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#2 of 22 hotels in Agia Galini
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Experience Crete's casual luxury in a refined environment totally immersed in nature overlooking the Libyan Sea. Surrounded by sweeping hills that stretch all the way to the pristine Blue Flag beach of Agia Galini, Paralos Irini Mare is a 4* hotel that offers a relaxed lifestyle for families and couples. The hotel is ideally located for travelers looking for an exclusive experience away from the fuzz and buzz. A deliciously relaxing getaway an hour away from Heraklion International Airport - an ideal jumping-off point to explore South Crete's gorgeous sands and ancient landmarks. Paralos Irini Mare Resort has four public pools, one with a Jacuzzi, a kids pool, one in the "quiet zone area" for those seeking more peace of mind and relaxation and the main pool.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
The resort is very lovely, very clean with a beautiful garden. The new rooms have either private pools or sea view balconies. They are spacious and nice and clean; both rooms and pools are cleaned daily. The resort is focused on Germans, and personnel is speaking English and German as well. So most of the guests are Germans. The rooms are really pricy which would be ok if the service and the food provided would be also excellent, which is however not the case. Breakfast has a wide variety, however, the hot breakfast is not hot, there is no omelet person available, and there are no real coffee machines available. The evening buffet is the same, the food is not very fresh and mostly lukewarm. Here the better option is to visit the restaurants nearby which are really excellent compared to what is presented at the buffet. The service could be improved too, we had a private pool but no pool beds or the like, so you have to lie on the tiles - which is not comfortable at all. The reception told us that the foreseen mattress was on cleaning, and no substitute or pool beds are available. The beach is near, however, not very nice, there is no sand but pebbles, and beach bars are fine. So, a nice resort with improvable food and service.
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Date of stay: July 2022
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Room Tip:Rooms with private pools are great
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from , Owner at Paralos Irini Mare
Responded 16 Aug 2022
Kalispera dear flexobert, thank you very much for your review and for your time to post it. We are truly happy you have overall enjoyed your holidays at our hotel and especially the size and ambience of the rooms, as well as the cleanliness of them and all the premises. We thank you very much for all your feedback and noted as they help us improve our services and facilities to our guests. Please kindly note that our cuisine is based on the Greek and Cretan gastronomy. Our kitchen team cooks daily with the highest quality local-only ingredients. Since 2020 we collaborate with the famous Greek chef Giannis Baxevanis, who praises the Greek and Cretan cuisine and shares the same passion with us to offer our guests a glimpse into our home-cooking. In Greece and especially in Crete where the temperature is very high, it is a cultural part of our gastronomy not to have our food extremely hot. Nevertheless, we thank you for your feedback, as sharing your experience helps us meet all guests expectations. Indeed the pool mattresses require special cleaning, which takes time due to the special procedures. We kindly apologize for any inconvenience regarding the issue. We wish you a nice rest of summer and we would be very happy to welcome you back soon at our hotel. Warm greetings from south Crete Efi Tsoupaki (Mrs) Hotel Manager Paralos Irini Mare
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We booked a last-minute holiday in October and were so glad that we did! The Irini Mare is a fantastic hotel, set in lovely grounds and only a couple of minutes walk from the beach. The rooms are great and very clean, and all the members of staff were really friendly and helpful. The pool areas were gorgeous and also very well kept. We don’t usually opt for half board, but it was included as part of the package and we were really surprised by how good and authentic the food was! The beach was nice and very quiet due to it being end of season. There were a number of beach bars and tavernas to choose from as well as a useful mini mart. If you keep walking along the promenade (5-10 mins or so), you will eventually arrive in the main town which has some more lovely tavernas, shops selling Cretan gifts and a larger supermarket. There is also a small amphitheatre and monument to Icarus. We had an amazing holiday and would love to return to the Irini Mare one day. It is a great location to hire a car and go and explore even more of beautiful Crete. Highly recommended!
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Date of stay: October 2019Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We decided to visit this hotel after reading an article about it in the UK times and it was probably the best hotel we have visited in Crete in years. Where should I start from. The hotel itself is amazingly done with well thought of architecture and design with 4 pools to make everyone happy: 1 “zen” adults only, a kids pool and 2 big pools one with jacuzzi. It also has 2 restaurants and OMG the food was exceptional, of the scale delicious, tons of options all with fresh ingredients from their gardens. Honestly, I have never had a better meal in a hotel in Crete and I dare to compare the cuisine with the ones of the poshest 5* hotels of the island. Don’t miss the “Agia Galini” fish soup, the best I have had in years! And then it’s the staff, all extremely kind and hospitable but without the “distance” that high professionalism creates. It really feels like someone has opened their home to you and they are genuinely generous and authentically welcoming. Starting from Orestis, the from office manager to all the staff in the restaurant and kitchen they were all acting like extreme level of hospitality is in their blood. The rooms were also very nicely decorated with lots of space and everything you would really need without being too busy. Overall an amazing experience and we would visit again without a second thought!
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Date of stay: August 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The grounds of the hotel are absolutely beautiful and breath taking, and the gardens beautifully maintained. We had the sea view room which didn’t disappoint - a beautiful view over Agia Galini! We also liked that the hotel was a bit removed from the busy tourist beach, but still easy walk to everything. Room was clean, new, nicely decorated and the bed was super comfortable.
All throughout our stay we received impeccable and friendly service. Breakfast had a nice variety. Only thing I would have hoped is more service during the day in the pool area - the servers did maybe one or two rounds during the day to bring menus or ask for drink orders. You can walk to the bar to order but I think they’d get much more orders by being more active. We didn’t buy the dinners - there are plenty of nice places around to go to instead of the hotel buffet. Especially the taverna in the neighboring camp site, Taverna Kipos was excellent in both atmosphere and quality of food.
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Date of stay: September 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Visit nearby Taverna Kipos for lunch or dinner - great value for money!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We thoroughly enjoyed our honeymoon in this beautiful, well-kept and clean hotel. The staff is extremely helpful and very friendly. The buffet is rich and the quality is very high. It offers home-grown regional Greek cuisine. The gorgeous saltwater pools and jacuzzis of the complex offer a great alternative to the beach which is not overcrowded, the water is clean and clear and not far from the port of Agia Galini with its nice bars, small shops and recommended restaurants. We will definitely visit this hotel again next year!
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Date of stay: June 2023
Value
Location
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Paralos Irini Mare, Owner at Paralos Irini Mare
Responded 01 Aug 2023
Kalimera dear Christian, Thank you for your wonderful review and for taking the time to share your experience at our hotel with other travelers. We deeply understand the value of holidays, so it is with great pleasure to read, that we managed to offered you an unforgettable time during your stay with us and especially so on the wonderful occasion of your honeymoon! At Paralos Irini Mare you are always more than welcome! Marili Milolidaki Paralos Hospitality
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We stayed for 4 nights at the end of July. Absolutely everyone at the hotel, the reception staff to the bar and restaurant staff, the cleaners and the fitness team were delightful. Masses of choice at both breakfast and dinner and the location right near the beach and on the edge of the village is perfect. We thought the food was great and a wide range of things to eat. Smoothies, fruit, yoghurt and specialist Cretan dishes at breakfast a real highlight. Food for dinner changes daily and again it was all great. Southern Crete is beautiful and Preveli and Matala beaches are around 30 mins by car away. Agia Galini is a lovely laid back village. We stayed in a room with its own pool which was great and we would recommend. Also really pleased to have access to fitness classes like HiiT and pilates as well as the gym. Go !
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Date of stay: July 2021
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:One of the rooms with a pool was perfect on really hot days.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beautiful hotel environment full of trees and flowers and ideal spots/corners to enjoy peaceful moments with your family or/and your company,
Really comfortable and clean rooms.
The quality of the food is extremely high mainly based on local pure ingredients.There is a great variety of international cuisine options, as well.
We really loved that experience and we have promised to ourselves that we will experience it again!
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Date of stay: May 2021
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Cleanliness
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The staff and food at this hotel make the whole experience. From beginning to end, the ladies at the reception were calm, friendly and professional; special thanks to Ria and Debbie. The calm amosphere at the hotel translates itself into calmer guests; I ever heard shouting, rudeness or witnessed obnoxious behaviour.
The food is, quite simply, excellent. Cretan recipes, ingredients sourced locally and all prepared in a delicious manner. Unlike other hotels, the food is allowed to shine here and there is sufficient variety to ensure you are never bored. No one overpiles their plate. Those looking for cheap food and quantity over quality are in the wrong place.
Cleaning lady was lovely and always remembered the correct strength of the nespresso capsules. Private pool was large enough to swim a few strokes in. Fitness trainer, Christos, always gave so much of his time with tips and demos of extra exercises: it was a pleasure getting an advice from such a pro
A few small gripes: an espresso sadly never had the strength of a proper espresso; the new junior suite is really rather bare and the shower invariably ends up spilling water onto the floor (better construction would have been possible); little storage space in the bathroom (some drawers under the wash basin would have been appreciated). There is no pool in which one can swim laps; children end up playing in both. I ended up going to the sea ( a few minutes walk) to get away. That was my biggest issue as I really like to be able to swim without being on the lookout. Unusually, the hotel doesn't have an adult pool apart from the 'quiet' one that you can't swim in as it's essentially shallow.
All in all, a great stay
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Two weeks ago we visited Agia Galini, south Rethmimno. Agia Galini is close to Heraklion and the road between them is brand new! We chose Irini Mare Hotel, as it looks really beautiful through the photos. We have to admit that in reality Irini Mare Hotel is even better! The hotel is very clean, well structured, like a tiny village, well decorated and blossom! All these plants and flowers, like heaven on earth! The view from our suite was amazing! In front of us lies the cretan deep and clear blue sea and among us the beautifully almost desert cretan mountains! The staff was tactful, friendly and always ready to serve our wishes! The food was delicious and made with local ingredients which gave the strong impression of freshness. I single out the marmalade made from the hotel’s oranges! Although we liked the multicultural choices of deserts! The best pavlova we have ever tried! We enjoyed cocktails by the pool and we felt cozy there from the very first moment. Tip! We really appreciate the way they behaved to the local stray cats!
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Date of stay: June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had a beautiful week at Paralos Irini Mare. On booking in, we were offered a free meal in the a la carte restaurant. This was fabulous, our only disappointment was that it meant we missed a meal in the main restaurant: the food was incredible- prepared with attention to detail and real thought and flair. We loved it. Service throughout our stay was excellent. Accommodation was attractive and simple. Nice gym with three exercise classes run each day and Ariel yoga by arrangement. We liked the fact that the site was very natural without umbrellas but with olive trees cordoned to create shade. The hotel is a twenty minute walk into town, where there are some pleasant bars and shops. Overall our experience was very positive and would thoroughly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a quiet stay.
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Ask about exercise classes and massage as this is not advertised in reception. Get to dinner early!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello! there is high quality coffee available at the hotel. There are also various alternatives at the beach/village of Agia Galini. Warm Greetings Marili Milolidaki Paralos Hospitality
Hello, please contact the hotel directly per email in order to be provided with all available options and prices. Warm Greetings Marili Milolidaki Paralos Hospitality
Hello, it is 2 hours and 15 minutes by car, so I guess it would be around 2 and a half to 3 hours by public buss. In general though, in order to discover the beauty of Crete, renting a car is definitely recommended. For more information you can contact the hotel directly per email. Warm Greetings Marili Milolidaki Paralos Hospitality
Hello, the hotel is bookable for families with kids. If you are interested in a child care program though, it is only available for reservations through Vamos Reisen due to their policy. Warm Greetings Marili Milolidaki Paralos Hospitality
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