The story
The architecture is deliberately low-lying: 125 bungalows and villas scattered among sand, rocks and greenery at the edge of Mirabello Bay, rather than stacked in a single block. Opened in 1963 as Crete's first five-star resort, it is now a Member of Design Hotels, and its permanent Sculpture Garden threads contemporary Greek and international works between the whitewashed buildings and the shore.
Rooms range from Superior Seafront and Waterfront Bungalows to One, Two and Three-Bedroom Villas with private pools, plus Seaview Rooms and a Nature Suite. Dining runs across three restaurants, four bars and a traditional kafenion, from La Bouillabaisse for romantic dinners to the Terpsis Cretan kitchen; the hotel credits chefs Kyriakos Mylonas and Poppy Kourkoutaki with a farm-to-table programme. The spa adds sauna, steam room, massage and outdoor pool.
Ammoudi Beach sits about 110 m (350 ft) away, and the centre of Agios Nikolaos is 800 m (0.5 mi) along a seaside promenade, roughly a 20-minute walk. Heraklion airport is around 56 km (35 mi); parking is free and a bus runs from the entrance to Elounda and town. A considered base for design-minded travellers who want the sea close.
