Elounda Mare Relais & Chateaux Hotel

“Heaven on earth!”

My sister and I traveled to Crete for an annual birthday trip. Neither of us had been to Greece before and Elounda Mare and Crete did not disappoint. I cannot say enough positive things about the resort. It is stunningly gorgeous! The bungalows are spaced to maximize privacy and are beautifully app… more

My sister and I traveled to Crete for an annual birthday trip. Neither of us had been to Greece before and Elounda Mare and Crete did not disappoint. I cannot say enough positive things about the resort. It is stunningly gorgeous! The bungalows are spaced to maximize privacy and are beautifully appointed with marble and traditional Greek furnishings and decor. We stayed in a 2 bedroom superior bungalow with a private pool (Bungalow 1/1A). The location was amazing! It was an easy walk to the main pool (which we only used once since we had our own pool), the bar, breakfast restaurant and lobby area. My bathroom was 200+ square feet. Everything was a gorgeous marble, floors and walls alike. The closets were so elaborate and beautifully appointed my sister took pictures of how they were laid out as she was getting ready to do a remodel of hers. Our rooms were cleaned multiple times daily, including an evening turn down service. Our pool was spotless and the water was pleasantly refreshing. The pictures of this resort and the rooms truly do not do it justice. The grounds are immaculate and the flora and fauna are so interesting and lovely. There are so many serene, private places to just sit and enjoy the views. We visited the beach bar and chairs and loved them but really found the chairs on the rocks on the edge of the ocean were our shangri-la! We ate at all of the resorts restaurants as well as several of the sister resorts, all easily accessible by the resort's shuttle boat and the food was scrumptious at every one of them. The atmosphere at each restaurant is completely different, as is the menu, so be sure to venture out and try them all! The staff went over the top to accommodate every request, leaving us special gifts and treats in our rooms. The champagne breakfast started every day out right! The breakfast buffet was the best I have every experienced anywhere in the world. The variety allowed us to not be bored in the 11 days we indulged in the offerings. We only ordered off the breakfast menu once because we loved the buffet assortment so much. We were lucky enough to have a reservation at The Old Mill while a Michelin starred chef was visiting and had the most amazing meal we've ever had the privilege to enjoy. It was truly over the top, both visually and gastronmically! The staff greeted us by name every time they saw us. I have no idea how they memorize so many guests' names so quickly. George, the bartender, affectionately called us "his girls" each time we walked through the lobby (and we're in our upper 50's Lol!) and had a glass of champagne ready for us by the time we made it down the lobby steps to the bar. We were given a large bag of fresh oregano from one of the staff that I am still cooking with and it is so much sweeter than anything I've ever grown in the U.S. The resort does have a lot of walking on multiple levels, which might not be easy for those with mobility issues, but our villa was accessible by a ramp (albeit cobblestone) and was the closest to the lobby, yet had stunning ocean views and a lovely garden so would be an easier one to book, and the main hotel building would be accessible as well. We enjoyed a full spa-day at the Six Senses Spa that was out of this world. The structure itself is stunning, with multiple indoor and outdoor pools, steam rooms, saunas, a hammam and luxurious treatments using local products made of the precious greek olive oil that make your skin feel like silk. We enjoyed all of our treatments and bought several of the products used in our treatments we loved them so much. The weekly cocktail reception was lovely to attend to meet other guests, the manager and staff so be sure to partake in that. I would return to this resort without hesitation and cannot recommend it highly enough.

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