A funny one here. The hotel was far superior to anything I've stayed in perform and individually every last detail was professional, stylish, high quality, and well executed. But for me all that perfection didn't hang together and I was a bit underwhelmed.
I visited late September. The whole resort had the air of the end of the summer season.
Location: Elounda to the right about a 35 minute stretch. The pavement consisted of crazy paving, quite uneven and difficult to walk on. The trees mean you have to step into the road. It's easier walking but traffic makes it dicey. You can taxi for about 10 euros.
Plaka to the left about a 45 minute walk. All the above applies to the pavement and roads. Taxi was 12 Euros.
Plaka is an old village with a modern stylish uplift. Very nice but you do pay over the odds. Fancy 3 course dinner with fresh fish of the day knocked us back 145 euros.
Elounda is more of a resort town vibe prices ranged from 50 to 80 Euros for a similar meal but without the ponsing about.
There is nothing around the hotel. We like a beach: no beach! There are a couple of nearby areas with sunbeds next to the sea but it's a bit like the gravel yard in your local builders yard. Don't envisage paddling at the waters edge. You are picking your way through rubble.
So with no local meal option without a long walk and no beach to sit on. You are reliant on the hotel providing much of the holiday highlights.
It's set on the side of the hills and is steep. Very steep. Very steep! They will ferry you up and down in the fleet of waiting golf buggies. Luckily we were not too far up.
Whilst we mention the golf buggies let's talk about the staff. Very very friendly and professional. You will not take more than a step without one of the team greeting you, checking if you need anything, etc. Very nice, but became a bit like a military salute. We saw two guests dodging the buggy and the manager had a right hissy fit at the guy who was driving it. It wasn't his fault the people didn't want a lift.
The pool was clean. But absolutely baking hot with zero shade. Each bed (there were plenty of beds with provided towels) had a umbrella that cast shade about 4 beds down not over you. If you did touch the umbrella a member of staff appeared instantly to fuss over the string that secures it.
The pool bar had an ok menu. The local blue crab salad was actually the most tasteless , rubbery prawn I have ever eaten. The beer and wine served in plastic glasses, boo to health and safety. The staff didn't know what a Bacardi was. Even when pointed out to them on the menu. We got a substituted version.
Breakfast was poor in my view. Again excellently done. Every breakfast food group you could imagine and some you can't. But you struggled to put it together to make a credible meal. I can't explain it really. But if you like some diced olives with a croissant, a piece of cake, a slice of ham and a piece of nut brittle then this is you place. The English breakfast option. Don't go there. There was a menu of freshly cooked items. Omelettes eggs pancakes etc. these were ok. The breakfast room is multi level. Steps, slopes, a bit chaotic. There is one nasty slope near where the orange juice and water is kept in buckets of iced water. The floor here is constantly wet so mind you step.
The room was lovely, made up everyday. Sheets and towels every other day. I got the requisite number of coffee pods delivered each day. On an evening we had a bottle of water and two chocolates delivered each night.
There was a selection of savoury snacks in a draw. These weren't replaced. We didn't touch the stuff in the fridge.
Nor did we eat dinner in the restaurant, but at 50 euros per head it looked dear to me.
We had a jacuzzi, a bit frivolous in my opinion but there you are.
We didn't use the gym the spa or the yoga stage so can't really comment except the hotel looked full of the type of youngsters who do like that sort of stuff with an accompanying selfie for tiktok. The spa lady will try and upsell you, she does a round of sales calls. If her afternoon is slack.
I'll leave it there. As I say it was absolutely lovely but somehow not? I can't put my finger on it. Except to say I never saw anyone having fun or laughing in the whole seven days I was there.
Maybe I just chose wrong!
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