This July we went on a family holiday to Crete, Greece and I must say it was one of the best holidays I have ever been on. I wanted to really soak up our time away so I waited until we got back to post any clips of our stay but ever since a lot of people have reached out for more info so here we are :)
We stayed in the incredible Domes Aulūs Elounda, Curio Collection by Hilton and from the moment we arrived they could not have done anymore to make our holiday a magical one. The most important thing to note is, that this property is adult-only so unfortunately kiddies are not allowed however, they do have another property nearby that is kids-friendly (linked).
The Domes Aulūs Elounda, is located about an hour from the airport (Herakion) which was perfect. We arranged a taxi at the airport when we arrived but on the way home we booked it directly with the hotel (same price but the car is way more luxurious if you book with the hotel). We stayed for ten days which was actually a lot compared to a lot of others at the resort so don't feel a few days or 7 is too little, it's pure luxury so just make the most of the time when you are there.
All-inclusive, what is the experience like?
So, this was my first time ever all-inclusive experience and to be honest, all I had in mind was a huge buffet, lack of choice and I guess nothing fancy....boy was I wrong. When we arrived we were taken care of by Eva and Hugo, they were both incredible and made sure we had all of our restaurant reservations taken care of for the week. One of my number one tips to anyone who has messaged me directly about their upcoming stay is to make sure and do this day 1 to avoid disappointment. I must say the highlight of our trip was the couple of nights we visited Greco Levante which is their most luxurious restaurant on the tip top of the property. At Greco Levante there is a different theme night every night e.g fish night, Asian night where you can relax, enjoy live music and sample some of the most incredible dishes.
- There is a buffet which has a lot of choice for all meals each day however, we just did this for breakfast mainly, lots of people did all meals there, it is totally up to you.
- Blu Bar is a little bar and restaurant area right near reception when you first walk in, where you can get all of your drinks, cocktails, food etc. I would get an iced coffee from here in the morning before, going down to their private beach. You can also pop in for bottled water, cocktails etc. while you are chilling at the pool. When you are staying at the property all-inclusive (not just Cool Living) these are all also included.
- Spiritzeria Bar is where we also had dinner a lot of nights whilst we enjoyed their 360-degree view of the ocean. Here you can also enjoy live music most evenings until around 11pm.
- Meze Restaurant is another spot right on the same floor as the Spiritzeria bar where you can enjoy some incredible Greek food. This is a spot we booked a lot of nights for dinner with Hugo but you do need to book despite the fact its all included.
- Sushi night was on from 7pm a good few evenings per week down at the Blu Bar right beside the pool, this was also a highlight for us as it was some of the best sushi we have ever had and everyone staying raved about it.
Our room, the property and facilities
We couldn't have been more impressed with our room, the view and the cleanliness of the property. They have a well-equipped gym if you want to workout during your stay as well as a spa. We didn't go to the outdoor cinema but it was very popular and they had a few screenings while we were there which is a lovely option if you want to chill after a day in the sun.
The private beach was one of my favourite things about our stay, mainly because it was just so relaxing and had everything you need there so you don't need to leave. We would go down around 9 a.m. to make sure we got our beds...yes, I was one of those people. The private beach also has a bar and fridges stocked with gorgeous breakfast and lunch options in case you don't want to go up to the hotel restaurants. You can take what you want when you want which was really nice. The water is so beautiful and they did have speed boats, body boarding etc. if you are into that too.
The hotel has a number of pools depending on the room/package you book, we did find the main pool a little small so we mainly stuck to the beach but also had a few dips in the pool during out stay.
Location
The location of the property is just about a fifteen-minute walk from Elounda which we loved. It means you can totally relax in the peace and quiet but you also have the best of both worlds if you do want to wander in. We booked a couple of trips directly with the hotel including the day trip to Spinalonga island and a 5-hour boat trip which stopped at a number of spots for us to swim. If you do want to book any trips I recommend also consulting the team at the hotel, they really know their stuff.
We also took a quick car to Plaka which is a beautiful village nearby, you can walk but it is a forty-minute walk and it was well above thirty-four degrees the day we were looking to go, most people took a taxi.
