Castello Village Resort

"Located 40 minutes from the Irakleion airport (€120 taxi fare) + 20mins taxi from Malia the main town. Hotel is actually on Sisi which is a much quieter area, rocky beaches in front (inaccessible) nearest sandy beach from hotel is 15 mins walk. Hotel did not represent as shown on pictures, and the structure was already quite outdated. Two swimming pools but both were small. However, the staff were wonderfully friendly and helpful, especially the kitchen staff. Particularly a waitress called Aiza, she spoke English and she was very friendly."

"Deceptive Photos: The room looks nothing like the glowing pictures online and feels like a cheap basement cell. None of the photos are up to date, the pool pictures used on the websites are at least 15 years old. The common areas were redone in 2010 (employee feedback). Many cockroaches in the rooms and common areas. The neighbors saw a big mice in their room (the escuse from reception staff was that "we are in outdoor environment, and that's normal"). Breakfast: Fair variety very low - poor quality. Concrete Block View: Our "sea view" upgrade meant squinting past an ugly concrete wall to catch a tiny sliver of water. Dark and Dismal: The lighting is so pathetic you need a flashlight just to find your clothes in the dark wardrobe. Falling Apart: Scuffed walls and peeling paint prove that management completely ignored maintenance. Unusable Pool: The small, noisy and overcrowded pools are completely uninviting and useless for swimming. Terrible Vibe: The afternoon bar blasts obnoxious, high-volume club music that completely destroys any chance of peace or relaxation. The main barteneder is very rude. Entertainment: Was missing....... Total Rip-Off: Do not waste your money on this cheap disaster. So far from being a respected 2 - 3 stars resort. Do not hesitate to invest a few extra euros for a good stay."

"We're just home from the most beautiful 10 day family holiday. Cannot rate this hotel, or it's location enough. Smooth check in, a beautiful and spacious room that was cleaned daily, water given, fresh towels. The communal spaces are clean and well kept, pools are lovely. The food was lovely, different salads daily, lots of choices. Our children aged 12 & 7 filled their plates with lots of choices. The staff are what make this hotel they work so incredibly hard. Special mention to Ervis because he looked after us, mainly, he's so friendly, happy to help, made us laugh and really took to the kids asking for multiple ice creams. He knew us and our preferences after day 2 and made it really personal. All the dining staff were fantastic and attentive. Again, Special mention to the 2 in the animation team..Chris and Jasmine. Their enthusiasm, and friendly faces really made our holiday. They work so hard at making sure people are entertained and take time to get to know you without pushing you into an activity should you not want to. Entertainment good we had...singer, a fab DJ, dancers. Music around the pool, but not too much or too loud and a great mixture. Our favourite activity was aqua gym, and there was water polo. The location is great. Sissi harbour is just stunning and with spectacular sunsets! Plenty of restaurants, bars. Chilled but a nice busy vibe also. You can swim in the harbour. 2 beaches nearby both with facilities and a bar each. One is shingle, one is sandy...about 7 mins from hotel is the furthest. I could go on, but you wont be disappointed and Sissi memories are now etched in our hearts."