Olokalon Mountain Inn Hotel - Anatoli (Ierapetra)

				Olokalon Mountain Inn Hotel Pictures: Where it is: Anatoli (Ierapetra), see map Open: All year (see note below) Type: Luxury mountain all-suites inn and retreat Number of suites: 14 2 people/night: 240 to 360 € Why we like it: Peaceful luxury retreat, large luxury suites, spaciousness, natural landscapes, exclusivity

OUR REVIEW

IMPORTANT: Olokalon is in the midst of a change of ownership. Because of this, it is not known when reservations for 2008 will be possible.
Let us know if you would like us to inform you when you will be able to make a reservation.

Just a few places in the world make you feel this way - you arrive and you really have left it all behind! Olokalon is beautiful inside and out. You will surely feel that way yourself, after your stay. Dramatic high desert mountainside with gentle forestation, nature paths, natural rock sitting areas, the scent of herbs, a bird's eye horizon to the sea, a sense of peace and select, exclusive luxury. In the distance, islands appear to float across the sea like imagined dreamscapes. We say for a treat, come here and stay - it is a destination in its own right.

If any suites deserve 5 stars, these really do...as does the rest of Olokalon.

14 spacious, luxury suites and nothing to disturb you from eating well, and breathing deeply of the fine mountain air. For cozy and romantic evenings the fireplace glows and warms, adjust the drapes to adjust and balance your view, vary the lighting and enjoy absolute privacy.

The restaurant, pool area, suites and all buildings are modern stone architecture that allow luxury to embrace nature. Unity - a breath of clean fresh mountain air and the dramatic vistas - offering you the meeting of land and sea.

A place to relax, delve into deep or breezy conversations, read, or walk around the flora and fauna of Crete's unspoilt mountainsides...pause and sit on one of the naturally formed stone benches, plunge into your own pool which creates the border between your terrace and that shimmering view.

There is also the enormous main swimming pool with glass-walled cafe - this pool is big enough to swim "from here...to there".

At moments when the mountain air lubricates your greatest thoughts - take out your laptop and place it in the cleverly designed desk in your suite and write those brilliant ideas for posterity...add to your blog, solve the mystery or just tell your cherished ones elsewhere, how it all feels. Or, absorb the great contributions to literature in a good book, perhaps one you have promised yourself to read for ages.

World-class, soul-nourishing views...your horizon is the dramatic meeting of land and sea from a fantastic vantage point. The elements conspire to find you relaxed, calm, clear and rejuvenated.

The restaurant serves delightful and delicious meals and is a perfect place to start the day with a breakfast that suits you.

The village of Anatoli nearby is protected and mixes ancient stone, crumbling monuments with superbly restored houses. It offers a cafe and taverna (two more tavernas are within 5-10 minutes by car).
The coast is 20 minutes of scenic swirling road and the town of Ierapetra has all the standard useful shops, beach, cafes on the seafront, harbour and town-offered facilities.

Walking is a treat - from Olokalon the mountain rock paths beckon and the views continue to delight.

Olokalon, the name: Ioannis Olokalon, a notary in nearby Ierapetra, owned this land in the 1500's and emigrated to Brazil. (Olokalos means beauty or a good man, inner and outer beauty). Over the generations the harsh beauty of the landscape had often seemed of little useful purpose. Centuries later, after hard farm work and the bringing in of the harvest, Maria, one of the children left behind when Konstantinos Liokalos (the family name had been changed) followed the same steps in emigrating to Brazil in 1912, proclaimed almost out of despair that one day "beautiful houses are going to be built here". In 1981 Maria's son George inherited the land and 25 years later echoing those words, not houses, but the most beautiful luxury Inn with suites has been born - built out of the passage of history, solid family dignity and the determination to make a dream come true. A tribute to George and to Ioannis.

Olokalon Photo Gallery 1 { Exterior, gardens, pool, restaurant & village}
Olokalon Photo Gallery 2 { Suite interiors & bedrooms }
Read our Agios Nikolaos feature

THE SUITES

Junior/Family Suites: 8 in total. The bedroom has a a closing door to it on one side and on the other a frosted glass door, providing partial "screening" from the living room area. The TV set rotates and can be totally hidden, or turned to allow viewing from the bedroom or living room.

Large bathroom with twin sink, bathtub and separate shower cabin.

Deluxe Suites: 2 in total. A little bigger than the Junior Suites, without closing doors, with fireplace. Large bathroom with double-size sink, bathtub and separate shower cabin.
Grand Suites: 4 in total. With private pool & wooden deck. TV set, rotating as described above, and a fireplace exposed on two sides in the centre of the room. Even larger bathroom with double-size sink, jacuzzi bathtub and separate shower cabin. The jacuzzi has a window to the room (which has an electronic screen if preferred) and views outside. Can interconnect/communicate with another suite. Daily press.

FEATURES IN ALL SUITES

Private, large terrace/deck with table, chairs & sun loungers. Open mountainscape views to the sea. Sliding mosquito-net doors. Electronic key entry with your own combination number (you can choose a number you prefer or easily remember).
Air conditioning & heating.
26" flat screen satellite* TV, DVD player, HiFi, direct dial phone, soft sofas, sumptuous king-size beds, picture windows, writing desks, laptop-size safe. Ample closets with wooden hangers.
Gorgeous bathrooms with separate bathtub & shower cabin, mini-fridge and bar area, infinitely variable lighting. Cotton waffle bathrobes & slippers, hairdryers, plush bathroom towels and toiletries you will actually enjoy using ("Olokalon" or "Hermes" in the better suites). Pool towels.
*16 satellite channels - give 2 days notice if you to setup your favourite channels.

FACILITIES & SERVICES

Lounge bar in the Minoan-axe shaped reception building. Open 18:00-02:00. Internet corner. 50" home cinema TV.
Restaurant - in separate building with indoor & outdoor sitting. Delicious Greek & Cretan menu. Serves breakfast 07:00-11:00, lunch 12:00-17:00, dinner 19:00-23:00.
Pool bar with magnificent sea views 09:30-17:30.
Rock garden, planted with native plants like artichokes, honeysuckle, broad beans, lemon & fig trees as well as many herbs such as oregano, dittany, sage and "malotira" (Cretan mountain tea herb).

Chapel built into the rock.

Car parking (you leave your car and are taken to your suite by golf cart).

Room service (07:00-24:00), laundry service, daily press service.
Water in rooms & the pools: purified organically through special sand filters with natural herbal antiseptics (do not drink the water from the tap in your suite, not harmful but not too tasty! Mineral water is provided.)

DISTANCES
Ierapetra, south coast - 18 km  (beaches, shops).
Istron, north coast - 24 km (beach, shops).
Agios Nikolaos - 36 km via Istron, 53 km via Ierapetra.
Sitia - 82 km.
Heraklion town & airport - 102 km.
We recommend that you rent a car, other means of transport are limited and infrequent.

RATES 2008 (rates include our Superb, All-questions-answered Personal service)

IMPORTANT: Olokalon is in the midst of a change of ownership. Because of this, it is not known when reservations for 2008 will be possible.
Let us know (using the form below) if you would like us to inform you when you will be able to make a reservation.

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