In October we had the pleasure of staying at the Blue Palace Resort & Spa near Elounda on the Greek island of Crete. Since we arrived quite late in the evening, it wasn’t until morning that we could appreciate the full beauty of the resort’s position with its stunning view of the island of Spinalonga, with its rich and varied history.
The hotel, a member of The Luxury Collection fromStarwood Hotels & Resorts, is perfectly situated close to the small seaside village of Plaka. From the moment we arrived, it was clear that this was going to be a wonderful place to relax. We occupied two interconnecting rooms; spacious and ideal for families with young children.
Both rooms came with balconies that provided us with a good overview of the resort, as did the rather handy resort map provided. Blue Palace has its own stretch of private beach, numerous pools, its own watersports centre, conference facilities, a small boutique, tennis courts, a helipad and even a private chapel.
There are also multiple restaurants and bars here, including the traditional Blue Door restaurant. Close to the waters edge and enjoying a gentle sea breeze, Blue Door adopts the style of a typical Greek taverna its brightly painted tables and chairs overlooking a spectacular beachfront location. It offered a themed fish night every Friday.
We primarily dined at the Isola Italian Restaurant and Olea (where breakfast is also served), but there are plenty of options including L’Orangerie, a two-time recipient of the Golden Toque Award (given to the best restaurants in Greece). At Olea, you can experience a Greek night (Thursdays) and savour an authentic Greek dining experience.
At the heart of Blue Palace is The Elounda Spa & Thalassotherapy offering signature treatments, massages, facials and body wraps, with a swimming pool, saunas, Jacuzzis, steam baths, a hair salon and a well-equipped fitness centre. Its received many prestigious awards including the Spa Finder Readers’ Award 2007 for The Best Spa in Greece.
For children there is ample to enjoy. The resort has its own kids club and a playground area where the little ones can enjoy everything from swings to climbing olive trees. There’s also table tennis and of course the beach and the swimming pools which are two boys thoroughly enjoyed. It’s worth noting that a kids’ menu was available in all the restaurants, so they are made to feel welcome throughout the resort.
In conclusion, nothing was too much trouble for the staff at Blue Palace and this is what sets it apart from many other places. With their Ultimate Guest Service, you can request whatever you want, be it a bath with candles, Champagne and strawberries, or a helicopter ride to Santorini. When staff are eager to fulfil any and every request their guests throw at them, you know you are staying somewhere special.
