Terra Minoika Boutique Resort

Terra Minoika is a jewel. We do not believe any other boutique resort on Crete could be so special for the view, kindness, proximity to lovely beaches, Minoan ruins, historic monastery and the incredible details found in the artistry and art objects that envelope the resort. We wish we had planned to stay at Terra Minoika for our entire Cretan holiday as the slow pace and natural beauty, simple tavernas with lovely food (and again, the kindness and welcome of the owners) is our idea of perfection.

We travelled to the east of the island and wanted to break the journey. So pleased we found this beautiful and stunning setting . Amazing design secluded but with luxury. Would recommend especially if you want peace quiet and tranquility. Friendly service breakfast fabulous. Tavernas in the bay really good. And view to eat brilliant

This is a wonderful boutique resort. It is located on a gorgeous part of Crete with easy access to beaches, hiking, and restaurants. There are superb details throughout the villas and the grounds with a lot of unique artwork and gorgeous landscaping. There also happened to be lots of fresh figs while we were there as an extra bonus. Included breakfast was great and plentiful and all the staff were friendly. I give this stay a 9.9 out of 10. The one thing they can improve on is having more pillow options as the pillows we had were very thick and firm, which I'm sure work for some people.

Beautifule place with the outstanding view, very clean , the owners pay attention to every single detail. Delicious breakfast with lots of options.

If you adore Crete, have a vehicle, love Crete's remote and epic scenery and have a penchant for ancient sites, then this slice of heaven is for you. Previous reviewers have said it all so no need for me to repeat. Every superlative is true! We have been fortunate to stay in some incredible places over the years. I have to say that Terra Minoika has surpassed all. We stayed for 3 nights and, as we drove up the hill on our way out, I remember looking back at TM and the drop dead stunning view of little KZ, wistfully thinking that we may never return.

This property is set along the hillside facing one of the entrances to the Gorge of the Dead in Kato Zakros. I enjoyed many evenings sitting along the cliffs edge watching the sunset and feeling the sea breeze as I listened to the clatter of sheep bells from the Gorge as the shepherds called their herds in for the evening. It is a very peaceful and beautiful place. The villas here are crafted from stone, and appear as if they could have been built centuries ago, however, they are beautifully built with all modern accommodations and very comfortable. Our villa had a nice patio area where we enjoyed our morning breakfasts provided by the Villas, and spent peaceful afternoons reading and relaxing. There was also an additional private patio area under a grape arbor to relax and enjoy the wonderful view. The owners of this beautiful property are Elias and Stella. Stella greeted us and was a wonderful host. She provided us with all the information we needed to enjoy our stay. Elias provided a tour of the onsite gym to the younger members of our group who were anxious to get a workout in. This is more than a gym .... it is a shrine to one of the greatest bodybuilders in Greek history.... Elias himself (Mr. Universe Champion). What a great experience. Thank you Stella and Elias for providing us with a wonderful stay at your beautiful villas.

This hotel is located in Kato zakros , a small, remote village with a nice pebble beach and ruins of one of the 4 palaces of the Minoan empire , the most famous being Knossos. We drove up and were greeted warmly by Stella , the owner . We were shown to our own stone house , which was gorgeous and had stunning views of the bay, palace ruins and exit from the Valley of the Dead gorge . Nice front and back patios , also . The location makes for a nice 10 or 15 minute walk to town for dinner at the Oceanside tavernas . We went back the next day and used the tavernas loungers on the beach , and had a great lunch, from the taverna of course, on the beach while also swimming in the crystal clear 24C water . This was after Stella kindly drove us to the entrance to the Gorge of the Dead , which we hiked (about 1 1/2 hours , easy ) and it exits at the palace ruins , which we toured and had almost to ourselves . The name is from the Minoan people storing bodies near the entrance, we were told . Breakfast is good at the hotel , and included. No pool , but the beach is a short walk so that is all good . This is not a place for those who like concrete , noise, and lots of people ! It is tranquil and beautiful , our favourite place in Crete . Thanks Stella !

From the moment we drove up the hill, after a long drive from Heraklion, we knew we were somewhere special. A warm welcome from Ilias, a short walk to our room and from then on everything was perfect. We stayed in the superior room and loved the attention to detail from the room decorations to the cold bottle of Greek wine in the fridge. Because of Covid breakfast was a "self-serve" in that you gathered your ingredients from the patio (rolls, jams/butter, juice, yogurt, eggs, cheese, etc) and took everything to your room to eat. Ilias and Stella have created a masterpiece where every time we took a walk around the grounds we saw artwork we hadn't noticed before. We extended our stay from three days to four and even then we didn't want to leave. The gym is a nice extra. The walk to the village and beach is lovely and all of ten minutes. Would gladly stay here again and recommend highly to anyone who ventures to Zakros.