Agios Nikolaos, Ariti Apartments

For the money we paid for this holiday we couldn't believe how good our apartments and the resort was. You are a few miles from the busy town (very relaxing). The waiters were really friendly, spoke very good English and would do anything for you. The Taverna sold excellent food & for reasonable prices. My family and me had a great holiday and we would recommend the Ariti apartments to anyone.

We have just got back from a 2 week paradise holiday in Aghios Nikolaos. The Ariti apartments are clean and nicely laid out. The pool is large, and there is a children's pool also. The food was excellent and very good value for money. The food in town can be pricey, so we ate at Ariti most of the time. If you need any shopping there is a Lidl just up the road. The main thing to attract you here are the waiter's. They made our holiday fantastic! If you ask them and it's possible they will get it for you. The apartments are on a hill, so it is a bit awkward if your room is up there, but it won't spoil anything. We would recommend it, and we are going back next year.

I would recommend the Ariti Apartments highly, but I would also recommend that you hire a car.

The Ariti Apartments are highly recommended. They were excellent. I went on my own and had a 3 bed, 2 balcony apartment - brilliant. Everywhere was lovely and clean. There is a lovely pool area. The food in the taverna is great, and it beats the restaurants in town, and the waiters are friendly. There is also a mini market.

The only drawback with these apartments is the location. You get the impression from the brochure that they are on a hill with the beach and town down below, which is not so. The beach is up the road and round the corner for a good 20 minutes walk on a very busy road with no pavements. The town again is another 20 minutes walk in a different direction. No buses, but plenty of taxis, and it only costs 5 Euros into town.

My friend and I had a wonderful holiday at Aghios Nikolaos, Ariti Apartmentsthere and I'm going back again this summer with my Son and my sister. it's a fabulous, friendly place and anyone reading these reviews will know Manos and Nikos' names.

The food is fabulous, the chef (hopefully still the same one this year) was fabulous and any dish asked for was delicious. I've never tasted Mousaka like it anywhere else in Greece, the steak was perfectly cooked with fresh veg and at an amazingly good price. The wine is like vinegar, but with a little perseverance (and a couple of shots) it becomes bearable! Would recommend eating at the appts, the fod's great and at really reasonable prices.

The weekly BBQ is a must, great fun and great basic bbq food.

Service is amazing. No one can want for anything at the Ariti appts, but if they do it's because they don't ask or it can't physically be done. The staff are sensational and make the holiday incredibly special.

The staff are also very child friendly and go out of their way to entertain all ages. I can't wait to go back!!!

I have just come home from an excellent 2 weeks staying at the Ariti, our apartment was basic but comfortable the only down side was the bathroom which was a wetroom that wouldn't drain properly. In all other regards I loved the place, the pool was good. Shopping at the mini market was a touch expensive for some things but Lidl is down the road. Mostly though I'd recommend it for it's staff, the two whos names I knew were Manos and Nikos, who are so friendly and cheerful that it made a meal at the taverna a real pleasure. In addition the food was top notch, I'd particularly recommend the barbeque night, a huge mixed grill with Greek salad of your choice followed by shots of raki for all. Ocasional entertainment provided by Manos in the form of Greek drinking games.

Additionally Almiros beach was good and close (25 minutes walk), and Ag. Nikolaos was about 30 minutes away, lots of nice shops and tavernas by the lake, also it boasts a good selection of boat tours very reasonably priced (cheaper than Olympic). All in all, excellent value for money (We payed £223 each for 2 weeks). I'd definitely go again.

The weather was fabulous in Aghios Nikolaos and the Ariti Apartments were great! The family running the complex very friendley and the waiters Manos & Nikkos were there at your beck & call. Anything you needed was never a problem. Fans for the apartments (large) were on hand to rent even at 12.30am on arrival, at only 22.00 Euros for the week. Food and drinks were value for money. The chef would always help if you needed special requests. Your suit cases are dropped & collected from your apartments on arrival and departure. The views from the complex are fantastic.

The town is spectacular, with lots of bars, tavernas, restaurants, historical buildings, shops and friendly Greeks! The beach was clean, well managed, with life guards, water sports and an in-sea 'bouncy feature' for all. The beach also has a great bar/taverna with toilet facilities, with showers. I had a brilliant holiday, and will return real soon and stay at the Ariti Apartments. Thanks again to you all.

Debz & Nigel x x

The Ariti Apartments in Aghios Nikolaos are VERY Clean But extremely basic by U.K Standards. Don't expect to be cooking 3 course meals. The top apartments are a NO NO for anyone with walking problems/pushchairs. However they will endeavour to put you in the lower one's which are actually a higher standard anyway & most definitely easier to get to the pool. The Bar & Taverna are used by the local's for weddings & Christenings I therefore need add no more. The taxi's into the town in Air-conditioned new cars. Is a mere 5 Euros in, & 5 Euros back, they will take 5 if you push them. The Staff & owners are the most wonderfully honest helpful FUN people you could wish for. Most speak PERFECT English. But are Very Very Cretan & totally laid back. Don't snap your fingers & expect instant service this is Crete. My wife, me & our two teenage kids have been twice now & all loved it. I can assure anyone WE WILL GO BACK. It's the best value for money you could get. Only point I would make is, if you can afford it, hire a car you can get them for as little as 140 Euros for 14 days. Driving is a bit hairy but the mountains are a MUST & the deserted beaches not but 20 mins drive away are wonderful. All in all I hope anyone going see it for what it is and NOT judge it on U.K Standards.

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!

I had a very positive and pleasant holiday at Ariti Apartments, the people were lovely and friendly, chilled out and laid back. it was very safe for the children, both at the pool and shops/bar. The apartment was clean but basic, very ample. The only disadvantage was walking form the apartment into town, where there was no footpath for quite a stretch.