Domes of Elounda is a five-star beach resort on the Mirabello Bay coast near Elounda, in the north-east of Crete, part of Marriott Autograph Collection. It has 118 rooms and suites set across a private beach of sand and shingle, with five outdoor pools, an indoor pool and a children pool, a spa called Soma with a hammam, sauna and steam room, five restaurants and bars, a kids club and tennis courts. Golf buggies carry guests around the hillside grounds, and parking is free. It is a resort for a beach holiday rather than a city break, and it is well placed for Spinalonga, which is about twenty minutes away by car. Season note: the property is closed from 1 November to 31 March, and the outdoor pools open in the warm months, so it cannot be booked for a November stay. Plan a visit from April onward.
Location and getting around
The resort sits at Tsifliki, a short drive from Elounda village and the causeway to the Spinalonga peninsula. Plaka beach is about six minutes by car and Spinalonga about twenty minutes, while Agios Nikolaos is a short drive in the other direction. A hire car makes the east coast easy, and parking at the hotel is free.
The rooms and facilities
Rooms, suites and villas look over the bay or the grounds, and the resort has indoor and outdoor gyms, a Reformer Pilates garden, water sports at the beach such as windsurfing, water skiing and scuba diving, and a choice of dining venues from casual to fine dining. The spa requires reservations for treatments. Pool hours run through the day, and the seasonal pool follows the open season.
Who it suits
Couples, families and honeymooners who want a full resort on the sea with plenty to do on site and day trips to Spinalonga and the Lasithi Plateau. It is on the pricey side and best from late spring to early autumn, when the beach, pools and restaurants are all running. If you are travelling in winter, look at the city hotels in Heraklion or Chania.
Good to know
This is a resort for the warm season, and the closed period from the start of November to the end of March is firm, so it should not be on a winter shortlist. If you are planning a spring trip, the shoulder months of April and May are cooler for the sea but excellent for walking and sightseeing, while June to September is the beach season. Book early for July and August, and ask about boat trips to Spinalonga and the other bays.
Why stay here
- ✓Private sand and shingle beach
- ✓Five outdoor pools and an indoor pool
- ✓Soma Spa with hammam and sauna
- ✓Five restaurants and bars
- ✓Kids club and children pool
- ✓Tennis courts
- ✓Free parking
- ✓Closed 1 November to 31 March
Good questions
Is Domes of Elounda open in November?+
No. The property is closed from 1 November to 31 March, so it can only be booked from April onward.
How far is it from Spinalonga?+
About twenty minutes by car, and Plaka beach is about six minutes away.
Is parking free?+
Yes, parking is free, and golf buggies help guests around the hillside grounds.
