This air-conditioned hotel comprises a total of 312 rooms, of which 121 are bungalows and 191 are rooms within three buildings. It is surrounded by wonderful gardens with flowers, hedgerows, and palm trees, and facilities on offer include a lobby area with a reception desk manned around the clock, a hotel safe, a currency exchange facility, and lift access. Further amenities include a hairdresser, the “”Aghios Dimitrios”” jeweller’s, a boutique, a small supermarket, a TV lounge, conference facilities for up to 450 persons, and an orthodox church. In the main Alexander restaurant located directly adjacent to the lobby, guests are treated to special themed nights fthe times a week, for example an Italian “”Trattoria””, a fish tavern, a Cretan evening, or a candlelit dinner. There are evening shows organized by the hotel entertainment team every day below the trees of the Dionysos tavern, and once a week there is a folklore evening with live music and dancing. Guests may also make use of the Artemis Cottage snack bar, while the Hermes bar beside the lobby is an excellent choice for those seeking a relaxing afternoon or evening. Room and laundry services are available (charges apply), and there is both bicycle hire (charges apply) and car hire on offer. Younger guests can participate in the kids’ club activities with qualified hosts.

Crete. As well as the magnificent beaches and warm seas, the size and physical variety of the island of Crete invites exploration, and The Island, located at Kato Gouves, Heraklio, 70014, Greece, is the ideal staring point. Uniquely among Greek islands, Crete’s mountainous spine creates a sense of spaciousness, a life distinct from sea and sand. Fly-drive holidays to Crete – or simply the hire of a car for some days during your stay in The Island, – will enable you to seek out the rugged formations of the interior, the fertile countryside and tiny chapels filled with frescoes, the mountain villages where time has stood still. Always, the authentic spirit of the islanders, their fierce independence and pride – as well as the best cooking and most delicious meals that constitute the famed “Cretan Diet” – will more likely be found where few others are looking. With so much to see, with dolphins to watch, shaded squares to paint, olive trees and wild orchids, Minoan remains and sweeping beaches, no wonder Crete holidays and The Island are revisited so often.