Momi Slow Living Hotel is the perfect retreat for tourists craving an escape from the daily stresses of unrelenting jobs - and for me, it marked my first ever adults-only getaway. Think basking in glorious Greek sunshine, cocktail in hand, novel in the other, and nowhere to be but right where you are.
Flying into Crete's Heraklion airport, from dreary London in October, was tonic for the soul. Overlooking the Aegean Sea, the small airport processes tens of thousands of visitors - both domestic and international - during peak season.
We were collected by a taxi driver sent by the hotel, a friendly local who took pride in his life on the island, saying that there was always something fun to do. As we drove the half an hour to the hotel, I was reminded of Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals, set on the Greek island of Corfu - a sense that this was a place where life moves at a gentler pace.
First impressions
With the crystal blue sea to one side, contrasted with rocky, rugged hills on the other, the scenery was breathtaking. Olive trees are a ubiquitous presence - almost everyone on the island has a family olive grove, the produce of which they harvest and export, contributing to the Cretan economy.
Nestled among the olive groves of Hersonissos, we finally arrived at the luxury Momi, which is just a short minute walk from the town's main high street. Momi really is a unique resort in the area - set apart by its sleek geometric architecture; cubic buildings with archway features; walls painted in wheatish and cream; and gravel pathways interwoven with sand-coloured stepping stones.
© MOMIYou are immediately struck by the use of local natural resources to build the resort, which adds to the rustic charm of the place. There are clusters of buildings, each housing 2-4 apartments, separated by garden walls made of local rock and surrounded by gorgeous fruit-bearing trees: olive (of course), fig and my personal favourite, pomegranate! The resort is like an oasis in this sleepy town.
Warm Cretan hospitality
The staff were unfailingly kind and accommodating - really showcasing the best of Cretan hospitality. The manager went out of his way to meet our every need. For those that like a strong tipple, guests are welcomed in their apartments with a bottle of local Raki, a strong grape pomace brandy that sets your throat alight after just one small sip and is thus invigorating.
© Momi Slow LivingThe apartments
Each apartment has a neat open-plan set-up of an upper bedroom overlooking the living room area, which has these really comfortable L-shaped sofas that can also double as beds.
© MOMIAttached to the main living area is a sunken room which holds all the bathroom facilities. Many apartments also have balconies equipped with seating so you can enjoy some quiet time looking out onto the sea or olive groves.
Momi has two communal swimming pools: the main one next to a bar with lively music playing and a second, more secluded pool affording guests some privacy. Both pools have loungers for guests wanting a sun tan, but most of them occupy the main pool.
Dining at Momi
For me personally, the best feature of the Momi resort was the food! Every day, we were treated to a sumptuous banquet. The breakfast is all-inclusive, but I would highly recommend paying that little bit extra for lunch and dinner as well, if you happen to be staying at the resort all day.
© MOMIEach mealtime, guests are served a wide-ranging buffet of traditional Cretan dishes consisting mainly of local ingredients, which are changed up from day to day. For the first time in my life, I ate feta cheese as it is meant to be, fresh and creamy - not the UK supermarket kind (the taste of which evokes something rather unpleasant!). My top 5 dishes at the taverna were: artichoke with prawns, grilled white fish, chicken souvlaki, beef stifado or stew and lentil salad.
Momi also did not disappoint with their dessert selection; their sweet phyllo pastries are to die for!
© MOMIExploring Hersonissos
If you wish to do some sightseeing in the day, the local environs of Hersonissos has a shopping strip selling tourist knick-knacks just a 15-minute walk down the road from the hotel. If you walk another 5 minutes, you reach the parade of bars, restaurants and clubs that back onto the coast.
© Momi Slow LivingFrom here you can enjoy a one-hour-long ride on a land-train that does a leisurely tour around the new town and the old town up in the olive hills. For a more educational tourist experience, it is best to hire a taxi to Crete's capital Heraklion, where an absolute must-see is the prehistoric remains of the Knossos Palace. Another prerequisite is to visit the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, which has a mind-blowing collection of artefacts dating back to the Minoan civilisation. The prominent Koules fortress in the harbour of Heraklion should be another destination ticked off on your list of to-dos.
© Momi Slow LivingFor destinations further afield, and if you have the energy for a really long day ahead, you can catch a 2-hour ferry at 6 am that takes you to the island of Santorini, famed for its iconic, vibrant blue domes and white washed buildings. The ferry will bring you back to the island of Crete at night.
The holiday season in Crete runs from April till October, after which, Momi closes up, and its staff look for other temporary hospitality work overseas or tend to their family olive groves. But not to worry, Momi, along with the rest of the sleepy town of Hersonissos, wakes up again in feverish anticipation of its tourists and becomes the scenic getaway for many a tranquil-seeking tourist once more.
Book direct at Momi Slow Living Hotel or via Booking.com.
