Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas

We really liked this hotel. It's way better than the ticklist might suggest. Rooms are good and staff are genuinely friendly. Fantastic beach setup where you're allocated sunbeds for your whole stay.... totally eliminated any need to grab a bed early. One or two areas for improvement. Food generally ( breakfast and evening restaurants) was ok but not ever any better than that. Overly pricey for dinner, luckily the restaurants in the two nearest towns are better and about half the cost. We'd visit Elounda Beach hotel again...the overall stay was enjoyable.

For me this hotel was the epitome of luxury, relaxation, and beauty. However what stands out and really is one of kind is there’s no sun bed wars or towels being left ominously on beds - you get your own sun bed reserved with your room number for the ENTIRE WEEK! especially great for those who are lazy like me and want to lie in till 11 o’clock. The staff (I mean every one of these guys) were professional and gave the very best service anyone could ask for from the pool guy to the waiters at breakfast even the manager who was so on the ball all the time it really was impecable service. The continental breakfast had everything from omelettes to fresh fruit and real honeycomb it certainly never left me hungry! It’s almost weird to not hear anything but crickets and no loud disco music, cars, shouting just peaceful bliss. We stayed in the bungalow which has a view across the bay and all the best amenities, the saltwater pool is just heaven and the beach area was beautiful with bells on the sun beds to call for service and drinks. The hotel is split across a vast space of roughly 2 miles so be prepared for a little walk here and there although buggies come and go. However (and there is a but) be prepared for a heavy bill at the end of the trip with the restaurant prices bordering on offensive and a bit of a treck to the Elounda town being a 20 min walk (for those of us with short legs) as the hotel isn’t really geared up for travelling to town so eating in the hotel is preferable however you can get a buggy to the sister hotel Elounda bay palace but it’s still a bit of walk (a taxi may be needed to get back again). The prices aren’t obscene for our ever changing economy but it certainly wasn’t budget friendly with a small bottle of water at six euro - but it is five star and as they always say you get what you pay for so heed my warning is all I’m saying. Nonetheless the food was sensational and I wouldn’t be surprised if I’ve gained a few pounds. There was a Greek night on the Tuesday that I thoroughly enjoyed, although my dancing was a little rusty and there’s a shop, spa, boutique, jewellers, tennis court, badminton, around 5 restaurants in both hotels (you can venture to either) and when we went in June it was very quiet considering it was before the school holidays so we never struggled for a table or a sun bed. The sprawling gardens with olive trees, pink wisteria and jasmine, and the Greek taverna old style vibe gave it a real authentic and welcoming feel and the toilets (dotted about to prevent any undesirable emergencies) where so nice and clean it felt like being on holiday in a toilet - I’m not exaggerating they were amazing! Weather was hot and dry but lovely and warm in evening averaging around 28 degrees, but my final tip for is DO NOT get a shared transfer it took us 2 hours and 45 minutes to get from Heraklion (hell on earth if you get coach sick like me) although it was air con it was entirely unnecessary and if you go private it’s only 45 minutes. If you pay for anything do a private transfer trust me you won’t regret it. That’s it’s from me definitely deserves 5 stars Elounda beach a hotel for rest and recuperation indeed!

From the moment we arrived, Elounda Beach exceeded our expectations. The property is beautiful, the food was exceptional, and the live music every evening created such a wonderful atmosphere. Every part of our stay was lovely. What made this vacation truly memorable, though, was the people. A special thank you to Angela, the Reception Manager, who genuinely cared about making sure I was happy with my room. She went above and beyond by arranging a wonderful room upgrade that made an already great vacation even better. At the fine dining restaurant, we looked forward to the delicious food and beautiful live music every night. The manager, Vaios, was outstanding. Warm, attentive, and genuinely hospitable, he noticed the little things that make guests feel special. When we returned another evening just to enjoy the music, he surprised us with fresh fruit on the house, a thoughtful gesture we truly appreciated. Laura at the front desk guest experience is simply an angel. After a long drive across the island, I arrived tired and cranky, and she greeted me with the warmest smile and incredible patience. First impressions matter, and she made us feel welcome from the very first moment. She is a very special person. Beautiful hotels can be found in many places, but it is the people who make a stay unforgettable. The team at Elounda Beach does exactly that. We will definitely be back. Thank you so much. Lesli

Great resort near a lovely fishing town. We stayed in a deluxe sea view room and had so much storage . Plug sockets not so many . Rooms were beautifully cleaned morning and down turn . We didn't use the pool as most beds on grass and i get bitten but the beach was amazing in a bay . They allocate you beds for your duration of stay which was fabulous . Water is given by the pool bar staff for free. The sea was cool and calm . The resort is so clean and all the staff so friendly . Breakfast was amazing with everything you could possibly want . Shout out to Elina who was amazing and keep an eye on everything as it was quite windy We ate in the town for lunch and dinner There are buggies outside reception and someone always there (or ask at reception) to take you to the main gate as it is quite a walk and it's 24 hours. Turn right and walk down to the sign Ninas and do a right and a lively walk into the town . We lived the sky bar for pre sinks and went to most of the restaurants all fab . particularly Olandi and Megaro. We did a trip to Spinalonga which if you have read The Island is a must i would say This resort and Elounda town are an amazing holiday destination . We loved staying here and can totally recommend

Once again we returned to Elounda beach, it feels as though we are returning to our second home as we are warmly welcomed by so many of the wonderful hotel staff. We know how much hard work on behalf of the staff goes into creating a such a very special and relaxing holiday environment, their genuine care and friendship for their guests shines through. From the moment we walk into reception and are greeted by so many smiling faces we relax and are on holiday. The reception team and concierge team give such a warm welcome including Maria, Ioanna and Laura in the concierge team and Andi in guest loyalty. Demetris leads the food and beverage team impeccably, he seems to be ever present anticipating the guests needs and remembering their preferences with genuine warmth and professionalism.We must give special mentions to many longstanding members of that team and some newer ones, they are all outstanding and so no particular ranking applies.They are Demetris twin brother at Dionysus and his team, Giorgis and Costas at Argonaut plus their team, Marianna and her team especially Efi at Blu Lagoon. Giannis and the others at Kafenion including Eleni who anticipate our every need with warmth and friendliness All these people look after us with perfect attention to detail and genuine care. Aggela makes delicious eggs at breakfast. Adonis the executive chef presides over a team of excellent chefs in all the restaurants and is always a cheerful presence. The two new sommeliers this year Stavros and Giorgis are such wonderful additions to the team with perfect suggestions to pair with the delicious food. Orestis at Veghera remembers exactly how we like our G&T as well as kindly assisting in Martins fishing. Christiana is his friendly assistant. The staff at the beach bar are helpful and welcoming. The music from Sandra and Stavros is always so enjoyable, they too remember our favourite requests. The pianist Matteo who played at breakfast was a welcome new addition who gave an enjoyable and relaxing start to the day. If we could make a small negative comment it would be that the new staff who tend the beach loungers aren’t quite as on the ball as their predecessors of a couple of years ago who would always arrive as soon as we did with clean towels and would never have left wet covers on the loungers assigned to our room where others had obviously been sitting on them. That said however we had the most wonderful holiday in perfect surroundings and look forward to returning soon.