Esperides Resort Crete

We stayed at Esperides Resort as a family of four, with our 12-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter, looking for somewhere relatively quiet where we could properly wind down and relax over the October half term. We settled on Esperides because we loved the aesthetic of the resort and its location in Koutouloufari, and we were extremely happy with our choice. We arrived quite late in the evening and were warmly welcomed before being taken to the restaurant, where some pasta and a wrap had been prepared for us. After travelling all day, this was a really thoughtful touch and very much appreciated. We were also using the holiday to continue celebrating my wife’s 40th birthday at the beginning of October and our daughter’s belated 10th birthday from the end of August. Prior to arriving, I had contacted the hotel to arrange flowers, balloons and decorations for them to find when we entered the room. Everything was set up beautifully, and we were also very kindly upgraded from an inland-view room to a sea-view room, which was hugely appreciated. The hotel grounds are extremely well maintained and we loved the architecture and overall feel of the resort. We initially stayed in Room 109 and really liked the layout. I used the gym during our stay, and for our first three days we mainly used the pool at the top of the resort. The pool area was excellent, with plenty of space, large comfortable loungers and a great pool bar where we enjoyed drinks on our first day. We stayed half board and found both breakfast and the evening meals to be very good, with a huge range of choices throughout the week. The only evening that didn’t quite hit the same standard for me personally was the Asian-themed night, but that’s a minor criticism in what was otherwise a very good food offering. One tip I would give anyone staying here is to check your junk email folder while you’re at the resort! On our third day I happened to check mine and found an email from the hotel’s sales team offering a reduced upgrade rate for rooms with either a jacuzzi or private pool. After speaking with the guest services team, we upgraded to a private pool room, which was fantastic for our family. The room itself was fairly similar in layout to our original room but had considerably more outside space and a decent-sized private pool, which we ended up spending a lot of time in. I’d read a few reviews before travelling that criticised some of the pools for being in the shade. Personally, I think some perspective is needed here, particularly when travelling in October. The resort is on the north side of the island and is built uphill, while the sun naturally sits much lower at this time of year, so areas of shade are inevitable. The pool was heated, although naturally it could still feel cold when the sun disappeared or the wind picked up. It certainly didn’t stop any of us enjoying it, and having our own pool ended up being one of the highlights of the holiday. The spa was another highlight. My wife and son enjoyed a fantastic spa experience and massage arranged by Michaela, and I also had an excellent back, shoulder and neck massage. The whole experience was very relaxing and professionally done. What really stood out throughout our stay, though, was the staff. Everyone worked incredibly hard, nothing ever seemed like too much trouble, and every member of staff we dealt with was polite, friendly and genuinely easy to talk to. They are a real credit to the hotel. Overall, we found Esperides Resort to offer fantastic value and to be truly deserving of its 5-star rating. We had a brilliant family holiday, properly switched off for the week and thoroughly enjoyed our continued — and rather drawn-out! — birthday celebrations. We would happily stay again and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Esperides to other families looking for a relaxing stay in Koutouloufari. Thank you to everyone at Esperides for a fantastic week.

I stayed at Esperides on my own and had a very pleasant experience. The welcome was extremely warm and attentive: I was greeted with a welcome cocktail, and the receptionist was lovely. She assigned me a beautiful room with a sea view, which I really appreciated. The outdoor pool water was warm and very pleasant. The setting is absolutely stunning, with beautiful plants, luxurious materials, and lamps in the trees that create an incredible atmosphere at night. The staff also helped me with my luggage, and the service outside the restaurant was excellent. However, there was one downside: there were many children in the main pool, rather than in the dedicated children’s pool in the middle, so it was difficult to enjoy the pool peacefully. The smaller indoor pool was a little colder, making it less comfortable for swimming. As for the food, there was a good selection, but I was slightly disappointed with the overall quality. The hamburgers on my arrival evening were good, but I expected a slightly higher standard from the buffet. The restaurant service could also be improved. Overall, the décor is magnificent, the location is beautiful, and the reception and general service were excellent. Despite the small points mentioned, I would happily return.

We had a lovely massage from Aspa and Dimitris. The hotel was a good place to relax in October half term and I’m full from the buffet.

Myself and my wife enjoyed a week long stay in October. It was our first time to the island and we picked the hotel as it seemed to be different from a lot of the other hotels and it had offered a good deal as part of a package holiday. This included a free upgrade to half board. On arrival we were greeted at the entrance and taken to reception by buggy. We arrived on a late flight so they offered us a small plate of cold food (couple of wraps and a pasta salad) which was welcomed. The resort itself has many pros. We found the food options were great. For dinner, or lunch if you choose to swap, they had themed nights including Cretan, Greek, Italian, Mexican, Asian, Mediterranean and Fish nights, so it wasn't the same food every day. The restaurant staff were excellent, very friendly and attentive. We turned up for the very start of the dinner slot at 7pm as later in the evening some had to wait to be seated as it was busy. Breakfast and lunch were less hectic. The resort has a lovely charm about it and you do feel like you're in a Cretan village. The rooms were very clean and little touches such as a coffee maker, fresh bottles of water each day and robes and slippers make it enjoyable. There was a supermarket next door for any essentials. The location in Koutouloufari is great for short walks through the villages, and we also walked down to the coast but you may wish to get a car or do excursions to see more of the island. There were a couple of things we wish we had known though. Our room was labelled as a one bedroom suite with land view. This just meant the bed was segregated by sliding shutters. We were pleased with the room, as it's a treat for us to stay in such a hotel. However, the soundproofing was poor so we could hear as people moved chairs above and there was an adjoining door which meant we could everything in the next room. We had a couple turn up next door at midnight, and we could hear their review of their room before they decided they would request to be moved the next morning. Our terrace was in the shade from about 10am, which we expected but we were next to the cleaning cupboard so workers were in and out all day. That didn't bother us but may others. The only thing we did have to report was the pool bar staff were smoking near our room at one point which we didn't appreciate. We got a nice response from the hotel and it didn't happen again so we assume it was dealt with. All in all we had a great stay. We'd give it 4.5/5 if we could.

We spent a week here in October 2026. We arrived late & offered a snack in the restaurant before being shown to our room - we had booked a Premium Suite with hot tub on balcony, the “suite” was more of a “room” & very different to the photos online, we complained to reception next morning & give them their due, we were given a different room straightaway, this one being more of a “suite” with lots more space!! Hot tub was great, especially as we arrived on the back of storms, was nice to chill in on the grey days! Hotel overall was nice & clean, staff were polite/helpful (barmen of an evening were great - Ogerit & Hendri i think, George our breakfast waiter was great too). Food - nice, bit hit & miss heat-wise, but lots of choice. My only gripe was no table water offered with lunch/evening meal, only bottled which were chargeable, but minimal in the grand scheme of life i suppose!! Adult only pool is a nice touch, comfy beds & bar too. Plenty of lovely restaurants & bars within walking distance, Piskopiano & Old Hersonissos within walking distance too and worth a visit. Would we return? Probably not, but we seldom do re-visit anywhere anyway - there’s a big wide world out there!! Overall rating would be a 7/10 from us.