Cactus Beach

Hotel Highlights

• Just 50m from a sandy Blue Flag beach, this place serves up proper Crete beach-holiday energy without making you trek for it.

• You’ve got three outdoor pools, a separate kids pool and a seasonal waterpark with slides, so poolside pics are basically guaranteed.

• The All Inclusive line-up keeps things easy with buffet meals, snacks, drinks and one a la carte meal per stay thrown in for good measure.

• There are five bars on site, so whether you’re after a poolside sip or a pre-night-out drink, you’re covered.

• Set across a main building and six extra buildings, this traditional-style 4-star hotel has 380 rooms, free Wi-Fi and a mini market for all your holiday essentials.

• It’s got some eco cred too, with Green Key, Travelife and ISO 14001 certifications, plus an electric vehicle charging point.

Location

• You’ll be in Stalis with the tourist centre, shops, bars and restaurants all around 50m away, so the holiday vibes start basically on your doorstep.

• The town centre is around 200m away and the nearest nightlife is just 50m from the hotel, ideal if you like your evenings lively.

• Getting about is easy with a taxi rank around 200m away and a bus stop roughly 300m from the hotel.

• Heraklion Airport is around 28km away, making transfers pleasingly short and sweet.

• Fancy exploring? Malia Strip is about 2.8km away, with Aquaworld Aquarium, Acqua Plus Waterpark and Labyrinth Park all within easy reach too.

Rooms

• Room types range from doubles to family rooms and roomy two-bedroom family options, so whether you’re travelling as a duo or a full holiday squad, there’s space to spread out.

• Expect bright, simple spaces with a balcony or terrace, individually controlled air con and free Wi-Fi for all those beach-to-bar updates.

• Standard doubles are around 22m², family rooms are around 24m² and two-bedroom family rooms come in at around 28m².

• Handy extras include satellite TV, a mini fridge, hairdryer and a shower room, while baby cots are available free of charge.

• Just a heads-up, annex rooms are set behind the road in the sister complex and are linked by an underpass with stairs, and renovated rooms are subject to availability on arrival.

Food and Drink

• You’ve got three restaurants to dip into, including the main buffet, local and Italian options, plus a seasonal a la carte dinner at Paradise Tavern once per stay.

• Five bars keep the drinks flowing, including a lobby bar, pool bar, beach bar and cafeteria, so refreshing pit stops are never far away.

• The All Inclusive package covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, with breakfast from 07:00 to 10:00, lunch from 12:00 to 14:00 and dinner from 18:00 to 21:00.

• Between meals, there are snacks from 10:00 to 17:00, cakes and pastries from 15:00 to 16:00, plus soft drinks, coffee, tea, beer, wine and local alcoholic drinks from 10:00 to 23:00.

• There are children’s menus and gluten-free options available too, which makes group getaways and mixed tastes a whole lot easier.

Sports and Entertainment

• Days here can be as chilled or as busy as you like, with darts, table tennis, aquagym, yoga, pilates, boccia, beach volleyball and mini golf all on the holiday menu.

• There’s an adult activity programme and evening shows running six times a week, so there’s always something going on after sunset.

• The seasonal waterpark and slides add an extra splash of fun from May to October, and yes, they’re very much main-character holiday material.

• If you fancy levelling things up, jet skiing and water skiing are available around 50m away, and there’s also bike rental and guided bike tours for getting out and about.

• For slower-paced moments, there’s a spa, sauna, steam bath and massage treatments available for an extra charge.