Minos Beach Hotel, Agios Nikolaos, Crete
Hotel Information
Recent Price: £293
Hotel Class:
Hotel Description:
The beautiful surroundings, the traditional Cretan architecture, excellent cuisine and our ever willing staff, will combine to make each day of your stay with us at the Minos Beach a delightful and memorable experience. We chose the majestic area of Aghios Nikolaos, in the Eastern part of Crete, to create this tranquil paradise. Despite its peaceful location, the Minos Beach is only a 10 minutes walk from the centre of Aghios Nikolaos and 1 hours drive from the city and the airport of Heraklion. Your stay at the Minos Beach will provide you with an excellent opportunity to visit the sights in the surrounding area of Lassithi, only a short drive from Aghios Nikolaos. loading...
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Minos Beach Hotel Reviews
" We have just returned from a fabulous... "
Submitted By: Mrs L Garbett
We have just returned from a fabulous holiday at the Minos Beach Hotel and we would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.
We stayed in one of the VIP waterfront suites and found the hotel and grounds so peaceful and it made such a change from all the noise we had experienced in previous holiday hotels.
The bungalows and suites are brilliant if you like peace and quiet. We went to just relax which was easy to do at this hotel. The linen and towels were changed everyday and the food was excellent. The staff were very cheerful and happy to help.
What more can we say? Try it for yourself you will not be disappointed.
We stayed in one of the VIP waterfront suites and found the hotel and grounds so peaceful and it made such a change from all the noise we had experienced in previous holiday hotels.
The bungalows and suites are brilliant if you like peace and quiet. We went to just relax which was easy to do at this hotel. The linen and towels were changed everyday and the food was excellent. The staff were very cheerful and happy to help.
What more can we say? Try it for yourself you will not be disappointed.
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- Date of Holiday:Oct 2007
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Olympic Holidays
" I read very negative reports on this... "
Submitted By: belina
I read very negative reports on this hotel so was a little worried I had made the right choice.
However, I could not fault the hotel at all. We booked a waterfront bungalow, which was perfect very clean had everything we needed, there was nothing more relaxing than sitting on the terrace with your feet in the sea.
The food and service was excellent. Although I do feel they do not need both restaurants Ambrosia and Bacchus, same food in served in both, should you want something more intimate you can prebook La Bouillabaisse a la carte.
The grounds were very good and you could always find a quiet corner to relax.
Ag Nik is a steady 20 minute walk away it has a lovely atmosphere, everybody we meet was friendly, and I would return to this hotel again.
However, I could not fault the hotel at all. We booked a waterfront bungalow, which was perfect very clean had everything we needed, there was nothing more relaxing than sitting on the terrace with your feet in the sea.
The food and service was excellent. Although I do feel they do not need both restaurants Ambrosia and Bacchus, same food in served in both, should you want something more intimate you can prebook La Bouillabaisse a la carte.
The grounds were very good and you could always find a quiet corner to relax.
Ag Nik is a steady 20 minute walk away it has a lovely atmosphere, everybody we meet was friendly, and I would return to this hotel again.
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2007
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" We will be returning to the Minos... "
Submitted By: Mrs L Willis
We will be returning to the Minos Beach once again at the end of August 2007 for our eighth visit - it's a wonderful place to stay. We've met people of all nationalities who keep returning year after year, one couple had been going for over 23 years!
The hotel is set on a promontory and is so well set out, you can wonder around the grounds and enjoy the peace and quiet - no crowds. The food is also very good.
The hotel is far enough away from the main town to retain it's exclusivity but close enough to go for a walk into Aghios Nikolaos if you want to. There are a few small shops and bars close to the hotel which gives the option of enjoying some of the local culture - (visit the Kri Kri Bar - they're lovely friendly people).
I can't wait for the 2008 brochure so that I can book for next year.
The hotel is set on a promontory and is so well set out, you can wonder around the grounds and enjoy the peace and quiet - no crowds. The food is also very good.
The hotel is far enough away from the main town to retain it's exclusivity but close enough to go for a walk into Aghios Nikolaos if you want to. There are a few small shops and bars close to the hotel which gives the option of enjoying some of the local culture - (visit the Kri Kri Bar - they're lovely friendly people).
I can't wait for the 2008 brochure so that I can book for next year.
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2006
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" An excellent hotel.
We... "
An excellent hotel.
We stayed in a waterfront bungalow which had a private sunbathing area.
The gardens were very well looked after. The hotel was nice and quiet with no noisy evening entertainment but for the 'party animals' Agios Nickolaos was only a 10 minute walk away.
The food was very good but if you felt like a change there was a good choice of tavernas (one was excellent) within walking distance.
If you fancied a walk you could stroll around the headland ...we never felt unsafe once.
I can see why most people keep coming back. If we come to Crete again, this is where we will stay.
We stayed in a waterfront bungalow which had a private sunbathing area.
The gardens were very well looked after. The hotel was nice and quiet with no noisy evening entertainment but for the 'party animals' Agios Nickolaos was only a 10 minute walk away.
The food was very good but if you felt like a change there was a good choice of tavernas (one was excellent) within walking distance.
If you fancied a walk you could stroll around the headland ...we never felt unsafe once.
I can see why most people keep coming back. If we come to Crete again, this is where we will stay.
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2006
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" Incensed by the previous reviews... "
Submitted By: Mr M Cowley
Incensed by the previous reviews comments I fell I must correct the perception of the hotel. My wife and I have just returned from the hotel (our second visit in 2 years) and stayed in a VIP sea-front room, this grade has a open bedroom living room area, a dressing area and bathroom with Jacuzzi and shower. I must say I have never noticed only one English TV channel (who watches TV on holiday). Foreign hotels don’t have kettles, only the English live on tea!
By staying in the VIP room we are upgraded to the Ambrosia restaurant and last nights menu was as follows.
Trout Pate with Caviar
Broccoli soup
Chicken with lentil salad
Fillet Steak with Gorgonzola
Greek Cheeses
Champagne Mousse
There are at least two options plus a vegetarian choice for each course and all are served to your table and at the speed you dictate, this is a head waitress and 3 serving staff to look after the dining area of 30 tables (Ambrosia Restaurant still, all the other rooms dine in a much larger area) The dining area is outside, hence no air conditioning and yeas Crete is warm at night. They offer Gala, Crete and theme buffet evenings although I concede the buffet is not tot he normal standard. The breakfast is served in the larger restaurant and consists of cereals, fruit, breads, meats, cheeses, hot foods (the usual UK pleasers and Greek examples) then there is the chef to cook eggs bacon and pancakes. To be honest I am a big lad and never left the table wanting more.
Having just returned from Florence and another 5 star hotel this breakfast was the Rolls Royce in comparison.
The staff are always on hand and unlike a majority of holiday hotels are all long serving. The Bars manager has 20 years under his belt, and our head waitress has been there 4 years. These are matched by the loyalty of the customers, rarely will you find hotels where the majority of guests have been there as often, I believe the record is 19 years of visits and this is from America!
Yes this hotel is expensive, its a five star hotel where the room we stayed in costs £2200 for a week. This indicates the cost to stay there, if you dined at a top 5 star hotel in the UK you pay a damn site more than £2.36 for a bottle of water. The Chap over the road is cheaper (if you can appreciate his "Greek" ways) and we bought all our water from him. You would not walk into the Radisson and buy water for day at the beach so why here?
If you are after a hotel with buffet meals, cheap drinks, British TV and a kettle then I suggest Blackpool, If you wish to stay in one of the top hotels in Crete then give the Minos Beach a try, you wont be disappointed.
I have nothing to gain from this review but just felt I had to balance the scorecard a little.
By staying in the VIP room we are upgraded to the Ambrosia restaurant and last nights menu was as follows.
Trout Pate with Caviar
Broccoli soup
Chicken with lentil salad
Fillet Steak with Gorgonzola
Greek Cheeses
Champagne Mousse
There are at least two options plus a vegetarian choice for each course and all are served to your table and at the speed you dictate, this is a head waitress and 3 serving staff to look after the dining area of 30 tables (Ambrosia Restaurant still, all the other rooms dine in a much larger area) The dining area is outside, hence no air conditioning and yeas Crete is warm at night. They offer Gala, Crete and theme buffet evenings although I concede the buffet is not tot he normal standard. The breakfast is served in the larger restaurant and consists of cereals, fruit, breads, meats, cheeses, hot foods (the usual UK pleasers and Greek examples) then there is the chef to cook eggs bacon and pancakes. To be honest I am a big lad and never left the table wanting more.
Having just returned from Florence and another 5 star hotel this breakfast was the Rolls Royce in comparison.
The staff are always on hand and unlike a majority of holiday hotels are all long serving. The Bars manager has 20 years under his belt, and our head waitress has been there 4 years. These are matched by the loyalty of the customers, rarely will you find hotels where the majority of guests have been there as often, I believe the record is 19 years of visits and this is from America!
Yes this hotel is expensive, its a five star hotel where the room we stayed in costs £2200 for a week. This indicates the cost to stay there, if you dined at a top 5 star hotel in the UK you pay a damn site more than £2.36 for a bottle of water. The Chap over the road is cheaper (if you can appreciate his "Greek" ways) and we bought all our water from him. You would not walk into the Radisson and buy water for day at the beach so why here?
If you are after a hotel with buffet meals, cheap drinks, British TV and a kettle then I suggest Blackpool, If you wish to stay in one of the top hotels in Crete then give the Minos Beach a try, you wont be disappointed.
I have nothing to gain from this review but just felt I had to balance the scorecard a little.
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2006
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Olympic Holidays
" This was our first and last time to... "
Submitted By: Ms G Watkins
This was our first and last time to go to Minos Beach, what a rip off no way was it 5star, the surroundings were really nice, but that was it we stayed in the VIP sea front, the accommodation was very basic, no kettle etc in the rooms, one English channel on TV, the room was cleaned every day.
The food was awful, we felt like we were sitting in a cattle market having our food, no air conditioning, the menu was bad, not much of a choice, no rest in between courses, the breakfast was always the same and cold, we ate out a lot. felt really sorry for the fish in the tank in reception, there about five big tropical fish in a small tank, a lot of comments were made about it.
The staff were all very friendly and always smiled. The shop across the road was much cheaper to buy water etc from, a bottle of water in Minos cost £2.45 across the road it cost 36p. A La carte, no way!
The food was awful, we felt like we were sitting in a cattle market having our food, no air conditioning, the menu was bad, not much of a choice, no rest in between courses, the breakfast was always the same and cold, we ate out a lot. felt really sorry for the fish in the tank in reception, there about five big tropical fish in a small tank, a lot of comments were made about it.
The staff were all very friendly and always smiled. The shop across the road was much cheaper to buy water etc from, a bottle of water in Minos cost £2.45 across the road it cost 36p. A La carte, no way!
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2006
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" We went to the Minos Beach for a... "
Submitted By: Mrs S Dwyer
We went to the Minos Beach for a holiday and also to get married in Aghios Nicklaos. It was excellent in all respects.
The bungalows at the hotel are lovely, set in their own private gardens with direct access to the sea. They vary in size and as we were getting married we were upgraded free of charge. If you have the cash you could go for the top range bungalows with their own pools, Jacuzzis and so on. There is only one little beach with a further extensive sea front being crazy paved. These areas vary in size and there are some jetties, which are just for two. There are ample free sun beds and at intervals there are steps down into the sea. The water is clear and pleasant. There is a large salt water pool with a lovely lady at the pool bar.
The food is excellent and at times outstanding. There are theme evenings and the chefs are obviously well trained. Themed Buffets, e.g. the Asian Buffet and Mediterranean Buffet had ice carvings and other displays.
There is also a really good Cretan Night at the Hotel.
The staff are superb, discrete but friendly.
If you want to stray out of the hotel there is plenty to do, e.g. trips, a jeep safari etc but if you do want a really relaxing time you could find everything you need at the hotel.
I noticed a number of single ladies, alone on holiday who obviously felt comfortable and safe and so it would be a good place to go by yourself with a pile of books.
It isn’t cheap but as there are no extras apart from wine and drinks then it doesn’t actually work out much more expensive than a cheaper holiday where you had to pay for meals in restaurants, sun beds et cetera.
It isn’t for people who want a lively time or make lots of new friends as it is quiet and you can keep yourself to yourself but ideal for quieter people who want to really relax.
We spoke to a few English people who live in Crete and they all said the Minos Beach is the best of the 5 star hotels in the area.
The bungalows at the hotel are lovely, set in their own private gardens with direct access to the sea. They vary in size and as we were getting married we were upgraded free of charge. If you have the cash you could go for the top range bungalows with their own pools, Jacuzzis and so on. There is only one little beach with a further extensive sea front being crazy paved. These areas vary in size and there are some jetties, which are just for two. There are ample free sun beds and at intervals there are steps down into the sea. The water is clear and pleasant. There is a large salt water pool with a lovely lady at the pool bar.
The food is excellent and at times outstanding. There are theme evenings and the chefs are obviously well trained. Themed Buffets, e.g. the Asian Buffet and Mediterranean Buffet had ice carvings and other displays.
There is also a really good Cretan Night at the Hotel.
The staff are superb, discrete but friendly.
If you want to stray out of the hotel there is plenty to do, e.g. trips, a jeep safari etc but if you do want a really relaxing time you could find everything you need at the hotel.
I noticed a number of single ladies, alone on holiday who obviously felt comfortable and safe and so it would be a good place to go by yourself with a pile of books.
It isn’t cheap but as there are no extras apart from wine and drinks then it doesn’t actually work out much more expensive than a cheaper holiday where you had to pay for meals in restaurants, sun beds et cetera.
It isn’t for people who want a lively time or make lots of new friends as it is quiet and you can keep yourself to yourself but ideal for quieter people who want to really relax.
We spoke to a few English people who live in Crete and they all said the Minos Beach is the best of the 5 star hotels in the area.
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2005
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Olympic Holidays
" Lovely hotel/surroundings. Most... "
Submitted By: heromara
Lovely hotel/surroundings. Most accommodation was in bungalows, some VIP with own plunge pools. Ours was standard.
Not much space in the bedroom area but the bathroom was a good size and as each bungalow had its own patio area, ok. Bedroom furniture was modern but I imagine a few years old. Some damage.
Food was lovely. Main course/dessert were waiter served from a choice on a menu. When our steak was too well done one evening, they changed it without any fuss at all and very quickly. Those on VIP package ate at a different restaurant, just yards from ours but with seemingly the same staff (who swapped over) and menu though! Bit of a 'them and us' barrier between!
No evening entertainment at all (bar theme night once a week).
Pool area was surprising quiet for the whole 2 wks. Good size pool for those who like a proper swim. Disappointing sun beds though given the rating of the hotel.
Interesting books in reception, with messages left by guests - they go back decades (giving a good insight into the hotel and its patronage over the years. One page was signed by Walt Disney!
Not much space in the bedroom area but the bathroom was a good size and as each bungalow had its own patio area, ok. Bedroom furniture was modern but I imagine a few years old. Some damage.
Food was lovely. Main course/dessert were waiter served from a choice on a menu. When our steak was too well done one evening, they changed it without any fuss at all and very quickly. Those on VIP package ate at a different restaurant, just yards from ours but with seemingly the same staff (who swapped over) and menu though! Bit of a 'them and us' barrier between!
No evening entertainment at all (bar theme night once a week).
Pool area was surprising quiet for the whole 2 wks. Good size pool for those who like a proper swim. Disappointing sun beds though given the rating of the hotel.
Interesting books in reception, with messages left by guests - they go back decades (giving a good insight into the hotel and its patronage over the years. One page was signed by Walt Disney!
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2004
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" This was our second visit to this... "
Submitted By: Not Specified
This was our second visit to this excellent hotel, we've already booked to go again in 2003. It is a very relaxing area, many people seem to return year after year. Everything is of a very high standard and we would recommend it to anyone who is looking for luxury in a very quiet secluded area. It is about 20 minutes walk from the resort although there are handy small shops and bars just outside the grounds of the hotel. Security is very good. The hotel was completely refurbished in 2001 providing a very high standard of accommodation. Staff are very attentive and friendly.
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2002
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomson
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This really is a wonderful hotel, very quiet and peaceful, it just seems to get better each year, many guests of all nationalities return each year some have been staying there over 20 years.
The hotel is extremely well set out, most rooms are in small bungalows set in wonderful gardens, food is very good and the hotel staff are a credit to the hotel. The hotel is just outside Aghios Nikolaos - about a ten minute walk. There is a small shop just across the road run by Kostas where you can buy bottld water/drinks (the hotel is rather expensive for drinks) and the bar Kri Kri run by Yanis and his family which is only a couple of minutes walk away is a great place for a cooling lunchtime beer.
We would recommend this hotel to anyone who wants to get away from everything and enjoy a bit of secluded luxury.