A sense of exclusivity at beautiful hotel in Crete
Karen Knowles travels to Crete for a refreshing five-star holiday.
September is a magical time to visit Crete – the days are still warm and sunny, the crowds have largely disappeared and local families can be seen enjoying themselves after a long busy summer in cafes and on the beaches.
It was a holiday of two halves for us and we loved it. After a day of sightseeing – dodging goats on winding mountainous roads and eating in rustic restaurants – we returned to our five-star luxury hotel the Aldemar Royal Mare, just outside Hersonissos, for pampering at the world-class Thalasso and spa and chance to relax with a book or two.
Having arrived fairly late at night we'd seen little of our surroundings and so awoke refreshed and eager to explore. Our VIP room came with a shared pool and the chance to take a quick dip before breakfast was irresistible. The rooms surround the pool area and each have their own balcony or terrace to retreat to with tables and chairs or sun loungers. It was surprisingly private and tranquil and became our little sanctuary during the days that followed.
The dining options are varied, with no less than six different venues to choose from. As well as the main Symposio restaurant which serves up American style buffets, there's the beach bistro, a snack bar, traditional Greek taverna, a gourmet and diet restaurant and a sushi bar. Weekly fish, Greek and BBQ theme nights are also popular.
Price bands start with bed and breakfast served buffet-style in the main restaurant between 7am and 10am, but our room rate included breakfast in the gourmet restaurant Candia. It has a dreamy location, jutting out over one of the hotel's many pools.
Each day we deliberated between freshly cooked crepes, fruits, nuts, cheeses, cold meats and breads or a cooked breakfast. (Sometimes we had both).
Our omelettes, cooked while you wait, became more and more creative each day as we tried out various herbs and other ingredients. Sunday morning was a particular highlight, with Champagne and a saxophonist playing while we ate.
The hotel is very well looked after, with beautifully manicured gardens leading down to the private beach.
The whole complex is pedestrianised and vehicles are directed to car parks by serious-looking security guards. But beware, staff whizz around the paths in electric cars and can sometimes catch you unawares.
We're not really sit on the beach sort of people but love gazing at the sea which meant lunch at the beach bistro was a must.
The quality of food and service was excellent. The ambience might be laid back but there's nothing casual about the food. Four of us dined on mussels, John Dory (the best I've ever tasted), squid, pork kebabs, dolmades and Greek salad.
The hotel guest list is a cultural melting pot, including Swiss, French, German, lots of Russians, Ukrainians and a few Brits.
Aldemar Royal Mare doesn't offer all-inclusive holidays, but they are available at two sister hotels on either side – the five-star Knossos Royal and the four star Cretan Village.
What the Royal Mare does offer is impeccable service and a sense of exclusivity, restaurants for foodies, tennis lessons, squash courts and even a golf academy.
Water sports include diving and windsurfing and of course the Thalasso, which wins awards year on year. It has just been made World's Leading Thalasso Resort for the sixth year running at the 2012 World Travel Awards.
Thalasso treatments are based on therapies that use sea water and I tried one which is intended to stimulate cell renewal to make skin look visibly younger. The treatment combines firming and lifting actions to strengthen the elasticity of the tissue and to restore the skin's tone and firmness. The treatment lasted 55 minutes and gave my skin a nice glow.
The whole experience felt very luxurious, no wonder the Thalasso attracts so many visitors to the hotel.
On our last day we found our way to the birthplace of the 16th century Renaissance painter El Greco, whose real name was Domenikos Theotokopoulos. The village of Fodele is full of charm despite the tourist shops.
We enjoyed coffee and home-made ice cream as we watched the world go by. It was 25 years since we'd last holidayed in Crete. We revisited many points of interest along the coast including Elounda, which was still full of character with colourful bars and cafes surrounding the harbour full of boats. We discovered the picture postcard harbour of Sissi near Malia and had a swim at a half empty beach near Panormo. Yes, some of the hotels were bigger and more sophisticated but the Cretans we met were as friendly and hospitable as ever.
Fact file:
The deluxe 5* Aldemar Royal Mare is located in the resort of Anissaras on the outskirts of Hersonissos on the island of Crete (a short 25-minute transfer from Heraklion Airport) and is the flagship hotel for the Aldemar Hotels & Spa Group - www.aldemarhotels.com
The Royal Mare Thalasso was the first Thalasso spa centre in Greece and one of the top ten thalasso spas in the world, having won numerous awards for its innovative treatments.
Lead in price at the Royal Mare for a week starts from £1,130 for two people (£565 per person) including bed and breakfast and a double bungalow garden view room for reservations visit www.aldemarhotels.com/pages/en/hotels/royal-mare/welcome.php
Monarch, the scheduled leisure airline, operates flights to Heraklion from Birmingham with fares, including taxes, starting from £55.49 one way (£136.48 return). For further information or to book please visit www.monarch.co.uk
All customers are allocated a seat at check-in; however seats can be pre-allocated on scheduled Monarch flights for £5.99 per one-way flight to ensure that families and groups are seated together. For customers looking for added comfort, extra legroom seats are also available offering up to six inches of extra space from only £9.99.
