6 of us recently stayed at the Stelios Apartments in the old town of Malia. This being our first holiday together, and having read some of the reviews beforehand, we were slightly worried about what to expect. However, it seems to me that a lot of people have confused this Stelios, which was just fantastic, with another closer to the beach.

Lida, the manager, is just lovely. Some of the reviews here have criticised her as intrusive, but I genuinely felt that she was interested and involved in our stay. Her English is perfect and if you're nice to her, then she will be nice back - but isn't that the case with most people?

All the food is freshly-prepared by Lida's husband, Van and is really nice. Although it's quite expensive, you can always go to the shop and buy food or even eat out - there are loads of local restaurants. You aren't allowed to eat your own food around the pool, but this isn't ever a problem because you can just run to your room as it's not a massive place.

The rooms themselves are really basic - we had two single beds, a sink, a fridge and two electric hobs. There was plently of wardrobe and drawer space for clothes and a small balcony. The bathroom was even more basic! The shower didn't have a drain and so water leaked all over the floor, so you should be prepared to bring extra towels. Because it's self-catered, you will need to supply yourself with all the essentials (including toilet roll!) which are generally all available from a small shop about 100 yards away.

Overall, we were completely satisfied with our holiday at Stelios, having gone out expecting the worst and getting so much more that we'd expected. I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone who wants to have a good time in Malia!

We stayed at these apartments and although I had read some reviews about malia being a place that buzzed in the main summer months thought it would be better late september which it was marginally, but the apartments! It looks great on the video but although I know greek Island accommodation is basic this was awful, even some of the young girls who stayed were very dissapointed. Firstly arrived and was asked for safe deposit money before key was handed over for apartment, shown to room by a young boy no more than 7 or 8 years old. We had two studios next door to each other looking onto a fence and a peice of scrub land. The beds had a sheet on that had seen better days with one sheet left on top.Had to ask for a blanket as froze the first night and nobody about to ask for one.Wardrobes and fittings hanging off. The little kitchen if you could call it that, had hardly any crockery or utensils etc and the shower well, the shower head you had to hold to shower yourself down if you had any hot water any time of day(warm would have been nice) the towels I would only use for washing my dog with, the toilet wobbled every time you sat on it and leaked, also some days our used toilet roll bin was not emptied had to ask after two days.But we thought never mind we only have to sleep here, head for the bar at the pool side. Very friendly staff when we first arrive, drink offered for reasonable price but used there own brand, so next day asked for a branded drink and paid top price for yet again a none branded drink. Needless to say not another drop passed our lips at the bar again and not a smile from theres either.But there is a good side to this area definatley not these apartments, although only 50 metres or so from the beach, was that the surrounding bars and resaurants and local people were great. Local food was great. would go back to crete again but stay in stalis a little way down from malia itself. The beaches and the sea where fabulous around that area and a little less noisy although lively even at the end of the season.But being ardent travellers we did not let the accommodation spoil the holiday and a great time was had by all.

Firstly...if your thinking of booking a holiday to Malia we seriously advise you to go for longer than a week! We stayed for only 7 days & it really wasnt long enough! We fell in love with the place after such a short time it really is non stop!

On our first day we had a little bit of a cock-up with r accommodation...this was neither ours or Stelios Apartment's faults. We arrived & the Olympic rep dropped us off and went without asking us if we had any quesitons or anythin..we took one look at the place and realised tht it was not the place we had originally booked (wich was ment to be Stelios Gardens...the opposite end of Malia!) im pretty sure this was the fault of Thomas Cook for printing the rong photo in the brochure! we were all abit annoyed by this & then had to wait a further 3 or 4 hours for r rooms to be cleaned ready for r arrival and had to leave r cases by the pool ...but we made the most & had sum cocktails around the pool & made use of the sunshine! I can see where the other reviewers by saying that Lida was abit interferring but this is obviously a family business and was understandable, as her family were round including her baby and she obvisouly needed safety wich was reassuring. but i agree...evryone jus wants to go wild. we just tryed to avoid any slanging matches & do our own thing. we sorta found out that if u give respect u get it back! at the end of the week there was a quiz and a barbecue Lida & Van arranged wich was a lot of fun! we won of course :P

There was 10 of us in total..9 girls & one lad..and we were in four rooms...3 twins and 1 that slept 4 people. the rooms for 2 were in the new building block and were so nice & modern! and the other 4 of us were in the old building, the room was still nice but didnt reach the standards of the smaller rooms! although we were nearer to the pool & bar wich was good! we would have preffered to be altogether! cant fault the pool, food & drinks....and the free shots of Raki....woo they also played good music around the pool wich we loved! also the bar was 24hours so we could even hav a full fryup wen we got in from the nightlife =)

as for Malia itself. Wow! wat a place ..will definitly be going next year for sum Head[--] & Funnels! best week ever! x

Just arrived home from 2 weeks in Stalis stayed in Stelios apartments which for the first week was fantastic. The apartment was clean, spacious everything that you need lovely balcony with a sea view what more could we ask for? The pool area was great plenty of sun beds and full of couples and families which it states in the brochure. Also there is another smaller pool which seems quieter and more relaxing, we never actually used it but passed by it everyday. As I said this was the first week 24th to 30th June. Our second week 1st to 8th July was a different story groups of girls/boys arrived group after group we never saw any families or couples arrive our second week. As we are a married couple in our 30's we are a bit passed the 18-30 age group which is what it felt like sitting around the pool area during the day, so we went off to the beach to escape all the mayhem. It was much noisier on an evening as well we had to confront our neighbours because of the noise no thought to others. A family that we met over there (Hello Pete & Sharon if your reading this) went to the Olympic Rep to complain but was told that it was the overspill from Malia as the apartments over there where fully booked or something to that effect. So beware if 18-30 isn't for you then don't go in July/August to these apartments.

Everything else was just fantastic only a short walk to the Beach Road which is never ending and if you go right to the very end you end up in Malia we did this which took us about an hour in total. Or you can turn right instead to Hersonissos and visit Star Beach which made a change from Stalis Beach, there's lots of water sports if your brave enough we had a go on the parasailing what a fantastic experience worth 50 Euros. Also we went on the Happy Train to Krassi up in the mountains again it was fantastic the views were breath taking.

The beaches where lovely crystal clear sea and golden sand. We found it more expensive then the last time we went to Greece which was 2 years ago and there wasn't as many offers on the drinks as before. We found a good selection of restaurants and bars you get a bit fed up of been dragged in but just politely tell them 'no thanks' don't stop to have a look at the menus otherwise they won't leave you alone. It's hard to recommend a bar or restaurant as everyone has different tastes. We liked it in the Cocktail Lounge it was 7 Euros for x2 Sex On The Beach and you could taste the alcohol in them unlike in some bars were they just tasted like a glass of fruit juice.

We went along to see Will Powers the hypnotist how funny, I think my other half thought that he had hypnotized me but I just found his voice sexy..Lol. He does shows at Robin Hood and the Fox and the Hound. Worth a visit.

So all in all a fabulous holiday we would defiantly return to Stalis and stay in Stelios apartments again just never in July/August we would go earlier in the season.