Club Lyda

The hotel was great in our opinion, despite being slightly out of the main 'tourist areas' of Gouves. Gouves is a relaxed resort, not super lively if thats what you are wanting but a few good bars with live entertainment, some beautiful chilled bars overlooking the sea too, great restaurants and cafes around the various areas of the resort. The hotel is near a very busy road which you have to cross should you want to walk into the main resort but there is no need to cross it on foot as there is a bus to and from the beach, and the road is quieter in an evening if you want a wander. There is also a super convenient bus stop to Heraklion and lots of other local areas a few minutes walk from the hotel which was brilliant. There is a shop on site and two just outside the hotel too. The all inclusive buffet was smaller than other hotels we have been to but the food was actually lovely and tasty, and we were well fed. It was mainly Greek food and lots of salads and healthy options. There could have been a few more pudding options, these were limited. The restaurant staff were lovely and the area was kept spotless, food restocked quickly etc. All inclusive drinks were ouzo, raki and brandy, wine and beer. Raki and cola was a happy enough alternative to rum! You could pay for other spirits and cocktails. The staff kept the hotel clean, bedding and towels changed regularly but the rooms are basic but sufficient. Beds were comfy, shower was powerful. Hot water in an evening rather than morning. Entertainment team were great but I felt it could do with the occasional visiting act to add variety rather than the entertainment team doing quizzes/karaoke kind of things each night, although they did a great job and were very amusing and got everyone involved. Overall we would go back and had a great time.

This hotel is the definition of you get what you pay for! It is a 3 star but if I were told it was a 2 star I would believe it. It's not the worst hotel I've ever stayed in and I didn't hate it either our stay there was ok. We was out every day so basically used it as a place to sleep and shower. We booked this very last minute so went for a cheaper option than we usually would so wasn't expecting much. One sad thing was that I informed the hotel that it was daughter's 13th birthday and they didn't do anything for her. I wasn't expecting fireworks and a red carpet rolled out but a little something would of been a nice touch. We've stayed in other 3 star hotels on my daughter's birthdays and they got a bar of chocolate or a small gift/card but unfortunately, club Lyda done nothing. Myself, partner, 19 year old daughter and 13 year old daughter stayed for a weeks holiday in club lyda. We did not use the pools once as they are a bit dirty looking the water just looks merkey and the pool area itself isn't kept very well. Sunbeds are all worn and old looking and could definitely do with being replaced. The rooms are dated but are not actually that bad. We had a room on the lower ground with 2 single beds and one double. The beds are comfortable and the room is a decent size. A couple of downsides to the room though is that you don't have a kettle nor do you even have a glass or cup to have a drink out of so you may need to take some plastic ones from the food hall. Another downside is the mosquitos which of course are not the hotels fault but, as we are close the pool if we had the back door open for longer than a minute our room was full of them! I was biten around 10 times while using repellent! Our room was on the lower floor near the bigger pool so if you have a room like this keep the back door shut! Bathroom is a decent size had a nice shower but the tray leaked slightly and the sink tap could do with some lime scale remover but apart from that the bathroom was fine. Room was "cleaned" around 4-5 times while being there but it seemed that the beds got made and bins emptied but nothing else as the floors were covered in sand even on days we didn't go to the beach. Our towels were changed maybe twice the whole time we was there which I wasn't impressed with having fresh towels is just basic hygiene really. The reviews regarding the food are true! It really isn't the best of selections and what is available aint great so if you are a fussy eater this place is not for you. We ate a few times in the restaurant but did end up eating most of the time. Breakfast is the same every morning but, to be fair most buffet style breakfasts are at hotels. Lunch was very limited and the dinners looked a bit like slop! When we did eat there we all found something to eat but it's not the best quality of food. The staff are a bit odd .... I wouldn't say they are rude but the old lady that covers reception really shouldn't be customer facing as she is just very blunt and looks at you like you're an idiot for asking questions or you have a request. The younger lady that works on the reception was lovely always smiling, helpful and very polite ... what you expect from a receptionist at a Hotel regardless of how many star rating the hotel is. The wifi is only in the reception area so doesn't reach to the rooms etc. The beach, shops and local restaurants are about a 20 minute walk from the hotel. You do need to cross a busy road to get to everything but it's not as bad as some of the reviews have stated however, it is busier at certain times and it can take longer to get across but as long as you're careful you will be just fine. You can get a bus a 3 minute walk from the hotel down into the local town where you can go clothes shopping etc. The area the hotel is so nice the beach is stunning and we spent a good few days there as we'd rather be there than round the pool. On a whole we had a good holiday at the hotel but sorry to say I definitely would never come back.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazing Hospitality and Wonderful People – A Fantastic Stay at Lyda Hotel I had a fantastic stay at Lyda Hotel in Kato Gouves, Heraklion, Crete, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing, friendly and enjoyable holiday. From the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed. The hotel has a warm, friendly and relaxed atmosphere that makes you feel comfortable and at home. It has a lovely holiday feeling while still offering plenty of opportunities to relax and enjoy some peaceful time. 🛏️ Rooms & Cleanliness The rooms were comfortable, clean and well maintained, with everything we needed for a pleasant stay. The hotel and its common areas were generally clean and looked after, which made our experience much more enjoyable. 💰 Value for Money The hotel offers excellent value for money. Considering the hospitality, service, facilities, atmosphere and overall experience, we felt that we received a lot for what we paid. 🔇 Noise Level The noise level was generally very comfortable. There was a nice holiday atmosphere around the hotel, but it was still possible to relax and enjoy quiet time when needed. ❤️ Service – The People Make the Difference What truly makes Lyda Hotel special is the people. The entire team works incredibly hard to make guests happy and comfortable. They are friendly, welcoming and always willing to help. You can genuinely see that they care about their guests and want everyone to have a good experience. A very special mention goes to George in the café area. He is absolutely fantastic — extremely friendly, helpful and approachable. He was always happy to advise us about where to go in Crete and gave us excellent recommendations for the best beaches, historical sites and places worth visiting. His local knowledge was really valuable and helped us discover more of beautiful Crete. In the restaurant, I also met Yanic, Maria and Dena, who were all wonderful. I may not remember everyone’s names, and I don’t want to leave anyone out, but the entire restaurant team deserves a huge thank you. They work extremely hard and genuinely do their best to please every customer. They are always trying to help and find solutions, and their positive attitude makes a big difference. 🏊 Swimming Pools & Amenities The swimming pools were a great part of the hotel and provided a lovely place to relax and enjoy the sunshine. However, I think there are a couple of areas where the pool facilities could be improved. The pools would benefit from more frequent cleaning and maintenance, especially during busy periods. Also, there were not enough umbrellas and sunbeds for all the guests, so it could sometimes be difficult to find a comfortable place around the pool. Adding more sunbeds and umbrellas and giving the pool area some extra attention with cleaning would make an already enjoyable facility even better and would significantly improve the experience for guests. 🇬🇷 Overall Overall, we had a wonderful experience at Lyda Hotel. The friendly atmosphere, comfortable rooms, good value, excellent hospitality and, most importantly, the amazing staff made our stay very enjoyable. A huge thank you to George, Yanic, Maria, Dena and the entire Lyda Hotel team for all their hard work and for making us feel so welcome. You can really see how much effort everyone puts into making guests happy. With a little improvement to the pool cleaning and the number of sunbeds and umbrellas, I think the hotel could make an already great experience even better. I would definitely return to Lyda Hotel and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Crete. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly recommended — wonderful people, great hospitality and a memorable Cretan holiday! 🇬🇷❤️

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Wonderful Stay at Lyda Hotel in Crete I had a fantastic stay at Lyda Hotel in Kato Gouves, Heraklion, Crete, and I highly recommend it for a relaxing and enjoyable holiday. The hotel has a warm, friendly Cretan atmosphere that makes you feel welcome from the very first moment, while still being peaceful enough to fully relax. The rooms are clean, comfortable, and well maintained, and the whole place offers excellent value for money. Cleanliness throughout the hotel was very good, and the noise level was ideal — lively enough to feel like you are on holiday, but quiet enough for proper rest. The facilities and amenities are more than enough for a comfortable and stress-free stay. What truly makes this hotel special is the service and the people. The whole team works extremely hard to make guests feel happy and cared for. They are always willing to help, and they genuinely try their best for everyone — they never say no and always look for solutions. A special mention goes to George in the café area, who was extremely friendly and welcoming. He gave us excellent advice about the best beaches and historical places to visit in Crete, which really improved our trip and helped us discover amazing places. In the restaurant, I also met Yanic, Maria, and Dena, and Chatna I hope my spilling is correct for all names bwho were all wonderful. The entire restaurant team deserves recognition for their hard work, kindness, and dedication. They truly go above and beyond to make every guest feel welcome and satisfied. ❤️ Overall A very positive experience defined by excellent hospitality, friendly staff, and a warm atmosphere. I would definitely return and highly recommend Lyda Hotel to anyone visiting Crete. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly recommended!

Overall, I had a good time in this hotel, however, there’s a lot of things I didn’t like. I went with my Mum, Dad, sister and friend. And we went for 2 weeks. The good things: The entertainers, Ahmed and Remi (I hope I’m spelling their names correct) were amazing, they had great personalities and great to get along with. They hosted lots of pool games (water polo, volleyball, aqua gym), darts and in the evenings often hosted game nights like quizzes, trivia, etc. there was also karaoke but not sure if they did that. When it comes to the immediate location, there’s isn’t lots to do, however, the strip and the beach were about a 20 minute walk away and when you got to that area it was lovely, lots of tavernas, and gift shops. Also, there’s an excursion place across the busy road and there’s a lady inside who’s lovely. The vibe of the hotel was hit or miss, sometimes it was great, especially when you’d be with Ahmed or Remi, they’d get people participating, talk with you, etc. However, some of the hotel staff were slow to warm up, but I think that means the visitors need to be nicer to them. The bar people were nice. The rooms were decent, enough to get you through a night’s sleep. Also there’s a chance you may be in a room that’s not immediately outside the hotel, but it would be maximum a 2 minute walk to the hotel’s main area. The hotel was clean enough, it was pleasant to look at, not at all what the pictures look like, that was sometimes good, sometimes bad. There’s a dog that looks scary but it’s lovely and it just roams around the hotel looking for attention. It also likes to put your hand in its mouth but it doesn’t bite. The bad things: The food! It was cooked well 95% of the time, but there was no variety. I’m not a picky eater so I was fine, but it really was some meat (usually pork with the occasional chicken or beef) with some form of sauce. We ended up eating out a quarter of the nights. The breakfast was usually hot dog sausages, flimsy bacon (more like ham), mini croissants, a sweet cream filled pastry, beans, toast, etc. very basic stuff but not bad. Lunch was dinner but even less variety. Then at dinner there’d be someone cooking either skewers, chicken or half burgers and fries. The skewers were amazing. Then it’d be meat with sauce, etc. All in all, ok, but if you’re a picky eater you’re going to struggle. When it comes to the bar, it’s ok. They serve off brand pop, or water. Then the alcohol, the only free things are ouzo, raki and brandy… ew. Then there’s watered down beer and red and white wine, also gross. The beer is actually alright. Everything else, name brand things, cocktails, etc. cost money, but it’s actually good prices, and they do it properly. Like a strawberry daiquiri is €8. There’s WiFi in the hotel but it doesn’t really stretch far enough for the rooms and I ended up having to buy more roaming data. There’s a very long busy road that’s a bit scary to cross but you have to in order to get to everything. So be aware of that Also, you’re going to have to ask someone where everything is, like the strip and the beach because it’s really weird to get to, you’ll find it eventually. The beach is ok, the waves were really rough on the two days I went and that was fun but not for everyone. The beach is sandy but just about, it’s very thick sand, borderline tiny seashells. So, overall it was fun but wouldn’t go back.