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

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

After a long coaching transfer from the airport, we were really looking forward to relaxing week and had high expectations of this hotel. One of the first 5* luxury resorts in Greece, it certainly lived up to our expectations and did not disappoint in any way. Greeted by staff at the steps of the coach, luggage taken care of and we were gently ushered in to the cool reception area for a welcome glass of Prosecco and the news of a free upgrade to a deluxe SV spa room! Breakfast is a feast for the eyes and the stomach with a huge choice to suit even the fussiest person. Set in a tranquil area overlooking the pool and beautiful gardens, we looked forward to this every day. On arrival at the beach, we were greeted by a super efficient and friendly team who helped us choose our comfortable, padded sun loungers which are then numbered with your room and are yours for the duration of your stay (we loved this little detail)! A buzzer on the umbrella allowed you to order food and drinks from the fantastic beach team as you wish. Download the Elounda Beach app for all the information you require about the menus etc. Dinner in the restaurants is on the pricey side but to be expected in this class of hotel. We ate twice at the Kafenion and once at Argonaut (Italian) and food was great at both. A special mention must go to some of the incredible staff who made our stay even more special as they welcomed us like family. Georgia who we met on our first day is a huge asset to this hotel - always smiling and super efficient. Whether at the pool bar, the beach or at Veghera serving pre-dinner drinks she always had a smile on her face and we loved chatting with her. Also deserving of a mention are Anna and Marios at the beach who are both really friendly, always smiling and were more than happy to listen to me attempt some Greek! We also loved Apostolis (?) quirky humour at breakfast when he served us coffee and at the evenings at the Kafenion. Every member of staff we came into contact with made us feel so special and this is one of the reasons why we shall definitely be returning next September. Efharisto poli.

From arrival to departure the service was of the highest level. Room was spacious. Beach and setting amazing. The water so clear. Cocktail bar wonderful at night.

I've travelled to some incredible places in my life, but very few have come close to my recent trip and stay at this beautiful hotel in Elounda. I could write a book not a review. The staff were amazing, incredibly attentive, polite, helpful and professional. From the moment we arrived they could not do enought for us. For example, we found the mattress too hard, this was not a problem, they immediately fitted a topper. On arrival, we were upgraded to a deluxe room with steam room and Jacuzzi bath and more floor space. The room was beautiful, perhaps a little dated, buy this only added to the appeal. The hotal has a few shops (including high end jewellery store) and a great range of restaurants, including tradtional Greek style Taverna, Italian and fine dining options. You basically do noy need to leave the resort. There is a choice of 2 beaches. The larger of the 2 has a nice bar, next the watersports area. This aerves snacks and drinks during the day. Make sure you see the guys who work the beach on your first day. The beds they select (ones that are free/available) are the ones you keep for your entire holiday. Whether you lay on the beach or not. So there is no rush to put your towel on a bed, so you can relax during your breakfast. We stayed B&B only, and boy the breakfasts are good. Great selection for all tastes and diets. Breafast staff like all others at the hotel are amazing. There is so much more I could say but I do not want to spoil it too much for you. You must go and see for your selves. We liked it so much we have re booked already for this October. Thank you so much Theodora and to the rest of the team at Elounda Hotel and Beach Resort. Outstanding hotel, outstanding staff and outstanding holiday. Thank you so much and see you again soon. Dean and Samantha

Just home from an unforgettable week at Elounda Beach Hotel - honestly one of the best places we’ve ever stayed. Breakfast was unreal - we were excited for it every morning. The rooms had everything you’d need and the views over Elounda Bay were absolutely stunning. There are four different restaurants at the hotel so we had something new every night - loads of variety and everything we tried was delicious. The town is just a short walk away too - a really cute little fishing village with proper Greek vibes and great food. The beach was a dream. The sunbeds were super comfy and every morning someone came straight over to set up covers, give us fresh towels and a cold bottle of water - such a nice touch. But what really made the trip was the staff. They were honestly amazing - so friendly, helpful, and just lovely to be around. The only small issue we had was the air con in our room not working properly, but as soon as we told them, they had someone up to sort it straight away. Can’t recommend this place enough – already looking forward to next year!