No reason to feel Blue…
The island provides a haunting backdrop for the Blue Palace, and one you can enjoy from each of the 250 rooms as they are all positioned with a sea view, as are the restaurants and other facilities. More than half of the rooms also come with their own private plunge pool and we were very fortunate to be upgraded to one of these lovely spaces. You’ll discover an authentic feel throughout the hotel, something the local owners were passionate about; so that, despite the luxurious trappings and modern amenities you would expect from a 5*, it also has a soul and a true sense of place.
If you can drag yourself out of the room you’ll find this authenticity everywhere, even including the beach – there’s no sand in this bay so the beach is stone, as it should be. There’s also a Greek taverna, offering a Cretan feast once a week as well as mezedes and local dishes during the day. Other restaurants cater for broader tastes but use local (some from the hotel’s kitchen garden) ingredients. They include Flame, a steak restaurant, the glorious Italian Isola, a firm favourite of mine and Asia Blue, a fusion restaurant inspired by Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Polynesian cuisine.
It’s not all about the food (apparently) – if you need to work off some of the food then there are three pools, a fitness centre, sunrise yoga on the beach, a water sport centre, tennis or you can head out and enjoy horse riding or quad biking. For something really special, the hotel has its own traditional caique upon which you can enjoy fine wine and good company as you sail around Spinalonga and the Mirabello Gulf.
We took time out from our busy schedule of eating and lounging to visit Spinalonga (by the ferry from Plaka, not the caique!) and admired the ruins of the Venetian fortifications, as well as the various buildings that had been occupied into the late fifties by the leper colony. The speed with which nature had reclaimed the island is also to be marvelled at. Plaka is also worth a visit, with plenty of craft shops, restaurants and bars to have a wander around.
If all that excitement gets to be too much for you then it’s probably time to pay a visit to the incredible, huge spa. Built over three floors and with 24 treatment spaces, the spa offers a full thalassotherapy experience and the treatments use highly regarded Valmont, Anne Semonin and Cinq Mondes products. Spa treatments are also available for kids aged 8 and upwards, and families will find they are well catered for, with a kids’ club, children’s pool and flexible accommodation.
This was the perfect way to bring our holiday in Crete to an end and thank you so much to all of the staff who provided such excellent service during our stay.