Thalassi

A family run small hotel, Thalassi is in a small but well connected working village, with school, shops & an ATM that doesn't charge frightening commission. The accommodation is clean, modern and for me provides everything I need from a holiday base, including WiFi throughout, not just public areas, a fridge & kettle in my room, comfortable bed & plenty of storage. The pool is small but clean, with sunbeds & tables. The pool bar offers a wide range of alcoholic and soft drinks & good coffee all day, plus a range of good value lunch options if you're staying local, but there are also several great authentic greek restaurants within easy walking distance. The hotel's restaurant is the marmite element. I love it's over the sea location, greek buffet & charismatic owner, plus the a la carte dining options for occasional treats. BUT it's a 10 minutes walk, needs you to cross a main road or navigate an underpass - or just take the free minibus!! The help the family & team offer is second to none, from arranging Car hire, helping with local bus advice to advising on budget appropriate expeditions. But it's not for everyone. There's a children's play area, but no children's pool ( new government regulations prevent this). The village is quiet, although Steffi in the bar can make an evening interesting.

Came to Astrid many years ago,and absolutely loved this place,and the owners,Demitri and his lovely wife.The food was Authentic and delicious we ate there every night, we planned to come back every year but Andrw became quite poorly and ended up with a kidney transplant,but I would recommend this beautiful place,it was family run back then ,no noisy holiday makers very peaceful and clean and if your looking for authenticity this is the place to go

We enjoyed our week long break in this lovely, family-run hotel. Our room was modern and comfortable. Cleaning standards were high. Breakfast was very good, with plenty of choice. We liked the idea of going to the hotel's beach taverna for dinner and didn't find the evening walk a problem, although the hotel does offer a free minibus shuttle for those who would prefer a lift. The view from the taverna was truly beautiful and could be seen from all tables. The evening buffet was simple but sufficient. As as vegetarian, I was pleased to find that there was always something I could eat. My husband was equally pleased that he could eat fish every night. Sfakaki is a good location for those who would rather stay in a real village than in an artificial resort. (I would suggest that anyone who is considering a stay at the Thalassi Hotel uses Google Street View to 'drive' through the village. That way, you'll know exactly what you're getting and whether Sfakaki is for you.) There are nearby bus stops that will take you to Rethymno Town in one direction and Panormo in the other. A short walk up the hill takes you straight into the countryside. I think it is fair to say that this hotel is not for everyone but it was definitely for us. We have already booked to return next spring.

Lovely family run hotel in a great location, easy to walk to the beach, supermarket and a few other restaurants nearby. Hotel was very clean and staff were so friendly. Eva was so helpful in explaining the bus services so we went to Rethymno and Ponormo which were both lovely! Breakfast at the hotel was really good and we ate a la carte at the restaurant most days, the food was lovely and fresh and we loved it at lunchtime for a break from the beach and the views are incredible.

This hotel is run by a family. Everyone is very friendly and helpful and polite. The rooms were cleaned almost every day, and all the communal areas, including the pool area, were meticulously clean and tidy. The breakfast buffet was the same every day, but there were plenty of options to choose from. The pool side bar had a good range of drinks and snack food options to buy. Dinner is served in the Thalassi restaurant on the sea front, which is a 5-minute walk from the hotel, but there is also a free minibus option for those unable to walk