Mystical sea views, refreshing morning breeze and comfortable sleep: welcome to Lato Hotel in Heraklion. As part of our Crete excursions, we wanted to experience the extended welcome of the Karatarakis group and stay at Lato Hotel as well.
Lato Boutique Hotel prides itself in delivering one of the most breathtaking panoramic views from its balcony. It overlooks Heraklion’s Venetian landmark Koules Fortress, which can be reached within minutes from the hotel’s entrance.
With two neighbouring buildings, Lato Hotel is suitable for both business and leisure travellers interested in enjoying a comfortable suite with top notch services. The hotel comes with excellent in-room amenities and stands in one of the best locations in the city.
If you wish to enjoy stunning views, a true Cretan welcome and outstanding services, then Lato Hotel is your best bet in Heraklion. So what made us fall in love with this establishment?
Getting to Lato Boutique Hotel
Lato is located right in the heart of Heraklion making it an excellent choice for a variety of travellers with myriad interests. To get to Lato, you can get a taxi from the airport and it will take just eight minutes to drive to the front door. Alternatively, you can walk to the central bus station.
The hotel is also just 7 minutes walk from the main ferry port, so if you plan on arriving in Crete from another island, Lato is a perfect hotel for quick and easy access.
We left from Lato to the airport, and it took less than 10 minutes drive to be in front of our terminal. Remember that Lato Hotel has a partnership with a local, reliable taxi company. It’s best to arrange your transfer prior to your arrival just so you can enjoy a worry-free trip to Crete.
The Location of Lato
We stayed in so many hotels around the world, we can’t express the importance of a good location. As travellers with many interests, we want to be close to major shopping streets, attractions but also have a killer view of the Venetian port from our room. Although it’s not always possible, when we find such gem, we can’t stop raving about it. Lato Hotel is one of those hotels which truly nailed all these aspects.
Its location is fantastic, being less than 5 minutes walk from the main shopping street. We walked around in the evening to find Cretan souvenirs and hunt for great bargains. We found an array of items which we purchased and very much loved. From magnets, through authentic kitchen items to comfortable clothes.
Just 10 minutes walk away is the Venetian landmark Koules Fortress. You can walk along the old marina and take quaint photos of the colourful fishing boats (5 min to the famous Archaeological Museum with the Minoan findings).
Being in the centre of Heraklion, its location is paramount for those interested in exploring the rest of the island and enjoying an array of amazing things to do in Crete (Knossos Palace, Wine Yards, relaxing beaches, trekking mountains, gorges). You can also walk for 10 min the Port where from you can catch the morning ferry to Santorini island, enjoy the great landscape and get back to Heraklion by 20:00 the same day.
The Rooms
Lato Hotel comes with 71 rooms and 8 suites which are primarily nautical themed. The furniture is custom fit and you’ll find great in-room amenities. We stayed in one of the suites which came with an incredible balcony so we can admire the sea from above.
Our bed was queen size and very comfortable for relaxing night sleep. We had a stylish sitting area where we could read and have a quiet moment. Of course, the main attraction was the balcony which we used to have our morning coffee.
Modern and comfortable, the hotel features free wifi throughout the property and your room will be no exception. For quiet evenings, you have your own LED Satellite TV in your room and of course air conditioning for your comfort.
The bathrooms are well sized, elegant with shower or bathtub depending on the room you book.
The hotel and common areas
Designed for your comfort, the hotel features a sophisticated interior meant to make you feel welcome the moment you enter the establishment.
The hotel features a wellness area and mini gym so you can keep up with your workout even when you are away from home. The fitness area is open between 6 am until midnight. On the same floor, you will find a steam bath and hydro massage area. Lato Hotel offers an extensive menu of treatments and beauty services, all inspired by the Cretan lifestyle. Make sure to ask at the reception for more details and book your treatment.
Lato Hotel features a bar area for refreshing drinks and delicious homemade biscuits. When you get hungry, Lato offers a variety of authentic Cretan dishes accompanies by local and international drinks. Should you have any nutritional or dietary preferences, ensure you tell the staff so you can be catered for.
The Food
Visit Aroma for a delicious and nutritious buffet breakfast inspired by delicious Cretan produce. You’ll have cold cuts and cheeses, eggs and fresh fruit and vegetables to enhance your morning experience.
For lunch, we recommend you visit Herb’s Garden which is the hotel’s incredible rooftop restaurant on a large terrace which offers panoramic views of the old city and Venetian fortress, and great Mediterranean cuisine. Best to pre-book your table and remember that this restaurant is open daily from 13:00 till late at night, offering a delicious summer menu from early May to late October. You should aim to taste Skioufichta (traditional Cretan Paste) with vegetables, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and mizithra (which is a local white soft cheese), sea bass sauté, on tsimoulia (tender stem of the cabbage plant) with pickled beetroot.
Have dinner in style at Brilliant Restaurant, in a casual yet luxurious atmosphere which offers nouvelle Grecque cuisine. The restaurant is open daily from noon till late at night, from November to May, when it passes the torch to Herbs’ Garden to welcome the Cretan spring. Brilliant prides itself in using the finest raw local ingredients which are cooked to uphold the authentic Cretan cuisine we all love so much.
Overall
Lato Boutique Hotel is an incredible luxury hotel with incredible sea views which we loved. Its nautical decor made us feel comfortable, in an authentic Cretan environment. The service was outstanding and the breakfast had an array of items which hit a sweet spot in the morning.
Overall we had an incredible time at Lato and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to friends and family looking to spend quality time in Heraklion in a top-notch location.
More Info
Lato Boutique Hotel
15 Epimenidou street
71202 Heraklion Crete
Thank you, Lato, for sponsoring this post and making our stay in Crete possible. We loved your suite and we are impressed by your incredible vistas from your balcony. All opinions in this piece are our own.
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