Elpida Village

The hotel has a pool and serves amazing food. It’s a bit uphill, but you get used to it. I stayed in August 2024 and found a wild beach about 600 metres away. It took around ten minutes to reach a heavenly beach where I was almost alone, with loads of space. Voulisma beach is nearby too, though farther away, and there’s a shuttle from the hotel to Voylisma. I also rented a car to explore eastern Crete. The views were breathtaking!

The pool area is the best part: it’s large and deep, with sunbeds, grass and trees that provide shade. The staff were friendly and spoke English, though at lunch and dinner they could be a little aggressive when clearing plates. There are some paid activities, including basketball, tennis and snooker, but they aren’t included. The BBQ restaurant is available only once per visit and was very mediocre, although its staff were friendly. The hotel is on a hill, with lots of steps and a steep road that even adults may find difficult. Beaches are about 20-25 minutes away, so coming back for lunch or dinner is tiring and risky, even with the shuttle. The village is small and the area isn’t especially interesting. Most sights are far away and need a car and a full day trip. The room was okay and had a fantastic view, but the furniture was shabby. My partner and I got two separate beds, and the bathroom was very dated with a tiny shower. The all-inclusive food was okay and I liked it, but the desserts disappointed me. Alcoholic drinks were cheap quality and small portions, and the coffee was truly terrible. It’s fine if you want a quiet, pleasant week by the pool with unlimited drinks, but there are better options.

The food was tasty and there was a wide choice of dishes, and the staff were very friendly and did their best to make everyone comfortable. The hotel is set beautifully down the mountainside, with cottages that seem tucked into the trees. Greenery and charming Greek lanes shaded by carob trees make it feel almost like a fairytale. My only complaint is the room standard. The rooms are tiny, and the bathrooms have miniature showers behind curtains.

We stayed seven days on an all-inclusive basis in a two-storey room about five minutes' walk from the main reception. The rooms were clean and nicely arranged, though the cramped shower flooded the whole bathroom. The hotel's steep layout made the walk back up from the street tiring. The food was fresh, well seasoned and mostly tasty, better than at other hotels we’ve visited. There was always something for meat eaters and vegetarians, but the restaurant coffee was awful. The local alcohol at the bar wasn’t great, as usual, though the bar staff were consistently kind and helpful. There’s a bus stop just down the road. We recommend the car rental company that works with the hotel: it was cheaper than the rentals in town, and the service was good. They changed our car when we noticed a problem with the brakes. I’d recommend the hotel to anyone after a quiet place with good food. The local four-star rating is deserved.