any members able to offer a review?? then please post here

thanks
wizard

Sorry Wiz for not posting where you said but i have not been into Marni for a few years so not sure if proper thing to reply there.

I like the hotel/apts. last time i went it was june 2000 and it was prety busy.
i liked the pool bar area and the simply apts/rooms that i saw.
it was popular for british and other europeans.
i believe it was good that they try to keep the kids busy.
it was steep if i remember correct but from what i could figure out most tourists spend most of their time there.
new thing of the year is the villas that they now have.
Sorry i cant tell more but its been 7 years since last time

I am unable to pass a comment on the village.

The hill is rather steep, but there is a taxi station and also the land train travels up and down on a regular basis.

I'm 60 and found it a steady stroll up the hill with no difficulty. Coming back down after a 3 course meal and several Mythos was a different story.

Hi, thanks for the replies! I am very reassured by Parky45's answer about the hill, we won't be sprinting up the hill like a pair of greyhounds that's for sure but we don't mind a gentle stroll!
I have gone ahead and booked the apartments now, let's hope they are as good as they look!
If we have a few drinks, I'm sure hubby won't mind reaching in his pocket for a taxi!

You must also try the landtrain. Do the full trip to get the layout of the local area

The village is lovely. There is a security guard who stands at the top of the hill and stops most traffic from driving through the village. I must admit, it was a very relaxed atmosphere around the village when we visited and would love to go back.

Tinka,
Can I ask who you booked these appts with and where you are flying from?
I am contemplating Crete for September and like the look of Koutouloufari and am just trying to suss out accomodation.
Thanks

Hi Dotchas
I have booked the Marni village direct with the hotel itself and I am flying from East Midlands- Sunday to Sunda day flights with Thomson Fly.
You can book the Marni Vilage through Mytravel/Airtours but you can more choice in accomodation with booking direct and better flight times - for us anyway! Hope that helps!
Tinka

We've been to Marni Village for the last 3 years running.

What isnt clear is that you dont actually need to leave the villages on the hill to have a great holiday (unless of course you want the beach).

The complex is great - accommodation ranges from basic traditional cretan to downright posh in the new villas with their own pool.

The staff are lovely - the pool bar is run by one of lifes real characters Vangelis who also owns the Dyonisos bar in the Village.

In terms of eating out - the restaurants are much better in Koutouloufari and Piskopiano (about 10 minutes flat stroll from Koutou) than Hersonnisos.

Our personal faves are Gallini and Marianthi in Koutou and Lychnos in Pisko.

But to be honest you wont have a bad meal anywhere.

My advice would be to hire a car - by the time you've paid for taxis from the airport you can have a car for the week and the hill is no longer an issue.

A cab from Marni to Hersonnisos is 5 euro each way - so not a lot if you dont want a car.

We love Marni and Koutou, it is a special place and we will try to go at least once a year once our two year old gets a bit older!

If you have any more specific questions please just ask.

Re booking - book direct with Dimitiris by email and sort out your own flights - much cheaper and no "cattle herding" onto coaches at airport!

For car hire - try Athens Cars - we use them all the time - good motors very cheap.

Hope that helps

G

Hi Geoggy
That's brilliant info, thanks...I have found a few reviews for the Marni village and all seemed great.....we have booked direct with the village and we are going to be in a junior suite with a balcony sea view. We're not bothered about the beach, quite happy to lounge around the pool and I have read that the food is great in Koutouloufari and the other villages rather than in Hersonissos....we were thinking of a few days car hire so we will check out the place you recommend as well...we're just hoping for a lovely, relaxing, sunny time of it in Crete.

If you hire a car Aghios Nikaloas is worth a ride out.

Dont go wherever Vangelis tells you to go as we've been to them all and they are

a) miles away

or

b) rubbish!

A nice place for lunch or a chilled drink at night is the "Fabrica" bar in Koutou.

It is run by an absolute nutter but his food and cocktails are excellent and he will keep you amused!

There are a couple of OK nights on at the apartments - a greek bbq and a karaoke night.

Not bad if you dont fancy going too far one or two nights.

If you have anything else you want to know just ask away!

Getting Koutou "pangs" just writing this!!

Hi Geoggy, it all sounds marvellous....I was thinking of a trip to see round Ag Nik...I know Hubby would like to do the Samaria Gorge and I would also like to visit Chania/Rethymnon and I quite fancy the catamaran for a quick nostalgic lookback at Santorini as we were on our hols there a few years back but that's not essential...
The Marni complex looks lovely on their website so if it's like it is on the pics and from the reviews I've seen, I'm sure we'll have a good time. Sounds like you're thinking of rebooking to me!

Tinka, have a look at the "Moonlight Monastery" on your way down to Agi Nik.
Travellers in Crete stop there for a prayer and a blessing. It's a very interesting little place to visit and a beautiful view. It's on the hill to your right as you turn off the coast road.

It was built by moonlight only during the war as the Germans didn't like the monks. (probably wron g info there, but that's what springs from the back of my mind-
)

Great report Geogy!
We are not booked yet but hoping to book Marni Village!

Might have to leave it as late as 4 October,what will the weather be like?
Will some places start closing down?

Tinka,
I thought your ID was familiar,we both went to santorini a few yaers back at the same time.I just remember reading your posts then!

We were in Crete in 1997 and can recommend Ag Nik,it was on that holiday we did the day trip to santorini and swore that we would go back .Might go back to Kamari next year!

Hi Dotchas....we went in the last week of the season to Santorini and the weather was still lovely and warm in the mid 20's which was fine for us..although some places in Kamari were shutting down or running down their stocks in the restaurants so bear that in mind...you won't starve though!
I was thinking of staying at Ag Nik but was put off by the transfer time from the airport esp if your flight is delayed getting there etc so we decided on Koutouloufari but was also thinking of Chania and Rethymnon but again put off by the transfer time, was a hard decision as all looked lovely!

Hi Tinka,
Yes we were in Santorini last week of the season in 2004 I think.If I remember correctly it was Sept/early October.
I love the look of the Marni Village but due to work ,we can't go till 4 oct for 2 weeks I am just not convinced the weather will be that great!
We seem to attract rain on every holiday so I don't want to ask for trouble going quite late.
We got rain in Cyprus last June and it was 13 degrees at the airport when we left!
Might put Marni Village off till next year,May or Sept ,and maybe Santorini too!
Now looking at Cyprus again for October!
Looking forward to your report from the Marni!

Hi again.

We went ot Koutou last September and had two days of rain.

We were told that was really unusual but I wouldnt go again so late, so i'm sorry but I dont think I could recommend October.

One thing to remember about days out from the Hersonnisos area is that Hania is a good 4 hour drive.

We've never done it as it sounds too far to me.

We'd love to rebook but until our son is a bit older its no more 4 hour flights for us!

Cheers

G

We visited Marni Village in August last year. It was lovely and clean. But, there is no kids club and only the pool for their entertainment. Whoever said the hills not steep must be an athelete with the lung function of a gorilla!!!

The village is really quaint, with several really good restaurants and a couple really awful ones.

The weather was great and the air conditioning did'nt cut out once. The staff are really friendly. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.