Horizon Beach — Hotel in Municipality of Chersonissos

Just came back from a 7 night vacation at Horizon Beach Hotel. To be fair, I had very low expectations. I had never taken a "package" vacation and was skeptical of the whole concept.

But this hotel vastly exceeded my expectations.

PROS:

Staff: Probably the friendliest and most willing to serve staff from any hotel I've ever stayed at. All the managers have an innate talent for this job (especially the gentleman with glasses and the gentleman who has an office next to the reception). This kind of service automatically adds 1-2 stars to every hotel. The restaurant and bar staff were also excellent. I am surprised that the waiters / waitresses were in such high spirits after such long shifts. The waiter with the diamond tattoo served us during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Amazing work ethic.

Food: Greece is known for its great food. All inclusive hotels are not. But Horizon Hotel followed the Greek tradition and fed us with excellent food during the whole week. 5 stars to the chef.

View: A beach hotel cannot fulfill your expectations if it doesn't have a good view. This is something that this hotel will have until the end of days. A fantastic view of the bay, mountains, and the town of Stalida. I will be forever grateful for those lazy dinners contemplating this beautiful view.

Private pier: 3 minutes away from the reception you can jump into the crystal green sea. It's almost always empty -- you can even swim naked (preferably after 6pm though).

Location: Just a 15 minute walk to the beach of Stalida. The hotel is right in front of the sea. Also, only 30 minutes away from Heraklion airport.

Relax: Everything calms down after they close the bar at 11pm. It's very quiet. For me this is perfect, but if you are a party animal this is not the place for you.

Great for swimming: I swam from the pier to the beach of Stalis a few times. Fantastic morning exercise (and safe as well, since the coast is quite near).

There were also some negatives, although they were tiny drops in the sea compared to the positives.

CONS:

Bed: One of the sides had protruding springs, which made the bed a bit uncomfortable.

Air-conditioner: It took forever to cool the room. And summers in Crete get quite hot so this is something to look into.

Bathroom light: Sometimes it didn't turn on. Sometimes it flickered. Sometimes it worked fine. It was always a surprise :)

Wi-fi: It's free in the reception area, but you have to pay if you want wi-fi in your room.

Room shower: There's no place to hang the shower head.

**Keep in mind this is not a luxury hotel, so don't expect luxury...

Read the reviews here, not on Booking — they are much more accurate. Check-in. The experience was spoiled from the very beginning. We arrived at night and asked about early check-in. In the morning, a very unfriendly receptionist offered us an upgraded room, which supposedly can only be booked via Booking (not through a tour operator), with a 50% discount for an extra €160 (full price €320). When I asked to see both rooms — the one we had booked and the upgraded one — they flatly refused and said they would only show us the “better” one. We declined, and as a result, they didn’t let us into our booked room until after 2:30 PM. The room itself was a huge disappointment. Definitely not a 4* standard. One of the worst rooms I’ve ever stayed in. Very hot, with an old and weak air conditioner. Housekeeping was almost nonexistent: in 9 days they never vacuumed or washed the floor, and only changed bed linen and towels every 2 days. Food. Huge thanks to the kitchen team — they work 1000%! The variety isn’t very large, but it’s more than enough, and everything is fresh and delicious. Lots of vegetables, meat, fish, tasty desserts and fruit. The restaurant staff are very pleasant, always smiling and ready to help. Territory. The hotel grounds are beautiful and well-maintained, with plenty of greenery and pools overlooking the sea. Beach. There is no real beach — only access to the sea from a pontoon. The nearest beach is about a 20-minute walk away. Other. Wi-Fi works only in the lobby. If you arrive at night, breakfast on the arrival day is not included — you must pay €5. After check-out, you also have to pay separately if you want to eat at the hotel. Overall. If it weren’t for the great food and beautiful territory, this vacation would have left an even worse impression. But overall — don’t expect 4* service. And definitely read the reviews here, not on Booking, to avoid...

Hotel Review: Horizon Beach, Stalis (April Stay)

We stayed at Horizon Beach in Stalis in April, just as the season was beginning. Overall, we found the hotel offered good value for money, particularly when it came to the food. The buffet had a wide selection that catered to different tastes—our teenagers were happy with the ever-present chips and pizza, while we enjoyed the more adventurous options like grilled meats and fresh fish.

The rooms, however, left something to be desired. The mattresses and pillows were among the most uncomfortable we’ve ever slept on—definitely looking forward to getting back to our own beds. The bathroom setup was also awkward, with just a handheld shower and no hook or mount on the wall, so you have to hose yourself down, which isn't ideal.

Travelling in April has its pros and cons. The resort was quiet, which suited us to an extent, but be warned that most local attractions and shops were still closed for the off-season. If you're looking for peace and minimal crowds, this might actually be ideal. However, there’s very little to do at the hotel in the evenings, and we found ourselves quite bored—especially with teenagers in tow. Families with very young children might struggle too, as there's not much to entertain kids once they’re in bed.

It’s also on the wrong side of the Island for a lot of the things you’d want to see.

The restaurant wasn’t too busy during our stay, but I imagine it could feel quite cramped during peak season.

In summary, Horizon Beach is a decent budget-friendly option with surprisingly good food, but don’t come expecting luxury, lively nightlife, or evening entertainment—at least...