Read reviews on Trip advisor as well as here for the hotel anastasia in Stalis you won't go wrong there.

Enjoy it is a fab place with lovely friendly people.

Another heads up for Stalis, you also have Malia next door if yer want to let your hair down.

One of our favourite places is Crete, you won't be disappointed.

We've only been to Crete once and we stayed in Stalis- not everybody's cup of tea as some prefer a more traditional area. However, Stalis can be whatever you want it to be and we loved it for that fact.

We went self catering as we like to eat out and try the local cuisine which we did every day/night. You have your traditional tavernas and also a few Brit type bars if you fancy some entertainment e.g. quiz, karaoke. It's close to Malia which is much livelier and geared towards the youngsters. having said that, in old Malia there are some lovely traditional restaurants which we ate at on a couple of evenings.

There is a 'happy train' which runs up into the mountain village of Krassi a couple of times a day. It was a lovely way to spend a few hours and have a meal and a drink.

What board are you looking at? SC, B&B, half board, AI .

Shirley has as usual given an accurate overview of Stalis. However should you wish to escape from the Brit invasion and find a more balanced mix of traditional Crete, great beaches and fun then head to western Crete, preferably West of Chania. Those I have met who know all sides of Crete would only return to the Western region...that includes me and my family. It's a question of taste and preference. Chania airport is also a lot easier and faster.

If you like English pubs, themed bars and lots of 18 - 30s then Stalis is the place for you, in fact you could come back from Stalis and not even have spoken to a Greek person at all.....you could be staying anywhere.

Stalis is a purpose built tourist resort with no Greek feel to the place - if you want to experience Crete then do please travel a bit further afield than Stalis....I would recommend that you look at places like Sissi, Elounda, Agios Nikoloas. Agree that parts of Chania are lovely, but if you are flying into Herkalion you have got at least a four hour car journey. So depends really where you are flying into. I dont agree that Western Crete has exclusively more of mix of traditional Crete, yes some parts of the north east of Crete are ugly, but the area north east of Agios Nikolaos is amazing very beautiful, as is the south east of the island too. My suggestion would be do your research on the internet...especially that web site that uploads videos....look at these videos - at least then you will get a bit of a better idea as to what they are like. Good luck with the search :-)

We went to western Crete for the first time (to Crete) in May, and found the majority of tourists were German or Swedish, who tended to loudly dominate tavernas and popular walking/beach areas. Not that I have anything against them, we have Germans in the family, but we were recommended the area as relaxing and quiet....and it wasn't. I have to admit I like to have a conversation with OH while relaxing over dinner, but without raising your voice it was impossible.

On the other hand, I realise not everyone is as anti-social as us!!!!!!!!!!!

Stalis is as loud or as quiet as you want it to be, I did meet many many Greeks there!!!

The restaurants are right on the beach and the bars so it's a lovely romantic setting as well as having a great mixture of bars that are more lively if that's your thing. We went to Ag Nicholias and found it very expensive and a bit boring...whatever suits yourself but wouldn't book to stay there a day trip there was lovely but not a holiday in my opinion.

Enjoy we have twice and would defo go back again in the future.

Have a look at Sidari in Corfu also as it is very similar to Stalis...enjoy whatever you decide.

Well I would call stallis alot of things, but romantic definately wouldnt be one of them!!!! how can you say its romantic when you are surrounded by loud bars, yobs in football shirts, cars and quad bikes driving through the centre of Stalis ALL the time, and a beach with a million sun loungers on it....not my idea of romance, but each to their own eh!!!

No I dont expect you did like Agios Nikolaos, theres no english pubs, no burger type fast food outlets, and British tourists are the minority and not the majority

I am entitled to MY opinion this being a discussion forum and for your information we do not drink or eat in the British bars/pubs etc and have never ever ate a burger on holiday in my life we like nice traditional restaurants and bars...the quad bikes are not allowed on the pedestrian area where the bars and restaurants are and the only lively bars are the 2 irish bars Sloans and Dwyers so I don't know where you got that info from...I expect you stayed there many years ago or prob not at all....keep your replies for the person who is asking for advice and not me I am not interested!!!

Pack it in
everyone is entitled to voice their opinion as long as it is within our terms of posting...

wizard

and on the subject of Ag Nik most of the good hotels i found are out side the village, the downhill walk is fine but unless your a mountain goat its a hard slog back uphill, having said that we loved the village more traditional than most on the north coast and when we last went uncluttered of fast food and themed bars

wiz

Wiz....not sure what hill you are referring to when you are talking about Agios ??? there no huge hills in Agios????????? I think you have got the wrong town...

Surely you are referring to Hersonissos and the villages that are located on the outskirts which are called Koutouloufari and Piskopiano these small pretty villages which are located on a very steep hill, overlooking the dreadful resort of Hersonissos (in my opinion obviously!!! lol)

In response to lizmc post, while I do agree that this is a discussions forum, it is also called "Holiday Truths"..... I believe that people who use this forum are entitled to a balanced view of resorts, and not a rose tinted view, only then can they make the correct decision based on all the information....my posts are informative giving the correct information that is balanced and truthful, I dont think is enough to say "we love Stallis, so bet you do too" type of posting....!!! After all many people save all year for their holiday, how dreadful to end up in a resort that you hate!!!

your right im thinking of another resort we went to.... Agia Pelagia... Agh Nik was pretty flat

Wow it seems to have got rather heated on this thread. Having visited Crete repeatedly on business and vacation since the mid 70's I have seen many changes. I conclude that Crete has something for everyone. The Stalis area is certainly not traditional Cretan compared with many other wonderful spots. It's just a fact that the rowdy Brits have created a reputation for our nation and we are not welcome en mass in some of the most beautiful parts. It's even getting difficult to get flights from the UK to Chania airport. I can still do it and will as long as possible to avoid the longer journey from Heraklion. Please enjoy the island, wherever you go....even in Stalis!

Hardly difficult to get flights to Chania .....easyjet are happy to provide the service!!!!!!!!!! flights every day....just like they do for Herkalion :-)

I hope you havent been missing out on all the cheap flights from Gatwick to Chania!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....If my memory is correct they starting flying into Chania last year!!!

ilovecrete wrote:

Hardly difficult to get flights to Chania .....easyjet are happy to provide the service!!!!!!!!!! flights every day....just like they do for Herkalion :-)

I hope you havent been missing out on all the cheap flights from Gatwick to Chania!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....If my memory is correct they starting flying into Chania last year!!!

But the flights are only from Gatwick, which isn't much good to people from further north and Scotland.

It's even getting difficult to get flights from the UK to Chania airport

My post was in response to this post as above.....it has got easier to fly to Western Crete with easyjet flying from Gatwick ....but may still even be cheaper to fly down to Gatwick then out to chania....bit of a pain...but might save you some money....for your info easyjet release their flight schedule to Crete (both airports) usually last week October early November.

But the flights are only from Gatwick, which isn't much good to people from further north and Scotland.

Quite! The introduction of Easyjet flights from Gatwick only makes it easier to get flights from the UK to Chania if Gatwick is easy for you to get to in the first place

The lst time I looked Manchester was the most northerly airport that it's possible to fly direct to Chania from and I live 350 miles further north again! Easyjet flights from Gatwick might make it easier to get to Chania if you live in the southeast but the cost of flying to Gatwick from either Aberdeen or Edinburgh can cost me as much or even more than the fare from Gatwick to Chania. On top of that an arrival time back at Gatwick of 23.50 with Easyjet means that most people up here would have to face the added cost of an overnight stay in a hotel or a very unpleasant, tiring night spent hanging around the airport until the first flights north in the morning. None of which adds up to making it easier (or cheaper) to fly to Chania for anyone like myself who lives north of Manchester.

I'm lucky in that I have friends who live close to Gatwick but even so, one of the reasons why I haven't revisited Crete in some time, especially the western end of the island which I loved, is the hassle of getting to Chania because it is very difficult for me to do the journey in a day. I would nearly always have to stay overnight in the Gatwick area either at the beginning or end of the trip - and if I'm really unlucky with finding convenient flight times, at both ends of the holiday. Longhaul destinations direct from a Scottish airport can be quicker and easier to get to!

SM

Hi IloveCrete,
True Easyjet go to Chania but they are very expensive. I'm going out in a couple of weeks and paying £120 per head less than Easyjet's £430 return. That's certainly not cheap!

But Richard you need to book early early early.....the day or the day after they release their flights....my trips never cost me more than £100 return whatever time I travel... off to Crete next week for a quick 6 day trip and my flights cost me £70 return....but I booked these in Oct 2010...however, just booked flights last week for my son and they cost £250 return ....