Get me to the Greek!
Alexandra Rucki makes herself at home in the lap of luxury surrounded by the beauty of Crete and the Aegean sea
Stepping onto the hotel room balcony, having a dip in the private pool and taking in the beautiful views of the Aegan Sea. Pure and utter bliss.
Despite its size, Daios Cove luxury resort and villas, located in north-east Crete, manages to make guests feel they have found their own private spot on the Greek island.
The five-star beach resort is located on a hillside close to the area of Agios Nikoloas and is built into the cove with its very own private beach.
At every angle guests are treated to the sight of the breathtaking turquoise sea.
I stayed in a deluxe sea view room which includes a master bedroom, open plan living room, bathtub, shower, television, balcony and – best of all – a small pool all to myself.
It could be tempting to stay in the comfort of your room, but Daios Cove has so much more to offer.
To get from one part of the hotel is so simple, you can walk to take the funicular or you can even call a golf buggy to get you out and about.
After sampling a traditional Cretan breakfast from the morning buffet, I spent a large amount of time lounging beside the heated infinity pool on the first floor. The pool boasts unparalleled views of the sea and a small cocktail bar is actually inside the pool so you can keep cool with your toes in the water. Beside the beach you will find sunloungers and a ground floor beach bar, giving visitors the option to sunbathe next to the sea with a glass of wine in hand. And as the beach is only open to hotel guests it is possible to feel like you are the only person there if you decide to take a plunge in the sea. A state-of-the-art spa is also on the site and I managed to tear myself away from the beach to indulge in a relaxing full-body massage. The spa includes a sauna, steam rooms and further infinity pools – the perfect way to make sure you return home rejuvenated. There is also a gym available for those who want to stay active and guests can also take part in a five-day yoga retreat now on offer. I was able to enjoy a taster of a yoga class outdoors while taking in the dramatic views of the cove. A 10-minute taxi journey wi l l take you to nearby Kritsa village, which fulfils all the retail therapy needs for anybody wanting to purchase gifts and knick- knacks for family back home. I treated myself to a handmade necklace and some postcards to send to pals. The highlight of the holiday was a Catamaran boat trip to nearby Spinalonga Island.
Spinalong a was the last 20thcentury leper colony in Europe and features in Victoria Hislop’s famous novel, The Island.
We spent some time exploring the island’s ruins before hopping back onto the boat and plunging into the sea to cool-off.
In the evenings there are two restaurants and a cocktail bar at Daios Cove where guests can enjoy local cuisine. But take a jacket or cardigan with you – the close proximity of the sea means there can be quite a breeze.
Pangea Restaurant, at sea level, provides a buffet of Greek and international dishes every evening. Fresh salads, fish, pasta and delicious Cretan dessert pastries are some of the dishes I sampled.
The Ocean Restaurant offers more traditional food, with the highlight meal being a seemingly never-ending selection of Greek mezze (sea bass pate, feta cheeses, lamb and much more) as well as a main course of fresh king prawns with tagliatelle.
Afterwards, I sipped cocktails in the beautiful glass- walled Crystal box bar overlooking the private cove. Chilling out doesn’t get better than this.