Tylissos Beach Hotel

Our stay at this hotel was pleasant and comfortable. The food was good, and what we really appreciated was that every evening there were new and varied dishes at dinner. Although the furniture in the room wasn’t very modern, this wasn’t a problem for us, as we appreciated how clean the room was - the housekeeping ladies did an exceptional job and provided us with fresh towels every day. The staff was very nice and friendly, especially the restaurant team and the animation crew. The beach is indeed rocky, but we found a good spot to enter the water, so it wasn’t a problem for us. One aspect that could be improved is the pedestrian crossing in front of the hotel, which is not clearly marked. It would be helpful if a speed bump were installed, as cars not only fail to yield to pedestrians, but also tend to drive at very high speeds, something that shouldn't happen near a crosswalk. I'm not sure whether this falls under the hotel's responsibility or that of the local authorities, but it's definitely a safety concern worth addressing. Overall we had a great experience and would recommend Tylissos Beach Hotel.

We stayed at this hotel for a week and had high expectations based on the photos and many positive reviews. Unfortunately, our experience turned out to be quite the opposite — disappointing on many levels. I’d like to share the details so future guests can make a more informed decision. We checked in very late — at 5:30 in the morning — but we were still entitled to the dinner from the previous day. However, upon arrival, the hotel receptionist offered us dinner right there in the dining area. When we asked if it would be possible to take the dinner to our room — because 5:30 a.m. is far too early for a meal, and all we wanted was to sleep — she replied no. It was either eat now in the dining room or don’t eat at all. I won’t even comment on how rude the receptionist was — I think that’s quite self-explanatory. When we entered the room, we asked if all rooms were this old. The furniture was outdated, the room looked worn-out, and some of the mirrors had rust stains inside. She seemed surprised and responded, “Do you really find this room old?” I said yes. Her reply was, “Then deal with it in the morning.” The next morning, we were told that there were no other rooms available and nothing could be offered in exchange. Fine. Now, about the food: it was fairly decent, but getting fresh juice was simply impossible. In the 7 days we stayed at the hotel, we only saw oranges available once. We had half-board (breakfast and dinner). Overall, the food was okay — breakfast could have been more varied, but it was acceptable. There’s a beach nearby, but it’s labeled for guests aged 16 and older. That said, there were often kids swimming there, yelling and screaming — children who were not hotel guests, but just came in off the street. I found that a bit odd. Another note about the beach: it’s located across a fairly busy road from the hotel. There is a painted pedestrian crossing, but no traffic signs, so drivers simply don’t stop. This made crossing the street quite difficult, especially if you were in a hurry to get to or from the beach. As for the hotel’s entertainment, it was pretty sad — clearly aimed at guests aged 60 and above. Things like karaoke, folk dances, and not much else. We asked for an iron — this is a 4-star hotel — but there was none. The only option offered was to send our clothes to the dry cleaner’s for €8 per item. No thank you. Parking was also a problem. Again — 4-star hotel, but basically nowhere to park. The hotel is large, but the parking area fits maybe 10 cars at best. Finding a place to park was a quest in itself, and in the end, we were advised by the hotel staff to just park along the road, on the shoulder. I find that completely unacceptable. The view from the window was terrible. And in general, the surrounding area had poor infrastructure. I strongly advise against coming to this part of Crete. For the same price, the north of the island offers much better hotels, more beautiful nature, nicer architecture, and far more developed infrastructure. This part of Crete is not touristic at all — there’s absolutely nothing to do here. Frankly, I don’t understand where all the positive reviews are coming from. This hotel does not deserve 4 stars — it’s a 3-star hotel at best, and even that’s generous. If you have the budget for this place, I highly recommend spending it elsewhere. There are much better options for the same price.

The most misleading 4-star hotel we've ever stayed at. Pros: The food is varied and delicious. There’s a cozy beach right next to the hotel. Cons: The view from the window is of a desert and a construction site. The furniture in the rooms is old, and overall, the rooms don’t look like they do in the photos on Booking. Not all of the hotel staff are polite - some are outright rude. There’s a very busy road you have to cross to get to the beach. The rooms are not cleaned very well. There’s no iron available for guests to use - you're forced to use the laundry service, where they charge €8 per item for washing and ironing. The hotel grounds and the so-called parking are very small. The absolute maximum I could give this hotel is three stars - and even that would be generous.