Agios Nikolaos, Ariti Apartments Review

Overall Rating

We got a bargain holiday to Crete this June 05 and only paid £117.00 each for 2 weeks at the Ariti Apartments in Aghios Nikolaos including flights + in-flight meals, transfers and accommodation. We were placed at the Ariti apartments after a 2 hour transfer in the middle of the night. The Ariti apartments are placed on a hillside about 25 mins walk from Agious Nickolous, a very pleasant resort indeed. First the apartments: Probably the most basic apartments I have ever stayed in, very clean, but very, very basic. No toaster, no dustpan and brush (important to keep the ants away) No portable pay-as-you-go tv, (although we never use it we have normally have one!), no fans anywhere, not even rentable ones (night time was 25 deg!) and a very unusual worktop standing microwave-like oven with 2 hobs on top which must have been designed to make you want to eat in the Ariti restaurant every morning and evening, because it was a nightmare to use! "But you only paid £117" I hear you scream. This is true and I will try to remember this throughout this review.

Ok, there is no reception on this complex, just a large restaurant/taverna where your every needs will be met by 2 brilliant men, Manos, and Nikkos. They will sort out your problems unless you can get your rep to do it, they will bring you your drinks, your food, your entertainment even, they really are nice people. There is a small shop next to the Taverna, however this as to be the most expensive shop in the universe. Yes, it's convenient but boy do they take the mick with their prices. Soloution? Opposite the entrance to the complex there is a small road/pathway which takes you to a main road, at the main road take a left and about 10 mins walk you come to a Lidl superstore, bottle of Australian quality wine £1.40, in the complex shop: Three times that, and it's Cretian wine which is awful. Get your supplies at Lidl, and save yourself a fortune. Beach: Go out of the complex, turn right, walk down to the end of the unmade road, turn right and keep walking for about 10 mins and follow signs for Almiros beach. Great beach with all watersports, shallow clear water, and best of all, a fantastic free pool bar at the other end of the beach, stay there instead of the Ariti pool as there is no comparison.

Advice; rent a car as soon as you get there, you will get more than your money back by eating and drinking away from the Ariti bar and restaurant. Example: Baileys/Vodka/whisky long drink - Ariti Price 6 euros (£4.20) available in the resort overlooking the coast and marina -3 euros. If you have a few of these a night you'll see where your car rental saving comes in. Also we found it extremely hot and be careful when you walk anywhere, the sun really does take it out of you. Car rental will also save you a fortune on the tour operators excursions such as the water park (very good, rides extremely fast/borderline dangerous, either that or I'm getting on a bit and don't have the bottle I used to) and the many places to visit. Crete is massive, about 220 miles wide with over 1000km of coastline, beaches, coves and fishing villages every 10 mins everywhere! Roads are safe to drive on, well signposted, but dangerous to walk on, pavements haven't been thought of yet in greece outside resort centres. If you want a waterpark in your apartment, have a shower, the water goes everywhere and you'll be sliding around your bathroom like a mad cow version of Torvill and Dean.

Ariti Pool: dated, not cleaned regularly enough, insects, wasps, dragonflies, all doing backstroke especially in the kids pool. Filters exist but are just either not on or not working. Go to the Almiros pool bar for the day instead, it's like a free upgrade from 2 star (which is what the Ariti should be) to 5 star. Best place for value: Atlantis bar/ snack bar on Marina just about 20 yards up the hill. Tables on promenade and inside, decent menu excellent value for drinks and very friendly Greek owner and English wife. Highly recommended. I would go back to Crete, probably not the Ariti (unless I got the same deal!) and would like to stay in Alounda, about 15 mins from Agious Nickolouas (how do you spell that?) nice fishing village, lovely beach, better value restaurants, just go there and you'll see what I mean. Anyway, if you end up at the Ariti you won't have done too bad, there's worse! Just remember, hire a car for about £10.00 a day, eat and drink away from the Ariti, just sleep and shower there. Greek night at the complex is quite a laugh though and is free. Fishing trip in the harbour is good, 6 hours including lunch £15.00 although I only caught a happy meal toy-sized nemo.

Overall, not a bad holiday, best part - telling everyone at the complex how much we paid!