Hotel in Crete Mountain Countryside

Arriving at the beautiful Country Hotel Velani is an adventure itself. The hotel is in the Cretan mountain countryside off the beaten track so it is a very well-kept secret among travellers looking for the best hotel in Crete. Roughly a 45 minute to 1 hour drive from Heraklion Airport it isn’t full of tourists looking to booze up their holiday but with a very relaxed, friendly and private cliental that all want to enjoy themselves but respect the space and the privacy that this hotel provides. The hotel is tucked away in the mountainside near the Crete village of Avdou, along an unpaved road meaning you’ll either need a durable hire car which we’d recommend arranging with Orion Rent a Car Crete or book a collection from the hotel which they’ll happily provide from the airport.

Family Ran Hotel

The staff and family that run Velani Country Hotel are what really make it a special place to stay and the reason we’ll always come back. It’s a family ran hotel with everything about it being done with a personal touch and nothing being to much of a problem. The team that run the day-to-day goings on such as breakfast, checking in and recommending places to go are all the same friendly team. This gives it that personal welcoming atmosphere, you’ll enjoy dinner with a joke from the waiter and later the next day be talking to him about recommendations for places to go and what to do. Every time we stay here, we feel sad to leave like we’re leaving our own family behind. But this is always what makes this family ran hotel in Crete so great to come back to.

Boutique Hotel Crete

You can tell thought had been put into everything about the hotel and that really shows in it’s design. The hotel has been a family project that is constantly evolving and changing with new little touches being added all the time. With a new hot tub and relaxation area and flowers being planted in the outdoor areas whilst we were there you can see how this hotel isn’t like the rest and deserves to be called a boutique hotel. Every room in the hotel has a beautiful view out onto the valley and with their only being 25 rooms you don’t feel packed in with plenty of space to enjoy those views.

Best Place to Eat in Crete

Manolis who is the husband in the hotel is a big food lover providing Greek authenticity and love in every meal they serve. I had dreams about the food for the last 3 years wishing I was back there, I’ll personally say this is the best place to eat in Crete, with my favourite meal being, ‘The Rooster’! This dish is as you may have guessed is chicken, very slowly cooked with pasta and then served with a sweet thick sauce and raisins. It doesn’t sound like much, but the flavour is absolutely delicious and like all the dishes at Velani Country Hotel it is something Cretan twist.

Horse Riding in Crete

What makes this hotel different from so many is it has its own stables and is setup for anyone wanting to try out horse riding in Crete. Holidays can be packaged with rides everyday where you can go out and explore some of the nearby sites or with lessons to help you improve your horse-riding skills. The horses are all very well cared for in their stables which you can visit even if you aren’t riding, and rides usually take place earlier in the morning to ensure horses go out in the cooler part of the day. The team are all extremely friendly for all different horse riding abilities but it’s highly recommended to make the most out of your trip start off with the basics before you go so you can get out exploring as soon as you arrive.