Mistrali

Mistrali Hotel is made for a simple rhythm: step out into Kalyves, reach the beach, then come back to the garden, bar or restaurant when the sun has done enough for one day. The setting suits you if you prefer a village stay to a large resort, with the essentials close at hand and the coast doing most of the entertaining.

The hotel combines a restaurant, a bar, a garden and direct access to a sandy beach. That gives you several easy ways to spend the evening without turning the choice of dinner into another expedition.

You are in Kalyves, a quiet fishing village in Apokoronos, on Crete's northern coast. The hotel sits by the sea, with mountain scenery behind it and the village around you rather than a resort complex separated from local life.

The beach is directly accessible and sandy, with sun loungers and parasols. Beach Kalives, Kantina Bananas Beach and Hermans Beach are also around the hotel, giving you more than one stretch of coast to investigate when you fancy a change of sand.

You have two practical services to help organise your day: internet access in your room and room service. Internet access lets you check timetables, maps or messages without heading back down to the town, while room service lets you sort out a meal without getting changed to go out.

This hotel suits you if being close to the sea and town centre matters more than having a long list of in-room facilities. You can start the day with coffee while looking out over the town from your window, then have the beach close at hand when you are ready to head out.

The hotel taverna serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, so you can keep meals on site from the first coffee of the day to the evening plate. The menu covers Cretan and international cooking, with a broad choice rather than a single-theme restaurant that expects you to eat the same way every night.

There is one beach bar as well as the restaurant. It is the useful sort of arrangement for a diver: food when you are hungry, a drink by the shore when you are not, and no need to leave the hotel simply because the day has moved from sea to supper.

The beach is the main easy option, with clear water, sand, loungers and parasols ready for a slow afternoon. When you have had enough sun, the garden gives you another place to sit without committing to a full excursion or a second swim.

For a more active day on land, cycling, hiking and cultural excursions are available. Excursions include Balos, Elafonissi, Falassarna and Samaria Gorge, so you can trade fins for walking shoes and see more of Crete beyond the shoreline.

Kalyves is around 12.4 miles from the airport, making the hotel a manageable first or last stop on a Crete itinerary. Check-in starts at 3 pm and check-out is by 11 am, useful timings to keep in mind if your flight leaves early or arrives late in the day.

You have internet in the room, room service and garage parking. An infirmary is on site, and a doctor can be requested if needed. Payments are accepted in cash, by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal or bank transfer.