Elounda Bay Palace, A Member Of The Leading Hotels Of The World, Elounda (Crete)

The hotel offers spacious, well-serviced rooms that are extremely comfortable, albeit not exactly as shown on Booking's website. The service provided by the staff is efficient, friendly, and skilled, despite the challenging conditions. The location is over a large area and provides free sunbeds, near a charming fishermen village and Agios Nikolaos. The dining experience has a wide choice of meals and the facilities are excellent overall.

Staying at The Ariadne was like returning to a second home with a warm welcome from the staff and a magical view across the sea. The rooms are in need of updating, but the overall experience of reconnecting with people and enjoying the wonderful location keeps us coming back every year.

Our stay at the hotel had its ups and downs. On the positive side, the rooms, though initially not serviced until we called reception, were eventually made nice and tidy. We did encounter a terrible fly infestation, but the management promptly treated it with bug spray and even left some for us in the room to use. The service staff, though some were delightful and genuinely friendly, others seemed inefficient and poor at maths. The location, near a charming fishermen village and right next to Agios Nikolaos, was stunning and offered excellent amenities, but it felt like it has lost some of its past glories. The dining experience, especially at the Aretoussa restaurant, was a highlight of our stay, with the dining staff going out of their way to make us feel welcome and comfortable. Overall, the hotel has a lot to offer, but there are areas that could be improved for a better experience.

Returning to this hotel feels like coming back to a second home thanks to the warm atmosphere, the welcoming staff, and the stunning location by the sea. While the 70's style decor might need an update, the real magic lies in reconnecting with people under the balmy sky and enjoying the serene waters and dining options along the coast. The distant room location, far from my family, was not ideal for a family vacation.