Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village

Recent Reviews: 328

• User:Dave T

  Trip type: Solo travel

  A quirky fun hotel village in the mountains

  21 Apr 2026

  I had a wonderful time at AROLITHOS TRADITIONAL CRETAN VILLAGE. This isn't a normal hotel! It was designed in the 1980s to look like a village with the rooms resembling houses. There is a village square, a museum, a shop, a large restaurant, a swimming pool and many animals including cats and a Parrot. The hotel village is situated outside Heraklion in the mountains surrounded by sheep and goat farms. Tourists come to look at the village and they often have events including weddings and Christenings. The staff are amazing. They go over and above what is expected in order for you to have a great stay. A special shout out to the Breakfast lady!The rooms are equipped to carry on the feel of an old Village so don't expect modern furniture. It all looked amazing although there were 1 or 2 functional issues! The showers are heated using Solar energy so if it hasn't been sunny for a while the water is luke warm. I tended to have a shower in the evening rather than the morning as this is when it was at its hottest.The hotel is very remote and difficult to walk into the nearest town. There are a few busses a day into town but if you want to explore the Island then a hire car is essential.Overall, I had an amazing experience and would return! Reservations Department, Owner at Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village, responded to this review Dear Guest,Thank you so much for your wonderful and detailed review! We are absolutely thrilled that you enjoyed what we like to call the "Arolithos experience."You captured the essence of our village perfectly: we are indeed "not a normal hotel." Built with love and vision in the 1980s, Arolithos was designed to be a living tribute to Cretan tradition, and we are glad you appreciated the "quirky" and authentic character of our houses and square.Our staff will be overjoyed to hear your kind words. We will definitely pass on your "special shout out" to our breakfast lady—she, like all our team, strives to go "above and beyond" to make our guests feel like family.Regarding your comments on the solar-heated water, you’ve touched upon a very authentic part of Greek village life! We rely on the Cretan sun for our energy, which is eco-friendly but can indeed be a bit "traditional" during less sunny spells. Your tip about evening showers is actually very helpful for future travelers!As for our location, you are right—being perched in the mountains surrounded by nature and farms offers peace and serenity, but a car is indeed essential for those who wish to explore every corner of our beautiful island.It was a pleasure having you with us, and we are so happy to hear you would return. We’ll be waiting for you, along with our cats and our parrot, for your next Cretan adventure!Warmest regards,The Arolithos Village Team

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• User:Maite R

  Trip type: Family

  A wonderful place off the beaten track

  03 Feb 2025

  This is not like a regular hotel, but a unique place to stay. As the name goes, it resembles a picturesque Cretan village and it is a pleasure to stroll down the streets. Since it is located in the middle of nowhere, I would recommend the half board option that includes dinner. Food is delicious, mostly Cretan cuisine, and the waiter’s attention couldn’t be better, both warm and professional. The swimming pool is the perfect place to relax. The only drawback is that the rooms could do with some upgrading, since the replication of old village conditions needn’t be taken beyond the guests rooms doors. This said, the room had a small fridge and the air conditioning worked properly (a must since it can get quite hot in Crete).I would definitely come back to Arolithos. Reservations Department, Owner at Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village, responded to this review We thank you very much for your warm words and positive attitude. We feel happy when our guests enjoy the special and unique character of the hotel. It will be a pleasure to host you again in Aroithos Village.

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• User:Huong M

  Trip type: Family

  It’s not a quiet and clean hotel to stay

  14 Oct 2024

  We have stayed here for 4 nights stay. We recommend you not to book here.Firstly we couldn’t sleep well because they had parties/ events for 2 nights in row with very loud music until 4am, even though the hours of silence in Greece are from 22:00 to 7:30. We have measured the noice inside the room at 4pm, it was over 60 dB. We booked here to take a rest but then we couldn’t even sleep!!!Secondly there is no wifi in the room. They said there is only wifi in public areas, but the wifi in the area next to the pool barely works. The only area where the wifi works is the restaurant. Thirdly the bathroom and room floor are dirty. There are no slippers, so that we have to keep wearing shoes all the time inside to room. Lastly we booked the taxi from the hotel at 4am to the airport. The reception person said that she would arrange it for us. Then we have waited for 20m but the taxi didn’t come. We tried to call the emergency number of the hotel but no one answered. What a service here! Reservations Department, Ιδιοκτήτης at Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village, responded to this review Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re truly sorry to hear that your stay did not meet expectations and apologize for the noise disturbances, as well as the issues with cleanliness and Wi-Fi connectivity. We'll address the noise policies with our team to avoid this in the future and will work to improve room standards and the availability of internet service throughout the property. Additionally, we apologize for the inconvenience with the airport transfer and will review our processes to ensure reliable service at all times. Thank you again for helping us identify areas where we can improve.

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• User:Navigate68177158714

  Trip type: Couples

  beautiful, rustic place, very peaceful

  13 Oct 2024

  a gorgeous, very quiet place to stay on october, we stopped for 7 nights and the weather was perfect, the food was amazing and the staff were lovely, would recommend maybe hiring a car, as the bus only comes by 3 times a day and once on a sunday if you wanted to go into town for a full day, but there are taxi services that take you into town and they only take 15/20 minutes to get there. Close by to the beach too, which was lovely! Reservations Department, Ιδιοκτήτης at Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village, responded to this review Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere, delicious food, and friendly staff. October is indeed a lovely time to visit, and we appreciate your tip on transportation options for exploring the town. It was our pleasure to have you, and we hope to welcome you back for another relaxing stay soon!

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• User:graeme57

  Trip type: Couples

  Holiday

  08 Aug 2024

  The most magical place ever everyone was amazing from owners to there children, the food was fantastic and plenty of itThe apartment had some incredible views and we woke with a great sunrise Everywhere was very clean and the shops on site were well stocked with great gifts and some amazing art Reservations Department, Ιδιοκτήτης at Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village, responded to this review Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a magical experience and enjoyed the stunning views, delicious food, and the friendly atmosphere created by our team. We're also glad you liked the art and gifts available on-site. It was a pleasure having you, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another unforgettable stay!

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