Monastery Estate Retreat

We were initially disappointed to hear a week before arrival that the honeymoon suite was unavailable due to repairs, but what followed was nothing short of wonderful. Our replacement room was beautiful, and the moment we saw those dramatic, serene mountain views, any lingering "what ifs" melted away. It’s the perfect escape to slow down and breathe. Even the winding, adventure-filled drive there makes the arrival feel earned. The food was another major highlight with fresh, healthy breakfasts and deeply satisfying dinners. The sauna was incredibly relaxing. But what truly made our week were the people. The staff immediately made us feel genuinely welcomed. Theano went above and beyond to ensure we felt special and well looked after (more than making up for the suite situation). Joanna brought a warm, genuine smile to every dining experience. Last but not least, Maria was wonderfully sparkly, laugh-out-loud funny with a lovely touch of sassiness and gave the best local recommendations. The Monastery Estate Mountain Retreat quietly exceeded our expectations in the way only soulful places can. Highly recommended!

Sadly it is currently a building site. It is difficult to enjoy a place when all you can hear are noisy machines and workmen banging. My room wasn't ready when I arrived so I was made to move part way through my holiday. My terrace was overlooked by workmen on scaffolding so I couldn't relax outside. The room had poor sound proofing and every morning I was woken just before 7am to the noise of reception/cleaning staff arriving. The advertised daily spa service was closed for the whole time I was there. The advertised garden and bar do not exist. The advertised peaceful retreat does not exist. However, Maria and Joanna on reception were very friendly and welcoming and my room was kept spotlessly clean. The surrounding countryside is beautiful and there is a friendly taverna in the village.

Our visit was absolutely great! The room they gave us was amazing with great views! The service from everyone was really great! We will come back again in the future for sure!

We had a phenomenal stay here. Complete luxury. Beautiful private rooms, with amazing terrace area with private pool. Food served to your room was fantastic quality. The staff could not do more for you, we were even brought complimentary wine to our room when our evening meal took slightly longer than expected. Reception staff gave great recommendations of where to go/explore/eat. Overall an amazing relaxing stay in a gorgeous location with lovely staff who are a credit to the hotel.

To say that our stay here was excellent is truly an understatement. Crete was more than I could have ever dreamed of, and this hotel played a huge part in that. The drive to the hotel is definitely not the easiest drive, but it is so worth it (very windy road up and down the mountain, it is all paved and there are guardrails but very little light at night). Being in the mountains and away from the city was so quiet and relaxing and the town in the area felt so authentic and non-touristy, it was exactly what we were looking for! The staff were so friendly and were always attentive and making sure we had everything we needed. The staff recommended two restaurants (they actually recommended more than two, but we were only able to try 2 of them), and they were the two best meals we had during our 2-week stay in Greece. The hotel was very clean, and the room was excellent, we were actually offered an upgrade upon arrival. The pool was so refreshing, and the bed was extremely comfortable. As for being walkable/drivable, there is a restaurant in walking distance that was amazing. And the town of Sougia is just a short 5–10-minute drive down the road and is 100% worth the short drive. Chania is about 1.5-2-hour drive, and because it is through the mountain it will take every bit of that time and be on a lookout for goats. And Heraklion is about 3.5-4-hour drive. Thank you so much for our stay here it was amazing! We look forward to returning to Crete and staying here again.