This luxurious, laidback hotel has three strong selling points: phenomenal service, a memorable view of a calm blue bay and Spinalonga islet, and a major focus on Greek (and especially Cretan) food and flavours.
Location
Elounda, in eastern Crete, is known for luxurious hotels, placing Phaea Blue within good company. Set above stony Agia Marina beach, its position affords great views across a particularly vivid bay to Spinalonga (the former leper colony featured in Victoria Hislop’s novel, The Island). The nearest village, Plaka, is a 10-minute walk away. The hotel is just over an hour’s drive from Heraklion and its international airport – either hire a car or arrange private transfers.
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The vibe
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This is very much a place for relaxing in comfort. From the hilltop main building, the resort descends in tiers towards the sea, via a zigzagging pathway through gardens of bottlebrush, jacaranda and cypress trees. Design-wise, the public areas are a somewhat incohesive collection of Cretan terracotta pots, high-end designer furnishings and Moroccan-inspired mashrabiya details. Local flavour comes via tapestries and handicrafts in collaboration with Cretan artisans and the Benaki Museum in Athens.
Service
Gracious, warm, experienced and authentically Greek, the service is professional but friendly, making guests feel immediately at home. A strong sense of camaraderie comes from so many staff members having worked here for years (in some cases for over two decades). Bellhops almost insist on zipping guests around by buggy: something that you’ll appreciate on the steep climb from the beach.
Bed and bath
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With only 46 rooms and suites (plus one three-bedroom villa), this low-density resort has a pervasive sense of calm. Entry-level signature rooms have generous dimensions both indoors and out, and are decorated in neutral shades with wood, stone and marble. Bathrooms are open plan and have walk-in showers and tubs, with sliding doors for privacy. Upgrade options include deluxe bungalows with plunge pools – junior suits and above have pools large enough for swimming.
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Food and drink
Breakfast is fantastic: a buffet spread of local yoghurt, salads, cheeses and home-baked breads and cakes supported by a menu with Greek scrambled eggs and island-grown avocado. It’s served at indoor-outdoor Anthos restaurant, where the evening menu goes big on charcoal-grilled specialities, including fish, meats and vegetables (unusually for Greece, there are plenty of plant-based choices). Cretan, Greek and international wines also feature strongly, as do cocktails with a Cretan twist via local herbs and botanicals. The other restaurant, Blue Door, is beachside and offers casual yet elevated Greek cuisine (zucchini chips, white tarama, pan-fried fish with wild greens). Round things off on the dessert balcony with mocktails, cocktails and sweet treats such as cheesecake made with mizithra (Greek ricotta).
Facilities
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At the main building, you’ll find the spa, salon, a decent gym and a movie-screening room, plus a (rather small) outdoor pool. Shoreside, there are loungers and parasols generously spaced along a shingle beach, with pontoons giving access for swimming. A watersports shack offers jetskis, diving, snorkelling and boat trips to nearby islands.
Read more: The best beaches in Greece – and where to stay nearby
Disability access
Three guestrooms are adapted for wheelchair users. Buggies and ramps grant access to everything but the pool.
Pet policy
Dogs are welcome.
Check in/check out?
Check in is 3pm; Check out is 11am.
Family friendly?
There are indoor and outdoor play areas, but the stony beach isn’t best suited to little ones. Babysitting is available at an extra cost.
At a glance
Best thing: The beds: super comfortable and dressed with high thread count linens, they pretty much guarantee the best of sleeps.
Perfect for: Couples seeking a chilled-out (or romantic) escape.
Not right for: Those who insist on a sandy beach.
Instagram from: Blue Door restaurant, with Spinalonga in the background.
Address: Plaka 720 53, Crete, Greece
Phone: +30 2841 065500
Website: Phaeablue.com
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