If heaven was a place on earth it would be Daios Cove Luxury Resort & Villas in Agios Nikolaos, Crete. From the moment we walked in to this incredible hotel I felt calm. The hotel is noted as one of the best 5 star hotels in Agios Nikolaos and it’s not hard to see why. I visited this wonderful hotel last month when I was invited out to Crete for five days by the lovely people at Classic Collection.
Set on the tranquil Vathi beach in Crete, the Daios Cove Resort and Luxury Villas is one of the finest with a traditional Crete style set upon modern day advances and technology throughout. Located near the town of Agios Nikolaos (read my destination guide here), yet on the secluded beach of Vathi this luxury resort enjoys an exclusive elegant and serene location. From the back of the hotel it overlooks Mirabello Bay and is 9 km from Lake Voulismeni and only 12 km from Gournia, the site of a Minoan palace.
READ MORE: The Best Things To Do In Crete
The hotel is secluded and private and offers you the chance to really relax and know you are in paradise. As you arrive at the hotel you are welcomed by staff at main reception you walk you down to the main viewing area across the bay and then lead you down to the terrace for a quick drink as you check in. From the moment you arrive you are made to feel welcome!
It is like a picture postcard with a private cove, set against blue skies, a crescent of sand and views so awe-inspiring they make you stop in your tracks. The hotel is a unique landmark in itself as it was literally hand-carved out of the hillside rock with a one-of-a-kind hotel architecture and a style that would inspire every minimalist. From the streamline parasols on the beach to the streets the villas sit on, every thing is within perfect harmony and feels like the hotel was mean’t to be there.
Our room was a beautiful deluxe room with sea views and a bloomin’ private pool! I literally felt like a queen everyday as I lay in my personal pool with views across the Mediterranean. Our room featured a King-Size bed (and when I say big I mean big!), living area in open plan style, lavish marble-lined bathroom with bathtub and separate shower cabin.
The room also has the standard and extras; television, media-hub, complimentary Wi-Fi Internet, mini bar (yay!) and iPod station with alarm clock (not that the alarm was set even once.) Our private balcony then lead to an individual sea water pool with views to the Mediterranean Sea and had two deck chairs for lots of lounging.
Food wise, we went for half-board during our stay which meant that breakfast and dinner was included, and for lunches we headed out to explore the local area and grabbed lunch at local Greek restaurants. Breakfast included a buffet which was situated in the main restaurant Pangea. For breakfast there was so much on offer including hot food, continentual, juices, breads and much more.
Then for dinner we alternated each night, spending most of our evenings at Pangea where they had an array of different cuisines on various nights including Cretan, Greek, Fish, Grill and Italian. There were also two other restaurants, The Taverna and Ocean Restaurant both situated further down the hotel towards the beach. There was also three bars and a terrace with scenic views across the views.
And if your own pool wasn’t enough, there is also a saltwater pool, gym, tennis courts, private beach and spa that has 2 indoor pools. The beach was beautiful with numbered deck chairs with parasols and staff on hand every minute to offer you drinks and food throughout the day. The best bit, the little touches, included an ice cold towel a 2pm!
If you are a holiday where you can really relax, feel like a queen and enjoy everything Crete has to offer this is the perfect hotel to do so.
*Disclosure: I was invited to Crete by Classic Collection who were lovely enough to put me up for a stay at Daios Cove for five days. All opinions are my own however and I would not endorse a brand I did not believe in or use usually.
Classic Collection Holidays (0800 294 9323; classic-collection.co.uk) offers 7 nights at Daios Cove, Crete from £977 per person. Price based on 2 adults sharing on a bed & breakfast basis, return flights and private transfers.
