Mitsis Rinela Beach Resort & Spa

Hotel highlights

• All-Inclusive EVERYTHING. Literally.

• Great for adults and kids. We could go on all day about all the activities you can get involved with

• Huge pool area with the BEST sea views (don't believe us? Just look at the pics!)

• Poolside patisserie serving loads of different desserts. We won't tell the dentist if you don't.

• Food to fix every craving, from big buffet breakfasts to Italian-style brunch and good old pizza to a swanky Steakhouse

• This is an entertainment schedule you need to stick around for, there are acrobats, live bands, dance shows, magicians and a DJ playing all the holiday tunes

Location

• Not to brag, but this hotel couldn't be closer to the beach if it tried - some might say on the beach (had to squeeze that in sorry)

• 15 minutes away from Heraklion Airport - good amount of time to decide which one you'll do first, pool or beach?

• 2.5 hours away from Chania Airport - stick on a good playlist and you'll be rite!

Rooms

• Superior Double Room - modern comfort at its finest, with a sleek and stylish bathroom and a furnished balcony area. Choose from pool or sea views, or a seafront style on the ground floor. Getting from bed to beach has never been easier!

• Superior Double Swim Up Sharing Pool - everything above, but with the added bonus of direct access to a large sharing pool from the terrace. A pretty great bonus, if you ask us.

• Superior Bungalow Private Courtyard - a stylish bungalow with the hotel's signature design, an open-plan bathroom and direct access to the peaceful gardens. Bliss if we ever saw it.

• Family Suite Private Courtyard - a relaxing suite big enough to fit the whole clan, with immediate access to a private courtyard for some quiet time.

• Family Suite Swim Up Sharing Pool - the same as above, this time swapping the peaceful courtyard for direct access to a large, shared pool. Who's up for a morning swim, then?

• Family Two Bedroom Suite Swim Up Sharing Pool - listen, the kids are great, but sometimes separate bedrooms really are essential. This cleverly designed room is spread across two floors, the first floor being a cosy living area which seamlessly converts into a bedroom, whilst the master bedroom sits on the upper floor.

• Junior Suite - these suites are perfect for couples, with a large, comfy bed, twin sinks in the bathroom, and the option of sea or garden views, or swim-up sharing pool access.

• Suite - luxury rooms on the first floor with access to either a shared or private pool. Oh, and did we mention the super-fancy outdoor seating area (breakfast on the terrace is a MUST), and the lavish bathroom complete with a HUGE bathtub? Definitely fit for royalty.

• Villa - all the perks of private, villa-style accommodation, without having to cook your own meals and walk miles to the beach. Get the whole family or friend group together for some five-star fun, with a private pool and huge sundeck.

• Nespresso coffee machine in all room types, with capsules restocked daily, FREE of charge!

• FREE Wi-Fi, so you can share instant snaps with your friends back home to make them jealous! At least, that's what we'd do...

• Huge satellite TV with over 100 channels - Family Suites even come with two TVs and Villas come with three, so there's no need to fight over who's watching what. Plus, if you've ordered room service then you can keep tabs on your bill via the TV screen. Talk about fancy!

• Minibar refilled daily with water, soft drinks, wine and beer

• Individually controlled air conditioning, so you have full control over keeping your room as cool as a cucumber

• FREE safety deposit box for all your essentials

• Everything but the kitchen sink - well, they do have a bathroom one if that counts. Plus a laundry bag, sewing kit, envelopes, stationery and a shoehorn (?!). You know that friend who always overpacks? Tell them they don't need to bother this time. This hotel really does have everything.

• Saying goodbye to the holiday can be emosh, but here you get a goodbye gift one day before departure (how cute)

Did you know?

Mitsis Rinela Beach Resort & Spa has a SECRET bar. As soon as we heard, we had to let you in on the secret too. Obviously. The bar is exclusively for guests staying in shared pool rooms, so whilst you're catching some rays on a sun lounger, don't be surprised if a friendly-looking waiter stops by to take your order. No one quite knows where he disappears to, but he'll be back with your drink in a jiffy. That's the perk of the secret bar! You don't need to know how it works, you just need to enjoy it.

Food & Drink

• All Inclusive everything - there's no need to worry about totting up bills when you dine out and about at this hotel, because when we say everything's included, we mean everything. Even if you'd like to reserve an à la carte restaurant, it's at no extra cost. Simply book and go! Now that's our kind of hotel.

• Main buffet restaurant - open 24 hours for breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between. Get ready to tuck into every cuisine under the sun, Italian? Yep, all the pasta and pizza you like! Greek? Obvs, it's gotta be done. Asia, Mediterranean, French and Mexican?! All here, we'd bring your appetite if we were you.

• Taverna à la carte (reservation required) - this beachfront restaurant is available for breakfast for select room types, and lunch and dinner for all rooms. We had breakfast here and can confirm, the pastries are to DIE for. Oh, and did we mention there's even chicken nuggets, fish fingers and spaghetti on the lunch and dinner menus to keep small tums happy?!

• Italian à la carte (reservation required) - all the classics served a la carte style, from creamy risottos to deliciously thin and crispy pizzas (a personal fave of ours). You can even enjoy an Italian-style brunch here, with everything from Cretan fried eggs to sweet pancakes and fruit smoothies on the side.

• Steak house à la carte (reservation required) - exactly what it says on the tin - a stylish restaurant serving cooked-to-order steak at dinner. The menu also features chicken, veggie burgers and fresh fish if you're not quite on board with steak. Everyone's happy.

• Pan Asian à la carte (reservation required) - delicious Asian specialities from Thailand, Indonesia, China and Japan, all served in a swanky dinner setting

• Italian pizza station - pizza by the beach (10:30 - 18:00) - what could be better?! This chilled-out station won't disappoint, with wood-fired pizza served fresh from the oven

• Beach BBQ corner - a grab-and-go place for a tasty beachside lunch, with delicious cuts of meat fresh from the grill, served by the beach. Of course.

• Creperie Gelateria - with a variety of desserts on offer, including waffles, crepes and ice cream served until midnight. Yep, you read that right. We can't think of a better way to end the day. Your sweet tooth will thank us

• Café Rinela - lobby-based café with an open-air terrace, serving everything from cocktails to coffees. It's got so many bottles, they've had to put them on display as the decor, but we aren't mad about it

• Lounge bar - you'll find this bar opposite reception, offering a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as daily live music. Oh, and All Inclusive service is available until as late (or early) as 2 a.m.!

• Major pool bar - a major menu with every drink you can imagine (including slushies!), served poolside for the ultimate dose of relaxation

• All-day outdoor theatre bar - the name says it all! This waterfront bar is the place to be for entertainment, both day and night, grab yourself a bev you're in for a night of top-notch entertainment

• Fine wine, and sushi bar - a sophisticated adults-only spot serving a mixed bag of fresh sushi, and charcuterie boards with local meats and cheese whilst sipping sparkling vino, or classic wines (or both, we don't judge)

• The beach bar - ice-cold soft drinks, cocktails, beers and ice cream served by the beach, can't think of a better way to spend a beach day

Please note that reservations are required for some of the restaurants, and guests are entitled to one a la carte booking per venue during their stay. Dress codes may also apply for some venues. Guests can make table reservations for the a la carte restaurants through our website under concierge services, using the reservation ID and leading name of the reservation. See official hotel website for details.

Sports & Entertainment

• 25 pools in total, including private pools and sharing pools.

• 2 freshwater pools, including the main pool which overlooks the sea. Fun fact: the deepest part reaches 3.7m! There's also a handy towel-changing station by the pool.

• Parasols and sun loungers by the pool - the thick, comfy kind - not the hard plastic ones!

• Poolside speakers which play all the summer bangers to create the perfect atmosphere for your holiday

• Kids' club available 10:00-18:00, offering activities, talent shows and face-painting for the little ones

• Teens and Junior club with plenty of cool activities for the cool kids

• FREE sun loungers and parasols at the beach (which is right on your doorstep...)

• Sports activities include beach volleyball, two tennis courts (FREE to use btw!) darts, water aerobics, table tennis and watersports by the beach

• On-site arcade to keep the whole family entertained, and art lessons if you fancy learning something new

• Zeen Spa so you can treat yourself to a pamper session (these services are offered by an external provider) from a relaxing massage to a dip in the heated indoor pool

• Fitness center which isn't exactly a jolly essential in our book, but it's here if you fancy a sweaty gym sesh, or if you wanna a more chill approach, there's yoga and pilates classes

• Different entertainment every night, from magic shows to dance performances. Grab yourself a drink and get ready for a 10/10 show, every single night