Amy Adejokun
Section editor
This luxury hotel is nicely tucked away on a hillside overlooking the sea, but getting to the beach is certainly no picnic. However, total privacy is guaranteed, both in the rooms, around their private swimming pools and in any of the uniquely designed luxury villas. As the communal areas are kept to a minimum, this is a good place to visit for a completely independent holiday.
The hotel is located 2 mi from Elounda and around 9 mi north of Agios Nikolaos. Heraklion Kazantzakis international airport is around an hour and a half away by car (approximately 46 mi). Keep your eyes peeled, because the hotel is not easy to find. It is on a tiny street just off the main road connecting Elounda and Agios Nikolaos.
In all, there are 18 villas (750 sq ft to 2200 sq ft) and 10 suites (430 sq ft to 915 sq ft), most of which enjoy sea views. The villas have one to four bedrooms and each villa has a private infinity pool (most of these cover 540 sq ft) which blends with the blue sky. The size of the surrounding cream-coloured terraced area, complete with deckchairs, varies from villa to villa and is shielded from neighbouring villas by walls, ensuring privacy Inside, some of the villas have a little spa with a few of the latest exercise machines, an impeccable sauna and a large marble hammam. The 'spa' villas have just one bedroom, except for one which contains two bedrooms. Each villa has a fully-equipped kitchen (oven, microwave, coffee machine, gas cooker, etc.), plasma screen televisions, safe, etc. There is a chandelier in the dining room, and a lounge area has been fitted out in the next room. The overall set-up is spacious, well-lit and comfortable and the decor has obviously been well-thought-through, with a marble staircase leading up to the bedrooms. The large bathrooms have two stylish washbasins, electronic bathroom scales and a complete set of 'Etro' hospitality products made in Milan. All the accommodation categories, even the suites, have a jacuzzi. None of the rooms are identical and each has been carefully decorated. For example, different areas open out onto one another and opaque glass dividers conceal ultra-modern dressing rooms. The decorative objects are all unique and sourced from different countries, including hand-painted mirrors from Saragossa in one of the bathrooms, chandeliers from Milan, etc. There is also a pillow menu, and room service is available from 8:00am to 11:00pm. Wi-Fi Internet access is free in the hotel itself, but is available at additional cost in the rooms.
The entrance is also closed off by an electric gate, making it difficult to identify. It is also easy to miss the reception, which is housed in a tiny, pretty white cottage, and consists only of two seats in front of a stylish reception desk. A narrow, winding path leads straight up through the boxy dimensions of the white 2- and 3-storey villas, which were built in 2000 and renovated in 2006. There is not much soul to the place and it is difficult to tell empty and occupied villas apart. At the very top of the property, the main path (to be taken with an electric car) stops in front of the gate of the royal villa. At the very bottom of the property there is a small communal swimming pool, a pool for children and the building housing the restaurants and the hotel's only bar. Sipping a cocktail on the big, wide white sofas or on one of the deckchairs, the view would be perfect were it not dissected by the nearby power lines. There is pleasant vegetation all around and even the roofs are carpeted with turf. The communal spa is one of the smallest you will have seen, with just 5 exercise machines, a single (very basic) massage room, sauna, hammam and outdoor jacuzzi. In spite of its small dimensions, it is impeccably looked after.
The Elounda Gulf Villas & Suites has two very stylish à la carte restaurants. Not even breakfast is a buffet affair here. The main restaurant is decorated with orange marble and mirrors, with just the right amount of space between the nicely prepared tables. The picture windows overlook the small communal swimming pool and can be opened to enjoy the breeze. The menu consists of international and Mediterranean dishes prepared by a Greek chef, and a main course will set you back between ?20-30. There is a choice of dishes, but not a great selection, though the head waiter can offer around 130 different wines from the cellar. To reach the hotel's second restaurant, climb the stairs next to the bar and head through the very comfortable library area. There are even fewer tables in this restaurant, the chairs are more comfortable and the atmosphere is more cosy, rather like the dining room of a mansion. The Mediterranean dishes on the menu are prepared with even greater care here. This restaurant is open from the end of June.
The hotel is open from April to October and has been a member of the 'Small Luxury Hotels of the World' collection since 2004 and the 'Resorts and Great Hotels Connoisseur's Choice' collection since 2006. It has also received a '5 Star Diamond Award'. A no-smoking policy operates inside the hotel buildings, and guests at the hotel can also use the facilities of the Elounda Beach hotel, which is a few metres below.
hammam, sauna, massage, spa
sports, gym
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The Aquila Elounda Village is built on a rock overlooking Mirabello Bay. It does not have a beach.
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This luxury palace will take you on a heavenly journey. Located in the Eastern part of Crete, near the small and picturesque fishing village of Elounda, it offers an exceptional view with Spinalonga Island as a centre piece. The services offered are backed up by solid infrastructures: numerous and varied restaurants, a plethora of private pools, a magnificent spa and a beach, which, despite the pebbles, does not lack character.
This luxury palace will take you on a heavenly journey. Located in the Eastern part of Crete, near the small and picturesque fishing village of Elounda, it offers an exceptional view with Spinalonga Island as a centre piece. The services offered are backed up by solid infrastructures: numerous and varied restaurants, a plethora of private pools, a magnificent spa and a beach, which, despite the pebbles, does not lack character.
The Elounda Beach appears as a small Cretan village by the water, in the Mirabello Bay, in front of the Spinalonga island.
The very exclusive Elounda Peninsula stands above the bay and overlooks the sea and the surrounding hotels, offering a personalised service, privacy and peaceful surroundings, with 'luxury' and 'elegance' being the key words to describe the hotel and the service it provides. A clearly beautiful establishment, it is particularly ideal for couples and those who like fine dining, as the hotel also boasts the finest restaurant in Crete.
This is the only Relais & Châteaux in Greece. The Elounda Mare has earned the label: luxurious rooms, sophisticated decor, magnificent gardens... A great address.
This upscale, very comfortable hotel, is a member of Leading Hotels of the World. It is located in a quiet creek, facing Spinalonga peninsula, not far from the famous Aghios Nikolaos seaside village.
Porto Elounda Resort has been spoiled by nature. Its environment has been spared from concrete. Golf players will enjoy is nine-hole course.
The Aquila Elounda Village is built on a rock overlooking Mirabello Bay. It does not have a beach.
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