Velani Country Hotel - Crete

Jane who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Excellent | The riding & the landscapes we rode through were more exciting than I had anticipated having read your descriptions. Although the riding wasn't fast (alot of walking, some trotting & the occasional & welcome canter) it was exciting as the terrain was interesting and beautiful & the horses were forward going & energetic. Some of the tracks (not all) were very stony but that had been mentioned & so was expected.
I enjoyed the variety of different rides & tracks & the length of the rides felt challenging & adventurous which I really enjoyed. The leader (Richard) was superb at looking after us all - as well as all the horses!
He was conscientious, responsible, relaxed & genuine & I really appreciated the detailed explanations he gave about the places we visited & passed by & through; which gave added value. I felt safe & cared for by Richard and Suzanna. Both these guides were truly caring & helpful & A* fantastic
A great all round experience & lively interesting group of riders of different nationalities.

Do you have any comments about the accommodation and food?

I had opted for a deluxe room & i was not disappointed! It was lovely, spacious & comfortable. The outside area was superb & I really enjoyed the peace & privacy it gave me - as well as the fantastic views of wild landscape. The hotel, pool & restaurant was gorgeous. Super friendly, informal & relaxed. There was a high standard of delicious food in all 3 meals every day. The service was friendly, warm & fun too.
The massage & facial I had were very good indeed.
My 2 week stay of one week - riding + one week - relaxation was just what i needed & I loved the isolation, peace & quiet of the location.

How could we improve the quality of pre-holiday information that we send?

I really was very impressed with every aspect of choosing & booking this holiday via ‘in the saddle’.

How could we improve the way we handled your booking and payment?

I dont think there was anything that could have been done better.
The only thing I would change is that I preferred the mixed nationalities in the riders groups so if I could choose I would always opt for that rather than being with a lot of english people ( ie same as me - english) all the time .

Do you have any other feedback for us?

I really had an excellent holiday & loved the balance of one week intense riding followed by a very quiet relaxing sunbathing & pool week.
I hope to return!