Kapsaliana Village
Why it made our list: Off the grid, in the hills, and unlike anything else we have on our list. Kapsaliana is a restored Cretan village where the food grows in the garden and the loudest thing you’ll hear is a goat bell.
At a Glance
The air is different up here. Cooler, herbal, and thick with the scent of the olive grove that stretches in every direction. Kapsaliana sits in the hills above Rethymno, and it is not a hotel designed to look like a village. It is a village. Architect Myron Toupoyannis started buying the crumbling houses in 1977 and has been restoring them ever since, stone by stone, with the original materials. The Greek government gave the place a Presidential Decree of High Cultural Value. It earned it.
Each room has been respectfully restored and given the name of a constellation, because no two are alike. Some have fireplaces, some have mezzanines, one has the original olive press visible through a glass floor.
The pool looks out over olive trees to the Aegean. Elaia, the restaurant, cooks from the garden and the farms down the road, and the cocktail bar sits under the lemon trees. Evenings settle in with the breeze through the olive trees and the distant ring of a goat bell on the hillside. There are no town lights up here, no distractions. This far into the hills, the stars have the stage to themselves.
Our Take: Book this when you want to disappear into the Cretan hills for a few days and come home slower. The food, the setting, and the silence will stay with you longer than you expect.
Rooms We Love
In the original village building, with stone arches, thick wooden beams, and a separate sitting room. Full of the character that only a 250-year-old building can give you. The bed is by all accounts superb.
Enclosed ground-floor patio with a plunge pool and garden views. The best option for families with young children who want outdoor space.
Its own Cretan oven, a private pool, and the most privacy on the property. For anyone who wants a house, not a room.
Dining
Elaia Bistronomic The fine dining restaurant, set on the old village terrace under vines and stone walls. Executive Chef Nikos Thomas cooks modern Cretan using produce from the hotel’s own gardens and nearby farms. The menu changes with the seasons. Open for dinner.
Kapsaliana Restaurant The more casual option, for breakfast and lighter meals. The breakfast spread is consistently described by guests as the best they have had anywhere: home-baked bread, Greek yoghurt, Cretan ricotta, seasonal fruit, local honey.
Levanda Pool Bar Wine, light snacks, and lunch by the pool. Open from 1pm.
Lemonies Cocktail Bar Under the lemon trees, for sundowners and nightcaps.
Essentials
Check-in:
12:00 PM (flexible, subject to availability)
Check-out:
12:00 PM
Rooms:
22 rooms, suites, and one villa
Open:
April 1 – Nov 1
Children:
All ages welcome
Parking:
Free on-site parking
Accessibility:
Not suitable for guests with limited mobility
- Outdoor swimming pool with Aegean views
- Olive oil museum (original mill with stone wheels and pitharia)
- Spa treatments (aromatherapy, hot stone, facials)
- Gym
- Organic kitchen garden
- Library and boutique
- Olive oil tastings
- Wine tastings
- Cooking classes
- Guided hikes (including the 4 km walk from Arkadi Monastery back to the hotel)
- Movie nights and live music (seasonal)
Pets welcome only on request, no extra charge.
A car is essential. The hotel is in the mountains and secluded.
The village is built on a hillside with stone paths, steps, and uneven terrain throughout. Not suitable for guests with limited mobility or those reliant on pushchairs.
The evenings are quiet. If you need nightlife, this is not it. If you need the opposite of nightlife, this is exactly it.
In the hills above Rethymno, at 260 metres altitude, surrounded by Crete’s largest olive grove. The village of Kapsaliana is 4 km from the historic Arkadi Monastery and 18 km from Rethymno town. A car is essential.
Address:
Rethymno town: 18 km / 20 min drive
Nearest Beach 8 km / 15 min drive
Heraklion International Airport (HER): 79 km / approximately 1 hour by car
Chania International Airport (CHQ): 86 km / approximately 1 hour by car
Arkadi Monastery: 4 km (walkable; the hotel will drop you off and you can hike back)
Getting Here:
Equidistant from Heraklion and Chania airports, both approximately one hour’s drive.
Seasonal direct flights from most European cities to both airports.
Year-round flights from Athens.
Connects well with:
Rethymno (20-minute drive)
Chania (1-hour drive )
Elounda and Agios Nikolaos (1.5-hour drive)
Ready to escape it all?
