Pros

  • Beautiful, long stretch of sandy beach with free sunbeds
  • Shops, restaurants, and a busy village in walking distance
  • Pleasant rooms with flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and outdoor spaces
  • Upgraded rooms offer king-size beds, living rooms, and two-bathroom suites
  • Main pool is separate from kids’ pool, keeping it quiet
  • Buffet eatery serves dinner entrees table-side, from a menu
  • Fish restaurant and a beachside snack bar for lunch options
  • Lovely cafe on a pretty terrace serves coffee and ouzo
  • Small fitness room, tennis courts, and mini-golf on-site
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout
  • Free parking and a bus stop in front of hotel
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Cons

  • Some rooms are showing their age
  • Food receives mixed reviews for quality and variety
  • No animation team and limited entertainment (a pro for some)
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Bottom Line

The mid-range Kernos Beach Hotel has a laid-back, quiet atmosphere and pleasant surroundings, thanks to its coastal setting on the northern coast of Crete. Lovely grounds, a large pool, and a beautiful stretch of beach provide opportunities to relax, while sports facilities and a gym are available for the more active-minded. Multiple restaurants offer choices for lunch and dinner, plus there’s a peaceful outdoor cafe for midday coffee. All 283 rooms have simple but pleasant decor, as well as free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and mini-fridges. Those seeking more in the way of family-friendly features might check out Ikaros Beach Resort & Spa, an all-inclusive resort with entertainment for kids.

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Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Kids Club
  • Pool

Oyster Hotel Review

Kernos Beach Hotel

Scene

Laid-back hotel with lovely grounds and quiet rooms

Couples (and some families) appreciate Kernos Beach Hotel for its quiet atmosphere and pleasant environment. The lobby is in a separate building at the front of the complex, featuring a pebble mosaic on the floor, wood tables, wicker chairs, and red footstools with laced-up detailing. Past the lobby, the lovely grounds include well-planned rows of flowering plants and shady trees everywhere. Guest rooms are in long buildings marching back toward the sea, with the pool and beach at the far end of the grounds. Most rooms avoid noise from both the road and common areas, though some are close to the pools.

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Location

Quiet area with shops and restaurants in walking distance

Kernos Beach Hotel is on the northern coast of Crete, a 35-minute drive east of the major city of Heraklion. It is mostly surrounded by hotels, though there is a bar across the street and a mini-market and taverna a two-minute walk away. It is a 20-minute walk to the village of Malia, where there are car and bike rentals, clubs, and a wide variety of shops. For trips farther afield, a public bus stops in front of the hotel, or guests can park their car for free across the street. It is a 16-minute drive to Crete Golf Club, a full 18-hole course and a neighboring water park with plenty of slides. From the hotel, it is a mountainous 35-minute drive to the Lassithi Pleateau, a quaint area with several villages to explore and beautiful scenery. Heraklion Airport is a 28-minute drive away, and Heraklion Port, where many cruise ships dock, is a 36-minute drive from the hotel.

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Rooms

Pleasant, simplistic rooms with free Wi-Fi and mini-fridges

Standard rooms are simple and bland, but cover basic needs for a comfortable stay. The decor is primarily white, from the walls and ceilings to the bedspreads, headboards, and lamps. Upgraded rooms have a more attractive design consisting of wood furniture, burnt-orange headboards and ottomans, and colorful striped bedspreads. All rooms have furnished balconies or terraces, some with sea views. Also standard are work desks, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and safe (for a fee). Kettles are not available. Shuttered windows between some bedrooms and bathrooms are a playful touch, though others may find it compromises privacy. Attractive bathrooms have neutral-tone tiling, vessel sinks, and either shower/tub combos or separate tubs and showers, as well as hairdryers and free toiletries.

Higher-category rooms add robes and slippers. Superior Family Hotels and Bungalow Suites can accommodate up to four people, plus a baby. These offer options such as separate living rooms with a sofa bed, two bathrooms, and two balconies or a large terrace furnished with sunbeds. Some of the lower-category rooms are showing a bit of age.

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Features

Multiple restaurants, a large pool, and a long, beautiful stretch of sandy beach

Restaurants and pools at the Kernos Beach Hotel provide the basics for a restful stay. The main restaurant has a rustic look with gray stone floors and natural stone brick walls inside. Outside, there’s a lighter, beachy feel thanks to wicker chairs and wood tables under linen umbrellas. An American-style breakfast buffet offers a good variety of options, but it's much the same every day. For dinner, salads, appetizers, and desserts are served on the buffet and main entrees are served at tables. Guests generally find the food appealing, but not exemplary and lacking in variety. For lunch, guests can patronize the beachside seafood restaurant or the snack bar with lighter grilled choices. Kafenion is a lovely little cafe serving coffee and ouzo under a vine-covered pergola surrounded by potted flowers.

The pool is large, with blue loungers under white umbrellas scattered around stone-paved and grassy areas. A kids' pool, baby wading pool, and playground are in a separate area of the hotel, which keeps the main pool quieter. Past the pool is a beautiful beach over 300 yards (275 meters) long, a highlight of the hotel. Sunbeds are free both on the beach and at the pool. A small fitness room has a selection of weight-training equipment and a few treadmills. Also available are two tennis courts and a simple mini-golf course. Aside from a weekly Greek night with live dancing and themed dinner, there is no entertainment or animation team at the hotel. 

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Oyster Hotel Review

Kernos Beach Hotel

Scene

Laid-back hotel with lovely grounds and quiet rooms

Couples (and some families) appreciate Kernos Beach Hotel for its quiet atmosphere and pleasant environment. The lobby is in a separate building at the front of the complex, featuring a pebble mosaic on the floor, wood tables, wicker chairs, and red footstools with laced-up detailing. Past the lobby, the lovely grounds include well-planned rows of flowering plants and shady trees everywhere. Guest rooms are in long buildings marching back toward the sea, with the pool and beach at the far end of the grounds. Most rooms avoid noise from both the road and common areas, though some are close to the pools.

See More Scene

Location

Quiet area with shops and restaurants in walking distance

Kernos Beach Hotel is on the northern coast of Crete, a 35-minute drive east of the major city of Heraklion. It is mostly surrounded by hotels, though there is a bar across the street and a mini-market and taverna a two-minute walk away. It is a 20-minute walk to the village of Malia, where there are car and bike rentals, clubs, and a wide variety of shops. For trips farther afield, a public bus stops in front of the hotel, or guests can park their car for free across the street. It is a 16-minute drive to Crete Golf Club, a full 18-hole course and a neighboring water park with plenty of slides. From the hotel, it is a mountainous 35-minute drive to the Lassithi Pleateau, a quaint area with several villages to explore and beautiful scenery. Heraklion Airport is a 28-minute drive away, and Heraklion Port, where many cruise ships dock, is a 36-minute drive from the hotel.

See More Location

Rooms

Pleasant, simplistic rooms with free Wi-Fi and mini-fridges

Standard rooms are simple and bland, but cover basic needs for a comfortable stay. The decor is primarily white, from the walls and ceilings to the bedspreads, headboards, and lamps. Upgraded rooms have a more attractive design consisting of wood furniture, burnt-orange headboards and ottomans, and colorful striped bedspreads. All rooms have furnished balconies or terraces, some with sea views. Also standard are work desks, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and safe (for a fee). Kettles are not available. Shuttered windows between some bedrooms and bathrooms are a playful touch, though others may find it compromises privacy. Attractive bathrooms have neutral-tone tiling, vessel sinks, and either shower/tub combos or separate tubs and showers, as well as hairdryers and free toiletries.

Higher-category rooms add robes and slippers. Superior Family Hotels and Bungalow Suites can accommodate up to four people, plus a baby. These offer options such as separate living rooms with a sofa bed, two bathrooms, and two balconies or a large terrace furnished with sunbeds. Some of the lower-category rooms are showing a bit of age.

See More Rooms

Features

Multiple restaurants, a large pool, and a long, beautiful stretch of sandy beach

Restaurants and pools at the Kernos Beach Hotel provide the basics for a restful stay. The main restaurant has a rustic look with gray stone floors and natural stone brick walls inside. Outside, there’s a lighter, beachy feel thanks to wicker chairs and wood tables under linen umbrellas. An American-style breakfast buffet offers a good variety of options, but it's much the same every day. For dinner, salads, appetizers, and desserts are served on the buffet and main entrees are served at tables. Guests generally find the food appealing, but not exemplary and lacking in variety. For lunch, guests can patronize the beachside seafood restaurant or the snack bar with lighter grilled choices. Kafenion is a lovely little cafe serving coffee and ouzo under a vine-covered pergola surrounded by potted flowers.

The pool is large, with blue loungers under white umbrellas scattered around stone-paved and grassy areas. A kids' pool, baby wading pool, and playground are in a separate area of the hotel, which keeps the main pool quieter. Past the pool is a beautiful beach over 300 yards (275 meters) long, a highlight of the hotel. Sunbeds are free both on the beach and at the pool. A small fitness room has a selection of weight-training equipment and a few treadmills. Also available are two tennis courts and a simple mini-golf course. Aside from a weekly Greek night with live dancing and themed dinner, there is no entertainment or animation team at the hotel. 

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Airport Transportation

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Basic Television

  • Beach

  • Cabanas

  • Cable

  • Children's Pool

  • Concierge

  • Cribs

  • Dry Cleaning

  • Fitness Center

  • Free Breakfast

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Kids Club

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Pool

  • Poolside Drink Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Swim-Up Bar

  • Tennis Court

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.