Epano Vathia Holidays from £396

Beautiful Hotel in a Great Location, But Some Details Let It Down We recently stayed at Castello Boutique Suites in Sissi, Crete to celebrate our anniversary, and overall, we had a very good holiday. The hotel made a wonderful gesture by upgrading us to a larger suite with a private side pool, which felt so special and really set the tone for our stay. The suite itself was stylish and comfortable, the breakfast was excellent every morning, and the staff were consistently warm, welcoming, and genuinely kind. The location couldn’t be better — just a 2-minute walk from the charming port of Sissi, with plenty of tavernas and shops nearby. That said, as this is marketed as a five-star hotel, we were a little disappointed by some details. Positives: – Thoughtful anniversary upgrade to a suite with private pool. – Beautiful, modern, and spacious room. – Fantastic location (2 minutes from Sissi port). – Excellent breakfast with plenty of choice and quality. – Friendly, professional, and welcoming staff. – Relaxed, peaceful atmosphere throughout. Negatives: – Private pool jets and lights didn’t work; nothing was fixed during our stay. – Pool needed topping up and sides had algae. – No towel hooks in the bathroom; “do not disturb” system broken. – Daily housekeeping, but balcony wasn’t cleaned in 8 nights. – Cups and glasses not refreshed — had to wash them ourselves. No blinds/curtains: poolside window let in sun at 5am, back window was lit at night, affecting sleep and

I had such a wonderful stay at this hotel and could not be happier with my experience. From the moment I arrived, I felt completely welcomed and cared for. The staff made me feel like I was part of their family. Every person went above and beyond to make sure I was comfortable, and the hospitality was outstanding. They were kind, friendly, and always attentive. The cleaners were cheerful, helpful, and even assisted me with my luggage, which I appreciated. The staff also prepared special breakfast options just for me, showing such thoughtfulness and care. As I am pregnant, I felt they gave me extra attention, but I am certain that even if I wasn’t, the service would have been just as exceptional. The manager or owner was especially welcoming, greeting me daily, checking if I needed anything, and making sure all was perfect. I could see how much pride they take in ensuring guests are happy. The room was clean, comfortable, and peaceful, and I slept very well. The location was excellent, within walking distance to restaurants, shops, and many places to explore. The combination of a perfect location, spotless rooms, and the warmest hospitality made my stay memorable. This hotel exceeded my expectations in every way. I will definitely return and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a welcoming, comfortable, and genuinely caring place to stay.

Great stay friendly staff spacious room and I liked that when I got home late there was someone that came out to the parking lot told me where to park and walked me inside

Stayed as a family of 4 for 9 days in mid August 2025, 2 adults and 2 children. Positives: Remote hill top location in Old Town Malia (10/10). Villas with private 10m to 15m length pools (10/10). Overall the teams were very helpful and did their best to support. Amazing views of Malia from your balcony from the hill top location (10/10). Notable mentions; Alexia at the front desk, New lady in the restaurant from Romania, Male supervisor / manager who helped us after we got locked out of the villa with 2 keys at night. Private pool chemical level being checked. Met the new owner at dinner whilst the teams were stressfully trying to work out our bill for a new menu and he said he his aware of what they need to improve on and service is not were he wants it to be. Negatives: Attention to detail I.e. 1 bed was missing its top cover for the first 3 nights. Very easy to lock yourself out of the villa because of the safety feature on the doors. Service in the restaurant needs to be improved / missed opportunity from the hotel due to isolated location. Catering options are very limited / Menu cards are confusing / Not clear what you have ordered and what you are paying for. Nightly disturbances from staffing quarters into the early morning (stayed in villa 407). No locks on the bathroom or toilet doors. Hot water in the tap & shower is extremely boiling hot. Toilet / Shower room on the lower floor in the 2 bedroom villas should have a solid divider as water gets everywhere.