Jo-An Beach

Had a fantastic time in the Jo-An Beach Hotel in Rethymnon. Went for two weeks from the end of July to begining of August 2005.

When we arrived there was a problem with them double booking us, but they sorted out accomodation for the night in Rethymno Bay, and gave us a full day all inclusive as compensation, which was great as we were on self catering. It was all sorted out quickly and with no fuss. Rethymno Bay however was not pleasent. Definitely glad I wasn't staying there for two weeks. Air conditioning unit didn't work so we had a dirty fan. The bathroom was dirty and smelt of sewege when the toilet was flushed, the faults are endless. It was very dirty so we were glad it was just for one night. It could have just been our room however, so I'm not going to slate the hotel. The staff were friendly enough there, and did make you feel welcome. Definitely not a comparison for Jo-An beach though.

First impressions of Jo-An beach... very nice. Very clean and definitely a place you could stay at for two weeks. Staff were very friendly, and always willing to help. Even had our suitcases taken to our apartment door, which was nice after the journey.

I recommend you take a travel kettle with you though. Being on self catering we needed a kettle and toaster, so when we got there we paid our euros for them. It took them two full days before we actually received them, which was a bit poor, as boiling water on the stove took hours!! Got to let them off on that though, because when we got them they looked brand new.

Room was great. We were in 502, which was a perfect position, close to the pool and beach but quiet. Clean rooms, comfy beds, and the cooking facilities were ok. The cleaners were very friendly and did a great job.

Bathroom a bit on the small side, but it's not as though your sleeping in their.

Swimming pool was an ok size, could have been a bit bigger, but great for swimming in, as the deep side is VERY deep. Clean and well looked after. The childrens pool is part of the main pool, but cornered off making it really safe for kids who are not as confident at swimming. Excellent.

The beach is GREAT. So clean and very relaxing. We had some good waves on a few days, and it was really funny going in on a lilo. Make sure you don't go in when the red flag shows though, as it's quite dangerous with some rocks in the sea. I definitely recommend you purchase some sea shoes, they have them in most of the supermarkets, they help to protect your feet from the hot sand and the rocks in the sea.

A guy from a local bakery comes down the beach every day around 1pm, with a tray of cakes. You have got to try the ring doughnuts, they are huge and delicious. Definitely made my holiday eating the biggest doughnut I've seen, whilst sunning it up on the beach. You won't miss him either, he shouts words sounding like "Lick Eye" to make you aware he is there, but he is actually saying something meaning very good.

Food at the hotel is ok, all pretty much buffet style and looked to be similar all nights. It was tasty when we had our day of all inclusive, but wouldn't have liked it for the whole two weeks. Glad to be on self catering, and would recommend it to anyone, as the food in the local tavernas was delicious. Try the local raki too ... very strong but gets you in a party mood. Also was told it helps to digest your food after a big meal, which is definitly needed over there.

My favourite taverna had to be Levantis, which was straight across the road from Jo-An Beach. The men in there were so friendly, and had a shot of Raki with us everytime we went in there. Great atmosphere and the food was lovely. Miss it already.

The bus service is fantastic. Being 3 miles from Rethymnon town centre put us off at first, but the buses are so cheap and easy to use. 1 euro for a ticket which you purchase from the hotel, and it takes you there in no time. Glad not to be staying in the centre, definitely better to stay out of it, as Jo-An beach was the perfect location. Rethymnon itself was lovely, and the shops there are great, but it is a bustling town, so coming back to a quieter village was nice. If you go into Rethymnon, make sure you have a meal on the harbour, when the sun is setting, it's beautiful, and the food is great but a little more expensive than other places. Generally food is fairly cheap, nothing is really that expensive.

The trips put on were good. I would definitly recommend the samaria gorge walk, breathtaking sights - It just amazing. Hard work though. We did the hard walk, which was 11 miles, but was well worth it, just couldn't walk for 2 days without muscle ache. There is an option to do an easy walk there, which is great for those who can't do long walks.

Elafonisos is a must to see. It is Cretes very own Maldives, with pinky white sand and the cleanest sea water I have ever seen. It only comes up to your knees and you can wade out to the little surrounding islands... Amazing.

I would definitely stay in Jo-An Beach again, and would recommend it to anyone. Beautiful island with the views of the white mountains and the sun setting out to sea. Relaxing but fun at the same time, with a real Cretian atmosphere. 10 out of 10.