We booked our room at Inotropes hotel at the last minute and I am so glad we did. It was a random selection for a place to stay but the experience was anything but random. Everything about our 3 night stay at this hotel was amazing. Archanes is a beautiful little village in the mountains surrounded my Olive groves and wineries. There is so much to do here and explore. You are just outside of Heraklion, and within driving distance to the southern coast of Crete. In between you will find hilltop villages, hiking routes, Minoan ruins, and wonderful places to eat or stop for treats.
The hotel:
Lovely small hotel with a few rooms. The owner Efi has done a fantastic job in renewing this old, family owned structure into a luxury boutique hotel. The rooms are beautiful and comfortable with everything you need. I slept like a baby on the bed! The shared areas included patios with tables, an indoor living room, and a kitchen/tasting room area downstairs. If there was anything we needed Efi and the other staff were available right away to help out. We enjoyed our breakfast on the outdoor patio every morning in the sun with the smells of blooming flowers and the sound of birds!
Things to do:
The hotel is right in the heart of the village. Walking distance to many Tavernas, wine bars, museums, and hiking trails at Mt. Juktas and Forest Fourni.
Efi set us up for a private wine tasting the first night. We tasted a variety of local wines from the area and learned about varietals native to Crete. I would highly recommend the wine tasting.
We also did the 4 hour walking tour of Archanes which included a trip to the archeological museum, a soap making demonstration at an all-natural botanical cosmetics shop called Myrro, and a visit to a weaving shop. I got the opportunity to try out a VERY old weaving loom!
Don’t hesitate to book a room at Inotropes hotel. You wont regret it! Worth every penny and more!