Despite its relatively small size, Crete surprises tourists with a variety of resorts. One of them is the picturesque Gournes, located 18 km east of Heraklion and 12 km from the nearest international airport. The first mention of the town, which now lives a little more than 1.6 thousand people, refers to 1583 Resort village attracts foreign tourists with five main features:
- calm rhythm of life;
- clean beaches covered with colorful sand;
- remains of ancient structures dating back to the Minoan era;
- the modest beauty of Cretan nature;
- clean air, impregnated with mountain, coniferous and marine aromas.
In Gournes is the famous CretAquarium – an aquarium, considered the largest in the countries of Southern Europe. In a quiet compact resort, surrounded by high hills and olive groves, and in its vicinity, the doors of 37 hotels are open to foreign tourists. Almost all of them are different in capacity of the villa. Of the hotels of the resort, nine hotels stand out, which are highly appreciated by experts and ordinary vacationers.
Endless Blue Villa
About 800 m west of the Cretan Aquarium on the sea coast is a villa with the romantic name “Endless Blueness”. Endless Blue Villa has everything you need for a comfortable stay for fans of a relaxing pastime:
- two spacious bedrooms;
- living room with dining and kitchen areas;
- a spacious balcony and a small terrace, from where you can clearly see the Aegean Sea;
- fireplace, furniture, crockery and electrical appliances, including air conditioning and TV.
The total area of the premises is 65 sq. m. The villa will suit couples, parents with children over 10 years old and travelers who appreciate home comfort and privacy. From the sea coast, the hotel is only 9 m away, from Endless Blue to Gouves – the nearest equipped beach – 2.1 km.
Guests can prepare their own breakfasts in the kitchen, which includes a modern electric stove with oven. In the village near the hotel there are several cafes and taverns where you can dine and dine for a reasonable fee:
- Minas;
- Sense;
- Liogerma;
- Ambrosia.
Review. Alina Gordeeva, Rostov-on-Don. In Gournes rested on the advice of friends. Quiet, clean, atmospheric. Villa Endless Blue was chosen by chance. Two advantages played in its favor: the proximity of the sea and the opportunity to relax at home. Breakfasts were prepared in the kitchen corner. We had lunch and dinner in the village. The choice of places is small, but we really liked a few taverns. Three times we went to Heraklion, which can be quickly reached by local bus. We were in the Cretan Aquarium, which is located near the hotel. Our hosts are very nice people. We recommend Endless Blue to all those who want to live in a relaxed atmosphere near the beautiful sea.
Villa Michael
To the east of the center of Gournes is a cozy two-storey villa “Mikael”. About 600 m separate the hotel Villa Michael from the well-groomed beach, stretching a long strip north of the hotel. The design of the facade of the building and interior is made in white tones, which gives the whole building a sense of lightness and visually expands the space of the courtyard and premises.
The total area of the villa rooms is 190 sq. m. The hotel includes 4 bedrooms, a living room with an elegant fireplace and two bathrooms with a shower. Guests can arrange meals in the equipped kitchen, which includes a microwave, stove, dishwasher and washing machine.
The green area is fenced with a stone fence. In the courtyard there is a small rectangular pool, around which there are several sun loungers. Near the villa “Mikael” there are objects that are interesting for the guests of the resort:
- taverns: Pita, Basilico and Thivoli;
- Church of Elijah the Prophet;
- planetarium;
- Dinosaur Park is an entertainment center with models of ancient lizards;
- Sole Summer Wear is a clothing store.
Review. Ekaterina Shablenko, Vologda. Michael is a very cozy villa located on the eastern outskirts of Gournes. For a relaxing holiday there is everything you need: barbecue area, swimming pool, summer terrace, small garden. The beach is easily accessible through the streets of the village. I rested with my husband. We got acquainted with northern Crete, drove a rented car. Therefore, it was also important for us that the hotel has private parking, and free of charge. Service for the “five”. Quiet and peaceful both in the villa and in the village.
Beautiful Villa in Gouves
2.52 km east of the center of Gournes is the“Beautiful Villa in Gouves”. So you can translate the name of a small hotel with a view of the sea. Gouves is both a resort village and a beach located 194 m north of the villa. The total area of all rooms of the hotel is 170 sq. m. Beautiful Villa in Gouves includes:
- furnished living area;
- three comfortable bathrooms;
- spacious kitchen with utensils and equipment necessary for cooking;
- dining area with a table for six guests;
- a cozy terrace, from where you can look at the colorful seascapes for a long time.
Next to the villa there is a small street parking. Guests can prepare their own meals in the kitchen. Not far from the villa there are several objects that may be of interest to vacationers:
- yacht club;
- center of sports entertainment on the water;
- three bars; the most popular of them is The Guinness House;
- taverns and cafes: Kyknos Family, Knossos Greek, Sevastakis and Zorbas.
Review. Valery Matveev, Bryansk. My wife and I and our friends β a married couple β were looking for a cozy hotel in a quiet location in Crete. Beautiful Villa in Gouves was quite in line with our wishes. Very cozy well furnished bedrooms. The bathroom is small but clean, everything you need is at hand. Women especially liked the spacious kitchen with a huge refrigerator. All evenings were spent in conversations on a cozy terrace. Very beautiful views: colorful sea, coast, yachts sailing past the shore. If any of the tourists want to feel the romantic atmosphere, then “Beautiful Villa in Gouves” is 100% suitable for this purpose.
Villa Living E-motion
820 m west of the Cretan Aquarium lies the “possessions” of the Villa Living E-motion. The four-storey building looks like a small luxury hotel with a spacious courtyard and a green area on which tall branching palm trees grow. The villa includes several rooms, the total area of which is 595 sq. m:
- kitchen, equipped with the most modern equipment;
- terrace with several tables;
- 6 bathrooms with showers;
- 7 spacious furnished bedrooms;
- living room, combined with dining room.
In the courtyard there is a large swimming pool, around which there are several comfortable sun loungers. There is also a seating area with a soft sofa and armchairs. In the evenings, the villa building and the courtyard area are illuminated by bright lanterns.
Living E-motion is an ideal villa for tourists who appreciate comfort, magnificent design of rooms and quality service. Not far from the hotel for lovers of Cretan dishes and wine open the doors of three cozy taverns:
- Kootas;
- Albatros;
Fans of outdoor activities can use the services of instructors of “Horizon” – a diving center located near the villa. In the vicinity of the hotel there is also a supermarket and car rental. The distance from the villa to the beach strip, evenly covered with yellowish sand, is about 700 m.
Victor Spiridonov, Chelyabinsk. The five of us lived in Living E-motion Villa. We are men from 32 to 38 years old, in love with the nature and lifestyle of Crete. Villa Living E-motion is a real castle. Four floors. Spacious rooms. In the courtyard among the palm trees is a large swimming pool. The beach is about a 10-minute walk away. With pleasure we used the services of the diving center, which is located near the hotel. In general, the rest, and the villa, and the sea – all left only pleasant impressions.
White Crystal Beachfront Apartment
About 2 km separate the Cretan Aquarium from the two-storey apartments with the romantic name“White Crystal”. Foreign tourists the hotel is known under the English brand White Crystal. The second part of the name β Beachfront β makes it clear to future guests that the apartments are located next to the beach.
The hotel, like the villas mentioned above, is perfect for lovers of quiet pastime, home cohesion and modern comfort. White Crystal includes several rooms, with a total area of 90 sq. m:
- living room;
- 2 bedrooms;
- dining area with kitchen and dining area;
- 2 bathrooms;
- 3 toilets.
Mirrors on the walls expand the space of cozy bedrooms. Balconies on the second floor and an open terrace on the first floor – give vacationers the opportunity to admire the colors of evening sunsets on the sea. To experience local dishes, guests visit the taverns and cafes located next door:
- Ambrosia;
- To Steki Tpou Psara;
- Minas.
Elena Zolotareva, Yaroslavl. Rested in Gournes with the whole family – me, my husband and two children 9 and 12 years old. Apartments “White Crystal” became for us almost our own home. Clean rooms. The kitchen has everything you need to prepare a delicious meal. There are several taverns and shops near the apartment. It is very convenient that the house has 3 toilets and 2 bathrooms. With children went to the Aquarium. We rested on the beach. The village is small, everything is nearby, so it was easy to get on foot to any place.
Lena Villa Seafront β Kouvohori Villas
In 2015, in the northern part of the village on the sea coast, the Kouhovori Villascomplex opened its doors. The total area of the hotel is 350 sq. m. Lena Villa is one of the three villas. The name Kouvohori comes from the nickname of the head of the family who founded this complex. In Turkish, it is the name of a rare bird.
One-storey villa Lena is equipped with everything that provides guests with a comfortable pastime and accommodation, ranging from electrical appliances to kitchen equipment. A spacious green seating area with sun loungers is the main feature of the villa. In addition, the hotel includes several objects that guarantee comfort and coziness:
- spacious furnished living area;
- large kitchen;
- dining area;
- comfortable bathroom;
- long terrace.
Breakfast is served in the dining area. Kitchen equipment allows vacationers to cook delicious meals on their own.
Gennady Orlov, Kursk. My wife and I found Villa Lena Seafront β Kouvohori according to the reviews of foreign tourists who highly appreciated the rest in the hotel. We were met by the owner himself, Manolis. He also treated us to delicious pastries in the morning. Pleasant in communication Turk, who spoke a little Russian and English. The main advantage of the villa is its proximity to the beach. We rested together with relatives – his wife’s brother and his wife. The women were especially delighted with the spacious kitchen and terrace, where we sat for a long time in the evenings, chatting, drinking unusually tasty, and most importantly, inexpensive local wine.
Blue Sapphire
“BlueSapphire”is the name of a two-storey villa located 570 m west of Dinosaur Park. 860 m north of the Blue Sapphire Hotel is an equipped beach, where most tourists coming to Gournes rest. The total area of all rooms of the comfortable villa is 152 sq. m.
The main featureof the “Blue Sapphire”is a compact fenced courtyard with an outdoor pool, next to which there are two sun loungers and a large sun umbrella. In addition to four cozy bedrooms, the villa has several zones separated by comfortable furniture:
- kitchen;
- dining room;
- living room with a large sofa in the shape of the letter “G”;
- relaxation area with terrace.
Guests of the villa also have access to a small bathtub and admire the surroundings from the cosy balcony. On-site parking is available for one car. Not far from Blue Sapphire vacationers will find several interesting objects:
- St. Mary’s Annunciation Church;
- music school;
- environmental education center;
- Taverns: Sousami, Albatros and Gregory’s.
Review. Artur Borisenko, St. Petersburg. We, three friends from the Northern capital, really wanted to relax in Crete in a quiet place where there are no crowds of tourists. Gournes is the best we’ve found. Villa “Blue Sapphire” was chosen from many of the same hotels in the village because of the pool. We reached the beach on foot. A leisurely walk took 15-20 minutes. Villa “Blue Sapphire” can be recommended to tourists who are tired of the hustle and bustle of cities and popular resorts.
Casa Della Vita
To the east of the center of Gournes just north of the road going from Heraklion to Agios Nikolaos is the territory of the luxurious complex of villas Casa Della Vita. The name of the hotel can be translated as “Home for Life”. The complex includes three separate villas of two categories:
- “deluxe” of living room and 4 bedrooms;
- “Deluxe Suite”, which is a spacious room divided into zones;
- Deluxe 3 bedrooms and living room.
On the territory of the complex of villas there is a fitness room, a large swimming pool and a relaxation area with several sun loungers. You can also play table tennis here. The distance to the nearest beach is 960 m. Each villa has its own kitchen. Vacationers can get acquainted with the taste of local dishes in taverns located very close to the villas:
- Pita;
- Athovoli.
Review. Anna Fedorova, Voronezh. Villa Casa Della Vita is a wonderful hotel for a relaxing holiday. Clean rooms, equipped bathrooms, spacious kitchen, quite a large swimming pool for this type of hotel. Zmarianaki Zefi is a wonderful hostess of the hotel, very caring, attentive and helpful. Zefi even helped us to make a program of acquaintance with the village and its surroundings.
Sunny Villa by the Beach Gournes
In the north-west of Gournes, 80 m from a small sandy beach, there is a two-storey building of the “Sunny Villa”. The area of sunny villa premises is 172 sq. m. The villa consists of several rooms:
- training hall;
- 2 compact baths;
- 4 bedrooms;
- spacious living room with dining area;
- well-equipped kitchen;
- music corner with piano.
Separated by a stone fence from the neighbouring street, the villa has a seating area with a table, a large umbrella and sun loungers. Fans of a comfortable pastime will be satisfied with their vacation in Sunny Villa and appreciate the proximity of the hotel to the beach, as well as to four cafes and taverns:
- Sense;
- Minas;
- Freddy Beach.
Review. Vyacheslav Korolev, Perm. Great villa with everything you need to feel like you didn’t leave home. And at the same time, do not forget that this is a resort. Nearby there is a beach, several inexpensive taverns, a small supermarket. As a passionate sports lover, I was glad that the villa has a gym, albeit a small one. The wife was delighted with the service (the owner of the villa Katerina is a very friendly and sociable woman), and from the beautiful views from the balcony. At the same time, another family was vacationing in the villa. We made great friends during the week.
It is difficult for tourists to give preference to any one of the named villas. Hotel owners try to please the requirements and tastes of modern tourists, so there are many similarities between hotels. However, for travelers looking for tranquility, comfort, home coziness and rest at sea, the most suitable option will be Villa Living E-motion. Moreover, this villa has several additional advantages: a large swimming pool, a spacious well-groomed area and a wide selection of bedrooms.
Selection of hotels Gournes on map
