Heronissos Hotel

Upon arrival at the hotel, I was given a room and informed that it was an upgraded standard. I was told that if I wanted to stay in that room after the first night, I would need to pay an additional €100. I refused, as in my opinion, it was simply a standard 4-star hotel room. I was then moved to an awful room with mould on the bed, no extraction fan in the bedroom, and a view of building chimneys outside. I requested another room change and was eventually moved to a room in a hotel across the street. The following day, I realised I had forgotten some clothes in the previous room. Reception staff gave me the key so I could check for my belongings, but some items were missing. I informed them that I would report the matter to the police if my belongings were not returned by the next day. Eventually, my clothes were returned. When booking this holiday, I specifically selected an adults-only hotel, yet there were families with children staying there. I would also like to mention the following issues: * Not enough sunbeds for even half of the guests * WiFi was practically unusable * Food was awful, sometimes so salty it was inedible * Ice for drinks and beer was sometimes unavailable Overall, this holiday was extremely disappointing and did not match the standards or expectations advertised.

We have the best holiday ever in this place! See you next summer Heronissos hotel

The best place to enjoy your holiday in Crete and in the same time like home. See you next summer Hero team💖✨️

When we arrived at the hotel, reception immediately asked if we wanted to upgrade our room to the renovated rooms. The way it was presented made the standard rooms sound quite poor and off-putting. We declined, but were then asked again if we wanted to view both room types before deciding, which we also declined. After speaking with other couples during our stay, it became clear that many were asked the same thing and most felt pressured into upgrading, which cost around €150. This gave the impression of a strong upselling approach that felt unnecessary. We also noticed inconsistencies in the tourist tax charges between guests. Regardless of not upgrading, our room was fine. The balcony was slightly small, but the room itself was clean and we couldn’t complain. There was also a fridge in the room, which was great, as well as a small TV. They also provided a couple of mini shower essentials. The food was average overall but quite repetitive, with a limited selection. The buffet mainly consisted of salads and bread, and the hot dishes were sometimes poorly labelled. Breakfast was the highlight and generally the best meal of the day. We visited in early May and often struggled to find available sunbeds whenever the pool was open, which was disappointing. The pool area itself did look nice, but we didn’t use it much as the weather wasn’t warm enough, and there was very little space around the pool due to sunbeds being taken. On a positive note, the hotel was clean and well maintained, and the housekeeping staff were very friendly, reliable, and efficient. The WiFi was also quite good throughout the hotel. However, the drinks were disappointing. The alcoholic beverages tasted watered down and of low quality, and even the beer was not particularly enjoyable. Overall, the hotel had some good points, particularly the cleanliness, WiFi, staff, and location, which was great and close to lots of pubs, bars, restaurants, and the beach. However, aspects such as the food variety, drinks, and the overall all-inclusive experience did not fully meet expectations for a 4-star hotel. It wasn’t a bad stay, but it didn’t quite feel like a 4-star experience for us.

When we arrived, the hotel initially showed us the upgraded rooms before showing us the standard room we had originally booked. After seeing the standard room, we felt it was very basic and hostel like, with two separate single beds and a dark, dingy atmosphere. Because of this, we decided to upgrade at an additional cost of €190. Even with the upgraded room, wardrobe space was still quite limited. That being said, the upgraded room itself was clean and modern, and the shower was very good with strong water pressure and consistently hot water plus air conditioning I also noticed that our room door appeared to have been previously damaged. There was wood missing from the door frame, and the strike plate was bent and only hanging on with two screws. The reception area itself is fine, but overall the hotel feels quite plain and lacking atmosphere. There is an upstairs seating area with sofas and a bar, but it feels unfinished, with empty wooden shelving units and minimal décor. The bar itself is very basic, with only one beer tap, a coffee machine, and very limited drink options. Most of the time there was nobody behind the bar serving, so it didn’t really feel like a fully functioning hotel bar. Another thing we noticed was the lack of information provided for guests. There were no brochures, local attraction guides, or recommendations available at reception upon arrival, which would have been useful for visitors unfamiliar with the area. Noise was also an issue during our stay. You can hear almost everything from nearby rooms and corridors, including doors banging, people talking and laughing, and toilets flushing, which made it difficult to fully relax and sleep comfortably. The dinner buffet was quite limited, mainly consisting of pasta, salads, dairy options, and bread. There were some meat dishes available, but they didn’t look particularly appetising and some were cold or tough. Other guests sitting near us also made similar comments. If you are used to larger buffet restaurants with multiple food stations and plenty of variety, this hotel may feel disappointing. The breakfast selection was also limited, and those expecting a proper full English breakfast may be disappointed. On several occasions, the buffet opened around 15 minutes late, which caused queues to build up. Because the buffet area is quite small, food items were often quickly taken, meaning you sometimes had to wait for items to be restocked. There were also no late night snacks available after dinner, and after lunch there were only a few cakes available at the pool bar on a first come, first served basis, with no refills once they were gone. The lifts are also extremely small and have old-style metal doors, which gave a slightly prison like feel. Pool Area The pool area itself was clean and pleasant. However, during our stay the sunbeds were taken quite quickly are limited. I would recommend visiting Star Beach Water Park, which is around a 10-minute taxi ride from the hotel and cost us approximately €12 each way. Entry is free, and the venue offers multiple pools, plenty of water activities, comfortable sunbeds, and a much larger area to relax compared to the hotel pool. There is an additional charge of around €15 for a wristband to access the water slides, and food, drinks, and sunbeds are also paid separately. As the venue is connected to another hotel but open to the public, it has a much livelier atmosphere and overall offered far more to do if the hotel pool area felt too quiet or overcrowded. Entertainment During the week we stayed, there was no entertainment at all and nothing advertised throughout the hotel. The only atmosphere provided was background music playing at the pool bar. Location One of the best things about the hotel is its location. It is only around a 5 minute walk to the beach and is close to plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops, making it very convenient for going out during the day or in the evening without needing transport. Be aware that the hotel fascia has been refurbished, but many holiday companies are still using older photos showing how the hotel looked before the renovation. Overall, Heronissos Hotel is in a great location close to the beach, bars, restaurants, and shops. The upgraded rooms are clean, modern, and have good air conditioning and showers. However, the hotel itself feels quite basic, with limited food choices, little entertainment, noticeable noise, and a lack of atmosphere. It’s suitable as a budget base for exploring the area, but those expecting a lively all inclusive resort experience may be disappointed.