We visited in February which is considered WINTER here. Despite this we had 5 lovely warm days out of 7 which we were thrilled with. We dislike crowds so this really was the perfect time for us to visit, also there were no line-ups for museums etc & we were happy to see that many of the admission prices were much lower during their winter months.
I would HIGHLY recommend this apartment for many reasons;
From the moment we walked in we felt at 'home.'
There was a fruit basket & basic essentials in the fridge which were very much appreciated as we arrived at almost midnight.
Host Georgios was a very sweet guy who responded to questions within minutes.
He made recommendations for things to do - all of which were wonderful.
The bed was super comfortable.
There were plenty of towels & bathing products (shampoo/body wash etc.)
LOCATION was fantastic - one block to the bus stop, buses to downtown ran every 15 mins or so & takes about 20 mins. Recommend buying bus tickets in advance at any of the local mini-supermarkets as it saves money. Food stuff & souvenirs available at mini-marts just one block from apartment.
We HIRED A CAR which is essential if you want to tour the island (buses are available but would add hours to travel time.) We paid 45 Euro's a day which included everything (insurance etc.) We parked the car outside the apartment at night. Word of warning; the driving is insane here!! The streets are very narrow & you have to maneuver with care to avoid hitting just about anything! Drivers will literally stop anywhere, put on their hazard lights, pop into cafe's & you are left to navigate around them! I think it was more funny than scary though lol. On the more positive side you can just about cross the street anywhere & cars will stop for you - ironically not so much on the crossroads though! If you do not speak Greek you may find 'highway' signposts confusing; signs will be in Greek first then a little further down will be in slightly more English but not quite (LOL) You kinda get the hang of it after a day or two. Gas is expensive. There is only one actual highway that runs East-West of the island though getting on the highway can be challenging. Please don't let this dissuade you from renting a car though - it allowed us to see amazing places like Aghiosi Nikolaos, Chania, Phaestos, Malalo.
Our final DINING experience was at a restaurant literally around the corner from the apartment called Petousis. We had the Cretan dinner in miniature which gives you the opportunity to taste plates of different Greek foods including the lamb which is to die for- all for just 30 Euros for two.
When you visit HERAKLION I would recommend taking the bus as parking can be an issue. Be sure to go to the 'Kip Kop' cafe - it's the oldest patiserie in the city (1922) Order a Bougasta & coffee - you will not be sorry :) Walk the Venitian Wall & the Koules fortress. Go see the Archaeological Museum. On Sunday's there is no charge at the museums.
TAXI. As we arrived so late we decided to take a taxi from the airport which is a fixed rate of 25 Euros. When we left Crete we took the bus (#1) which takes you directly to the airport for 1.70 Euro's (if pre-purchased ticket at mini mart) or 2.7 Euros if you buy a ticket on the bus.
I really do give this place a 100% rating.