Christiana Beach Hotel

The hotel itself is reasonably clean and tidy although the electric fittings in the rooms appear to be for decoration as functional. About half the lights and wall sockets worked. The room was furnished with beds that are marginally softer than the floor and each is rationed to one pillow, more pillows costs extra. The rooms are also equipped with a small fridge that they expect you to pay 2.5 Euros a day. There is no notice about this apart from a small sign on the reception desk. We naturally assumed it was there to be used and were surprised when it did actually work. However, we returned from the pool on the second day to find the cleaner phoning reception to say we were using the fridge! As 2.5 Euros per day seemed excessive we unplugged the thing.
On our second week the key we were given would not open the electronic door lock to the room and we had several journeys across to the reception to rectify this. They had booked us out of the room by mistake and were hard pushed to sort things out. To my surprise though they did get the lock repaired that same afternoon. Probably too much trouble for them to keep walking across to the room to let us in.
The staff are by and large very surly and are definately from the Basil Fawlty charm school. The only one I saw smile in the two weeks was the barman. He was quite a happy chap. Did not even get upset when the roller shutters on his poolside bar jammed. He just balanced precariously on a bar stool and proceeded to wind the door up using a mains powered electric drill while I leapt out of the pool.
The beach is narrow and the waters edge is lined with about 6 feet of flattish slippery rocks. Once past this death trap, the sea bed is once again soft sand and there is a nice gentle slope out to sea, safe enough for the worse swimmers. It is worth taking a small detour round the rocks, to save broken limbs, to the next hotel frontage where there is a narrow gap through to the open sea.
The breakfast, although unimaginative, was an adequate continental style and there was no restriction on the amount you took. There was very nice selection of fruit in a centre bowl that turned out to be plastic - this was probably the safest thing there. Apart from the bread which was covered with a tea towel and the butter which came in small sealed tubs, the rest of the food was open for the flies to indulge with as they saw fit.
First Choice's brochure described the location as being in the quieter part of the resort and we expected it to be at least a five minute walk away from the nearest bar. Instead it is located opposite the Rose and Crown (English pub) and flanked by two other bars. Just before we left it looked like our friendly barman was getting the hotels own bar ready for late night sessions. It is also on the main resort road to Malia, the party town and you get an awful lot of quad bikes and scooters roaring past through the day and night.
The hotel also takes group bookings from single men and women so there are often parties of 'Malia fodder' staying in the hotel and certainly while we were there it was almost impossible to sleep between the hours of 0300 and 0530 because of the noise made as they returned to the hotel. Three consecutive nights (early mornings) one group of young men appeared to be having a screaming contest. The receptionist said they had been given a final warning on the third day to be quiet or they would have to leave. I believe they flew out that day anyway and were replaced by several other equally noisy groups.
While it appears a great crime to use a fridge, keeping people awake most of the night seems totally acceptable despite the fact that they have a 24 hour receptionist for just such problems. The First Choice group actually have a bar crawl night out as if encouragement was needed.
The reception is situated up two flights of steps and most of the rooms require you to negotiate at least one flight of steps with your luggage on arrival and departure. This is only a minor problem unless you have packed the kitchen sink.
Overall, the site is not a quiet one, the staff are far from encouraging, facilities are minimal and unless you are part of a young group I cannot recommend this hotel.

Very friendly, clean and ideally situated hotel. I have read previous comments with interest, and yes the breakfast is very basic, and you do have to pay extra for air conditioning and fridge, but we were given extra pillows at no extra charge.
As for the safety deposit boxes, you have to pay extra for these wherever you go so I don't understand why people have complained about this. As for the occasional cockroach........ its Greece, its hot, and its their natural habitat, what do you expect!! I have travelled the world, and have even encountered the occasional cockroach in 5 star accommodation, its not the hotels fault.
The hotel is very basic, but its a budget holiday, so its to be expected. We found the staff extremely friendly and helpful, and its a plus not to have to pay daily for sunbeds which are plentiful around a good sized pool area.
The pool bar is run by Panos, who goes out of his way to make your holiday fun. He tries to get to know all the guests and even gives free drinks if your a regular customer at the bar. The prices are very competitive too, both for drinks and daytime snacks.
If you don't want to eat at the hotel there are many supermarkets, tavernas and bars just a stones throw away. These are interspersed with gift shops, jewellers, clothes and ceramic shops in which you can browse at your leisure, and if history is your thing there are lots of very interesting places to visit, including Knossos palace, the cave which is supposedly the birthplace of Zeus, Spinalonga leper island and many many more.
We hired a car at a very reasonable price, and managed to see quite a lot of the 'real' Crete in a few days. All in all a very enjoyable holiday, which I would definately recommend.

We stayed at the Hotel Christiana in Stalis for the middle two weeks of June having paid £360 each for 2 weeks bed and breakfast.
Must be the cheapest holiday we have had in years, so didn’t expect too much but was somewhat pleasantly surprised that it was a lot better than we imagined.
Rooms were sparse but adequate; we had a problem with our shower on the second day (Sunday) which was promptly seen to with new shower head, hose and wall hanger fitted that day which was a lot quicker than we have experienced in far superior hotels.
Cleanliness was second to none.
Breakfast was continental and didn’t differ from any other hotel we have stayed in where they offered continental. The good side was the bar across the road that did a double English breakfast for about £4 and which lasted you all day.
We met lots of nice folks whilst in the Christiana, many of whom have been going for over 10 years so we were promptly given advice on everything we needed to know. Nik and Marielle, the owners had come over for three weeks whilst we were there and what a fine example of friendliness and customer service they were.
Matilda on reception (I am here to help) could not do enough for you if it was in her power and was so helpful, (can't imagine who the people who wrote the other report saw) and of course let’s not forget Panos, barman of the year and a true friendly person.
What a nice guy, a bundle of information and some smashing cocktails and concoctions (apart from Raki) and one of the first barman in a hotel that I have stayed in who actually got the round in regularly.
Was nice to visit the office (our term for the bar) several times a day to talk shop with Malcolm and refresh the parts that the scorching sun had shrivelled.
All in all, our first holiday on a Greek Island (we usually go long haul) and I must say most enjoyable and 90% sure of returning to Stalis and the Christiana in the future.
They must do something about their airport though, must have been designed by the same person who did Coventry.

We have just returned from a week in the Hotel Christiana Beach in Stalis, Crete, which was booked through First Choice. Upon our arrival, which was 2 hours later than arranged due to our plane being delayed, we where promptly asked for our passports, rather than a welcome of any kind.
We handed the passports over and we where pointed, across the dark gardens, in the direction of our room. The room was very basic with twin beds, although we had requested a double bed (which turned out later to be a fault on the part of the travel agent rather than the hotel staff themselves); it was so basic it had the feel of a hostel rather than a hotel.
The room was on the ground floor and the door to the patio was broken and would not close properly, but the worst thing about the room was that there was a massive cockroach on the ceiling.
The only good thing I can say about the room was that it had views over the bay. So after travelling from 10am in the morning till 1am the following morning we arrived to a crappy cockroach infested room and then had to protest in earnest to a rude receptionist to get a room change!
We where then given another room down a poorly lit pathway and entrance, which was also very basic. The bathroom was very basic and shower sprayed directly on to an electrical pull cord, and you felt as though your life was at risk each time you took a shower!
The next day we went to speak to our holiday representative and the room was changed yet again to a slightly better one, but it was still very basic. The service was also poor, although the maid came to neaten up the room each day, the bed clothes and towels where only changed once during our stay. In my opinion the hotel is a 2 star rather than a 3 star plus as we where told.
The only two positive things about the hotel are the location, which is right on the beach with the pool over looking the bay and the gardens. The breakfast was the same each day; a continental buffet consisting of hard boiled eggs, highly processed ham, cheese, bread, tinned peaches, sweet bread and chocolate spread. So as a result we ended up eating out for breakfast most days.
Overall I would not recommend the Hotel Christiana Beach to anyone. If you want to stay in Stalis I would say to have a look at The Anthoussa Beach Hotel which is a much grander hotel and looks as though it is exceptionally run. I would imagine it is more expensive, but for what we paid to stay at the Christiana (£400 per person for one week) I would have thought the standard would have been more like The Anthoussa Beach Hotel.

We have just returned from a week in the Hotel Christiana Beach in Stalis, Crete, which was booked through First Choice.
Upon our arrival, which was 2 hours later than arranged due to our plane being delayed, we were promptly asked from our passports, rather than a welcome of any kind.
We handed the passports over and we were pointed, across the dark gardens, in the direction of our room.
The room was very basic with twin beds, although we had requested a double bed (which turned out later to be a fault on the part of the travel agent rather than the hotel staff themselves); it was so basic it had the feel of a hostel rather than a hotel.
The room was on the ground floor and the door to the patio was broken and would not close properly, but the worst thing about the room was that there was a massive cockroach on the ceiling.
The only good thing I can say about the room was that it had views over the bay. So after travelling from 10am in the morning till 1am the following morning we arrived to a crappy cockroach infested room and then had to protest in earnest to a rude receptionist get a room change!
We were then given another room down a poorly lit pathway and entrance, which was also very basic. The bathroom was very basic and shower sprayed directly on to an electrical pull cord, and you felt as though your life was at risk each time you took a shower.
The next day we went to speak to our holiday representative and the room was changed yet again to a slightly better one, but it was still very basic. The service was also poor, although the maid came to neaten up the room each day, the bed clothes and towels where only changed once during our stay.
In my opinion the hotel is a 2 star rather than a 3 star plus as we were told. The only two positive things about the hotel is the location, which is right on the beach with the pool overlooking the bay and the gardens.
The breakfast was the same each day which was a continental buffet consisting of a hardboiled eggs, highly processed ham, cheese, bread, tinned peaches, sweet bread and chocolate spread. So as a result we ended up eating out for breakfast most days.
Overall I would not recommend the Hotel Christiana Beach to anyone. If you want to stay in Stalis I would say to have a look at The Anthoussa Beach Hotel which is a much grander hotel and looks like it is exceptionally run.
I would imagine it is more expensive but for what we paid to stay at the Christiana (£400 per person for 1 week) I would have thought the standard would have been more like The Anthoussa Beach Hotel.

Stalis is beautiful area with lots to suit all ages and budgets. However do not spoil your stay by staying at the Christiana Beach! The breakfast was extremely poor, only place I've stayed in where you get a tea spoon to eat your cereal, it was the same choice for the whole two weeks. Bed linen and towels were frayed and had holes in. When I arrived clean sheets had not even been put on one of the beds in the room and we ended up having to change them ourselves.
We were also charged for extra pillows! Avoid their barbecue at all costs! Around half the sun beds were broken and so were the umbrellas. Hose pipes used for the gardens were left lying over the paths that you have to use to get to the pool.
There were broken umbrella stands and rubble in the sun bed area and other health and safety issues that really need to be sorted. I would not return there under any circumstances.

I could not find fault with this hotel. I had one of the "single" rooms which was more than adequate, Ensuite toilet and shower, double bed, masses of storage space in the shape of double wardrobe, drawers aplenty, 2 seats and a table on the balcony. Also enough power sockets so I could run (rented) fridge, kettle (recommended, coffee is dear in Crete) and still plug in my mosquito repellant
Don't forget your plug adaptor. They keep a library of visitor donated books to read while lounging on the free sun loungers by the beautifully clean pool, where you can buy drinks and order gigantic snacks at good prices. The occasional evening barbecue is not unknown, although this costs extra.
I found 2 faulty lights in my room and they were promptly fixed and I was thanked for reporting them. Reception will exchange English notes and travelers cheques during the day shift at a fair rate.
I must mention the toilets. Kept scrupulously clean, like all toilets in Crete they cannot cope with more than the occasional accidental sheet of toilet paper. A pedal bin is provided and emptied regularly. Also the concept of extractor fans in an internal toilet does not seem to have caught on.
The hotel is hoping to have internet facilities for its guests shortly and refurbishment of the outdoor lounge bar is ongoing. The grounds are beautifully kept.

Very friendly service, a very clean hotel, in a wonderful location for a very laidback snoozy break. As other people have said, everything you could need is in easy reach.
Just two issues: the bedrooms are spartanly equipped - no TV or even radio, and forget any idea of a minibar! - and noise travels between them easily (so perhaps just as well there’s no TV). Fortunately most guests are middle-aged or more so there’s no rowdiness. Secondly, they need to do something about the breakfast; it's really produced down to a budget and after a few days, uninteresting bread and tasteless processed ham and cheese lose their appeal. A bit of fresh fruit would be a relief.
That said, you can always pop across the road to the Rose and Crown pub for a full English breakfast, if that’s your thing.
All in all, would I go again? Yes, and judging from the number of people there who were on return visits, so would lots of others.

We go every year, which speaks for its self really. Fabulous people run the hotel especially Manos at the pool bar!
Go with my family mainly but I am 17 and there is plenty to do especially seen as Malia is down the road! Stalis is more of a family resort but there is the odd lively bar that keeps the place balanced! The food is excellent, all freshly cooked with a 2-mile long strip to pick a restaurant from.
Thank God the hotel is b and b because the choice of a different meal from a different restaurant all with in walking distance makes the holiday! The spotless beachfront hotel is ace 5 steps to the beach with an immaculate pool. What more could you want from a holiday, I’ve already booked to work out there after my two weeks holiday, what a class resort!!!!!

The hotel was one of the best we have stayed in, that is, if you have no objections to being an audio voyeur to other guest’s romantic antics, and very loud snoring!!! The staff were friendly polite and extremely helpful. Breakfast was a Cretan style buffet breakfast, got a bit boring after the first week.
The only criticism I have of the hotel is the fact that the towels were only changed x2 weekly and the sheets x1. Air conditioning, fridge and extra pillows cost extra. Not mentioned by tour operators and so causing a few problems due to misunderstanding, towels were small, very small for tall people or larger people; I am a midget so I was ok. On the other hand the rooms were big, clean and bright, the beds were a good size considering my husband is a good 6ft 4, he fit on the bed ok, always a worry when we go away, happily not this time though.