Hey, just got home last night from the Lyda Horizons in Stalis, Crete. Altogether 6 of us travelled over together, myself and my girlfriend and 4 friends.

We had booked studio apartments with the 2 of us in one and our friends in another. while our apartment was fine our friends was absolutely tiny for 4 people (the 4th person sleeping on a camp bed). We were staying in the new section of the apartments and it was extremely noisy, every night you could hear exactly what was going on around the apartments. the apartments are extremely basic but very clean. Both apartments paid for air conditioning (which is very expensive) and only mine worked, our friends had to keep going back to reception to complain, which was to no avail, they received only some of their money back as they didn't complain on the first couple of days.

The staff in both the reception and particularly the snack bar could be very rude and unfriendly. while the snack bar has a good range of food available, their breakfast is much more expensive and not as nice as you would get down town.

The pool is very nice with an amazing view, although there is not enough parasols available. It is a good 10 minute walk into the centre, where you can find plenty of nice places to eat (Maria's Golden Beach in particular is lovely, very nice staff) and walk further up town before you go on to the beach.

This Hotel is advertised in the Budget brochure as a 4*. The reception area etc. may be but the apartments are more of a low grade 2*. The cleaning of the apartments was O.K. but I think we got 2 loo rolls for a family of 4 during the 2 week stay. The one bedroomed apartments are tiny with one wardrobe for four people so you really have nowhere to put your clothes. They are supposed to have sofa beds in the living area but they are normal beds so if you want to sit down , you sit on a bed. One tiny table and only 2 dining chairs for 4 people.

The view from the hotel is fantastic but so are their prices in the snack bar.

I don't think it's suitable for families either as it is mainly occupied by young people who seem to think it's O.K. to play loud music on their balconies till 7.30 a.m.

Our studio (for 3) was in the original building and was a fair enough size for 2 but not for 3. The kitchen!! part was tiny with 2 hot plates, fridge with ice box not freezer and no grill or microwave. Bring your ice bags to make ice cubes because I didn't see any bags of ice anywhere. (probably wouldn't have fit into it anyway!)

Not a lot of cupboard room. The bathroom was dark, even with the light on and the shower didn't attach to the wall but there was plenty of hot water. I would say that the suite was in since the place was built and would need updating.

Studio well enough furnished and even had 2 armchairs but not a lot of drawer space, ok for us but not for 3. The balcony was average size and we were lucky enough to get one over looking the pool and the sea.

Cleaning could have been a bit better but not too bad either.

We ate a few times at the pool bar and it was grand although the bar prices for drink was a bit steep.
Some of the hotel staff were not the pleasantest, others were great. That's usually the same anywhere.

Entertainment, well all I can say is they tried.

The pool is the best we've ever seen and is definitely 10/10. Good size with loads of sunbeds and parasols and with a massive sun terrace. The children's pool is also good and has a giant mushroom that turns into a shower at regular intervals.

I thought the apartments were nearer to stalis than they were and it was a good 15 minutes walking leisurely to reach the start of the restaurants and shops and about another 10 to get to the ATM.

It cost 6 euros for a taxi from the rank to the apartments and considering the distance I thought it a bit steep when it was only 7 euros to go to Hersonnisis which was a lot further.

The new apartments looked beautiful from the outside, dont know what inside is like. If the older part was painted and updated a bit it would all look well.

On arrival, we were pleasantly surprised when we entered the reception area of the apartments prior to checking in. The panoramic views of the Gulf of Stalis from the reception area were very impressive indeed. Checking in didn't take too long, we paid our '

I stayed in these apartments last week from the 17th June to the 24th June.

When we arrived at the hotel/apartments we had to give a 100 Euro deposit - take note to keep the receipt as you will need it to get your money back at the end of your stay. They also hold on to your passports for the first night but you can get them back at reception at any stage after that. To rent the safe in your apartment costs 15 Euro for the week (not sure what it was for 2 weeks). Air Conditioning was 60.00 Euro for the week - which I though was very high! Or 10 Euro a night.

Our apartment was in the new building. I did request a quite room but we were facing the road (about 20 Feet away) and it was very noise, we were also boarding the apartments next door which played music every night, however it did go off about 11.30/Midnight. The apartment itself was very basic. The bathroom was a good size, beds were fine. Balconies on the coner apartments were huge but the ones in between where tiny. The kitchen was basic as you can get and very disappointing. During the day you could hear the builders upstairs working away. At this stage we were going to make the most of it.

The pool is a big size with a lot of sun loungers but most of the ones around the pool are gone by about 10am with towels on them, though you wouldn't see the people from the morning to evening. The entertainment was none existence. I would agree with another poster who pointed out the world cup matches where not in English and they also player loud music so you couldn't even hear what they were saying or get the atmosphere from the crowd.

Stalis itself is a good 10 minute walk along a walkway. And my major annoyance was this. The walkway was new and near the hotel there are steps and an uneven surface. At night it can get very dark and some of the lights near the hotel weren't working. I was on holidays with my sister and maybe we were just over concern but we didn't feel at all safe!!

During the day down the walkway were 2 places where you could swim, we went there most days. We ate out most nights, there was some lovely places to eat, I really couldn't fault the food!!

We were to Athens ( booked it myself before we went) for an over night stay, we loved Athens and this made our trip.

On the day we were leaving, you have to vacate your room by 11am or if you want to stay till 2pm the fee is 30 Euro. We were woken rather abruptly by the cleaning staff at 10.15am. Everyone we met in Crete was lovely with the exception of the cleaning staff. I have never met such a rude woman. We were very clean - I like to think anyway! But she gave out about dropping towels in the bathroom and constant tutting around the apartment. The sheets weren't changed for the week and could should really have been at least once for the price we paid.

I have only been on 2 other sun holidays so I don't really have much to compare it to. It is suppose to be 4 Star, I think its more of a 3 Star. Would I come back again? I don't think so.

Stayed in hotel in May 2006.

Hotel was spotless found no complaints about it.

Staff really friendly and helpful.

Would deff go back again

The hotel itself is beautiful, right on the coast, very clean, nice gardens, gorgeous pool. They're in the process of completeing a new apartment block at the moment and during our trip there were some people already staying in these new apartments. They were not happy as it felt like they were staying in a building site but these should be completed soon.

The food is okay, much better value down in Stalis which is only a five minute walk along the sea. The supermarket in the hotel is ridiculously expensive and the drinks in the bar are also much more expensive than down in the town. Entertainment was pretty much non-existant and when it was provided it was brutal.

My advice would be to use the hotel to sleep and sunbathe and to eat, drink and party elsewhere.

Myself and my boyfriend have just returned from a week at the Lyda Horizons, the view from our balcony was absolutely amazing - we asked for a sea view and that's what we got but in all honesty that the only nice thing I can say about the Lyda Horizons.

The staff were not very helpful or polite and the maid service was not existent until the third day, the "self catering" was just a small fridge with a hob on top and a sink, you couldn't keep anything in the cupboard due to the large amount of ants, the towels and bedding had definitely seen better days and there were no curtains at the side window of our apartment and as this over looked one of the main walkways it was more than a little inconvenient.

The food at the snack bar was over priced as were the drinks and asking for two large beers would get you two beers but they would be different sizes, neither the food not the drink were particularly nice, needless to say we only went there the once.

Ok visited these Apatments in Aug 2007 but on review only goes to 2004. Anyways apartments an absolute joke, studio apartments for two is more or less a small 4X4 room with a hob and fridge in the corner. Manners of the reception staff was most unfriendly & un proffessional. Both me and my partner are only in our 20's and used to go out every night till 3 or 4 in the morning and when we came in used to make no noise, as we were in the new block and there was no security or anyone to keep noise to a minimum, noise went on till 8 or 9 in the morn with gangs banging and kicking each others doors. On numerous nights there was rows where one night a guys nose was broke. Pool Area nice, Snack bar 3/10 you would eat it if majorly hungry. Marias Golden Beach best food very friendly staff. Thought was a cheek asking for security deposit of E100 when ur only in the door and Budget Travel forgot to mention this. Air conditioning v expensive. Apts clean to an extent but again cleaner only came every 3days. Entertainment was crap and never got an audience. Definitely would not reccomend these apts and will never return to them.