Yiannis Manos Hotel, Malia, Crete

Review Rating: 4.5/5

Website: https://yiannismanos.gr/

Date of Visit: August 2022

For a change of scenery during my extended visit to Crete in August 2022, I moved from nearby Stalis to Malia for a week. I wanted accommodation that wasn’t too close to the resort centre, fearing it would be overrun with alcohol-fuelled partying youngsters (not wanting to sound old or anything!), but also close enough to be convenient for evening meals and access to local shops. I was also looking for somewhere on the more budget end of the spectrum since part of the reason for visiting Crete was to avoid the more expensive Cyclades islands during peak season.

I found Yiannis Manos on booking.com, but by the time I’d made a decision to visit Malia, they were fully booked. Out of frustration at my hesitance and lack of alternatives, I contacted them via Facebook and negotiated a seven-night stay, provided I was willing to switch rooms after the first night. This wasn’t a problem for me, travelling solo and used to living out of a suitcase anyway.

On arrival, I was checked in quickly and efficiently and shown to a large studio room towards the back of the building. It had 4 single beds, a kitchenette and a bathroom, which definitely felt like overkill for just one person – hence it was a temporary room for just one night. The next day I moved closer to the pool to a first-floor room that was more appropriate for my needs.

The hotel itself is pretty extensive, with two decent-sized pools separated by the main bar/restaurant which has a mix of indoor and outdoor seating, two pool tables and several TV screens that show most sporting events. The staff are so friendly and really go a long way towards making it a great place to stay.

Aside from the lovely pools and spacious grassy surroundings, the food was perhaps the best – and a surprising – highlight. The bar menu is quite large and diverse, so my expectation was for the food to be mediocre at best. In fact, the food is delicious and reasonably priced too. Most days I ate lunch there, at first preferring a light snack in the form of a cheese & pepperoni toastie, then branching out to the chicken tacos which were fabulous. I only dined there one evening, but the BBQ ribs were equally great and just as good as the food I’d been getting outside of the hotel.

In short, I can definitely recommend Yiannis Manos if you want a comfortable, affordable hotel in Malia that has just the right mix of facilities, great food and awesome staff.