Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas, a Member of the Leading Hotels of the World

Went on a singles retreat with Compatible Connextions and I must say, I most impressed with Elounda Beach Hotel. Wonderful, accommodating staff, lush accommodation. I had a bungalow and was welcomed with a lovely bottle of wine and a bowl of assorted fruit, sunken whirlpool bath with shower, separate sauna and my own pool. Beautiful beaches alongside breath taking views! Can’t wait to go back next year!

We were really looking forward to staying here, could hardly wait if I'm honest. It had been recommended to us. Arrival was abit hit and miss. We were offered an arrival Prosecco but not given enough time to drink it. The young woman with dark slicked back hair (rather aloof) had no patience and told us we needed to go to our room and to leave the drinks. We couldn't even take the glasses with us. Hotel reception is very dated and did not greet us with 5 star elegance, In fact if we had been told we had arrived at the wrong hotel l would have believed them. We were told we had been given a free upgrade. We were taken to a rather large, shady, creaky old room and felt the pangs of disappointment. We had booked a sea view double room and got an overgrown large tree on the basement. That night was like sleeping in an oven as the air conditioning was only working at minimum power. We asked if there were other rooms and after a lot of deliberating and them trying to argue the A/C wasn't broke, we moved to the 3rd floor. This room was the smallest we have ever stayed in. Old and creaky but the views were to die for. First night, had a shower and there was a huge leak which almost flooded us. Maintenance were called and he said he couldn't fix it. New marble needed to be ordered. A maid came and stuffed the hole with towels and it seemed they wanted us to put up and shut up for the duration of the stay. We wanted to see the manager and of course that wasn't possible. But eventually we were offered what they call a suite. A large double room which back in the 70's im sure would have been grand but it's 2024 so l'll say no more. But again, because of the positioning of this Hotel the views were amazing and we had a large terrace. Everything worked in this room so that was a bonus. We just wanted to start enjoying the holiday after 3 days of room swaps. It became obvious however, after a couple of mornings waking up with severe back ache, that the mattress had completely had it ! The maid put us a mattress topper on which helped a little. As you read this, please remember this is a ‘world leading 5 star hotel’. There are various things 'not right' about this Hotel. After only a few hours in we named it 'Fawlty Towers' Firstly the breakfast - where do I start. It is absolutely chaotic. I'd go as far to say that I have never experienced anything like it. There appears to be enough staff but they are all running around like headless chickens and not really achieving much. Trying to get tea with a cup, with milk and with a teabag all in tact was a task in itself. There is table reserving going on which they don’t like to admit to. We sat down at a table once and got asked to move. The whole time we were at breakfast no one sat there ?! We were told to go to the buffet another time and the table would be ready when we returned with our breakfast. We got back and it had been given to someone else. I asked why she had done that and she sa

Firstly, this is nowhere near a 5* hotel. It’s overpriced and poorly managed. The staff try their best, some are excellent some are very false. If you only read this far, don’t stay here. Upon arrival, it seemed like a dream booking. This unraveled quickly. We were told the room we had booked wasn’t available so we’d been upgraded. The view was the best part, the room lacked style and attention to detail. The mini bar fridge was warm, as the door didn’t close properly. Reported, twice, had to chase and gave up. Not sufficient or fixed during our stay. Rooms are lightly cleaned and not actually cleaned, I feel for the staff as the housekeeping team seem short staffed. We returned one day at 6:30pm to find the room had not been cleaned that day. The restaurants are good but not worth the price, go into either town. You’ll have a much better time and save a fortune. At dinner one night, the staff kept ignoring or missing topping up the wine. Other tables were being over asked. When my partner went to do it ourselves, the manager of the restaurant made a poor joke that breakfast would start at 7:30am, implying to work there. Very poor. The drinks are ridiculous pricing, €6 for a can of soft drink. €1 euro in the local shops. Beer ok price, spirits and wines are a joke. The beach is beautiful and the reserving of sun beds is a nice touch. The pool was beautiful until they let (poor management) a group from the conference take over, upsetting other guests with noise from music on phones, spitting and blowing noses in the pool, drinking in the pool, diving in the pool. Every one of their own pool rules broken and ignored by management. The poor pool guys tried so hard to keep the other guests happy, credit to them. But let down by management. The final straw, upon leaving the hotel, they allowed another guest with the a similar name take our airport transfer. No apology or help provided, it was down to us to speak to our transfer company and explain what had happened. Without the view, some great staff and the location. This hotel lacks a lot of things you’d expect for the price and reputation. Also as others have mentioned, some staff, reserve breakfast tables for their favourite guests. While others have to wait. We witnessed a book from a waiter placed on a table with some juice, so other guests who were waiting couldn’t sit there. Extremely poor.

Our 7-night experience was simply a memorable one. A big thank you to the hotel management and friendly, courteous hospitality staff. The customer guest advisor, Laura, deserves our special thanks and her colleagues, who were always at hand to assist and add to our experience. The facilities in the hotel, restaurants and our room (413) were of high standard. The sea view from our room was absolutely amazing and relaxing.

It’s around 30 minutes from Heraklion airport to the Elounda Beach hotel, which must rank as one of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed at. Things actually got off to a shaky start on this family visit, we were all booked in (3 couples) at the Elounda bay palace, but due to some oversight, had been transferred to the nearby Elounda beach hotel-actually an upgrade. The beach hotel was certainly a luxury stay, magnificent breakfast buffets, a superb little beach area (with waiter service-a small alarm on your parasol can be pressed which alerts a man who can bring you drinks & snacks) & 4 fantastic A la Carte restaurants (& a buffet restaurant in the Elounda bay palace) within easy walking distance, as well as a rather spectacular cocktail bar-the Veghera-close by. There is also Entertainment in the fine dining area most evenings. We spent most of this week on the beach, where loungers are reserved with your room number, relaxing & snorkelling the nearby beach with an array of different species of fish. Magnificent ! On 2 days the temperature managed to get into the 40’s, very hot, & one of these days was spent in Elounda the nearby town, with a vast array of small shops & restaurants (well worth visiting) & a boat service (which can be quite crowded) to the nearby former leper colony of Spinalonga, which is dripping in history and is also worth a visit. I’d also add that the prices at the various bars and restaurants in Elounda are very reasonable. A final shout-out to the highly professional helpful & cheerful staff which have obviously made this place such a success. Highly highly recommended. Quality.

We recently stayed at this resort, and overall, it was a great experience. The property is absolutely stunning, with lush landscapes and well-maintained grounds. The staff were incredibly friendly and made us feel welcome throughout our stay, and the food was delicious with plenty of options to choose from. However, we stayed in the Family Villa with a Private Pool, and unfortunately, the room and furniture were quite outdated. While the private pool was a nice touch, the villa itself could use some major renovations. The decor felt old, and certain pieces of furniture were worn out, which took away from the overall luxury experience. If you’re planning to stay here, I would highly recommend booking one of the newer rooms or villas. The resort has a lot to offer, but the older accommodations, like the Family Villa, are in need of an update.

From the moment that you enter the gates of this wonderful resort, you know that you are going to be spoilt and looked after. It was our 29th wedding anniversary, we stayed 3nights and the experience was outstanding in every aspect. We booked a sea view bungalow and were upgraded to a luxury sea view residence that was just Wow. Restaurants are very good as you would expect and the buffet breakfast is of champions. So good we’ve booked again this year for our 30th anniversary

Second time staying at this hotel. We LOVE it!! It’s so relaxing and such a beautiful location with crystal clear water. The thing that makes this hotel so amazing is the staff. They are so incredibly friendly and helpful. They work so hard in ensuring you have a wonderful holiday. They always have a smile on their face. I sadly didn’t get everyone’s names that we met and I honestly could praise every single member of staff. They were all so wonderful especially the breakfast, pool, beach, taverna, bar and reception staff. The cleaners and gardeners work so hard to make the hotel look clean, well maintained and welcoming. The pool was lovely and quiet and you could rest beneath the olive trees and read a book. The breakfast was delicious with fresh fruit, cooked breakfast, omelettes, pancakes, waffles and sweet treats. The beach was lovely with crystal clear water. The water sports were great run by extremely helpful guys who were great with the kids. A truly perfect hotel. We will be back!!

My Wife and I had the most wonderful stay at the Elounda Beach Hotel. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with a warm and engaging welcome by all, and then walking into a beautiful Villa, with amenities, fresh roses, and amazing views, we were in heaven and ready to enjoy our holiday and jump into the pool! The team truly went out of their way to ensure we were so well taken care of, it was such a pleasure to start the day each morning with breakfast, the offerings and service were outstanding, and great name recognition, and then to walk back into a refreshed and beautiful Villa, private pool and views to die for. We had some fabulous dining experiences, especially at Dionysos where the food was superb, and of course not forgetting our favourite Argonaut (Italian) with the best table in the restaurant, our son who joined us for 5 days loved Kafenion the Greek restaurant, so it was a win-win for all. It was our first visit to Crete and not our last, highly recommend this amazing resort, the Management team was always present and engaging, wanting to assist you in a discreet manner. We also had the pleasure of meeting the General Manager, Alexandros, and the Food and Beverage Manager, Dimitris, thank you both and your amazing team for a wonderful holiday.