Gorgolaini, Heraklion hotel rooms at the Independent

"We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Mitsis Selection Laguna (family of 4 including 2 kids 10 and under). The resort was clean, well organized, plenty of food and drink options and conviently located. We really appreciated the a-la-carte restaurant dinners/lunches where food is cooked to order, served steaming hot and delicious. The resort was easily able to accomodate 3 families who traveled together(9 people) during meals with large family tables that seat up to 10 people at the buffet (a nice touch for large groups to dine together). The drinks were well prepared. Staff was extremely helpful and efficient. All around the experience was excellent and left us with an great impression of the Mitsis brand. We are very likely to consider staying at a Mitsis hotel in the future."

"Beautiful hotel, luxury stay close to everything, with great view and unbelievable breakfast!"

"Rooms were spacious and had everything we needed. All the staff were so lovely and helpful. Most of all the food was amazing. "

"Everything about this hotel was excellent from beginning to end. Check-in and check-out were smooth and convenient; staff were very welcoming. Our family suite was wonderful. We even got a free upgrade to a room with an ocean view! The pools were amazing, water was clean and warm. Sun beds were always available, albeit not necessarily directly in front of the pool in the first row. We didn’t mind because we were travelling with our kids who are teenagers. The food at the buffet was varied, plentiful and delicious. We ate at Imperial Sakura and Kafeino and had a fantastic meal served to us each time. The snack bars also offer a diverse selection from the coveted gyros to burgers and sandwiches, salads, pizza, and fish. Yes, there are a lot of stairs at the hotel and yes, you do have to walk down and up a small hill to get to the ocean beaches. For someone with limited mobility, this may be an issue. Otherwise, we took it as great exercise, even in the Cretan heat and sunshine! Overall, it was a fabulous stay and we would not hesitate to recommend the Belverdere to others. "

"The property is very well maintained and the staff are excellent. The food and beverage manager in particular is one of the hardest working hotel staff members we have ever seen! There is a great variety of food at the buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with items labeled for allergens, which is very much appreciated for guests with food allergies. The Taverna by the beach is a casual, relaxing place to have lunch. The beach is large and there are enough loungers to accommodate guests. Overall, we would highly recommend this resort, especially for families with younger or older children."

"Lovely property. Excellent swim up rooms and clean hotel with good selection of drinks. Our only honest criticism would be the quality of buffet food and range of Greek food which was lacking. The kids pool is substandard and not to the same quality as the pools and facilities elsewhere. Other than that, we had a lovely time and would still return. "

"Fantastic property and friendly staff. We had paid the half board with breakfasts and dinners. The food was beyond expectations. It was fresh and delicious. Thank you!"

"This was a 1 night stay prior to a longer booking, in a basic room. I was also here last year. Don’t be scared of a solo trip, the people are fantastic and you will be made to feel very welcome and not alone. The guests are hit and miss, some are a bit rowdy, some doing photo shoots the whole time but it’s easy to find some quiet space. Most are couples in their 30s. The rooms are soundproofed, I stayed on a top floor and couldn’t hear any neighbours which was a relief, food is fantastic but large portions. All inclusive is a must so that you can relax and let the wonderful people bring you drinks and snacks. I had a wonderful massage to start my trip, and a meal in the lovely Greek restaurant. Outside gym has some really cool equipment. I think the resort is non smoking, which is a relief as many Greek people smoke (there are mostly English people here), there are a lot of vapers. I travel to 5 star hotels for work, and I cannot say enough good things about the staff here, they are without exception friendly and helpful and in a resort like this, they make the difference between a 5 star trip and a less decent holiday. I will definitely return next year. I also stayed in the grand bungalow which was easily the best hotel room I’ve ever stayed in. I’d advise anyone to book a swim up room at least, to avoid sunbed wars at the pool. "