Simple Hotel Hersonissos Blue

It worked well as a base for exploring the beautiful area, but I wouldn’t choose the all inclusive option again. The food and drinks were very limited, and over 10 days we got tired of the repetition. Breakfast was the same each morning: bread, ham, cheese, eggs, tomatoes, donuts, biscuits, jam, yogurt, and cereal. We missed fresh fruit and Greek pastries. Lunch and dinner offered four hot dishes, plus salad and tzatziki, usually meat, potatoes, pasta, and vegetables. We weren’t hungry, but missed fish, cold dishes, Greek favorites, desserts, and fruit. As the hotel name suggests, it’s simple, more like a guesthouse than a hotel. Our room was clean and pleasant, the beds comfortable, and the location handy for the busy main street’s shops and restaurants, as well as the seaside and more places to eat. The nearby pebble beach is small and has no sunbeds. Another beach with loungers is a five-minute walk away, and costs 10 euros per couple.

The hotel was quiet and peaceful, with friendly, polite staff throughout our six-night stay. It’s good value and well placed for shops and a short walk to the beach. There are eating spots both inside and outside, though cats tend to appear at mealtimes if you sit outdoors. The food was good for the price, and we ate at the hotel most days. I especially liked the potatoes with cheese and bacon or ham. The all inclusive drinks were basic and self-service, which was fine for us. We arrived around 2 a.m. and called a number so the man could come check us in. He was helpful and explained how everything worked. The room was nice and good value, with a dressing table and mirror, TV, fridge, wardrobe, bedside table, plenty of plugs, and a spacious balcony with two chairs. The bathroom was basic; the shower head had no wall holder, but otherwise we had no issues. They changed the bedding and towels, and the free Wi-Fi worked in the room. The pool is small and has a five-person limit, but that never caused us a problem.

A short walk gets you to the center of Hersonissos, and the owner is a lovely, helpful man who really looks after guests. The room was clean and pleasant, and staff greeted us with smiles. Rooms are cleaned every few days. Some comments here are nonsense. This is affordable accommodation, not a luxury hotel. The food was decent but basic, and there was plenty to drink. For the price, we got what we expected. If you’re coming to Crete for the beaches, nightlife, and island itself, and don’t need luxury, it’s a good place to book. Don’t expect Wi-Fi in the room, expensive toiletries, or free air conditioning. Give it a try, then use the money you save to support local businesses. Have a wonderful time in Greece!

We booked here on our first trip to Greece because we didn’t know food prices and wanted to make sure we had meals included. I wouldn’t make that choice again. Restaurants by the sea and on the streets served tasty food, with menus ranging from 5 to 20€. They seemed to offer the same food and quality, with a view. The hotel is what its two-star rating suggests, and it was clean, but it looked as if it hadn’t been invested in for 30 years. The windows and bed frame were old, and the bathroom shower was tiny, even for a child. When the room was cleaned, if it was cleaned, the curtains were left open to let the sun heat the room, pushing you to pay extra for the moldy air conditioning. That cost 7€ a night, but they charged one extra night too. The unit sat right over your head all day and night, which didn’t seem healthy. You couldn’t keep the room cool when you took the key with you because the electricity shut off. The local satellite TV didn’t work. Wi-Fi was only available at reception because, they said, people tended to mess with it. Two beaches are close by, one very rocky and one with biting fish, but that was okay. All inclusive was repetitive: the same breakfast each day, and lunch and dinner changed every three days, but not all the dishes. The juice was cheap, the coffee and beer were watery, and the wine was very red but tasteless. The water was good. I’d spend 10 or 20€ more per night at the hotel across the way or somewhere else. This place wasn’t worth it. I’d give it two stars, but the missing features bring my rating down to one.