DOMES ZEEN CHANIA, GREECE
Chania in Crete is a dusty, bustling, sun-baked fishing town. Tables and chairs spill out into the streets from tavernas, leather sandals hang in bunches outside shops and on the waterfront, floating pontoons sell chandeliers made of shells. So far, so Greek. But a five-minute drive along the coast is a modern oasis that sits apart from the other hotels on the island. The five-star Domes Zeen started life as Casa Cook Chania – one of a handful of cleverly designed ‘boutique’ hotels from Thomas Cook, created to fill a gap between budget-conscious package holidays and fancy five-star hotels. When the holiday company went into administration in 2019, the hotel, already owned by Domes Resorts, took on a new name. What remains is the carefully crafted aesthetic that sets the hotel apart from its island contemporaries and, luckily, the price, which seems quite amazing for a property this slick. Built into the hillside, nestled between tropical plants, the modernist villas and suites feature rugged stone walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, handmade cane furniture, rain showers and luxe beauty products. Many have their own plunge pool: utter bliss after a day on the beach and brilliant for entertaining the kids without leaving your room.
Down by the sea, you’ll find the resort’s restaurant – another airy and impressive space with double-height ceilings, a giant concrete bar, rattan chairs and an overload of spiky foliage. When we visit, the menu is a delicious handful of tapas, such as baked feta or home-made tzatziki, followed by a choice of two main courses; there is now a six-course fine dining experience on offer, too. Alongside the classic eggs and bacon, breakfast is a magnificent array of pastries, dried fruits, charcuterie, yogurt, local honey and liberal refills of strong Greek coffee. Wedged between the restaurant and the hot sand is the pool: emerald tiles give it a stylishly moody look, and it’s reassuringly shallow for much of its length, so ideal for kids.
That’s the unexpected beauty of Domes Zeen. It was designed with families in mind, offering parents the kind of barefoot luxury we secretly crave, while also entertaining our kids equally as stylishly. The excellent kids’ club is next to the pool, and is as considered as everything else – a wooden haven with long benches and activity tables, beanbags for movie nights, a yurt in the garden under which to keep cool and a shaded freshwater children’s pool. The staff there are so friendly and enthusiastic that we actually have to plead with our kids to spend more time with us.
Our week passes in the most relaxing way. I manage an early morning yoga session at the open-air pavilion and enjoy a massage at the jungle spa. The concierge organises for my husband to hire a bike for a day and explore Crete’s many hills at his leisure. We venture into Chania one afternoon to buy shells, honey and olive oil, then decide we prefer the tranquillity of the hotel. Ditto when we visit Elafonisi, Crete’s famous pink-sand beach (it’s hot and windy, with very little shade). In the end, we accept the fact that nowhere else is quite as incredible as Domes Zeen and don’t even suggest dining elsewhere, or really straying very far from the pool. It’s the most relaxed I have ever felt on a holiday – and judging by how desperate my girls are to return, it was just as much of a hit with them, too. SARAH TOMCZAK