September at Elounda

We flew out to Crete at the end of September.  I was not expecting to land in such wonderful weather however temperatures were in the high 20s.  It got cool towards the beginning of October but that time of year is still a wonderful time to go.

On arrival at Heraklion Airport we had a painless passport control experience and were soon in our transfer car for the 50 minute drive to Elounda. On arrival at the Elounda Bay Palace we were met at our car and taken to a lounge area  to be checked in. No queuing at reception – a nice touch after a 4 hour flight.

The sea view rooms at Elounda Bay Palace are definitely worth paying for. Looking out at Elounda Bay is a wonderful way to start each day of your holiday. As is the case in most hotels now, dinner is buffet style at Elounda Bay. The hotel tries very hard to vary it by having “themed evenings”.  Dinner on our second night was Asian themed followed by an Italian evening the next day.  The hotel does have a variety of restaurants and guests of the hotel are welcome to dine at any of the restaurants at the Elounda Beach Hotel.  If you should eat at another restaurant you are given a 30 Euros credit per person. It is advisable to plan ahead and make a reservation and the restaurants can get busy.

One of the benefits of both Elounda hotels is that you can use a credit from your half board of currently 30 Euros per person in one of the “a la carte” restaurants. On one evening we dined at the lovely Thalassa Restaurant. The restaurant is directly by the sea, ideal for enjoying the views whilst enjoying Cretan Seafood. It was open from 7.30 till late when we were there and we were encouraged to book when we were checking in. We are glad we did. On another evening we walked across to the Elounda Beach and had dinner at the Kafenion Greek Restaurant. The half board credit of 30 Euros per person was deducted from both these meals.

Facilities at the hotel are varied. There are 2 outdoor pools, an indoor pool and a gym. At the neighbouring Elounda Beach there is a world class spa and the hotel has tennis courts, basketball and football areas and has access to a golf course. Each hotel has its own beach and the bay is perfect for swimming or taking part in numerous watersports. The village of Elounda is just a short 15 minute stroll away with its plentiful restaurants, bars and shops. From Elounda you can take the ferry to Spinalonga and the Minoan Palace of Knossos is an hour away.

Also while in Crete you should take the Samaria Gorge Guided Hike. It’s a long day – 13 hours – but well worth the experience. You need some good walking shoes/boots and the hike takes 6 hours. We can book all this for you including all transport and a lunch from £108 pp depending on the season. Definitely one for the bucket list. We also found a wonderful 4 hour cooking class just 30 minutes out of Heraklion.  We can book all these activities for you to make sure you get the best out of your trip.

It had been 20 odd years since I visited Crete and it was lovely to go back and experience the island. We work with a number of operators who feature Crete and would be delighted to chat through some options with you.  Do pop in and see us or get in touch.