apartments were spotlessly clean - the maids came every single day (which could be a bit of a nuisance the morning after the night before) - however they had a job to do and you have to appreciate this.
The staff at the apartments were also lovely - a special mention to Alex for he is surely an asset to these apartments - he is very likeable and well the ladies love him - so guys remember to hang on to yer gals (joking!!) - Actually the guys like Alex too - he’s such a nice chap - oops forgot to say Alex is the barman.
The other people there - Soula and John were also lovely people and whilst there Soula got a marriage proposal - she has such a beautiful smile and always remains so calm.
Really all the staff was ever so nice and the receptionist Lena was very helpful at all times.
We met some lovely people and I have to say all in all we are thinking about returning next year as we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves so much - and the hospitality of the Cretans is superb.

2 readers found this review helpful

Our second visit within 3 months. Please do not believe reports that the hotel isn’t great, it is.
I and my girlfriend are very picky and we both love it. Alex, Soula and Niki are all great and we are planning another visit soon.
The resort is also good with a good selection of taverna's and bars which will suit most tastes.
The only bad point is the airport but it is worth putting up with it for an enjoyable holiday.

1 reader found this review helpful

Stayed for 2 weeks in the Astra Village in September of this year.
We stayed in a 1 bedroom apartment which was very clean, well equipped with cooking utensils, a very adequate bathroom and nice balcony. The maids were in every day bar one too which was nice.
There are two pools, one which is generally quieter than the other. Both are about the same size but did tend to be quite dirty on top as there was no filtering system to remove the dead flies and sun tan oil. The pools are not very big either and you can't really enjoy a good swim there.
Make sure you go to the BBQ that Alex puts on for you, as if you don't you will become an outcast for the remainder of your stay (trust me it happened!) and in general we found the staff to be quiet and seemingly unfriendly. Also make sure you check your room door as ours could be opened easily unless double locked - something which we were not happy about.
We managed to survive without Air Con during our stay, but any time in August you would need this - at a cost of €7 a night. Safety deposit box is €15 a week too!
The only good point about Astra is the location - right in the center of Koutouloufari. We had friends at nearby Petra Village who were 10 minutes walk away yet had a much better pool area and great barmen / women. We spent more time at the Petra pool than Astra because it was so much better and became very friendly with Dimitris and Rita.
If you have the choice I would choose the Petra Village over Astra any day.

1 reader found this review helpful

We had a lovely holiday. We went for one week but we wish that we went for two. The studio apartment we had overlooked the wonderful views of the sea. The room was cleaned every day.
Staff were friendly. We would recommend eating at the Esperos Restaurant which is right next door to the apartments. We are definitely going back next year.

1 reader found this review helpful

Me and my girlfriend, Katie had a great time in the Astra Village so much so in fact that we are return in September.
The place is kept very clean and all the staff are very friendly. A special note to say the one member of staff was especially good, Alex the Romanian barmen. I would recommend the hotel to anyone.
Koutouloufari is still a great little place and if use Steki taverna and Fabrica you won’t go wrong.

We stayed here in late October 2004 and were most uncomfortable. We left after day 2 and found other accommodation on the island. Our little apartment was dark, with no window in the small shower room. A persistent odour of urine pervaded the place when the windows were closed and when they were open, the local mozzies flew in and made free with our life blood.
When I had located the source of the terrible smell to the curtains in the bedroom, I asked the manageress to replace them with clean ones. She was adamant that her curtains were new and could not possibly be the cause of the smell. I removed them from the window and gave them to her in the reception area and she was extremely rude, threatening to penalize me for the 'damage' to her curtains.
We were provided with sheets so stiff that my son, who was sleeping in the 'kitchen/ living area' of this hovel, was unable to sleep soundly. Again, the response when I asked for better bedding, was rude and unsatisfactory.
Having decided to try to rescue our holiday, we drove down to Ierapetra for two nights and found a wonderful hotel down there. We spent two further nights near Rethymnon in a comfortable hotel and only returned to the awful Astra Village on the final night in order to take advantage of the transfer coach trip to the airport.
Even though it is true to say that it was clean, it was not comfortable and certainly not hospitable.
We did, however, very much enjoy the ambience in the nearby Dutch cafe garden where we ate lunches and breakfasts of a quality superior to that provided in the bar of the Astra Village.

The hotel itself is on a hilltop, which provides great views but means a lot of walking! The hotel and pool areas were lovely, very clean and well-maintained, however our room was slightly less attractive; it had quite old, shabby furniture. However, aside from the furniture it was great - it was very clean and the maids came regularly.
It is within walking distance of Gumbet centre, but walking back can be a killer as it's on the top of the hill! There's a bus you can catch which is really cheap and you can get off wherever you want - it also takes you all the way into Bodrum.
The food was ok, I'd never been all inclusive before and am quite a fussy eater but I was pleasantly surprised - and my boyfriend loved all the spicy food! Breakfast is good, with freshly cooked eggs and a buffet of bread, cheese, meat and fruit. For lunch the chef made pizza or breads with different fillings and there was another buffet. For tea there was more choice, and there were often chips and spaghetti Bolognese as an option alongside more adventurous dishes!
You can eat inside or on the terrace, which is lovely - the only problem with the restaurant is the walk back up the stairs! (there are lots of stairs in the hotel so it isn't really an option for less mobile people). During the day the poolside snack bar opened for a short period and you could get burgers and chips.
The staff in general were very pleasant and helpful, and there were poolside games during the day although it was usually pretty quiet and relaxed. There are two pools and also a small jetty that you can walk down to. There is a small sandy area, and sun loungers are spread around the jetty - you can also use the free kayaks which was great! But the bar down there is not free so it's a bit of a walk back up to get a drink!
Overall, we had a great time and I'd definitely go back again!

The Astra Village apartments are clean, friendly and right at the heart of Koutouloufari.
Koutouloufari itself is a very pleasant village with lots of restaurants and shops. Not far from the village is another village called Piscopiano which has a proper Cretan restaurant and the food is superb, unfortunately the restaurant only has a Greek name!
The downsides, certainly not the accommodation, or the hotel bar. Too many quad bikes and scooters on the narrow roads! Hersonissos, if you like Blackpool. I don’t.
Otherwise a brilliant holiday (try the horse riding), and a lovely place.