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Reviews of Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village

4 out of 5
Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village
11th Km Old National Road, Tilisos, Malevizi, Crete Island

Reviews

8.2

Very Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 66 out of 169 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 64 out of 169 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 26 out of 169 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 5 out of 169 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 8 out of 169 reviews" "

8.2/10

Cleanliness

8.6/10

Staff & service

7.4/10

Amenities

8.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.2/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Ken

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
It was just as described, right out of a village, so nice
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2023

6/10 Okay

Roger

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Not well maintained
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

JOHN

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very good except no internet in the rooms
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jeannette

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Antonis

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Very friendly and helpful stuff, very good food quality and a lot of oprions to choose.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Christie

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
beautiful property!! Staff was very friendly and helpful. amazing food and the view was awesome
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Penny

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I absolutely love this place and I didn’t wanna leave. My room was spacious the meals were delicious the village and the pool are beautiful as well as the surrounding countryside. It really wasn’t that far to the city, and yet the area was rural and serene. I loved hearing the goats , sheep and peacocks.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

8/10 Good

Stephen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Lovely alternative to staying in downtown Heraklion, especially if you have kids as Arolithos is a charming, self contained complex and is very safe with a decent pool. Terrific views down to bay and up to fabulous mountains. Nice outdoor restaurant terrace. Delicious wholesome Cretan food menu for both breakfast and dinner. Rooms are charming with balcony terraces and air conditioning. However, the only negative, the beds and mattresses feel like they have been unchanged for thirty years and are especially uncomfortable. Time for the management to reinvest as for me it was the only serious negative criticism.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jack

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Maya

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing stay, our favorite place while in Greece. Very whimsical and lovely hosts! Absolutely beautiful property! When checking in, our host saw that it was my birthday and gave us free chocolates. Cats were fun and the entire property was authentic and beautiful. Loved it and would come back.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2021

6/10 Okay

ashish, Tulsa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Cherry, Perth, Scotland

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Delightful, friendly, characterful hotel. Each room with its own balcony or patio area, ensuite, air conditioning. Plenty places to get a coffee or cool drink all day, very good terrace restaurant open all day above the pool area under shady olive trees. Shop for water, biscuits, ice creams, small craft shop, museum, forge etc (showing old village artefacts) all within the hotel as part of the village. Staff were all polite, helpful and friendly. Pool is beautiful altho' watch the shallow sloping edges when entering for the first time! Only downside was one evening (until 4am) of loud music due to a Greek Wedding in the dining/event area at the top of the village. Ear plugs would have sorted that one out easily. Apart from that, our group had a fabulous, relaxing holiday in an unusual setting and would recommend it.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2018

8/10 Good

Mike, SF Bay Area

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Come here for the experience. It is inconvenient in location and a bit thin on facilities but that's not the point. The point is having some semblance to living in a rural Cretan village on stone floors amid winding narrow lanes deep in the country with goats on the hills all around. The only reason I can't give it a full five is it doesn't go deep enough; the open-air exhibits are small and there's no-one around to explain them. Oh and make no mistake; it is very comfortable and if you have a car then day trips will work out just fine.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Huizhen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Like the location and environment, and of course the food and services in the restaurant in the site. We would go back again if we will travel to there again.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Gwen, Toronto Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Really beautiful setting and amazing village atmosphere sitting under the olive trees and listening to the sounds of sheep and donkey bells. Definitely want to come back.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Ann, Melbourne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We wanted a quiet hotel so we could rest but still enjoy a swim, walks and catching up with friends. This hotel was perfect. The room was comfortable and quiet with lovely views over olive trees. The pool and surrounds were great. We could have a meal almost any time of day and the staff were friendly and helpful. It was only 15-20 minutes by taxi to Heraklion town centre.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2018

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Too far from the city
Room furnished not up to the standard. Breakfast not great at all. Quite far from the port. Expensive transportation not worth for money.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

John

Liked: Staff & service
Good but not great
Overall it was a very pleasant experience. However, breakfast was very basic but the restaurant food was good, though a limited menu. The Greek night was misleading and offered only one option which was very expensive as far as food is concerned. The rooms were very basic and some of the site needed some work doing on it, but generally good. The swimming pool was excellent, by far the best feature. They do open the hotel to the public for parties etc and on two occasions this meant for a very crowded and loud swimming pool, not really what we were hoping for when we opted for a quiet 'village' experience. For anyone with disability issues this place would be a huge struggle... lots of steps. The hotel is a distance from the town and a good beach and the taxis were expensive. The staff were generally helpful and friendly but wifi was only available in the reception. Though we had a lovely rest, I wouldn't go again and wouldn't recommend any friends to go. As a family we made it work, but in truth it didn't really live up to the advertised expectation. It's a shame, with a bit of TLC this place could rock. The setting is wonderful and the idea excellent... but it didn't deliver. If they could run a 'cheap' shuttle bus to the city, that would be a huge win for them too.
Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2018

6/10 Okay

Agata

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Cute but needs updating.
We stayed here two nights. The highlight of this place is the large, beautiful pool with the scenic backdrop. The service was friendly and the dinner/lunch was OK. I wouldn't stay here again though for a variety of reasons- 1) wi-fi didn't work AT ALL in our room, 2) The seating outside where wi-fi did work wasn't comfortable, 3) the TV didn't work AT ALL in our room, which wouldn't normally bother me but since there was no wi-fi it bothered me 4) too many steps... normally this wouldn't bother me either but as our whole trip in Greece had been sight-seeing with lots of walking and steps, it annoyed me that I had to climb more at the hotel 5) included breakfast is marginal at best, it seemed much of it was old and stale.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Disliked: Room comfort
An interesting place to stay
A very nice environment to spend time relaxing but would benefit from better quality food and more comfortable beds, the rustic charm is great but better showers and mattresses would go along way to improving a stay here.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2017

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Absolutely stunning location
Away from it all, amazing breakfast with a breath taking location. Quaint atmospheric kind friendly staff. The addition of the Cafenion is a bonus lovely hostess
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2017

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Like staying on the set of Mamma Mia! Great experience, very friendly staff, fantastic views from the restaurant and a really different experience from just staying in a standard hotel.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2017

10/10 Excellent

Paul, Dorset England

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Family Holiday. (1 Week August)
Staff very helpful on arrival, seteling in and service with food and drinks. Wonderful Pool and Hotel Village a delight. Fantastic views while dining and breakfasting looking over Heraklion. A charming place to stay and great for visiting beaches and site seeing.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2017

8/10 Good

James, Cambridge, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Characteristics country hotel
Has a deliberate rustic feel. Nice views down hillside. Nice pool area. Small TVs and no WiFi in room. Gave us a twin when booked a double but did move us to a double as one free. Friendly staff.
Response from George Meimarakis - Reservation Dept. on Apr 22, 2017
Dear James, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. It was our pleasure serving you and we sincerely hope to be your hotel of choice again in the near future! Kind Regards,

10/10 Excellent

Kuba, Gizycko, Poland

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Interesting location, specific, traditional atmosphere, nice and quiet. Little bit far from Heraklion but it is not a problem if you come by car/bike. Highly recommended.
Response from George - Reservation Dept. on Mar 29, 2017
Dear Guest, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience with us. We appreciate your candid feedback and we are grateful to you. We are looking forward to your next visit!

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Sweet place
A quaint little out of the way village, a short drive from town. The staff was very friendly, we really liked the coffee shop. There was a wood fireplace in the room, and many friendly cats throughout the area. It was a true cultural experience.

8/10 Good

Saahil, Earth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice time away
The hotel caters to both families and youngsters with a good price value. It offers a restaurant and bar by the swimming pool. The rooms are nice, in particular the bathrooms. I was day for only a night but despite being out of the city it is self-sufficient to stay for longer and one can always take a taxi to the town for dinner or sight-seeing. I would certainly stay here again. One negative is the WiFi doesn't reach beyond the reception and restaurant, which is fine as you meet others checking their phones in the common area.

6/10 Okay

Aristedes

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8/10 Good

Al, surrey

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Quiet out of the way place, away from it all
I stayed four days, and it was the perfect choice for me. I travelled alone and wanted somewhere where I could sleep and read without feeling like a freak for being a single woman in my own. It was fab, staff were quite friendly and helpful and it was lovely and quiet. I had half board as I knew that I wasn't going to be out and about, eating elsewhere. The food was ok but there is no choice for dinner when you're half board, so if you don't fancy that or you're a foodie, jusr have breakfast and order from the main menu. Rooms are large and simple but clean, with a fridge and good air con. Pool area is lovely, and the whole area is very clean and well maintained. With the whole village layout it's definitely not you're average hotel but all the better for that and thoroughly recommended if you want a quiet and restful break.

10/10 Excellent

Marsha, Dallas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay in scenic location
Beautiful, tranquil location in scenic village-like setting. Easy access to Heraklion, Knossos, etc. The goats with their tinkling bells on the hills in the morning was unforgettable!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Nancy, Texas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Awesome Place!
Love the feel of authenticity here - so picturesque! Staff are very helpful. The countryside views are stupendous day or night. Goats grazing nearby add to the peacefulness and quiet charm. Loved our large private terrace. This would be my 1st choice any time I come back to Crete.

8/10 Good

Andrew, Toronto, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Like Nowhere You Have Ever Stayed Before!
What a great and cool little hotel. Complete with a museum and all kinds of workshops - this little gem sits perched on top of a hill just outside of Heraklion and has incredible views of the surrounding countryside. Rooms are big and beautiful, mine even had a fireplace! The restaurant/tavern is huge and the service is great! It's not just the fact that you are at a hotel, but that this is a traditional Cretan village with all kinds of things to do - great for kids!

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

10/10 Excellent

John, Tennessee

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good hotel away from town
Great place to stay if you want to be away from the insanity of the city. Beautiful view and the taverna/bar staff are great! Great location.
Response from Reservation Dept on Nov 3, 2015
Dear guest, We thank you very much. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay in Arolithos. Rewarding our efforts gives us courage for the future. It makes us feeling good that our efforts have a good result for our guests. We hope that we will see you again in the future. Best regards.

10/10 Excellent

Frank, San Diego

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Feels like a real village experience!
As advertised, this is like staying in a little mountain village. Not fancy, but it feels authentic, so if that's what you're wanting to experience, it's perfect. The views from the mountain are great. The pool area is amazing. The taverna/restaurant is good too. You definitely need a car to get there, but we were sorry we only had one night there.
Response from Reservation Dept on Oct 11, 2015
Dear guest, We thank you very much. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay in Arolithos. Rewarding our efforts gives us courage for the future. It makes us feeling good that our efforts have a good result for our guests. We hope that we will see you again in the future. All our best regards.

10/10 Excellent

Phil, England

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Roamantic mountain retreat
We had a wonderful time staying at this rustic village in the foothills overlooking heraklion. Our room was accessed via a steep stepped cobbled street appeared to be a small Cretan cottage. we spent some time wandering the other streets taking Photos as it was very picturesque the pool area was often quiet with a few other couples which suited us fine Breakfast was buffet style plenty of it with large urns of coffee and tea In the evening we ate at the Taverner the food was good and great value. The village has a Cretan night on Wednesdays which was very entertaining and obviously an excursion event which we as residents could benefit from. a car is a must to get about and we made use of our hire car our sat nav got us to wherever we wanted sometimes up through the mountains which was interesting. all in all we had a fabulous stay
Response from Reservation Dept on Nov 1, 2015
Dear guest, We thank you very much.We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay in Arolithos. Rewarding our efforts gives us courage for the future. It makes us feeling good that our efforts have a good result for our guests. We hope that we will see you again in the future. Best regards

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

2/10 Terrible

Shubho, London

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Worst hotel stay ever
It was the worst hotel experience ever. We were so disappointed. When we arrived we were given a room with three beds in two different room and the second room with no a/c in one room and no fan. When we complained at this is at 1 am in the morning we were moved in to a room with three beds with a malfunctioning a/c. Rooms were so depressing with no emptied at all. The bed sheets are so dirty and the bathroom unclean. Then to top it up the breakfast was absolutely lousy slate food and rancid fruit. And cats in the dinning area. Other guests were also complaining. It's a rip-off for £72. This hotel should not be listed on hotel.com
Response from Reservation Dept on Oct 11, 2015
Dear Client We thank you very much for your review. We appreciate the fact that you offered your precious time to write about our services. We will be glad to see you again in Arolithos.

8/10 Good

Sonat

Liked: Property conditions & facilities

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely place
Charming
Response from Reservation Dept on Oct 11, 2015
Dear guest, We thank you very much. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay in Arolithos. We hope that we will see you again in the future. All our best regards.

10/10 Excellent

John, Connecticut, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great rural views w/ traditional Cretan Flavor
This hotel was the highlight of my trip to Crete. The setting and facilities conjure up a traditional Cretan Village with lush greenery, sunny terraces and beautifully decorated rooms equipped with a fireplace and refrigerator, plus balcony. Christina at the restaurant warmly greeted me each morning for a sumptuous breakfast and provided wonderful advice on local specialties and wine. I was greeted each morning by the sound of sheep bells in the valley below. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone who wants to savor the traditional flavor of Crete. I enjoyed my stay as a solitary traveler, but would not hesitate to recommend this hotel for a family with young children where they could enjoy the open spaces and the cats.
Response from Reservation Dept on Nov 1, 2015
Dear guest, We thank you very much. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay in Arolithos. Rewarding our efforts gives us courage for the future. It makes us feeling good that our efforts have a good result for our guests. We hope that we will see you again in the future. Best Regards

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A great start to our Cretan adventure
Arolithos were nothing but accommodating the entire time we were staying. The rooms, the service, the food and outdoor facilities were fantastic. We couldn't recommend this place enough!
Response from Reservation Dept on Oct 11, 2015
Dear guest, We thank you very much. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay in Arolithos. Rewarding our efforts gives us courage for the future. It makes us feeling good that our efforts have a good result for our guests. We hope that we will see you again in the future. Best Regards

10/10 Excellent

Sue, On vacation

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Calm peaceful delightful
So serene a wonderful hotel. Good food available from the restaurant. Amazing views across the hills serenaded by the sound of goat bells at breakfast. Not too far from the hustle and bustle of the capital.
Response from Reservation Dept on Oct 11, 2015
Dear guest, We thank you very much. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay in Arolithos. Rewarding our efforts gives us courage for the future. It makes us feeling good that our efforts have a good result for our guests. We hope that we will see you again in the future. All our best regards.

10/10 Excellent

Jess, Sheffield, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Super friendly staff and a lovely hotel!
My boyfriend and I stayed for a week here and didn't want to leave! I can't thank the staff enough for all the help; they were so friendly and made the stay so much better. The "village" of the hotel is stunning, and our room was cleaned everyday. I would say that renting a car could be useful as it is far away from many excursions, however we took a taxi and it wasn't too expensive (it actually worked out cheaper getting a taxi than it would to hire a car for the week). To get into the city centre of Heraklion it cost around 25 euros (one way), and to the beach, Agia Pelagia (highly recommend) it cost 27 euros (one way). I really enjoyed my stay and would recommend it to anyone who needs a lovely relaxing stay.
Response from Reservation Dept on Oct 11, 2015
Dear guest, We thank you very much. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay in Arolithos. Rewarding our efforts gives us courage for the future. It makes us feeling good that our efforts have a good result for our guests. We hope that we will see you again in the future. Best Regards

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
very good
very good value. Staff is very nce and location is quite good
Response from Reservation Dept on Oct 11, 2015
Dear guest, We thank you very much. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay in Arolithos. We hope that we will see you again in the future. All our best regards.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Restaurant superb
Wonderful location, felt like home from home. Superb service friendly efficient staff. Good food, lashings of hot water perfect winter retreat.
Response from Reservation Dept on Oct 11, 2015
Dear guest, We thank you very much. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay in Arolithos. Rewarding our efforts gives us courage for the future. It makes us feeling good that our efforts have a good result for our guests. We hope that we will see you again in the future. All our best regards.