Royal Belvedere

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside German, Greek and Italian, so everyday conversations do not need to be conducted through hand signals and hopeful smiles. Royal Belvedere is a four-star all-inclusive resort in Limenas Hersonissos, with the sort of scale that suits a proper holiday rather than a place designed only for sleeping between excursions.

The mood is sociable and well organised. You have restaurants, bars, pools, a garden, a terrace and evening shows on site, while the resort also makes room for a gym, sauna and business facilities. Families are well catered for too, with a kids’ club for children aged 4 to 12, children’s activities and a children’s pool.

You are in Limenas Hersonissos, Greece, around a ten-minute walk from the town centre. That puts shops, streets and the evening life of Hersonissos within reach on foot, rather than leaving you dependent on the resort gates and a timetable.

The sea is about a quarter of a mile away, with sandy Chrysi Ammos Beach reached on foot. Sun loungers and parasols are available there. Star Beach, Star Beach Water Park and Meltemi Beach are also among the nearby places to explore, giving you a choice between a straightforward beach outing and something livelier when the fins stay in the suitcase.

The room selection is unusually broad, from economy and standard accommodation through superior and deluxe rooms to suites, duplex suites and family suites. That makes the useful question less “what is available?” and more “what sort of evening do you want?” Couples can choose a double room or step up to a sea-view category, while families have family rooms and suites designed for larger groups. Several room categories face the sea; others look over the land, which is worth checking before you book if the view matters more than the label.

Every listed room category has a private bathroom. Suites add a more complete set of practical touches, including a safe, telephone, toiletries, towels and a mirror. The standard double rooms are arranged for two people, while selected quadruple and quintuple family categories give larger groups room to stay together. It is a sizeable menu of room types, so matching the category to your party is more useful than chasing the grandest-sounding name.

Check-in starts at 14:00 and check-out is by 12:00, with early arrival and late departure available on request. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, and luggage storage is available for the awkward gap between leaving the room and leaving Crete. Housekeeping details and in-room cooling are not set out here, so the practical confirmed comforts are the private bathroom, the suite facilities, the internet and the choice of room views.

All-inclusive is the governing format, with breakfast, lunch and dinner spread across several named venues. Minos Main Restaurant serves Mediterranean food, while Kafenio brings Greek cooking into the line-up. Imperial Sakura Savor covers Asian flavours at dinner, and the two main restaurants, Minos and Dedalos, both serve the three main meals.

Breakfast begins at 07:30 and is available as a buffet, continental breakfast or à la carte. Minos and Dedalos serve from 07:30 to 10:00, 12:30 to 14:30 and 18:30 to 21:30, with smart-casual dress. Kafenio runs from 08:00 to 10:30 for breakfast and 18:30 to 21:30 for dinner. There is no claim here of all-day grazing, so plan around the published meal periods rather than expecting a snack counter to solve every late return from the water.

Lunch has its own useful detours: Artemis All Day Street Food Bar serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in its stated periods, while Dimitra Burger & Pizza Bar concentrates on lunch from 12:30 to 14:30. Dinner brings Dimitra Golden Hops Beer House into play, alongside the restaurants. Four bars complete the picture: Blue Lounge Bar by the pool, Aeolos Bar, Apollon Bar and Poseidon Lobby Bar.

Six pools give the resort a proper choice of places to spend a non-diving day, including an outdoor heated pool and a children’s pool. The beach is close enough for a change of scenery, while the garden, terrace and picnic area provide simpler places to sit down when the most ambitious plan of the afternoon is staying horizontal.

The spa covers the traditional post-holiday negotiations with your muscles: massages, facials, hammam, sauna, jacuzzi, mud baths and body wraps are available. There is also a fitness room, plus yoga, meditation and Pilates for anyone who prefers recovery with a timetable. Group sessions include aqua-aerobics, Zumba, stretching and step aerobics.

For something more active, tennis, cookery classes and organised Jeep Safaris, hiking and biking, and road trips are available. Evenings can bring Greek folklore shows, a Fire Show, an Aerial Show, tribute performances and Viva Las Divas. Families have a kids’ club for 4- to 12-year-olds and children’s entertainment, while the adults can make a tactical retreat to the spa or one of the bars.

Reception operates around the clock, and the resort has a lift, luggage storage, concierge, excursion assistance and car hire. Free parking is available, as is an airport shuttle for a charge. Laundry and dry-cleaning services cover the consequences of travelling with too little clothing or too much confidence in the weather.

The hotel has free Wi-Fi throughout, business facilities and meeting rooms, as well as a conference room. A garden, terrace and television area in the lobby add useful shared spaces when you are between plans. Smoking areas are available, and the resort welcomes pets.

The published check-in time is 14:00, with check-out at 12:00. Early check-in and late check-out can be requested. Payments are accepted by cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal and bank transfer. The rooms and suites use private bathrooms, while accessibility is supported by lift access to the upper floors.