Elounda, Crete
Fast forward a few months and out of lockdown, we decided to book our stay for the start of June.
I took my long suffering husband and jetted off in trepidation, after hearing about the long queues and issues at Gatwick. We needn’t have worried as the biggest queue at the airport was for the Boots shop airside. We were through in half an hour at the undignified hour of 5am but eager to go to the sunshine.
On arrival at the hotel, I met the manager, the sales director and several other staff members who were lovely and very welcoming. I was delighted to find they’d upgraded our room to a deluxe sea view suite, with two rooms and more room than we knew what to do with. A highlight was the jacuzzi bath and huge balcony with amazing views over the beautiful bay surrounding Elounda. What also surprised me was the proximity to Elounda and all the amazing restaurants.
Elounda centre is a short, picturesque 10-minute walk through olive lined roads, and we discovered full of wonderful restaurants and bars. It’s not for anyone who wants bustling nightlife, but if you like to eat late and enjoy amazing food and drinks overlooking the bay, it’s perfect. Its also one of the places to catch a boat to Spinalonga, a very interesting island off the coast of Elounda/Plaka which once held a leper colony and has a great historical past. Other great places to visit close by include the city of Agios Nikolaos, we spent a lovely day walking around and eating at an amazing restaurant called Gioma Meze. Highly recommend but be wary, there are few steps up to it!
I would highly recommend Elounda and Elounda Bay Palace and it’s sister hotel Elounda Beach hotel and villas. The rooms are stunning, and you can get every type of accommodation from hotel rooms to 3-bedroom villas with pool.
The staff are exceptionally friendly, the views amazing and the fact it’s walking distance from an amazing town makes it even better. I only wish I stayed for longer, 3 nights is really not enough!