Ethereal White Resort Hotel & Spa - Adults Only

“What a fantastic place to accomodate. 200meters from city center / old town. The Roof Top is a hidden gem.”

From simple course to complex taste without any show off. Absolutely fantastic destination with no further needed. Will come again without a doubt.

“Wunderbarer entspannender Trip”

Super Spa 🤗 Perfect 😍 great staff and a wonderful room 🫶☀️

“More Than a Design Hotel: A Place of Character, Charm and Unexpected Kindness”

We stayed at the Ethereal White Resort for five nights at the very end of our holidays in Crete, after already spending time at a seaside resort directly on the beach. For the final part of our trip, we wanted something different: a stylish city hotel in the heart of Heraklion where we could simply… more

We stayed at the Ethereal White Resort for five nights at the very end of our holidays in Crete, after already spending time at a seaside resort directly on the beach. For the final part of our trip, we wanted something different: a stylish city hotel in the heart of Heraklion where we could simply walk through the old town, discover cafés, shops and museums, and enjoy the atmosphere of the capital. In that sense, the location of the hotel is truly exceptional. Everything is within walking distance, and despite being in the middle of the city, the surroundings were surprisingly calm. Before arriving, we were slightly concerned about parking, but this turned out not to be a problem at all. There are several parking spaces directly in front of the hotel, and during our stay we always managed to find a place for our car. From the moment one enters the hotel, it becomes clear that this is not a conventional five-star property. The building feels like an artistic white sanctuary hidden inside the old town. Marble, minimalist shapes, soft lighting, and striking oil paintings create a very distinctive atmosphere. The design is modern, elegant and at times almost theatrical, yet still welcoming. Our room was beautifully designed and equipped with impressive smart technology. Lighting, curtains, climate and various room functions were digitally controlled, which certainly gives the hotel a futuristic feeling. At times, however, the amount of technology became slightly overwhelming — especially for guests who are perhaps less accustomed to fully digital environments. The room almost seemed alive with its sensors and automated systems. Still, it was comfortable, spotless, very quiet, and cleverly arranged with mirrors that made the space appear much larger than its actual size. Although the room description had suggested otherwise, we were pleasantly surprised to have a small balcony with a table and two chairs. The view was mostly towards neighbouring buildings, but it was still enjoyable to sit outside in the evening. One thing that genuinely disturbed us at first was that housekeeping carts were permanently left directly outside our room door — not only during the morning cleaning hours, which would of course be perfectly understandable, but throughout the entire day and night. The already narrow corridor remained filled with cleaning materials, towels and pillows almost continuously, which was visually unpleasant and also raised concerns regarding fire safety. To the hotel’s credit, however, the staff reacted immediately and professionally when we mentioned it. From the following day onward, the carts disappeared from our floor entirely. Housekeeping itself was somewhat inconsistent. If we left the room early in the morning, it sometimes had still not been cleaned by early afternoon when we returned. We discovered that it helped to inform reception directly if we wanted the room serviced earlier in the day. The rooftop terrace and bar were another highlight. The panoramic view towards the sea was magnificent, especially at sunset. During one particularly windy afternoon, a tiny waitress struggled heroically against the gusts while serving guests, and we jokingly started calling her “Nefeli” — the Greek word for cloud — because it almost looked as if the wind might carry her away. Breakfast was generous and offered in a spectacular dining room filled with art and imaginative decorative details. One amusing feature was an imitation fireplace that appeared to function through some sort of video projection — slightly eccentric, but perfectly in line with the hotel’s creative personality. The atmosphere of the breakfast room changed dramatically between our first and second morning. On the first day, the staff seemed somewhat uncoordinated despite being numerous. By the following morning, however, a manager had clearly taken charge: an elegant blonde lady who reminded us somehow of a young Melina Mercouri. She brought warmth, calm and professionalism into the room. What touched us most deeply was her kindness toward my wife, who was not feeling well one morning due to stomach problems. The manager approached her with genuine care and said: “Listen, I am a mother. I know what will help you.” Shortly afterward she returned with tea and remedies, and indeed my wife felt considerably better afterward. It was a small but deeply human gesture that remained with us long after our stay. More generally, the staff throughout the hotel left an excellent impression on us. Many of the young women working there had wit, humour and genuine personality. Conversations never felt artificial or scripted; there was charm, intelligence and a natural ease in the interaction, always remaining elegant and professional. One sensed that the management had selected people not only for efficiency, but also for character — and this contributed enormously to the atmosphere of the hotel. Ethereal White Resort is not a perfect hotel, but it is a memorable one. It combines artistic ambition, advanced technology, comfort and genuine human warmth in a way that feels unique. Some operational details could certainly be improved, yet the character of the place and the kindness of its staff make it stand out among many anonymous luxury hotels.

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“Pick somewhere else”

We ended up at this hotel instead of the GDM Megaron because a ferry strike messed up our itinerary. This is certainly not the 5-star hotel we were expecting. Geographically, it is not far from the water, but it might as well be miles away. The receptionist said she was giving us a "nice, bright ro… more

We ended up at this hotel instead of the GDM Megaron because a ferry strike messed up our itinerary. This is certainly not the 5-star hotel we were expecting. Geographically, it is not far from the water, but it might as well be miles away. The receptionist said she was giving us a "nice, bright room", but our "junior suite" looked out on a dilapidated building and no sun ever shown in. Why anyone would want to sit on the balcony is beyond me. The bed and storage were good, but the bathroom was strangely part of the room. The toilet was separate , but the sink/mirror/shower were part of the room. There was only one chair and a bench in the "sitting area". The breakfast buffet was extensive, but a lot of the food that was supposed to be hot was not. There was an attractive bar and pool upstairs, but the weather was cool and windy and few people were there.

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