The Place
The concierge desk offers limousine, helicopter and executive jet charter service as well as yacht hire, a fair indication of the Elounda Beach’s pretensions. For an unbeatable combination of world-class luxury and privacy, stay in one of 25 utterly sybaritic suites with heated pools, which form a ‘millionaire’s village’ within this superb resort. Undoubtedly one of the world’s best hotels, the Elounda Beach is no midget – it has 215 deluxe suites and villas – but its low-rise, village-style layout (complete with art gallery and Cretan art museum, boutiques and a chapel) means it does not feel like a large package holiday resort. Appealing to a cosmopolitan, multi-national clientele, it is close to the sports facilities of the beautiful, pine-covered Elounda peninsula and stands in its own lush, tropical-seeming grounds. The hotel has a wide variety of sports and activities, including five tennis courts, volleyball and the full array of water sports from scuba diving to water skiing. Particularly suitable for families, the Elounda Beach has its own semi-private beaches with umbrellas and sun-beds, a children’s playground and a supervised programme of activities for kids. The only possible criticism is that you will not want to leave the resort to see the rest of Crete.