My Solo-Only Group Trip to the Mistral Hotel in Crete

Lily, Group Trip Facilitator from Rory's Travel Club, offers her honest review of RTC Group Trip.

Having been looking after and facilitating Rory's Travel Club's Group Trips for the better part of the year, I was delighted to get to try out one of our Solo Group Trips by heading off to Crete in August 2026.

There’s something both incredibly exciting and completely terrifying about travelling somewhere new on your own, something I don't do too often!

For this trip to Crete, I went for a 7-night solo-only group trip to the Mistral Hotel near Chania, and although I knew I’d be surrounded by other solo travellers and RTC member, I still felt a bit nervous as I made my way to Dublin Airport at 6am in the morning.

But what followed was a week filled with sunshine, new friendships, incredible food, beautiful places and memories that I know I’ll treasure for a very long time.

The Group

This trip was a little different from a typical holiday. It was designed specifically for solo travellers, giving everyone the opportunity to travel independently while also having a ready-made group of people to meet, explore with, have dinner together, and enjoy the experience alongside.

There were 16 members travelling with the group, including myself, alongside 22 other guests from England and Scotland who joined us at the hotel.

That meant there was always someone around to have a chat with, join for a drink, head off on a day trip with or simply sit beside at the pool and have some craic.

And that was one of my favourite things about the whole trip! You could have as much independence as you wanted, but you were never really alone.

The Mistral Hotel

Our home for the week was the Mistral Hotel in Crete, and I couldn't have asked for a better base.

The hotel was spotless, the staff were absolutely amazing and incredibly welcoming, and the food was fantastic throughout our stay. The rooms were also super comfortable, making it easy to relax after a busy day exploring.

We were on a half-board basis for six of our seven nights, which was perfect. It meant breakfast and dinner were taken care of while still leaving plenty of opportunity to experience local food when we headed out on our excursions. Our evening meals even included free carafes of wine each night.

There was also a lovely pool area where I spent plenty of time working, relaxing and chatting with the other members.

The hotel is located near Chania, with good bus routes making it relatively easy to get around independently. One particularly helpful bonus was that members received free transfers from the hotel to Chania Airport, making the journey home nice and straightforward.

And then there was the entertainment…

One of the highlights was our Greek night, complete with traditional Cretan dancing. Watching the dancers and getting a taste of local culture was such a memorable part of the week - we even got to join in on learning the dances and trying the local Raki!

Here is my breakdown for the entire trip including the excursions I did!

Day 1 – Tuesday: Arrival 🇬🇷

Arrival day!

I met up with the members at Dublin Airport before we made our way to Crete. Even though this was a group trip, that first meeting with everyone brought all the usual thoughts and questions. Would everyone get along? Would I feel comfortable? Would I actually make friends?

Thankfully, those nerves didn't last long.

Once we arrived at the hotel, we had our introduction and started getting to know everyone. Suddenly, the trip I'd been worrying about became real, I was finally in Crete and getting to enjoy the first taste of Cretan cuisine!

Day 2 – Wednesday: Poolside Work & Cocktails 

After getting settled in, Wednesday was a much more relaxed day.

I spent some time working by the pool, answering emails and getting some work done while enjoying the sunshine. There was also plenty of chatting with the members, which was a lovely way to start getting to know everyone properly.

Then at 6pm, it was time for a cocktail tasting night. Because why not combine a little work with a little holiday fun?

It was a great evening and another chance for everyone to relax together.

Day 3 – Thursday: Beach, Swimming & a Massage 

Thursday brought a little more exploring.

I walked around 10 minutes down to the beach, where I enjoyed a swim before heading back to do some more work.

One of the lovely things about this trip was being able to mix work, relaxation and exploring rather than feeling like I had to choose between them.

And then came one of my favourite ways to unwind, I treated myself to a massage at the hotel before slipping into the pool for another swim.

After a morning of swimming and working, it was exactly what I needed!

Day 4 – Friday: Kolymbari Market & Winery Tour

Friday was a busy one!

The day started at 9.30am with aqua aerobics, led by a local instructor. It was a fun way to start the morning before heading out on our excursion.

At 10.30am, we boarded the bus with our tour guide and set off for Kolymbari Market.

The market was great for picking up clothes, food and a few souvenirs. I always love wandering around local markets when travelling because you get to see a different side of a destination.

At 11.20am, we headed to Bee's World Dorothea, where we learned all about how honey is made.

We got to hear about the honey-making process, enjoy some honey tasting, and, of course, there was the opportunity to pick up some honey-themed souvenirs and skincare products.

We then spent some time until around 2pm enjoying coffee in the village square and relaxing in the shade.

By 2.30pm, we were on our way to the Pnevmatikakis Winery.

We had a tour of the winery followed by some wine tasting and snacks, all while enjoying the beautiful views.

It was one of those afternoons where you could just sit back and think, I'm actually in Crete right now.

By 6.30pm, we were back at the hotel, where I managed to squeeze in a quick swim before dinner at 8pm.

A very full, but very enjoyable, day!

Day 5 – Saturday: Loutro Day Trip 

Saturday meant an early start.

At 8.30am, I headed off with five other members for a two-hour drive across Crete to a small port on the other side of the island.

From there, we took the ferry to Sweet Water Bay.

And wow.

The water was absolutely beautiful. Clear, blue and incredibly inviting. We couldn't resist getting in for a swim.

The pebble beaches were particularly hot, so getting into that gorgeous water was very welcome!

At 12.45pm, we headed back on the ferry towards Loutro, where we were lucky enough to spot a turtle in the water! 

Then came lunch. At around 1pm, we enjoyed an amazing meal with our local guide, including fresh fish and salads. Sitting down to eat delicious local food in the Cretan heat was pretty much holiday perfection.

At 3.30pm, it was time to head back to the harbour, but not before taking some time to explore the beautiful village of Loutro.

By 6.30pm, we were finally back at the hotel.

Tired? Absolutely.

Happy? Definitely!

Day 6 – Sunday: Chania

Sunday started much more lazily.

At 10.30am, I decided to take the bus solo to Chania, which was another great part of the trip to have a bit of a decompress and make the effort to head off and explore independently.

By 11.15am, I was wandering around the beautiful harbour.

I walked all the way out towards the lighthouse, taking in the views along the way, before doing a little shopping for some trinkets and souvenirs.

After all that walking, I needed a break, so at around 2pm, I grabbed a refreshing Freddo Cappuccino before heading back to the hotel.

Then it was time for some pool time to cool down!

Later that evening, at 6pm, I headed back to Chania with the other members with a bus transfer from the hotel.

We enjoyed a fabulous walk around the city and did some more shopping before heading for dinner at Sunset at Michalis, right on the harbour front.

The evening was all about local Cretan food, and it was absolutely delicious.

By 10pm, we were back at the hotel for some drinks at the bar.

A pretty perfect way to finish our last big day.

Day 7 – Monday: Work, Sunshine & One Last Relax

Monday was our final full day in Crete.

After all the adventures of the previous few days, it was time to slow things down again.

I spent the day working on emails and enjoying the last of the sunshine.

It was strange knowing that the trip was coming to an end. Just a few days earlier, I'd been nervous about meeting everyone at Dublin Airport, and now I was sitting there thinking about how quickly the week had gone.

Day 8 – Tuesday: Homeward Bound ✈️

And suddenly, it was time to go home.

We were transferred from the hotel to Chania Airport, making the journey home nice and easy.

This trip gave me so much more than seven nights in Crete. It gave me the chance to step outside my comfort zone, meet new people, experience traditional Cretan culture, explore beautiful parts of the island and prove to myself that travelling solo doesn't necessarily mean travelling alone.

From swimming in the crystal-clear waters of Sweet Water Bay, wandering around Chania, tasting local honey and wine, enjoying incredible food, relaxing by the pool and watching traditional Cretan dancing, there were so many special moments.

But perhaps the biggest highlight was the people.

The members, the other guests and the wonderful staff at the Mistral Hotel all helped make this trip so special.

I arrived in Crete feeling nervous about what the week would bring.

I left with special memories, new friendships and a whole lot of sunshine in my heart.

Would I do a solo group trip again?

Let's just say… Crete has definitely given me the Solo Travel bug!

RTC Member Testimony

Don't just take my word for it! One of our members, Marcella, was also kind enough to write a testimony of their experience! Check out below how they found the Solo Only Group Trip!

This is my first time travelling solo with Rory’s Travel Club and I’m so happy to have made the choice of joining. I didn’t know what to expect and was quite nervous about travelling with people I didn’t know, I should never have worried, I met an amazing bunch of people. We had such crack!! 
We were also privileged to have Lily from Rory’s with us. She was so lovely and supportive and went out of her way to help out with all the copious amount of questions that were thrown at her. 
The Mistral hotel where we stayed was spotless. We were met at the airport by Panos who brought us straight to our hotel and gave us some knowledge of Crete on the way. There were 37 rooms so 37 people, of which 16 were Irish. When we arrived our bags were taken up to our rooms and we were given a reusable water bottle which we could refill as many times as we liked with ice cold water. Aura and Adonis, the owners of the hotel were always there to help out and their staff were also very pleasant and hardworking. Breakfast and dinner were included in our stay and with dinner red or white wine was complimentary. My room was very spacious with a fridge, air conditioning and a safe. 
Overall it was a fantastic holiday and I can see why so many people return. I have booked two more solo trips with Rory’s and I can’t wait!!