Ariadne Beach
Gargadoros, Agios Nikolaos, Crete 721 00 Greece
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About
#12 of 99 hotels in Agios Nikolaos
Location
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Service
Value
Travellers' Choice
If you’re looking for a charming hotel in Agios Nikolaos, look no further than Ariadne Beach.
For those interested in checking out popular landmarks while visiting Agios Nikolaos, Ariadne Beach is located a short distance from Horn of Amalthea (0.8 mi) and Sky at Night (0.8 mi).
Free internet access is offered to guests, and rooms at Ariadne Beach offer air conditioning and a refrigerator.
During your stay, take advantage of some of the amenities offered, including 24 hour front desk, a concierge, and baggage storage. Guests of Ariadne Beach are also welcome to enjoy a pool and a poolside bar, located on site. For travellers arriving by car, free parking is available.
During your visit, be sure to check out a popular Agios Nikolaos tapas restaurant such as gioma meze, which is a short distance from Ariadne Beach.
Should time allow, Europa-Statue is a popular attraction that is within walking distance.
The staff at Ariadne Beach looks forward to serving you during your upcoming visit.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Pool
Fitness / spa changing rooms
Bar / lounge
Beach
Tennis court
Children's playground
Internet
Pool / beach towels
Swimming pool toys
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Shallow end in pool
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Complimentary welcome drink
Snack bar
Wine / champagne
Poolside bar
Entertainment staff
Evening entertainment
Table tennis
Tennis court offsite
Indoor play area for children
Kids club
Highchairs available
Airport transportation
Car hire
Taxi service
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Couples massage
Facial treatments
Foot bath
Foot massage
Full body massage
Hammam
Hand massage
Head massage
Massage
Neck massage
Salon
Waxing services
Baggage storage
Concierge
Shared lounge / TV area
Sun deck
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun umbrellas
First aid kit
24-hour check-in
24-hour front desk
Private check-in / check-out
Ironing service
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Room features
Blackout curtains
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Safe
Refrigerator
Flatscreen TV
Bath / shower
Sofa
Telephone
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Clothes rack
Tile / marble floor
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
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Room types
Mountain view
Ocean view
City view
Pool view
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Mountain View
Languages Spoken
English, French, German, Greek and 1 more
Location
68Somewhat walkable
Grade: 68 out of 100
48Restaurantswithin 1 km
17Attractionswithin 1 km
Contact
Gargadoros, Agios Nikolaos, Crete 721 00 Greece
Name/address in local language
Getting there
Car HireSee all Agios Nikolaos car hire
669Reviews49Q+A26Room tips
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We moved into the Ariadne hotel after our disappointed in staying at the Elounda residence . When we arrived the manager at the reception was very kind and helpful to show us around , as well as showing us a potential room . This helped us to make the informed choice The hotel staff including the kitchen staff , cleaners were very friendly, polite , and professional. They demonstrated transparency and honesty especially when it came to the entertainment. The manager informed us that , the entertainment was in french , this was not an issues for us . As the hotel is situated in the middle of . Hence easy access to walking to town . The hotel is also surrounded by two beaches, which is a walking distance. We had such as amazing time and aiming to come back next year.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
+1
We are currently halfway through our 10 night stay here on an All Inclusive basis. We are a large group of English speaking holidaymakers. The hotel is a 10 minute walk round coast to lots of bars / restaurants or straight path into town. Also a lovely little (kimzu) beach lounge nearby which offers drinks and nibbly snacks at reasonable cost. Rooms are very clean and basic. Comfortable beds, choice of pillows, extra blankets, good air con and fridge in superior suite. Fantastic, high pressure shower over bath. No issues with rooms, except perhaps lack of sockets. Rooms have beautiful side see views. There is a safe in room which costs 3 euro a night, payable at reception. Food is absolutely brilliant. Lots of options to choose, although occasional hot meals could be hotter. Always a salad/ bread option. Can I just say though, if you are coming expecting burgers, chips etc, this is not the hotel for you . Food is mostly Greek with a twist, pasta or fish. Staff on the restaurant and pool bar are extremely friendly and helpful. Speak broken English but never had a problem communicating. Front bar staff are not as friendly. Poor English, and always seem a bit harassed ?! Problems ! This hotel is French owned. Therefore 90% French of the guests are French. I don't have a problem with them. However, the animation team are very loud, and apparently do not speak English (except one Algerian male) The pool bar closes at 6pm, so only drinking option is the front bar where the animation team do their thing. As a holidaymaker, I feel extremely uncomfortable due to the ignorance of the animation team. They go round making fuss of all the French, and ignore us. English speaking guests have to wear a different colour wristband, I'm guessing this is how the team can tell who to ostracise and who to entertain. There is also a disco / upstairs entertainment area, again, this seems only for the French guests. Maybe not, but since nobody has made an effort to make us feel welcome, this might not be the case. There are two pools with plenty of sun loungers and umbrellas. One pool next to restaurant is quiet and peaceful, with a small child paddling pool, whilst the other is dominated by the once again, loud animation team. Although, all the guests seem to be enjoying themselves, which is good to see. The public beach at entrance of hotel is small and shingle with a steep decline into the water. Sun beds and umbrellas are chargeable at 10 euros for a couple a day. Beach towels, bring your own would be my advice . You can hire then from reception at 10 refundable euros but they aren't up to much. Overall, I'm enjoying my stay, and were it not for the animation team, I would give it a higher score. Saying that, the hotel has been sold to a Dutch group and the animation team are not here next year 2023. It will be open to all European visitors, so hopefully more entertainment will be offered to a wider audience. But with that in mind, I've looked at the cost for this time next year and it is a whopping £1000 more than I paid this year. I'm going to be honest, this hotel is far from worth £1900 for a 10 night stay. Compared to all the 5* for the same price, go elsewhere.…
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Dafni Varkaraki, Ιδιοκτήτης at Ariadne Beach
Responded 24 Oct 2022
Dear Guest, first of all, thank you for writting such a detailed review from your stay ar Ariadne Beach Hotel. For the next season, we will no longer be a club Marmara,so this means, no French animation team. The hotel is not sold to a Dutch Group. The hotel will cooperate with many different tour operators and with online reservations as well. We will focus to upgrade our departments and services. Thank you again for choosing Ariadne, our best wishes, Dafni Varkaraki.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
Wonderfully located hotel just 10 minutes from the first bars, restaurants of Agios Nikolaos and just 20 minutes to the lake. Most bungalows have a side see view but avoid rooms 148 and 149 as they overlook the air conditioning units of the restaurant and are very noisy first thing in the morning when the staff are getting ready for breakfast. The rooms are spacious and well equipped. If you want the afternoon sun the ones on the right get that. The one major downfall of this hotel (and the only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars) is that it is predominantly French which didn’t bother us as only bed and breakfast but if you were all inclusive it could possibly be a problem as all entertainment etc is in French. Not really suited for anyone with mobility issues as very steep walks to the accommodation unless you’re fortunate to get one of the lower level ones. Staff were very accommodating, polite and dealt with the couple of issues we had whilst there. Would definitely recommend.…
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: Avoid rooms 148 and 149. If you’re going for a beach holiday probably not the right place to go,...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Dafni Varkaraki, Ιδιοκτήτης at Ariadne Beach
Responded 24 Oct 2022
Dear Guest, first of all, thank you for taking the time to write a review. We are happy to read that you enjoyed the location of the hotel, which is so close to the city centre of Agios Nikolaos. We would also like to let you know, that from the next season, we will no longer be a club Marmara, which means , that we will not have any longer French animation. We hope to have the chance to welcome you back in the near future, Our best wishes, Dafni Varkaraki.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We visited the hotel on June and let me tell you it was the most relaxing vacations. The staff was very friendly and helpful and made feel like home ! The food and the service were excellent, don’t forget to eat at their a la cart restaurant Meltemi!! The rooms were perfect for the two of us. And it has an amazing sunrise ! Also it is very close to the center of Agios Nikolaos. We already booked our stay here for the next year !
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Date of stay: June 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Dafni Varkaraki, Ιδιοκτήτης at Ariadne Beach
Responded 24 Oct 2022
Dear Guest, thank you for this wonderful 5-star review. We are so proud to read that you enjoyed your stay at Ariadne Beach and that you have already booked your stay for the next season. We are looking forward to welcome you back, Our warmest wishes, Dafni Varkaraki.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Everything was perfect! The rooms were very clean with sunning views. The food is delicious with a great variety on their buffet. There is a small but nice beach just across the road and the staff is super friendly
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Dafni Varkaraki, Ιδιοκτήτης at Ariadne Beach
Responded 24 Oct 2022
Dear Elli, thank you for this 5-star review! We are so proud when we read reviews like yours. Our warmest wishes, Dafni Varkaraki.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Just got back from the Ariadne Beach Hotel with my husband. We stayed for two weeks. What a great hotel in a great location. There is a pebble beach directly opposite the hotel with sun loungers and Sandy beaches both left and right out of the hotel about a 10 min walk either way and they are relatively cheap. First let me review the hotel itself. Lovely clean hotel. Rooms cleaned every day and towels changed as often too. Lovely great friendly staff, a particular mention to the lovely receptionist Maria who gave us great hints and tips on what to see and do in the surrounding area and was specially helpful to us when we had an issue with car hire. The bar staff are very friendly and serve great drinks. There is one person in particular who was there the whole two weeks and really nice and friendly but unfortunately we didn’t get his name. We were B & B so only got to have breakfast but there was plenty to choose from and the restaurant staff are equally friendly, The lovely lady who cooks the pancakes and fresh omelettes always had a wave and a smile for me when I came in and the two girls one with blonde hair the other with black pony tail were super friendly. I think I got them intrigued when I asked if they did poached eggs on my first morning. They didn’t know what it was at first but they were definitely bemused after that. The only downside I would say was the poor Wi-Fi. It is supposed to be available in the rooms too but I could never connect the whole time I was there and the reception was poor for using 4g so I struggled to do my workout each morning. One thing I would say is that the rooms are elevated so you either have steep steps or a steep slope to climb depending on where you are so for anyone with mobility issues this would not be ideal. There is mention of it being a French hotel and not English friendly. Don’t let that put you off. The French guests were always polite and greeted you according to time of day. The French entertainers knew enough English to be able to converse with you when needed. They were a great , young and energetic team. There are a couple of restaurants and a bar right next to the hotel and the main town of Agios Nikolas is a short 10 min away depending on how quickly you walk with lots of bars and restaurants there too. If you walk a further 10 mins to 15 mins after that is the Lake and Port with even more restaurants and bars so for us there was plenty of choice for evening meals. Overall a great stay, great location, great staff. It would have been 5 stars but for the Wi-Fi…
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Date of stay: September 2022
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Dafni Varkaraki, Ιδιοκτήτης at Ariadne Beach
Responded 24 Oct 2022
Dear Guest, thank you for this detailed and nice review. We are so glad to read that you enjoyed your stay, you found the location great and the staff friendly. It is our aim to show the Greek Hospitality to our guests and we are so proud when we read such good comments. Regarding the WI-FI , we will consider your comments for the next season , in order to be improved. Our best wishes, Dafni Varkaraki.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We recently stayed at the Ariadne Beach Hotel and couldn't find fault with it at all!! The staff were without exception friendly and attentive, the food was typical buffet style but of good quality and the location was perfect - close to the beach and only 15 minutes walk to the town. The bungalow was well equipped although I would say if you have difficulty with mobility, you would need to request one of the ones that were situated close to the hotel reception as it could get rather steep! Ignore the request on the hotel listing that long trousers needed to be worn in both the bar and restaurant. This requirement was never implemented by any of the staff. Some reviews have been critical of the French entertainment however although we didn't really understand what they were saying, it was rather entertaining to watch what they got up to whilst having a pre-dinner drink! We would definitely return!…
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Review collected in partnership with Jet2holidays
Date of stay: August 2022
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Dafni Varkaraki, Ιδιοκτήτης at Ariadne Beach
Responded 15 Sep 2022
Dear Guest, thank you so much for this wonderful review! We are so happy to read that you totally enjoyed your stay at Ariadne Beach Hotel and that you would definitely return. We would be extremely happy to host you again, Best wishes to you, Dafni Varkaraki.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Fantastic location. We loved the stones used to build the hotel. There are a lot of stairs here and there, so not really wheelchair bound friendly. The hotel should mention more clearly on its webpage that there is French animation 09.30-17.30 every day by the French Club Marmara. The animators are young, positive & glad all the time, but it can be really frustrating to hear people speak loudly through microphones the whole day. The animators were very friendly and when they recognised us, after a few days, they greeted us every time. So full credit to them. Their English is very poor, so it is difficult if you do not speak much French. I do not like the fact that the hotel allows guests to reserve their chair with putting a towel on it. That should really be tackled. Hardly ever anyone on the seats, but towels everywhere. Really not welcoming. Take the 'reservation' towels away and let the ones who want just a couple of hours in the sun enjoy the sun beds. Everyone paid their stay and everyone should get a chance to enjoy their stay at the same level. The hotel staff assumes you speak/understand French because 90% of the guests are French. And those guests think they are in France and do not care about others not speaking their language. All the signs are in French/Greek. Not guest friendly at all. Serious Improvement is needed for the other guests! There is no regard for the guests from the Nordics & UK etc. In the restaurant for example, there is a jar for tips to the staff but the text on the jar is only in French (with a French flag). So we didn't leave any tip as we didn't understand the message. This is a big oversight from the hotel I think. The BIG issue with the hotel is the person who wants everybody to think he runs the restaurant. He actually thinks he is... He is just pathetic. We called him 'the rooster' ("tuppen" - in Swedish). He doesn't help out the staff at all and is completely worthless. He does absolutely nothing else than walking around with his hands on his hips, the right foot pointing to 1pm & the left foot pointing to 11am & moving his shoulders in tact with his walking. We were there twice per day for 7 days. Not once did he greet us or welcome us. Not once. He goes from one French or Greek speaking table to another. He surely likes the sound of his own voice! It is deplorable. We have NEVER seen him talk to any 'not French/Greek' guest. The really sad thing is that he doesn't help out the staff at all, and they do a wonderful job & work really hard. Super thank you to them. But the rooster is really a walking disaster. He is a little man. And he is small/short too. He should learn to.acknowledge every guest's presence equally & should treat all in the same way. Get rid of him I would say. Or teach him respect. BIG room for improvement there. He is really not giving the outside world a good image of the hotel.…
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Date of stay: August 2022
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Dafni Varkaraki, Ιδιοκτήτης at Ariadne Beach
Responded 24 Oct 2022
Dear Marie, thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed review from your stay. It is very important for us to read the comments of our guests , both the good or the bad ones. So, we have noted your down your comments and we will do our best for the next season. First of all, from next season, we will no longer be a club Marmara , so the animation team will not come again. We will pay attention to train the staff and we will no longer accept behaviours like the one you mentioned above. All guests are welcome in our hotel no matter their nationality and we will do our best for the next season. We would also like to let you know, that to reserve the chairs with towels is not accepted from the hotel. There are also signs at the pool area for this reason. Thank you for choosing Ariadne Beach Hotel. Our warmest wishes, Dafni Varkaraki. Best wishes to you, Dafni Varkaraki.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We visited here in August as a group of four families totalling 15 people (8 adults and 7 children). The hotel is fabulous- great location (though I wouldn’t recommend for anyone with mobility issues as lots of steep pathways and steps) , spotless, lovely friendly staff- especially the pool bar and restaurant staff, and amazing food. Great set up by the pool- plenty of sun loungers and a fantastic view. The only reason I haven’t given it 5/5 is the entertainment. The majority of guests here are French, though more and more English were arriving. The hotel is new to Jet2 and British guests in 2022, so the animation team are all French, all the announcements, the performances, activities, kids club. The animation staff speak little or no English (apart from Momo- who was great and did his best with us!). Our kids (and us adults) tried to speak to the animation staff & the staff did their best, and we joined in with what we could- mainly aquagym and water polo, and one football tournament for the kids. And by the end of the ten days we were teaching the staff some English words! But just some English translation of the regular announcements would have helped. Mainly for our children. Just a final point- the song they play all day to get the guests attention is ‘pumped up kicks’ which is odd as it’s a song about a high school shooting and kids running from bullets- strange song to dance about to- but if the staff don’t know English they won’t know that! We had a fantastic 10 days and if I thought the entertainment issue was resolved I would definitely return with the kids.…
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: The bungalows are positioned with fantastic views but the pathways are very steep, & up many...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Dafni Varkaraki, Ιδιοκτήτης at Ariadne Beach
Responded 1 Sep 2022
Dear Shensie, first of all thank you for writing such a detailed and nice review from your stay at Ariadne Beach Hotel. We would like to inform you and everyone else whose reading the comments, that we will NOT have a French-speaking animation team for the following seasons. It is very important to us,to have satisfied guests, who will enjoy their stay and leave with a big smile and a good review. We will be glad to welcome you back in our hotel in the near future and make your stay even better. Our warmest wishes to you and your family, Dafni Varkaraki.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nice hotel in a beautiful location. Agios Nickolaos center is only a 20 minute walk from the hotel. Reception staff were very welcoming and helpful. Hotel rooms were situated on two hills so there was a lot of steps to climb. Pools were clean and there were plenty of sunbeds. The food tasted great and there was a good variety every day. The Animation team was the only disappointment, they only spoke English if we talked directly to them, the rest of the time they spoke in French. All the pool activities and announcements were also all in French so if you can't speak French you'll feel a bit isolated.
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
3 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Mare Hotels, Γενικός Διευθυντής at Ariadne Beach
Responded 8 Aug 2022
Dear Guest, thank you for your review. We are glad to read that you found the location great, the hotel clean, the staff helpful and friendly and the buffet rich. We have noted down your comments for the animation team and we will do our best for the future. Best wishes, Dafni Varkaraki.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
US$101 - US$187 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
ariadne beach agios nikolaos
LOCATION
GreeceCreteLasithi PrefectureAgios Nikolaos
NUMBER OF ROOMS
139
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Frequently Asked Questions about Ariadne Beach
Which popular attractions are close to Ariadne Beach?
Nearby attractions include ARC Espresso Cocktail Bar ex Chez George (1.1 km), Lake Voulismeni (1.2 km), and Spinalonga (Kalydon) (0.4 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Ariadne Beach?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
Which room amenities are available at Ariadne Beach?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a flat screen TV, and a refrigerator.
What food & drink options are available at Ariadne Beach?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and a poolside bar during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Ariadne Beach?
Conveniently located restaurants include Archontiko, Basilico, and Petalida Kasapakis.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Ariadne Beach?
Yes, guests have access to a pool and locker rooms available in the fitness centre during their stay.
Does Ariadne Beach have airport transportation?
Yes, Ariadne Beach offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Does Ariadne Beach offer any business services?
Yes, guests have access to meeting rooms and a banquet room during their stay.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Ariadne Beach?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, French, German, Italian, and Greek.
Are there any historical sites close to Ariadne Beach?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Spinalonga (Kalydon) (0.4 km).