Eating
During your stay at Eleonas, we are quite sure that you will love the food, which is prepared from mostly home-grown produce and a large variety of pure, local products, especially olive oil (own production), which is used in almost all the dishes.
Eleonas taverna is quite popular with Greeks from across the island especially in Winter, and you can either eat inside during Winter and a few days in springtime next to the fireplace or Summer on the lovely stone terrace surrounded by olive trees and flowers ... enjoying nature.
Buffet Breakfast Includes (open 08:00-10:30 a.m. every morning): fresh bread every morning, carob cookies, multigrain cookies, homemade cake, mini croissant, cornflakes, Muesli, Porridge, local thyme honey, carob honey, homemade jams, fresh orange juice (For all season’s), fresh fruits (apples, pears, kiwi, carrots) and a juicer to make fresh juice, homemade peach compote from our garden and fresh peach juice, local cheeses, kefalotyri, graviera, feta, anthotyros, tyrozouli, local yogurt, cold cuts (turkey smoked and boiled ham), fresh tomatoes, grated tomato, cucumber, olives olive oil, fried eggs, scrambled eggs and boiled, variety of local pies (different every day) cheese pie, leek pie, pepper pie, spinach pie, mushroom pie, local honey buns, tiropsomo (bread with cheese, tomato onions, peppers, and olives ), coffee, mountain tea, and variety of 15 different teas
Lunch and dinner meals feature authentic Cretan cuisine with a variety of fresh dishes: lamb in the stove, rooster in wine sauce, chicken with sage, rabbit stifado (rabbit with onions and spices), lamb stamnagathi (lamb with a wild mountain herb), pork with leek, chicken with olives and more. The olive oil, raki, wine, milk, cheese, eggs, and vegetables, plus some of the meat, are all from the farm.
HALF BOARD - ADULTS :
Homemade bread, olives, oregano, olive oil with herbs
Appetizer (choice from 15 different appetizers )
Main dish (choose from 3 different day dishes )
Water
Dessert: fresh fruits, sweet and raki
HALF BOARD CHILDREN :
Appetizer (choice from 15 different appetizers )
Day dish or Grilled burger with French fries and salad or Chicken fillet with French fries and salad or Macaroni with tomato sauce
Dessert: fresh fruits or sweets
Water
** Dinner is served at the restaurant, the fresh local food is cooked only with olive oil. Many different choices every day.
** Drinks not include
Each cottage has a small kitchenette with a hot plate, basic crockery, and a fridge-mini bar (stocked with wine, beer, fizzy drinks, and mineral water at quite reasonable prices. Upon your arrival, you’ll find a welcome (Cretan hospitality) of raki, some Greek coffee, Greek mountain tea, and some fruits. The kitchenettes are quite useful to prepare snacks and coffee, not meals and families will find them quite useful.
Eat out ... plenty of options around the lake (fresh trout from the lake is delicious) or at the village of Zaros.
Kids
A lovely small hotel especially for families, as the cottages have simple kitchenettes and sofa beds in the living room for extra sleeping space. The outdoor pool and small farm animals are going to amuse them.
All ages are welcome at Eleonas Traditional Hotel but most suitable for children 4-12 years old. Good to know that as Eleonas is built on a hill there are plenty of steps.
Babysitting is available on request for an extra fee.
We'd recommend the Cottage with an attic if you're a family of 3 people or a Family Apartment, with separate bedrooms for children and parents, for families of 4 or more people.
Activities
- Enjoy the large pool of Eleonas Country Village with plenty of terraces to recline and sunbathe beside it or maybe reading a book.
- Join a cookery demonstration (4-12 people) to learn about local cheese making and how to bake bread, pita (pies), and other traditional Cretan dishes.
- Children can visit and help feed Eleonas’ farm animals, including goats, chickens, horses, and rabbits. There is a playground for small friends too.
- A small walk to Lake of Zaros, or hike up the Gorge of St Nicholas - an easy enough 2-hour walk, following a path and clambering over rocks in parts. More experienced hikers might continue up a steep path to Rouvas Forest and the Church of Agios Giannis. Manolis at the reception could provide you with a map ( and with 6 others signposted paths).
- 6 days hiking around Eleonas country village at Zaros Village
- Individual Walks for Orchids in Zaros by Eleonas Country Village
- Hire a mountain bike (get again a map from the reception) and head your way through the old olive groves to Zaros (1.5km), a lovely small rustic Cretan village famous for its natural spring water and of course a fabulous location at the foot of Mountain Psiloritis.
- Visit the second most important archaeological site of Phaestos just 18km away from where the ruins of a Minoan palace date back to 1600BC, or Gortys (13km), which incorporates Greek temples, a Roman forum and amphitheater, and a Byzantine basilica
- Enjoy a full day in Heraklion Town, explore the pedestrian-only old town, walk all the way on the promenade of Koules Venetian fortress, and visit the superb Archaeological Museum (unfortunately partially closed) and the Crete Historical Museum
- Head to Crete’s stunning south coast, which gives onto the Libyan Sea and enjoy your swimming at Matala Beach (maybe you already have heard about hippies), the long sandy beach of Kommos, the sandy cliffs of Agios Pavlos or a bit further Triopetra and Ligres Beach.
- More uplifting activities in Central Crete.
House Rules
- Check-in: 14.00 pm
- Check out: 12.00 pm
- Minimum Stay:
4 nights, depending on the season
For the ‘’Two Bedrooms Mezzanine cottage’’ - Minimum stay are 5 nights.
For the ‘’ Suites with private pools and Cottages with Hot Tub ‘’ - Minimum stay are 7 nights
[ Reservations and requests upon availability for fewer days than above minimum stay policy, there is an additional charge of +10 % from the displayed rates. ]
- Reception working hours 08:00 am -22:00 p.m. (Estimated time of arrival is necessary)
- Payment Policy:
Credit card details (Visa or MasterCard) are required to charge the total amount in order to confirm reservation.
The total amount will be charged 25 days before your arrival date.
Cancellation Policies:
- For all Season’s Between 1 – 13 days prior to arrival date, 50% of the total stay cost is charged.
- For all Seasons between 14-21 days prior to arrival date, 30% of the total stay cost is charged.
- Non show in all seasons: 100% of the total stay is charged.
Cancellation Policy for Suites with private pool and Hot Tubs :
- For all Season’s Between 1 – 13 days prior to arrival date, 50% of the total stay cost is charged.
- For all Season’s Between 14 – 30 days prior to arrival date, 30% of the total stay cost is charged.
- Non show in all seasons: 100% of the total stay is charged.
MHTE: 1039K013A0005701
How To Get There
Eleonas is built on the southern slopes of Mt Psiloritis, 1.5km outside the peaceful village of Zaros, and 42km southwest of Crete’s capital, Heraklion.
- By Air
From May through mid-October there are direct charter flights to Heraklion (46km) or Chania (142km). Tickets can be bought in advance for almost all flights via our partner website.
- By Sea
The journey is the thing". A superb way of enjoying the journey to Crete is to fly to Athens and take the ferry from Piraeus (Pireas) - the port serving Athens. A still-romantic way to travel by the overnight ferry from Piraeus to Heraklion Port (46km). Tickets can be bought in advance for all ferries via our partner website.
- By Car
If you want to explore the region while you're here, we recommend that you rent a car, other means of transport are limited and/or infrequent. We suggest our sister website Crete-Car-Rental.com, which offers competitive prices and you can collect your car at either airport.
- By Taxi
Book your taxi transfer online easily and safely from the airport or port to any location via our partner website.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through CreteTravel.com
Facilities
- Dining: Eleonas Hotel delicious restaurant serving rich buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner based on local products
- Internet Access: Free WiFi throughout and an internet corner with a guest computer, opposite reception
- Swimming Pool: Two adjoining outdoor pools (adults' 100m2 kids' 12m2) with poolside bar, open to guests of Eleonas only. Pool towels are provided on an extra cost of 1 euro. The pool is outdoors and the water temperature is between 25-28 degrees. Main Pool and Children pool (Heated from 01/04 - 15/06 & 15/09 - 10/11 ( temperature 26-28 C). New! 2nd Pool, Quiet zone for Adults only and persons over 16 years old. (open since 07/07/2019 )
- Spa Treatments: Massage available on request
- Sports: Outside area with fitness equipment, Outdoor Table Tennis, Billiards, Mountain Bikes for hire
- Meetings: The taverna has a mezzanine level which could be arranged to provide a meeting space. Catering is also possible
- Disabled Access: The biggest cottages are also suitable for disabled people. Please contact us for further information
- Pets: Small Pets are welcome
- Languages Spoken: Greek, English
- Parking: Private parking place
- Air-condition: Air Conditioning for the summertime. Central heating and fireplace for the Winter
- Good to know: There is a small shop area next to the restaurant, selling locally-produced olive oil-based cosmetics and herbal teas
