GREEK SPAS
CRETE
Daios Cove Hotel and Spa
BY SARA MUNDS
A private cove with a crescent-shaped secluded beach and craggy mountains that swoop down into the Aegean Sea is where this luxury hotel and wellness spa calls home. One hour by car from Heraklion Airport and a short drive from the town of Agios Nikolaos in northern Crete, the resort blends into the natural mountain landscape. It looks so tranquil, I’m surprised to discover it has 290 rooms, including suites and villas, a vast spa and six restaurants set across five levels on the mountainside. Each level is linked by a funicular railway: glass cable cars glide up and down, making the most of the spectacular views.
Lush vegetation and a heady mix of herbs (lavender, oregano and sage) greet you at every turn. Bougainvillea drapes lazily over walls as you drape lazily on your sunlounger. The place is, frankly, enormous. But here’s the thing – it never feels that way. There’s an intimacy about the hotel – due, in part, to the warmth of the staff. The service is impeccable. Always present, never intrusive.
The beach is where I spent a lot of time. The sea sparkles in the sunlight, with elegant rows of sun loungers and pristine straw umbrellas only adding to the wow factor. There’s a Beach House bar and restaurant which oozes laid-back chic. We chose to sit around the firepit and order ‘wellness’ drinks from the cocktail menu, which uses traditional Cretan herbs and local ingredients. My go-to drink soon became the Daios spritz made with Throumpi, a herb with antibacterial properties.
Every conceivable gastronomic fancy is catered for here. There’s a large buffet-style restaurant, open from noon to midnight, but it really comes into its own at breakfast time. Big bowls of creamy yoghurt sit alongside an array of fruits, nuts and compotes. There’s
