A masterpiece in planning, Daios Cove Beach Resort and Luxury Villas is set around a scenic cove overlooking Vathi beach near Agios Nikolaos in Crete.
Aesthetically beautiful, as if carved out of the rock-face, the plush resort is all stone partitions and ochre walls, liberally dotted with private pools.
Perched in a remote and stunning location, with golf buggies whizzing by, (manned by beige-outfitted henchmen) it has a real James Bond villain lair look to it. A sight to behold, the sprawling five star resort even has two nifty funiculars running through it to avoid the steep climb. Much appreciated! A little surreal and very seductive, the mega resort has been planned down to T.
In the rooms, warm sandy colours and turquoises reflect the natural assets outside. Our room came with its own balcony, complete with jaw-dropping wilderness and ocean views, and its own blue rectangle (sadly not heated in the October wind), deep chocolate decking, teak sun loungers, pristine white mattresses and matching mocha parasol. A little slice of heaven…
The rooms come with some perks, like complimentary tea, coffee and water as well as very welcome bottle of red Daios Cove branded wine. And, there’s the regular pay-for mini-bar stocked with all the usual bits and bobs one might have a sudden urge for.
In the bathroom, marble – naturally, the cosy bathtub nook and glam shower come with local products, deliciously fragrant with lime and honey.
The private beach is perfectly pretty, with raffia style parasols perfectly lined up on the white sand, water-sports and diving school down one end, and a cosy beach café down the other end, providing light meals and the all-essential ice creams.
During our visit, the wind factor being somewhere around Hurricane Gonzales levels (no joking – the water-sports decking disintegrated on Day 2) we didn’t quite make the most of the beach but we did find alternatives to sun-worshipping on the sand.
Crucially, we discovered the resorts’ real gem: the kids club. A haven of toys run by lovely British lasses who seemed quite happy to take on our little man for a few hours. More to the point, it’s all he wanted to do, to stay put in the rainbow of fun, without his parents.
Having surmounted the guilt of leaving him (he wasn’t the least bothered of course) we sloped off and didn’t know what to do with ourselves. Catch up on much needed sleep? Hit the spa? Go for a jog? Work (yes, sadly)? Take a long restful bath? Read that book packed by habit but clearly not going to be read?
All the above… In just 2 days we packed it all in and then some – reclining by the stunning sea-water infinity pool reading voraciously, taking a family dip in the spa’s indoor heated pool (during “kids hours” at lunchtime) and taking a long walk around the resort, making the most of the dramatic cliff side views.
Beyond the beach café, for lunch we had several options including the poolside bar, the Ocean Club restaurant that serves a great pizza oozing cheese, or the Greek Taverna with its local specialties and seafood dishes served in a pared down fisherman’s chic shack ambiance.
Needless to say, our son didn’t want to leave the Kid’s Club, not even for meals. Quite delighted to stay on, the kid’s club dinner service also meant we could have a romantic dinner en ‘tete a tete’ rather than repeating the first night’s experience which involved eating in shifts, while one tried to contain the little boy’s excitement, running around the wide open spaces, hunting for cats, eyeing up other kids and generally running wild…
Dinners and breakfasts were served at the main restaurant Pangea. I must say I was impressed by the food, especially considering the volumes that are turned out. The buffet was exceedingly impressive. On Greek night, there must have been a choice of 15 mains, a salad bar, breads aplenty and of course a dreamy desert station, filled with sticky sweet Greek specialities. On Mediterranean night, the team put on another awe-inspiring spread and a feast of deserts. The patisserie team clearly knew what they were doing, and we were even more impressed, when, on our last day, which happened to be our son’s 3rd birthday, a beautiful chocolate cake adorned with macaroons showed up for a mini celebration.
The breakfast too was quite simply awesome. Whether you wanted to go local or stick to a full English, go for croissants, fruit, porridge, pancakes, waffles. You name it – you had it.
If I were to pick up on one slight downside it would be the staff at Pangea’s friendliness. I fear that in their hurry to be efficient, a few things have fallen by the wayside, like courtesy. Sadly this is something we felt on arrival and first impressions really do count. We were awed by the setting, but we weren’t quite bowled over by the welcome committee which seemed to be run by the ice queen’s younger sister, peering at at us with what can only be described as bewilderment, bordering on disdain. It may have been something lost in translation but whatever the lingual challenges, there’s a vibe, and we definitely did not feel the love! Either way, someone more affable on greeting duties might be an idea.
On the upside, despite starting out on the wrong foot, we were soon converts and quickly felt right at home. Other members of staff including Yannis the buggy driver, and the English team of nannies were so charming and helpful the few days at Daios were a real treat. Especially for one little boy who still asks when he can go back to the Kid’s Club…
ITC Luxury Travel (www.itcluxurytravel.co.uk; 01244 355 527) is offering 7 nights from £1,435 per person based on 2 adults sharing a Deluxe Room with Sea View including daily breakfast, return flights with Easyjet from London and private transfers.