Of course, we at TennisTraveller also take vacations. And naturally, some of those vacations are spent at tennis hotels. Just two weeks ago, our colleague Annette and her family spent their summer vacation at the Kalimera Kriti Hotel & Village tennis hotel in Crete – for the second time! Because it was so beautiful and relaxing there, and there's so much new information to share, we absolutely have to share our personal travel tip with you. Annette will take you along to northeastern Crete. And guess what? She'd love to hop on a plane right now! Why? Just read Annette's travel report and the answer will become clear!
The Kalimera Kriti Hotel & Village Resort has been around for 30 years now. Eighteen years ago, on the recommendation of my tennis-loving brother-in-law, we went for the first time. Back then, we had our five-year-old firstborn and visited the mini-club and the mini-disco in the evenings. Since then, we've always longed for those relaxing holidays there, so we've now returned to the Kalimera six times, first with one child, then with two, at longer intervals. Our longing was rekindled after several friends, on our recommendation, spent their holidays there in April and July and raved about it so much that, combined with our own many wonderful memories, another summer holiday there this year was a no-brainer for us.
Kalimera Kriti is located a half-hour drive from Heraklion Airport. What makes it unique is that the 240,000 sq m resort stretches across its own private bay with several beaches. No other hotels are visible for miles around. In the distance, you can only see the nearby fishing village of Sissi and the surrounding landscape of beautiful hills.
The water of the Cretan Sea here is crystal clear. Simply magnificent! The view of the beach and sea allows you to drift off into a wonderful, relaxing state.
View from the beach to the right....
...and to the left
Our favorite shady spot
The hotel complex, next to the main building, is designed to resemble a Cretan village. This provides consistently beautiful views in all directions.
Well-tended little gardens are laid out throughout the "Cretan village".
Although the resort has nearly 400 rooms, you never feel cramped, either physically or socially. Even the pools were never crowded. With complimentary sun loungers and parasols, you can relax – besides on the beaches – either in the almost deserted adults-only pool or at another large pool where I started each morning with the offered water aerobics. Water polo is also played there in the afternoons.
In addition, there are two separate children's pools directly behind the mini-club, as well as an indoor swimming pool and a spa area.
The majority of guests opt for half board. Full board is also available. On the terrace of the Artemis restaurant, we enjoyed a magnificent view of the resort and the sea for breakfast and dinner. Breakfast features a generous buffet with freshly prepared egg dishes, pancakes and crepes, fruit, and much more – leaving nothing to be desired.
The evening buffet features a daily changing international theme and also offers a huge selection of delicious dishes, including grill stations with various fish and meats, vegetable dishes, salads, appetizers, and desserts. For those who would like lunch, a snack, or ice cream at midday or in between meals, there is a charming little taverna right by the sea or the beach bar.
With so many culinary delights, it's all the better that the hotel offers a comprehensive range of sports activities. Every morning and late morning there's a Body & Mind program with yoga and workouts, as well as beach volleyball and water aerobics. In the afternoons, we had a lot of fun playing water polo, beach volleyball, and soccer. In the evenings, a varied program invites you to the main bar to end the day in a relaxed atmosphere.
The Patricio World Class Tennis Center, completed in April 2023 by Patricio Travel, is simply fantastic! With 20 clay courts, six artificial grass courts, and two padel courts (three more are planned), an indoor and outdoor fitness center, and a tennis shop, it's truly superb! The courts are in top condition. The complex is terraced, offering views of individual courts from above and the sea simultaneously. Heavenly! The Patricio Checkpoint Tennis Academy (PCT) offers a variety of tennis courses, programs, and camps. It's also ideal for larger tennis groups, with or without their own coaches. You can even have your rackets restrung in the shop.
You can book a variety of excursions directly at the hotel reception. There are informative discovery tours to historical cities and Cretan villages and the Lasithi Plateau, hikes and jeep safaris, such as to the Samaria Gorge, and boat trips. A particular highlight is a trip to the former leper colony of Spinalonga, which was home to one of the last European leper colonies until the 1960s (suitable holiday reading on this topic is the novel "The Island of the Forgotten" by Victoria Hislop).
The region is steeped in history. In about 35 minutes you can reach the Minoan palace of Knossos, where, according to Homer, the legendary King Minos had the labyrinth built to hide his son Minotaur – half bull, half man.
TennisTraveller employee Annette
Pictures speak louder than words… but it's even more beautiful there than in the photos. You simply have to experience it for yourself! The best thing to do is go there and see for yourself!
With its new Patricio tennis facility, Kalimera Kriti is the perfect tennis holiday destination for all tennis enthusiasts, families, and groups of all sizes. The hotel is ideally suited for all age groups and family configurations.
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