Crete a fantastic destination
When we arrived we had fantastic lunch in Cretan Restaurant Peskesi in Heraklion with delicious food. After that we walked around Heraklion which has beautiful old town.
The first couple of night we stayed at Sentido Aegean hotel in Rethymnon in a good location around 2km from the old town of Rethymnon. This is a 4* hotel. It is across the road from its own private beach. It is a good 4* hotel with three outdoor pools. We visited a further three small boutique hotels in Rethymnon the Swell Boutique hotel, Antica Dimora Suites located right in the old town of Rethymnon and the Rimondi Boutique hotel. Rethymnon is a great base to spend your holiday in Crete.
The next day we moved to the east side of Crete and to Daios Cove where we stayed for two nights. On route we had Hotel Visits to Ikaros Beach and Radisson Blu and stopped for lunch at a taverna by the port of Agios Nikolaos which I enjoyed. Agios Nikolas is a very nice town. It will be a busy resort in the summer time.
Ikaros Beach a very nice 5* property right by a lovely sandy beach and a 15 minute walk from the cosmopolitan seaside towns of Stalis and Malia; built in a typical Cretan style. This is a family friendly resort hotel which offers attentive service, a high standard of accommodation and excellent facilities'. The buffet restaurant serves a variety of local and international dishes; a la carte Ayeri specialises in Mediterranean cuisine and the Quzeri offers local delights throughout the day.
Radisson Blu is ideal for both families and couples with its range of facilities and spacious accommodation with fabulous waterfront views. A choice of four outdoor swimming pools include an adult only pool and an exciting water park with waterslides set in the extensive lush grounds, although they were not open on the day we visited. I think you would need a car if you wanted to get out and about as it is quite remote.
That evening we had a hotel visit and a wonderful dinner at Elounda Beach Hotel and Villas which I loved. It enjoys a fabulous waterfront location. Numerous luxury bungalows and suites are dotted amidst the vast grounds which are also home to an art gallery, chapel and Kafenion in a traditional Cretan village setting. This hotel is very top end where celebrities stay. Superb dining and fine wines are high on the list of priorities and guests may choose from a variety of restaurants, including traditional and international delicacies, Polynesian, Sushi, Greek, Italian and Mediterranean. It is family run and a truly prestigious hotel and one of The Leading Hotels of the World.
On our last day before returning home, we looked at Elounda Gulf Villas; a luxurious product overlooking the breathtaking Mirabello Bay. Each Villa is uniquely designed with its own pool with Jacuzzi with stunning sea views. There is a children's club and crèche and a new private beach club 10 minutes’ drive away by the hotel’s free shuttle service. This hotel is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the world and winner of Greece's Leading Villa Award and World Luxury Hotel Award.
We visited the Island of Spinalonga. The island is small and can be walked around in less than an hour. The ferry to the island is very short and takes minutes from Plaka which in itself is a beautiful little harbour village.
Blue Palace was our next hotel visit. It is set on a wonderful hillside location overlooking Spinalonga Island and the sparkling blue waters of the Aegean Sea. Blue Palace offers luxuriously furnished and spacious accommodation in bungalows dotted around the gardens and overlooking the sea. Bungalows with private infinity pools, suites and villas are also available. A beautiful private beach can be accessed by a panoramic lift. Younger guests can enjoy the children's separate pool, playground and club.
We had a site visit of Daios Cove on the morning before returning home. It has fantastic sea views from a hillside location 7km from Agios Nikolaos. This hotel is a 5* luxury property and three funiculars link all hotel areas and down to the cove, where the hotel's private sandy beach has a beach bar plus access to water sports and the dive centre. We had some free time to enjoy the facilities before returning to the Airport. Daios Cove is approximately one hour from the airport and ideal for couples and families.