"Hersonissos Village or as I like to call it A Little Piece of Greek Paradise 🇬🇷
The Hersonissos Village is perched beautifully on a hilltop overlooking the stunning bay of Hersonissos, and what a view it is!
Transfers drop you at the bottom of a hill, leaving you to make your way up to the hotel on what I had read in previous reviews is rather dramatically referred to as Cardiac Hill. Now, I have to say, that description is a little theatrical, to say the least! However, it certainly isn’t ideal for anyone with mobility difficulties or those using a wheelchair.
But let me tell you something: every single step you take up that hill is absolutely worth it.
Nestled at the top is a charming collection of buildings that genuinely resemble a traditional Greek village. Interconnected walkways, staircases cascading between whitewashed walls covered in bougainvillea, quaint balconies and beautiful terraces all combine to create something rather special.
Perhaps the most impressive thing is how thoughtfully the balconies and terraces are positioned. You’re not constantly overlooked by other guests, giving you a wonderful sense of privacy and your own little piece of paradise.
We chose a garden-view room with a terrace, and I genuinely couldn’t have been happier with our choice. Having a terrace meant we were on the ground floor, while our garden view looked out towards the olive trees at the back of the hotel.
Just a stone’s throw from reception, along a charming little crazy-paved pathway, our room felt as though it had fallen straight out of Mamma Mia!.
Sitting there with my morning coffee, feeling as though I was in the middle of absolutely nowhere while somehow being right at the centre of everything, was priceless.
We were also just a short stroll from one of the beautiful hotel swimming pools, where the views were simply outstanding. Honestly, if you need reminding why you dragged your suitcase up that hill, just take a look at the scenery. Every step suddenly makes perfect sense!
The beautiful blue waters stretched out towards the coastline, where we could see the bars and restaurants lining the shore. We couldn’t wait to get out and explore.
The Food and All-Inclusive Drinks
The hotel has one main restaurant and a snack bar, which doubles up as a lunchtime venue.
The only real downside for me was the drinks situation during the day. The snack bar alternated between serving snacks and lunch, while the main bar, which is also the only other bar, remained closed during the daytime.
This meant your daytime drinks were pretty much limited to beer, wine, ouzo, juice, coffee or some rather inexpensive fizzy pop.
The water from the drinks machine also had a rather unusual aftertaste, so I decided to buy bottled water from the little onsite shop instead. To be fair, bottled water is pretty much essential in Crete, and at just €1 a bottle, even from the hotel shop, it was hardly going to break the bank. I simply stuck with that throughout our stay.
In the evenings, more drinks became available, although there wasn’t a particularly clear indication of what was included in the all-inclusive package and what wasn’t.
If you looked at the cocktail menu and ordered something from it, you were simply asked for your room number or whether you wanted to pay cash. There were no prices displayed, which could easily leave you assuming that your cocktail was included in the all-inclusive package.
Most guests seemed happy enough drinking the included beer or the selection of basic spirits, which consisted of the usual vodka, rum, whisky and gin.
However, these were generally served with either the questionable fizzy pop or powdered juice.
Personally, I couldn’t see the point in paying extra for branded spirits such as Smirnoff or Stoli (sweetie darling!) when they were being served with exactly the same mixers.
I stuck with the house vodka, which probably put a couple of hairs on my chest, but was just about bearable with their version of lemonade, which was Fanta Lemon.
Would I recommend trying to get drunk on it? Absolutely not!
I certainly put a fair few away during our stay, but I barely had a wobble on the way back to our room. Make of that what you will!
The Food – Plenty to Enjoy
The food, on the other hand, was absolutely awesome, and I thoroughly enjoyed the variety available at both breakfast and dinner.
There was a lovely selection of meats and potatoes, with different dishes appearing each day to keep things interesting. There was also plenty of fresh fruit and an abundance of vegetables.
Breakfast included a show-cooking section where pancakes or waffles were freshly prepared each morning, alongside eggs fried to order.
In the evenings, the show-cooking offering changed to a different meat each day, accompanied by a surprise dish. Whether it was pasta, souvlaki or something else entirely, everything was well prepared and thoroughly enjoyable.
There was always plenty of food available, with enough choice to mix and match your meals and try something different every evening.
The Rooms and Housekeeping
I have already mentioned the beautiful balconies and terraces, but the rooms themselves were also great.
They were fairly basic, but perfectly comfortable and had everything we needed for our stay.
Housekeeping came in every day, making or changing the beds, leaving fresh towels and replenishing the tea and coffee supplies.
One little tip: if you’re a proper tea drinker, take your own tea bags with you. Greek tea simply isn’t Yorkshire Tea, or anything remotely close to it!
We also arrived armed with a considerable amount of toiletries. Moisturisers are essential at our age, darling!
The housekeeping team even managed to find a solution in our bathroom, creating a little shelf where one didn’t really exist, giving us somewhere to store our rather excessive collection of cosmetics.
A small touch, perhaps, but one that was genuinely appreciated.
The Staff – An Absolute Joy
The staff throughout the hotel were an absolute delight.
They all appeared to work incredibly hard, and I genuinely wondered whether any of them ever had a day off, as they seemed to be there all the time!
Everyone we encountered contributed to making our stay enjoyable, and their hard work and dedication certainly didn’t go unnoticed.
The little onsite shop was also surprisingly well stocked with all the essentials and a few holiday goodies you never knew you needed.
From those obligatory oversized packets of Lay’s crisps and Haribo to the ever-essential thermal flask adorned with the all-seeing Greek eye, there was something for everyone.
Exploring Hersonissos
I would definitely recommend getting out and exploring the local town during your stay.
Hersonissos Port was a little overwhelming for us at times, particularly with the street PRs trying to persuade people to enter every bar and restaurant.
One gentleman even suggested that I must dislike him because I didn’t want to go into his establishment, while another informed me that I was being disrespectful by not stopping to talk to him.
Now, I appreciate that everyone is trying to make a living, but that approach simply wasn’t for us.
We much preferred the main street, which had some lovely shops, coffee bars and plenty to see as you wandered along.
We walked all the way along the main street until my husband reached the point of being officially hangry, at which point we headed towards the port.
And what did we discover?
An exceptional little taverna with seating on the rocks beside the sea!
Sometimes the best holiday discoveries are the ones you stumble across when you’re simply wandering around.
Koutouloufari and Piskopiano – The Icing on the Cake
For me, the villages above Hersonissos, particularly Koutouloufari and Piskopiano, were the absolute icing on the cake.
These traditional Greek villages were everything I had hoped for. Beautiful little streets, authentic surroundings, wonderful food and those views that seem to follow you everywhere in this part of Crete.
We enjoyed a fabulous meal up there for our wedding anniversary, and it was one of the highlights of our holiday.
A taxi from the hotel cost just €15, and the journey took around 10 minutes. We then walked back down towards the town, which was a lovely way to walk off that mixed grill!
If you’re staying at Hersonissos Village, I would absolutely recommend making the effort to visit these villages. They offer a wonderful opportunity to experience another side of the area, away from the busier seafront.
Would I Return? Absolutely!
Overall, Hersonissos Village was an awesome place to stay.
Take every review you read with a pinch of salt, because everyone’s experience and expectations are different.
Yes, there were a few things I would have liked to see improved, particularly the daytime drinks selection and the lack of clarity surrounding which drinks were included in the all-inclusive package.
But would those things stop me from returning?
Not in a heartbeat!
I was genuinely sad to leave behind this little Greek village. It felt like so much more than simply staying in a hotel. It was an opportunity to experience a little slice of Greek life, surrounded by beautiful scenery, charming architecture and exceptional hospitality.
The views were outstanding, the staff were wonderful, the food was thoroughly enjoyable, and the whole place had a character that made it feel genuinely special.
This is one of those places where memories are made, where you find yourself sitting on your terrace with a coffee, looking out towards the olive trees and wondering how lucky you are to be there.
It felt as though a little friendship band had been tied between my heart and this beautiful island.
I simply cannot give this hotel anything less than five stars.
Even with a few minor niggles, the views alone are worthy of five stars, and the authenticity of the surroundings made the experience all the more memorable.
I knew I was in Greece at every single moment of being there, and that is something I absolutely loved.
My final recommendation
If you’re considering staying here, I would highly recommend it.
Just be aware of the hill before you arrive, manage your expectations regarding the all-inclusive drinks, and make sure you get out and explore the surrounding area.
Visit the port, wander along the main street, discover the traditional villages of Koutouloufari and Piskopiano, and allow yourself to get a little lost along the way.
For us, this was a holiday filled with beautiful views, wonderful memories, delicious food and some truly special moments.
And as for Crete?
We have only scratched the surface, and I cannot wait to return and explore more of this beautiful island. 🇬🇷❤️"
