Ariadne Beach - Adults Only

Lovely rocky beach on your doorstep and a sandy one 10mins walk away. Aghios Nicholaus is about 15mins walk away and its a great place to spend some time. Nice shops and restaurants and a lovely vibe. Hotel rooms are in tiers up the mountainside and look very pretty. However we were in 187 and 188, the two highest apartments, and it is quite a haul both up and down to the pool , restaurant etc. We made use of the golf buggy service at the end of most evenings but generally speaking, if you are offered anything higher than 160 think seriously about it. You will definitely not be popping back to your room for anything youve forgotten unless you absolutely have to. We had a supierior room which although clean , felt dated and not 4☆quality Food is very good and plentyful although as with most All Inclusive deals we did get bored and ate out on two of our 6 nights. Staff are friendly and helpful and , yes, the guy in the pool bar is not a happy chap. Drinks were not as good as the food. Pool bar only serves cola etc and no branded soft drinks. Ice cream is available but no ice lollies etc. When the main bar is open , only after 6, there are branded drinks available but there is a two tier band system in place. You are only allowed certain cocktails etc and even have to pay extra for fresh orange juice. Entertainment is practically non existant. A dj played exactly the same set on two nights and there was singer guitarist on the night we arrived. We paid over £2600 per couple for 7 nights and i was expecting more from the Ariadne which could so easily be a much better hotel with relatively minor changes.

The Hotel was amazing! We loved everything : clean and big rooms, nice view, beautiful pools and great location ! Especially good: the food. Every evening there is a different selection of Greek and international cuisine and all the staff is really friendly :) The cook is present at the dinner buffet and takes care of you if there are any questions concerning his food. We really enjoyed having breakfast and dinner at the main restaurant, as everything was delicious and varied daily.

hotel spotless, beds comfy, rooms spacious. Be sure to ask for rooms lower down, otherwise pack crampons and defibrillator! there is a golf buggy to transport about, but like being on a roller coaster, great fun for younger guests! 15 minutes easy walk to town, across road to unspoilt beach with couple tavernas, good price, clean, friendly, stunning backdrop. Maria on reception was a delight and really helpful. The food is the best bit. Quality ingredients, perfectly presented buffet style, plentiful and varied, all the staff in the restaurant delightful. We enjoyed every bit of our stay. highly recommend for couples and friends wanting a peaceful getaway.

I am gluten free. I feel very comfortable here with my disease. When I come for breakfast, lunch and dinner chef from kitchen is here for me. He shows me what is gluten free. He offer me gluten free pizza, pasta, bread, deserts.. If you are gluteen free, just tell this on reception, you will be special guest for them.

We had a great stay here. Room was clean & tidy and the housekeeping was immaculate. Even though it was only a side view, the vista from the balcony was lovely & for me the view from the restaurant at breakfast is one of the loveliest I've seen. Food & service was great. The pools were both brilliantly presented and kept spotless. Only had time to use one pool as we went down onto the beach outside the hotel (it's literally across the road!) to swim in the sea. Nice loungers and great beach for swimming (if you're a wimp like me you want beach shoes though as it is pebbles), plus an amazing beach bar that does great food & drink at very reasonable prices. Almyros beach is just a 5 minute stroll away and it is a beauty with lovely shallow sandy seas. Agios Nikolaos town is only a 5-10 minute stroll too. We felt very happy & lucky to have picked this hotel with it's access to such amenities without being in noisier or more built up areas. Reception staff were helpful & polite, in fact every employee here was very professional. I'd read comments about the drop-off point & alleyway - I think they're exaggerated. Drop off is by the bar & the alleyway is relatively clearly marked with signs for reception. We arrived late & in the dark and the staff arranged us a meal (far past the restaurant closing) whilst they put our luggage in the room & then after we went back to reception they showed us to our room. The whole complex is very smart and has an almost mountain village lay out to it, just a lot more planned & in straight lines! A bit quiet in the bar / reception but then we were here a bit before season really kicked off and we didn't feel tied to the site as there was so much else to do within a brief stroll anyway.

Begining of the season - very nice and quiet place. Not many people, big enough apartament, large bathroom. Small beach at the front of the hotel. The food is very good, fresh and excelent quality - maybe the diversity could be better but no one will be hungry.

The Spa is excellent - quiet and very relaxing! Sofia gave me one of the best full body massages I have ever had, she is a superb and a very intuitive therapist. Many thanks to you Sofia - I would definitely recommend this Spa and Sofia for a treatment 😊.

This is a terrific hotel for adults and older teens (16+). The architectural design of the hotel is subtle and blends in sympathetically with the local landscape. The rooms are comfortable and the amenities are good with two large swimming pools. The hotel food is some of the best I've experienced on a package holiday, with a variety of appetizing Cretan dishes every day. The staff were all friendly and helpful, particularly Dimitri's wonderfully welcoming team in the restaurant. The hotel also features a great – and very affordable – little spa run by two top-notch masseurs, Manos and Sophia. There are lots of beautiful sandy beaches around the ancient port of Agios Nikolaos. So whilst the small pebble beach in front of the hotel may appear a little disappointing at first glance (despite its magnificent mountain backdrop), it unexpectedly offers some of the best snorkelling that we found on the east side of Crete. There are also numerous fascinating attractions within two hours drive (or boat trip) from the hotel, including the Venetian island fortress of Spinalonga, the Palace at Knossos (of course), and the hugely impressive, ruined hilltop city of Lato (the birthplace of Alexander the Great's admiral, Nearchus), which is a mere 20 minutes from the hotel and costs a mere €3 to enter. We spent a very enjoyable week at the Ariadne Beach, enjoying the warm October sunshine, and were sad to leave.