If you search around online, you will be able to find awesome cheap holiday deals, offering a cheaper price for your flight ticket as well as your hotel accommodation. Of course, different hotels, airlines, and travel agencies will offer different deals, so look around online or keep your eyes peeled for advertisements in the papers!

One such place that often seems to have cheap holiday deals and/or discounts is Crete, the Greek island paradise, a gorgeous 1,000 km long stretch of coastline, liberally dotted by coves, bays and peninsulas. Think fine, soft golden sand against amazingly blue waters, and that's Crete! Beaches aside, it is also the home of the Minoan civilisation, so there are loads of artefacts and important archaeological finds, so history and archaeology fans also have something to occupy themselves with if they'd rather not just lie around sunning themselves.

And if you're going to Crete, you HAVE to stay at the Hotel Zafiria, located a few scant metres from the sea and a few kilometres from the ancient ruins of Festos. The rooms are lovely and large, with many huge balconies from which you can look out at the scenery below. There is also a pretty veranda where you can have breakfast, drinks and even snacks. The pool is newly installed, so give it a try!

The unobtrusive housekeeping does a fantastic job as the workforce seem to demonstrate a cheery attention to detail - it was reported that a guest once he left a sweater lying in a heap on a chair, only to come back to see it neatly folded on the bed in a Minoan double-axe shape.

The hotel restaurant provides a basic but delicious breakfast buffet, often serving honey and thick Cretan yoghurt. The veranda can also be used for people-watching, and you may even catch glimpses of 60's hippies who never quite left! The community in Crete is colourful, to be sure. With all these attractions and the amazing hotel, you may never want to leave this haven!