CANDIA PARK VILLAGE 4+ *

We just returned from a new stay at Candia Park. Although it’s our sixth stay, we never wrote a review but this time we really wanted to praise not only the place and the services, but the people. We realized once again that the wonderful energy of this place is given by the people we found there every year, as if some old friends are waiting for us, especially the people at the restaurant: Katerina, Manolis, Dimitris, Mihalis, the lady that cooks the omelet that our son eats and greets us with such a joy every year, the sous chef whom I brought so many recipes from. I probably misspelled some of the names, but they know who they are. We missed the people that are now retired, like Mr. Nikos who greeted us so many years in a row. But we also found new wonderful people, like the young man who drives the electric car, who is so good with kids, or Adamantia at the restaurant. We were so glad to see again the lady that does the mini disco with such a joy that never seems to diminish. We also found very helpul managers along the time, which were really helpful when needed. Thank you to all of you. You are the epitome of Greek hospitality.

We are on our last day of the holiday. To start with the positives the grounds and pool is lovely. We are in a studio apartment which is lovely but not what we booked with Jet2. We paid for a one bedroom apartment which is more expensive. The beach area is nice but small. There are loungers in an area just to the right of the beach just above the beach level and this area is horrible and run down. Paint peeling off the walls, run down dirty loungers on gravel. Surprised anyone would want to sit here!! The real disappointment is the food. We are half board and the evening buffet is awful. Mushy veg, everything seems to have cheese in it, duck that was just bone, they even had rice with tomatoes and cheese, not feta but strong tasting cheese. This is the first place I have ever been to where I actually didn’t look forward to the evening meal. The hotel isn’t cheap and last year we stayed in the Asterias hotel in Cyprus all inclusive for the same price and the food was amazing. What really annoys me is that you pay for lunch and the food is good although the menu is limited. So because you have prepaid dinner they are giving you the rubbish! Also the fact you cannot sit inside in air conditioning to eat and plagued by wasps and flys. Also I don’t like eating food where flies are crawling over it especially in this day and age when food hygiene should not be an issue, especially as I am on immune suppressants. Every day round the pool I have to hunt someone down to open the umbrella. Everyone has been struggling with them and this feels like a daily chore. Most places has a pool person going round opening them. We have also been without hand soap in the bathroom for a few days despite leaving the dispenser open as a hint! On the last day for 3 extra hours in the room it is 40 euros and had to negotiate an extra hour until 3pm as the next charge was 80 euros until 5pm. But we also forgot the extra tax the government charge and paid out 110 euros. I think Greece is hugely expensive for what it is and very overpriced. 11 euros for a taxi to Agios Nikolas making it 22 euros round trip. Location of this hotel is not good for trips etc unless you hire a car. Entertainment is non existent so there is absolutely nothing to do in the evenings. I am usually good at picking hotels but must have overlooked quite a bit with this one. Some staff are really friendly but others not so. There is a supermarket about a 20 minute walk from here and the drinks and water is a fraction of the price of the hotel. I can actually say I would not return to this hotel mainly because the food is poor and location.

Wow! This hotel exceeded my expectations in every way. The housekeeping team were absolutely amazing—so kind, thoughtful, and always willing to go out of their way to help us. As a vegan, I spoke to reception about my dietary requirements, and they went above and beyond to accommodate me. Every member of staff was incredible—friendly, attentive, and nothing was ever too much trouble. The kids’ club and activities were fantastic, and my son absolutely loved every minute of them. The location is beautiful, with a lovely beach and pool, and the whole hotel was spotless and well looked after. A special shout-out to the chef—her vegan food was absolutely outstanding! Some of the best I’ve had while travelling, and I really appreciated the care and effort that went into every meal. I honestly can’t understand how this isn’t a 5-star hotel. It was better than many 5-star hotels I’ve stayed in. I would highly recommend it and wouldn’t hesitate to return. Thank you to everyone for making our stay so special!

Candia Village is a very pretty resort and we had a lovely family holiday overall. We particularly enjoyed the entertainment in the main square by the restaurant. The bubble show and the Greek dancers were highlights for both the adults and the children. It was a shame that this entertainment wasn't available every evening, as it really added to the atmosphere. One area that could be improved is communication about the entertainment schedule. The event timings on the website didn't match those displayed at reception, which was confusing. We were also a little disappointed with the kids' club. Some of the toys were quite old and damaged, and the activity programme felt very basic – for example, one scheduled activity was simply a game of hide and seek. We also noticed that when there wasn't a planned activity, the staff often stood chatting to each other rather than interacting with or supervising the children, which was disappointing. As we were travelling with a baby, we appreciated that puréed baby food was available. However, when we asked the waiting staff what the purées contained, they were unable to tell us. This was concerning, especially for parents who need to know exactly what their child is eating. Unfortunately, we also found many of the staff to be lacking in warmth and friendliness, which affected the overall experience. On the morning of our departure, I had booked a massage. I arrived at the scheduled time but was asked to come back a little later. When I returned, I was then told that the therapist was no longer able to carry out my treatment. This was frustrating, especially as it was my last opportunity before travelling home. Finally, as we had a late departure, we booked one of the courtesy showers before leaving. Unfortunately, the shower facilities were not clean, despite the cleaning schedule being ticked to indicate they had been cleaned throughout the evening. This was disappointing, particularly before a long journey home. Overall, Candia Village is a beautiful resort with some fantastic entertainment and a lovely setting. However, there are several areas where the guest experience could be improved, including communication, staff friendliness, cleanliness, organisation, and the quality of the children's facilities. Addressing these issues would make it a much stronger destination for families.