Domes Aulūs Elounda Curio Collection by Hilton ★★★★★ - Adults Only

The main building of the Domes Aulūs Elounda - Adults Only houses its restaurants and bars and some of the rooms, and there are other rooms and suites, some with their own pool, spread around the property. They are surrounded by palms, evergreens and olives, and are connected by landscaped stone terraces. We had chosen a double room with a private terrace. The shared pool was lovely, surrounded by a large decking terrace, with another plunge pool, its elevated position giving it fabulous views over the sea and the islands.

We loved our room too; it made a refreshing break from the ubiquitous blue and white of Greece; it was all in warm earth colours and wood, creating a clean, calm and relaxed feeling. It was large enough for a comfortable sofa to lounge quietly with a book, and a table and chairs for morning coffee and chats. The terrace outside was nicely furnished; of course, it became our favourite place for an evening sundowner, a morning coffee or a starlit nightcap in the quiet, broken only by the sound of the cicadas.

There are plenty of upmarket restaurant options in Elounda, but we were pleased to find there are plenty in the hotel too. The Mesimeri Pool Bar had fresh grills at lunchtime and poolside drinks at any time; the Mediterranean-style Island Restaurant has classic Cretan and Greek dishes. We were delighted that dakos, the Cretan speciality of toast topped with tomato and herby soft cheese, was on the menu! There was also the Ammos beach bar for drinks and snacks on the beach, and the trendy Blu main bar with its video wall was the best place for cocktails with a 360⁰ view of the Cretan sea. We loved them all!