Minois Boutique Hotel, Stalis, Crete

Review Rating: 5+/5

Website: https://minoishotel.gr/

Date of Visit: August 2022

Introduction

Sometimes, when you book a hotel, you get lucky. Other times, as with Minois Boutique Hotel, you get really, really lucky. Of all the places I’ve stayed at across many years of travelling, this hotel has to be one of the best, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Location

Nestled into the lower hills that stretch across most of northeastern Crete, the location of Minois Boutique hotel has both positives and negatives: its elevated position gives superb views across Stalis Bay as well as being in a quieter area, free from passing traffic and pedestrians; however, this seclusion comes at the cost of a moderately steep uphill walk. Not so bad for a lazy evening stroll after a delicious meal in the resort centre, less fun in the heat of the midday summer sun. It’s not a long journey, perhaps 10-15 minutes from the seafront, but it’s worth bearing it in mind before you book.

Rooms

The rooms are a real highlight. Furnished to a high standard (think Mykonos or Santorini boutique), they’re spacious and very well equipped: a Nespresso coffee machine, modern fridge, hairdryer, large sink and vanity area, huge shower and very comfortable beds. The air conditioning is quiet and powerful.

I can speak with confidence about the rooms as I actually spent two separate weeks at the hotel (one week on either side of a stay in Malia. In the second week, I switched rooms to fit around their existing bookings. In total, I stayed in 3 separate rooms, all of which were of an equally high standard of comfort and cleanliness.

Service

Another tick in the box for Minois Boutique is the staff. Michail and his team are so friendly and welcoming, nothing is too much trouble. The rooms are cleaned daily by a fast and efficient maid service, and there’s always someone around during the day to serve delicious drinks and snacks from the bar.

Facilities

The hotel boasts its own pool, which, though a bit small for swimming, is more than sufficient to cool off after sunbathing on one of the many comfortable sunbeds surrounding it. As the hotel is relatively small, the size of the pool and number of sunbeds is just about sufficient, though I did experience a few occasions where no beds were available. Depending on the time of day, the sunbeds can also become shaded behind the building, which leaves sunbathing spots at a premium.

Food and Dining

I’ve saved the best bit for last: the food! I’ve eaten my fair share of hotel buffets, but never have I seen a breakfast selection as fresh and tasty as this:

Every day there’s a vast selection of fresh fruit, cheeses, yoghurt, meats, pastries, bread, juices, fresh fruit smoothies, water, tea and excellent coffee.

It might sound sad, but the breakfasts were so good that I was excited to get out of bed each morning to go downstairs and eat some delicious food!

There is no restaurant for evening meals, but bar service is available during the day, serving drinks and snack foods – I had the club sandwich several times, and it was one of the best I’ve eaten anywhere in Greece.

Price

Given the positive sentiment of the review, you might expect all this to come at a huge premium in terms of cost. However, despite my visit coinciding with the height of peak season (mid-August), the average room rate across both weeks was a shade over €60 per night. It is not cheap by Crete standards, but it represents excellent value.

Overall Experience

Thinking back to when I booked Minois Boutique Hotel, my biggest concern was the location and size of the single rooms. Neither turned out to be an issue, though I would caution anyone with mobility issues against booking due to the steepness of the hill the hotel sits on. The rooms, however, were superb, and even the single room was big enough for one person to spend a comfortable week or two.

Conclusions

As I’ve already mentioned, this is easily one of the best hotels I’ve enjoyed staying at. So much so that I booked a second week here to fill up some spare time I had on Crete. The rate I paid was very competitive, too, which made the experience even better. If you’re considering visiting Stalis and looking for somewhere on the more luxurious end of the scale but don’t want to pay over the odds, this is where I’d choose.

Links

Find more Crete Accommodation or check out our Crete Island Guide.