Paralos Irini Mare

This is one of the best places to locally - if not the best. A great welcome with local iced tea, homemade biscuits and a cool flannel. The views from the reception and bar are extraordinary, so beautiful to look over Galini harbour. Generously you are given a nice bottle of wine and snacks in the room. Also a free A La Carte dinner at Tomatini the on-site restaurant. Also a voucher is handed to you for a free lunch - this is any salad and two main courses for two people - anything you want . The food is first class and truly a great buffet - lots of homemade and homegrown food. Service too very attentive. The drinks are below average in price with a cocktail being around €11. A good bottle of wine around €20. Whilst here we were the ONLY English - which made for quiet socialising in the eve as everyone was German. Quiet a few kids , but they were generally well behaved. The village is a brisk 10min walk along the seashore , passing lots of taverners, but well worth the walk. Hire of a car is essential too. We used Anna Cars from Heraklion - no hidden EXTRAS and fab people. All in all a great weeks break .

My grown up daughter and I have just come back from a 5 day stay at the Paralos Irini Mare. As soon as we arrived in the beautiful reception we were welcomed with iced tea and biscuits and the feeling of serenity continued throughout our holiday. We loved the ethos of the hotel with lovely natural stone paths and beautiful plants and palm and olive trees wherever we went. Our room was spacious and had lovely exposed stonework and wooden floors with a walk in shower. The four pools were equally beautiful and although it was high season it never felt crowded - there was always plenty of places to sit and lots of shade under trees. We especially loved the Zen pool which was so peaceful. But the highlight of our stay was the food (included in the price was breakfast and dinner). I am not a fan of buffets usually but the choice and quality of the food amazing. For breakfast there were smoothies, juices, home made muesli, fruits, yoghurts and breads as well as a cooked breakfast where the eggs were cooked to order. The evening meals were as impressive with different dishes every night and so much choice for everyone's tastes including a Vegan corner. They even served home made ice cream! We sat outside to eat our meals under trees and lights. We had a couple of lunches too which we paid for but they were all delicious - especially the watermelon salad. And a final mention to all the staff from reception to the serving staff to the cleaners - they were all delightful and couldn't do enough for us throughout our stay. The beach is about a 10 minute walk and isn't the prettiest but there are options to hire a car (only 40E a day) from the hotel to explore and boat trips too. We are still feeling the glow a few days later after returning from the Paralos Irini Mare and will definitely return and recommend it to everyone I can. Note - there were hardly any Brits at the hotel which for us wasn't an issue (quite nice for a change) - I think it is off the British tourist radar as more go to South Crete.

We had a fabulous time at this hotel and truly didn’t want to come home. It doesn’t typically appear in packages from British tour operators, so we booked directly with the hotel, then arranged our own flights and transfers and what a find it turned out to be! The hotel transfer took around 1 hour and 15 minutes from the airport, which is similar to most coach transfers offered by tour operators, so don’t let the journey time put you off. The hotel itself is stunning. The pools and sunbeds are nestled among olive trees, with both sunny and shaded areas, offering plenty of space for everyone. We never struggled to find a sunbed. The entire place is beautifully maintained, with a relaxed, authentic vibe. There are charming tucked-away seating areas, Bali beds, hammocks, it really felt special. The food was another highlight. We don’t usually go for half board, but the upgrade from B&B was minimal, so we went for it thinking we’d eat out if dinner wasn’t to our taste. In the end, we were so impressed, we ate in every night ! Breakfasts were generous, with fresh fruit, cereals, pastries, breads, made-to-order omelettes, juices, and smoothies - the Loukoumades were to die for. Dinners were just as good, offering a wide selection of salads, starters, and live cooking stations with fresh fish, meats, breads, and plenty of vegetable options. I challenge anyone to leave hungry! The deserts were beautifully presented. We had one à la carte evening, which was absolutely incredible. It was a fantastic opportunity for the chefs to showcase Greek cuisine; innovative, full of flavour, and beautifully fresh. The staff made our stay even more memorable. Always smiling, always up for a chat, we felt genuinely sad to say goodbye to them all. We had an interconnecting family room with a stunning view over the pools and out to sea — spacious, clean, and comfortable. A special mention to Eva, our maid, who was a godsend especially with three teenage girls in tow! She was kind, friendly, and worked magic keeping their room in order. The hotel is a lovely walk from the town, which felt very safe. Along the way, there are plenty of great bars and restaurants, and in the town itself you’ll find small supermarkets and shops. We enjoyed a few lunches out and some evening drinks by the harbour. The beach isn’t particularly special though we’re not big beachgoers but we did find a perfect spot for a refreshing swim. All in all, this place exceeded expectations. We’re already planning to contact the hotel in September to get prices for 2026 we truly hope to return!

Great hotel with beautiful scenery, nice views. On our stay we had a junior suite with sea view 33 m2. Plenty space for 2 adults and one kid. We opted for halfboard. Good breakfast, dinner also really good, from fish to all different kinds of meats, veggies, fruits. Here we had one of the best rissoto. As for dessert every night was different and you had many options to choose from including home made ice cream. The resort itself is really really beautiful with lots of palm trees, olive trees and other beautiful plants. What we liked about this hotel is that you can experience the resort hotel life with pools and all it’s amnesties, and you can walk 3-5 min and you have beach were you can rent chairs for 6€ per set. If you get hungry you have taverns and restaurants all the way to Galini that you can walk 10-15 min. We rented a car, hotel staff helped us with this local renting car business place. Price range from 30€ (insurance include) up depending on what car you want. So like I said me and my family had a great stay at Irini Mare. For sure we will come back!

We were late arriving after a tricky drive over the mountains in the dark. The reception staff could not do enough to help us. We were welcomed and shown to the restaurant where food had been prepared for us despite the fact that it was 11.00 at night. The holiday just got better and better after that. The hotel is delightful, with many pools and shady places to sit and gorgeous gardens. The food was excellent throughout our stay and the service friendly and very efficient. Everyone went out of their way to be kind and helpful. Our room was immaculate with a very comfortable bed and lovely sea view . The whole experience was wonderful and we hope to return soon. Thankyou!