We had a great week in Analipsi. The apartment is only 20 minutes drive from Heraklion airport, which is ideal for arriving late at night. We didn't use the pool onsite but it is only a few metres away. The beach is 5 minutes' walk away and the village of Analipsi has all local amenities such as shops and restaurants. The restaurants are good value and we didn't have a single bad meal. There is a larger Lidl about 15mins drive away.
We hired a car which is definitely recommended if you are there for more than a few days. We did some day trips to places such as Matala, and also one to Santorini. The local beach in Analipsi is nice enough but as it is on the North coast, if there is any wind the sea gets quite choppy. Areas such as Ligalia beach (near Agia Pelagia) are not too far away by car and more sheltered.
The apartment itself is very well equipped, compared to many self-catering places we have stayed in before. The balcony from the kitchen isn't too big, but it's big enough for eating and great for watching the sunset. The larger terrace is very comfortable and nicely sheltered from the sun during the day.
There is air conditioning in the living room and also the bedroom. We stayed in early September so it was still very warm, meaning we had the a/c on for a bit at night to make sleeping more comfortable.
If I had to be really picky (this is why I have given four stars and not five) - the owner requires you to leave the apartment exactly as you found it at the start. This means washing all the sheets, towels etc, as well as cleaning all the floors and so on. If you don't do this you get charged €50 for cleaning. You can avoid this fee by paying... €50 for a cleaner. It would be better to build cleaning into the cost of the stay itself. We would expect to sweep floors etc. but I don't really want to spend my holiday washing towels! Just remember to budget an additional €50.
Otherwise a great holiday. Thoroughly recommended if you are looking for somewhere in Northern Crete.