Blue Palace a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa (5★)

Set on Elounda coast, the 5-star Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, Crete combines luxurious accommodations with award-winning cuisine and a state-of-the-art spa. It includes infinity pools, a water sports center and 2 tennis courts. Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa offers elegant suites and bungalows with magnificent views to the island of Spinalonga, most with private pools. Each unit has a comfortable living area with a satellite LCD TV, while some also include a CD/DVD player. Some room types enjoy private access to a section of the beach. The Elounda Spa & Thalassotherapy covers a 2,000-m² area and features indoor and outdoor pools, 2 Turkish hammams, saunas and hot tubs. A fitness center and a beauty salon are also available. Guests can start their day with the Greek Breakfast, while Cretan, Italian and Asian dishes are some of the dining options that Blue Palace has to offer, all made with the finest ingredients. Flame Restaurant serves steak dishes on large wooden platters. A Moroccan-style bar, a pool bar and a beach bar serve exotic cocktails and finger food with spectacular views across the Cretan Sea. At Isola Beach Club guests may enjoy an abundace of favorite libations right by the waterfront, while soaking up the sun and savoring the sea air. Indulge in fresh salads, burgers and sandwiches, signature cocktails and French rosé wine. A private boat can take couples around the Gulf of Elounda while sipping cocktails, while a family can enjoy an amazing barbecue lunch in an isolated beach after snorkeling in turquoise waters. Guests may simply gaze at the island of Spinalonga around an open air fire at the beach club as the sun sets down. You may take a wonderful lesson with plenty of hands-on cooking with the Greek Cooking Lesson or enjoy the most exquisite wines of the island with the Cretan Wine Tasting. The resort is 3.1 mi away from the village of Elounda. The fishing village of Plaka is within 500 m. Boats to Spinaloga, a National Monument of Greece, depart from there.