Crete is one of the popular centers of world tourism. The historical monuments of ancient Greece, the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea and a developed entertainment industry attract many travelers who are open to a wide variety of hotels - from fashionable five-star palaces to modest budget hotels.
This article talks about the Ntanelis 2 * hotel in the small village of Analipsi (Crete).
Crete
Crete is a wonderful island at the sea crossroads between Asia, Africa and Europe, the birthplace of an ancient civilization.
Five thousand years ago it was here that Zeus was born, Europe appeared on a snow-white bull from the sea, the legendary Icarus soared into the sky, and the beautiful Ariadne helped Theseus pass the Labyrinth to defeat the terrible Minotaur.
Now hang gliders fly over the rocky shores of Crete, and in the mazes of shopping centers you can meet tourists from all over the world living in resort villages such as Analipsi.
Analipsi
The tourist village, where Ntanelis Hotel 2 * is located, is located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, near the capital of Crete - the city of Heraklion (24 km).
In the XIX century, the Ascension Church was built here, on which it is written in Greek: "Analipsi", that is, the Ascension. So the village got its name.
The resort industry began to develop here later than in other cities in Greece, so in this village there are still many traditional gardens and old cobbled streets where women with needlework gather on benches in the evenings and children play.
But closer to the center, one can already feel the breath of progress - hotels, offices of travel agencies, restaurants, boutiques and so on.
Sometimes the village is called Analipsi Hersonissa due to the proximity of the popular resort of Hersonissos.
Interesting places
In Crete, you can look at the archaeological site of the famous Labyrinth in Knossos or the ancient temples in Festus, visit the cave of Zeus or the Venetian castle in Rethymnon, take excursions to the Samaria Gorge, see the unique Lake Kournas, the Gramvousa Islands and many other interesting and very picturesque places.
Tourists living in the Ntanelis 2 hotel can travel to the largest cities of the island - Agios Nicholas, Rethymnon, Chania and, of course, Heraklion, where the treasures of the Minoan civilization are stored in ancient museums.
Climate, sea and beaches
The Mediterranean climate on the island of Crete is characterized by mild winters and warm summers (+ 20-30 ° C).
It rains mainly in the winter, and in the summer, humidity is felt only near the sea.
The swimming season here is from April to October. In November it is still warm (+20 0 ), you can walk, travel by car to the surrounding cities.
Many tourists are attracted by the clear sea, diving, windsurfing and water parks, which Greece is famous for. Ntanelis 2 * is located near the city beach, which can be reached by a special road among many shops and cafes.
The city beach offers free umbrellas and sunbeds. The bottom is quite rocky, sea urchins often come across . But near the neighboring hotel there is a beach with a sandy bottom - admission is free (but you need to pay for sunbeds and umbrellas).
Crete is a crossroads of winds located between three parts of the world, so there are often waves on its coast. Especially windy weather happens in August. Many people like this, for example, windsurfing enthusiasts.
For those who prefer swimming in calm waters, nature itself has created small bays - in particular, on the right side of Ntanelis Hotel 2 *.
Description
Hotel Ntanelis 2 * (also known by its old name - Danelis) is located on the second coastline, three hundred meters from the sea coast, consists of two four-story buildings with an elevator, built in 1990 and 1999 (the hotel was renovated in 2009) .
The buildings are finished in white and blue - this is a combination of colors characteristic of Greece, symbolizing the waves of the sea.
Below is a list of services that are offered in the hotel Ntanelis 2 * (Crete). The photo shows a general view of the hotel.
The hotel has an exchange office, a restaurant / cafe / bars, a conference room, a car rental service, a TV room, and a parking lot. Free internet in the lobby.
The following paid services are provided:
- billiards;
- room service;
- laundry;
- dry cleaning;
- taxi service;
- first-aid post.
On the territory of the hotel Ntanelis 2 * there is an outdoor freshwater pool.
Meals are organized on the principle of "all inclusive" and "half board". The restaurant offers special highchairs.
The hotel is surrounded by a green garden, there is a calm and quiet environment.
Ntanelis 2 * is conveniently located near the large resort of Hersonissos and the capital of the island of Heraklion. Nearby there is a bus stop (400 m), from where you can leave for any city in Crete.
Rooms
The hotel has 115 standard apartments.
The furnishings in the rooms are simple and modest, typical of economy class hotels.
The rooms are small but cozy, equipped with everything necessary. Each room has a balcony, a bathroom (including a shower), a TV with Russian-language channels (fixed unusually high), a refrigerator and a telephone. There is no hairdryer in the rooms.
The Ntanelis 2 * rooms (Crete, Analipsi) are thoroughly cleaned daily, bed linen is changed every three days, towels are changed every day.
Air conditioning is available for a fee.
The hotel staff speaks Greek, English and Russian, always ready to help in solving any problems.
Nutrition
Breakfast includes bread, vegetables, a cheese and sausage, yogurt, as well as scrambled eggs, marmalade pancakes, cereals, milk, coffee, cocoa and tea.
For lunch, one meat dish and several types of side dishes and salads are served.
Dinner consists of 2-3 meat dishes, stewed vegetables, fish and various casseroles.
Fruit set - watermelon, melon, oranges (for each day there is one thing).
Drinks - water, sprite, cola, beer, wine. There are no juices.
For guests who have paid for meals under the All Inclusive program, any drinks are provided free of charge from 8.00 to 23.00.
The half board program does not provide free drinks - so you have to pay for everything, even for water.
Meat dishes are prepared from chicken, lamb and pork. There is no beef. Seafood is also not included in the mandatory menu - dishes from mussels, shrimp or squid can be ordered separately.
Greek cuisine is characterized by abundant use of vinegar and olive oil - this should also be taken into account.
Leisure
There is no animation, discos are rare. A large selection of entertainment can be found in the neighboring resort town - Hersonissos, which is a recognized center of youth recreation.
At the hotel you can buy sightseeing tours in the Samarya Gorge, on the islands of Santorini and Balos, as well as in the museums of Heraklion.
An excellent form of leisure is independent trips by a rented car. Many tourists go to the beach in the morning, and after lunch they go for car rides, returning to the hotel in the evening and leaving the car in the parking lot.
You can drive a car under the customary rights of the Russian Federation.
Available excursions
Near the hotel there is a bus stop where you can go on independent excursions (both cheaper and freer). Here are some bus routes:
- 10 - the ethnographic village of Apolitos in the vicinity of Heraklion (Cretan evenings on Wednesdays);
- 13 and 14 - Dulufakis winery (with a tasting, which can be booked by phone +30 2810 79 20 17);
- 15 and 16 - ceramic workshop Pitarokilis (you can do something with your own hands);
- 18 - Ethnographic Museum Lychnostatis;
- 18 - Labyrinth Park (game labyrinth, archery, minigolf and much more for adults and children).
Prices
The cost of living in Ntanelis Hotel 2 * is small (from 13 500 rubles for two for seven days). However, it is difficult to name the exact price, since it depends on various factors: time of year, schedule of charter flights, occupancy of rooms and general demand for trips to Greece.
More precisely, we can talk about the cost of services, products and travel.
Air conditioning in the room - 6 euros.
A liter bottle of still water in local stores - 0.5 euros.
Lunch in the tavern - 5-10 euros per person. A cup of great coffee - 1 euro.
Buses (ticket per passenger):
- 1.6 euros to Hersonissos;
- 2.4 euros to Heraklion;
- 4.2 euros to the city of Agios Nicholas.
The cost of car rental depends on the brand, insurance, mileage and so on. For example, renting a Peugeot 107 car costs 120 euros for 5 days.
Many tourists with children come for the sake of swimming in Crete. Ntanelis 2 * is located near the city beach, but swimming is better in the territory of the neighboring hotel, where umbrellas and sunbeds cost about 6 euros.
Reviews
When planning a trip, it is always useful to know the opinions of tourists who lived in the Ntanelis 2 * hotel. Reviews vary depending on the characteristics of the character, individual requirements for the level of comfort, and so on.
In any case, one should not forget that this is just a two-star hotel, designed for a budget holiday.
The island has a very welcoming atmosphere, the locals are sociable and friendly, they treat tourists warmly and respectfully, not considering them only as a source of income (as in Egypt, for example).
Many people speak Russian. Therefore, Russian tourists feel great in shops, restaurants and museums.
On the beaches of Analipsi there are not as many people as in other more well-known resorts. There is more space in the sea, and places in the sand.
It is important to know information about the living conditions at the Ntanelis 2 * hotel. Reviews are mostly positive about him. The rooms are clean, daily cleaning is carried out in full, bed linen is changed twice a week.
The pool is not very big, but also very clean. On the territory around the buildings there is a lot of greenery, pomegranates, spruce, ficus and flowers grow.
The windows of the restaurant overlook the sea. They cook here deliciously, fresh food.
It should be noted the good location of the hotel Ntanelis 2 * (Crete, Analipsi). Reviews prove the hotel’s successful location in a quiet and peaceful place, but at the same time, close to the airport, the sea, shops and major resorts and cities.
Many tourists say that if you plan a lot of trips around the island, then it makes no sense to pay for an expensive hotel, which they will return only at night. Therefore, Ntanelis 2 is a great example of a great combination of price and quality.
Some tourists did not like their stay at the Ntanelis 2 * hotel (Crete). Reviews contain complaints about uniform food and lack of cakes.
In addition, there are high waves and rocky beaches on the free beach.
Often tourists are faced with the fact that in the rooms and on the territory there are many mosquitoes.
Many are not satisfied with poor sound insulation - every word is heard from neighboring rooms.
Young people do not like the too quiet atmosphere of the Ntanelis 2 * hotel. Reviews include complaints about the lack of animation and discos.
There are problems with Internet access, which is available only in the lobby, so it is very difficult to connect when a lot of people gather in the lobby (insufficient channel width).
Travel Tips
Going to Analipsi, you need to take the following with you:
- funds from mosquitoes;
- tea and coffee bags;
- laptop and flash drive with movies, books and games;
- special shoes for the beach;
- beach towels (the hotel does not give out).
To diversify the food, you can dine in cafes and taverns, as well as buy fruits and sweets at the local market or in large stores (cheaper there). There are a lot of small shops in Analipsi specifically for tourists (with a corresponding mark-up), but not far from the bus stop there is a supermarket "Europe" with a large assortment and affordable prices.
You don’t have to pay for air conditioning - it’s better to do without it. After 1-2 days, the body gets used to the surrounding temperature, so the heat is no longer felt. In addition, air conditioning often contributes to colds.
Do not buy tours from tour operators. Along the promenade are many local agencies where you can buy the same thing several times cheaper. They will also advise a good guide who speaks Russian.
Car rental is a great opportunity to independently organize leisure and reduce sightseeing expenses. You can rent a car not only at the hotel, but also at many points along the coast.
It is not recommended to book a car on the Internet (by e-mail correspondence with any local agency). It is better to come and take the car on the spot.
Conclusion
Hotel Ntanelis 2 * is unlikely to suit those who are used to relaxing in five-star hotels. It is intended for budget holidays and active tourists who can entertain themselves, and therefore prefer to spend money on travel and new experiences, rather than silk sheets and animators.
In general, the hotel complex Ntanelis 2 * fully justifies its two stars. For relatively little money, you can get the necessary level of service and the opportunity to see a lot of interesting things.