Prinos Apartments

Me and my two best friends stayed here for ten nights in Jul/Aug 2007. When we first arrived our impressions were that it was very quiet. Being three almost 18 year olds we were surprised we had been allocated these apartments, however we were only wanting a quiet girly holiday to relax anyway.
Our first day had us spending over 100euros just for a safe key and the air conditioning for 10 nights (and beware the owner Antonio turns off the air con at night!). The pool side bar was enormously over priced and because we had to buy our water from the supermarket, we were told by Antonio's wife we couldn't drink it by his pool unless we had bought it from his bar!! So be warned; do not bring children here, they cannot even eat sandwiches or crisps by the pool. (A child was told to be quiet in the pool and told to remove his tshirt which was protecting his skin form the sun). Antonio was only pleasant if you bought food and drink from his bar (which was too expensive).
At night if we came home in the early hours he would be waiting for us, watching which was intimidating when you our on your own holiday. Evenings at his bar are boring, no music and Antonio knows no English. Antonio offers a Saturday night BBQ for 30euros each!! and no free drinks!! We definitely gave this "exciting" event a miss. Our linen and towels were changed only once in our whole trip. Rooms were basic and we were given a sort of basement room with no balcony.
On the other hand the location was perfect. Total blissful silence during the day (except for the crickets!). A beautiful square just 5-10 minutes walk away with friendly, picturesque tavernas selling traditional Greek food. A lively English bar (the lizard lounge) just 10 minutes walk away near the supermarket, with friendly English owners and an excellent free BBQ on a Saturday night - you will meet lots of new friends here! Main resort where there are plenty of souvenir shops, cafes and lively nightlife is just 6euros in a taxi (bit unsafe to walk), with a fantastic beach cafe/bar at night.
All in all I would recommend this accomodation to quiet older couples who have a bit more spending money for their trip. Families and young couples I feel these apartments would be pure hell for.

My partner and I have just returned from 2 weeks at the Prinos Apartments and there is not much to add to the previous reviews.
Antonio and Anna are very sweet and although their English is limited, they made us feel extremely welcome. I must have eaten 3 times my body weight in grapes during our stay, not to mention the copious amounts of raki Antonio ply's you with at any time of the day or night, I don’t know if my liver will recover!
My partner thinks Antonio is definitely in the wrong job, he should have been a teacher, as through his perseverance and great patience Antonio has taught him to count to 100 and generally improved our basic Greek.
The apartments are like most of the ones we have stayed in on Greek Islands. Very basic but unlike some these are spotlessly clean. Air-conditioning is available and well worth the extra euros. Our sheets and towels were changed twice a week (Tue & Friday). I would recommend you bring an extra towel with you (hand towel) as they only supply one bath towel per person. The pool area is small with ample sun loungers and completely surrounded by the most gorgeous grape vines.
If you are young and want to party all night these are not the apartments for you as Antonia and Anna try to keep things very quiet and peaceful, perfect for those who like to be away from the hustle and bustle of the main resort.
We did not venture into the main resort at all at night as it's very busy, very loud and just a bit tacky but if you’re into drinking all night it’s the place for you.
Hersonissos Old Town is very picturesque especially at night when it really comes alive, the tavernas quickly fill with both tourists and locals and it is busy until well after midnight.
Myrtios is an excellent place to eat as the menu is long and varied, in fact we spent most of out time here just people watching and chatting to the very friendly staff who also like to partake in one or two raki's with you! It is also an excellent venue from which to watch the Cretan Night which seems to occur every Monday in the square, there are musicians and dancers who encourage audience participation and it's all free of charge and great fun to watch, but get there early if you want a seat!
Piskiopiano and Koutoloufari are within easy walking distance they just run into each other. I would definitely recommend the first resturaunt just after the Irish bars just go upstairs onto what seems like the roof, it makes the most amazing mixed fajitas.
I would definitely recommend these apartments and Old Hersonissos for those of you looking for a quiet relaxing holiday. We will most certainly be back.

Stayed at the Prinos in Old Hersonissos in September 2006 with a party of 9. These are just what you want for the price. The owners Antonio and Anna speak very few words of English, so be prepared to take your time and your phrasebook. However don't let this put you off these great digs. How do you fancy laying at the pool, and reaching up from your sun bed to pick grapes from the vine? Yes, you can do this here! But if you wait, Antonio will probably bring a free bunch for you.
The apartments have their own pool, and it is well kept although some of the tiles below the water look a bit dodgy. The room we stayed in had a bedroom with 2 single beds, and in the living room the 'sofas' are extra beds, but they share a resemblance to mortuary slabs! However, they are surprisingly comfortable.
Antonio seems to know only 4 words of English, "raki" & "cheers big ears"! If you return to the bar after a night in the village, you will find him waiting to serve you, regardless of the time, and offer you free raki! Try it if you want, but don't let Antonio get away with it. Insist that he has a shot with you. Even he pulls a face when he drinks it! But what a great guy.
The apartments are just 5 minutes from the village centre where you can choose from a range of restaurants and tavernas. Try the 'Myrtos', the 'Harakas', and for a friendly atmosphere & great drinks try the little taverna next to the news stand (sorry, I can't remember the name, it was all fuzzy!) We have seen a few reviews for the restaurants which recommend the Tavla. We did not find them very accommodating, but maybe we chose a bad night. The 'Lounge' at the far end of the village is run by an English couple, and if you want pool & English banter then go here. Again, not to our taste, but other people rate them quite highly.
If you are quite fit go for a walk through the village, and keep going until you come to the next village, Piskopiano, for a larger variety of restaurants including Chinese, Indian etc. Go a little further and you reach Koutofalari. In fact Piskopiano runs into Koutofalari, and its difficult to know when you leave one and enter the next.
You can walk to Hersonissos town in about 30-40 minutes, and this will give you a good day out with a more commercialised setting. Ideal for finding presents.
If you want beaches hire a car and go further afield as the beaches at Hersonissos are quite pebbly, and the sea is quite rocky. For culture go to Knossos and see the ruins of the palace, then Heraklion (Irakleo) and see the Venetian fortress at the harbour, the views are fantastic! If you have transport go to Plaka, near Elounda and take the boat across to Spinalonga. You can get a ferry from Elounda that takes about 45 min, or the boat from Plaka takes about 10. This is the fishing village mentioned in the recent novel 'The Island'. Spinalonga is also featured in the book, and is actually an island which was used as a leper colony, and has its own village, most of which is still visible.
Overall these are reasonable apartments for a reasonable price, and I would certainly recommend them.

Prinos Apartments was a good base to enjoy being in the Old Town of Hersonissos. The rooms are standard but clean and liveable. The pool area was relaxing but the water was absolutely freezing even in the blazing sunshine!
A couple of minutes walk away is the square - we ate every night in Myrtios apart from Saturday night when we went to The Lounge Inn just further away from the square. Mike and Sarah, the British couple who run the bar put on a fantastic bbq free of charge and a good mix of holiday makers and ex-pats make up the friendly crowd (but watch out for his garlic mayonnaise - it's seriously potent!!).
Their new English pool table is going to be a big pull for people and their big screen shows lots of sports - but don't let this put you off, it isn't your typical English pub abroad, it's a nice relaxing atmosphere and the beer is very reasonable, the owners are very welcoming - and if you choose to go down into the main resort of Hersonissos then Mike will even call you a taxi as well.
We'd definitely recommend Prinos Apartments for staying in the Old Town of Hersonissos for a quieter holiday than in the main resort, which as people have already said is only a 6 Euro taxi ride away.

We've just returned from a one week holiday in Crete, staying at the Prinos Apartments in the old village of Herssonisos. We have two children aged 12 and 9 and specifically wanted a relaxing break.
The pool area is beautiful, with ample sun loungers and surrounded by grape vines and olive trees. Antonio and Anna were the perfect hosts - if you respect their culture and peaceful nature and they will treat you like long lost relatives who have come to stay in their home. They were always looking out for the children and played a very big part in making our holiday so wonderful. Previous reviews have mentioned their "rules" - basically don't make too much noise, keep your kids in line and don't take your own food and drinks to the pool area - not exactly rules, but common sense and respect.
The rooms are clean and airy but have very few kitchen utensils and no kettle. The mattresses take some getting used to but these small issues are the only reason I haven't given our holiday 10/10.
Eating at the Prinos isn't cheap (7 Euros for full English) but if you want to hang around the pool all day it is a convenient way of keeping going until you head down to the village for a meal in the evening. Anna will knock up a toasted sandwich or traditional Greek Salad whenever you want for an average of about 5 Euros per snack whilst Antonio frequently decides it's Raki time and brings out the shot glasses with locally fermented paint stripper - not for the faint hearted!
If you fancy a day out - try the local water park. Our rep tried to sell us the excursion at a price of 120 Euros for a family of four. This price only covers the transport and entrance price and doesn't include any refreshments or food. We decided to do it ourselves and saved a fortune. The taxi is 10 Euros each way and the entry fee approx 50 Euros. Our bill at the end of the day for drinks, ice creams and food came to 40 Euros so we probably saved 50 Euros doing it ourselves.
The old village is spectacular at night. The later you leave it to eat, the better. The village comes alive after 9pm with mostly locals enjoying plenty of food and drink at the various tavernas and bars. Our favourite was Myrtios where the fillet steak was out of this world and the grilled shrimps with garlic were the best we've ever had. Budget around 60-70 Euros for a family of four if you eat at Myrtios with wine and beers.
For a much cheaper night out, follow the main road through the village down to Mike & Sarah's Lounge Inn. An English couple who have opened a lovely bar with an informal atmosphere. On Saturday nights, Mike rev's up the BBQ and cooks food for everyone free of charge. All you pay for is the booze and kids juices are also free! We came away from the Lounge Inn full and merry and only spent around 20 Euros.
We did give the main resort of Hersonissos a try one night (6 Euro taxi fare). If you want loud music, traffic, tourists in their thousands and clubs, pubs and arcades then this is the place - we couldn't wait to get back to our little village - although when we needed a chemist and bank it was convenient. The old village has its own supermarket which is cleaner than a hospital and stocks everything you'd need for a self catering apartment. We stocked up on juices, water and biscuits for the kids to save a little money during the day.
Overall, our holiday was fantastic and we will definitely be going back hopefully for two weeks next year.
Diane & Steve

We spent a holiday in Crete this summer (2006) and were fortunate enough to have secured an apartment at Prinos in the old village of Hersonissos. 2 km from the main resort of Hersonissos and up in the hills we were close enough to experience the amazing facilities that the main town had to offer, but far enough away to enjoy a very relaxing and peaceful break. The owners, Antonio and Anna, were very friendly and welcoming which made it a pleasure to share our Cretan experience with them.
Just 5 minutes walk away, we found ourselves in the village square. A truly wonderful place... Full of Tavernas and bars managed by generations of families that embrace tourism whilst maintaining their heritage. Monday evenings offer a particular treat in the square as they celebrate Cretan night with music and traditional dancing until the early ours.
Together with our recommendation of the Prinos Apartments, may I also recommend the 'Tavla Taverna' in the village square as a fantastic place to eat and meet with welcoming local people anytime of the day, Tavla was the first Taverna in the village and managed by Micheal Filipakis, has been a family establishment since 1937. May I also recommend 'The Lounge Inn' just outside the square, Run by a wonderful English couple and new in 2006, offers a little English style within the traditional warm Cretan setting.
Our holiday proved to be the most rewarding and relaxing experience and we will, without a doubt, be back there soon. See you there!
Adam and Jane

One of the best, most relaxing holidays we have taken. If you want a typical traditional Greek holiday then I can highly recommend the Prinos Apartments. The area is Old Hersonissos with only a 5-6 minute walk into the old town where there are numerous friendly Tavernas with excellent food and genuine, friendly people. I can highly recommend the Taverna 'Myrtios'. The people who run it were a large part of what made our holiday so special.
As for the Prinos Apartments, I agree with the previous review, the owners couldn’t do enough. Yes their English isn’t great, but then we are in their country and the majority of us don’t know any Greek!
Communicating was all part of the fun! The rooms were very clean indeed, air conditioning / safety deposit boxes (at a cost) if you want them. The pool area private, clean and very relaxed - Excellent all round. The owners do have the odd rule or two, but this is only of benefit to the other guests - and yes, the Raki must be sampled!
Highly recommended - you will love it here - totally relaxing.