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13 June 2024 by Rachel Pennycook
A destination which has been on my wish list for quite some time, Crete is renowned for gorgeous beaches, exceptional cuisine and typical Aegean hospitality. For my short visit to this beautiful island, I had the pleasure of staying at the Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa on the northeastern corner of Crete, opposite the famous island of Spinalonga.
With flights from many UK airports, it is easy to reach Heraklion – Crete's largest city – and from there it is just an hour’s drive to the resort. Once we arrived, we were treated to a dinner surrounded by the stars at their poolside restaurant, Sage and Thyme. I say surrounded as their pool has lots of beautiful little lights in the bottom which mirror the stars above, creating a breath-taking scene. A wonderful atmosphere is created here with live music, something they do quite often. For example, during my stay we had performances from a saxophonist, cellist, pianist and an evening of traditional Cretan music, accompanied by folklore dancers. The resort has five restaurants, so there's plenty of choice for delicious Greek meals. Even if none of these appeal, there are plenty of restaurants down in Plaka too – the nearby village within walking distance. During our stay, we were even able to have a Greek cooking lesson with the executive chef and his team, making some stuffed tomatoes and cheese and honey filo pastries which I would highly recommend.
Kelari Gourmet Restaurant
Due to being built into the hillside, almost every room at the Cayo Resort has a private infinity pool and a view out towards Spinalonga. This makes it a perfect destination for couples wanting to get away and have some privacy. From the superior family room upwards, all the verandas have sun loungers, and for larger families they have two bedroom suites spread across three levels which are great, especially for families with older children as they have their own space. Due to the land it’s built on, the resort is quite steep, so they do provide two funiculars for you to get up and down to your room which is quite a novelty. These are completely glass, although with ventilation so it’s not a greenhouse effect! This means you can enjoy the view as you travel up or down the resort.
One of three pools at the resort
The hotel also has three communal pools in case you decide you want more space for a swim, or simply a change from your private one. They also feature poolside cabanas with table service at the push of a button. If you tire of the pools, it's very easy to pop down into the village of Plaka, which is also where the hotel’s beach club is located. It is easily walkable, however the hotel will also offer a complimentary shuttle down and back if you’ve got stuff to carry. It is a pebble beach and the hotel have sun loungers for their guests to use and wooden platforms to make walking easier. On Saturday afternoons they have a live DJ performing at the beach club, although, if this is not to your taste the sun loungers go a fair way down the beach for some more peace and quiet. I enjoyed a nice cocktail brought to my lounger whilst admiring the view of Spinalonga which is just opposite – simply stunning.
The village of Plaka, near Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa
The boat trips to go to Spinalonga depart from Plaka; we went on a traditional caique cruise around the bay so we could see the island from the sea. Plaka itself has lots of charming little shops, bars and restaurants, so it is easy to spend some time exploring. If you would prefer more shopping then Cayo is in a great location to access the famous town of Agios Nikolas (30 minutes) and the lesser known charming village of Kritsa (35 minutes) which both have more shops, restaurants and bars for you to choose between. I would highly recommend Maistrali where we ate one evening. It's right by the seafront and has beautiful traditional Greek food.
Seafront dining in Plaka
I firmly believe a key part of going away is to relax and unwind, so once you’ve finished exploring and shopping you can visit the Cayo Resort’s wonderful spa. The spa is small with three treatment rooms and a large relaxation area with indoor pool and sauna. Whilst there, I treated myself to a neck and back massage, as well as a facial – both were excellent. There is so much more I could say about this wonderful resort, so if you're considering a stay, I’d be more than happy to talk through the best room options for you and help plan the perfect trip.
