Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection

This hotel is a mix of good and bad. Unfortunately the bad is worse than the good. Our room has the most spectacular views for sunrise so that’s the huge plus. I mean beyond gorgeous!! The water on the beach is shallow which is great for kids. I understand if you have young children under 7 to come here. It’s very family oriented. More activities for kids and families. The town is fine, most of it feels like you can be anywhere, not Greece. Most signs on stores are in English. As for the hotel Domes Elounda, the staff is very disorganized especially the beach restaurant. They serve European people first and make Americans wait for over an hour, especially sever Natalia. This isn’t the way we have been treated in the past two weeks in Europe. We came from JW Crete which had phenomenal service and was beyond any expectations in service, quality and taste of food, and friendliness. This place just doesn’t compare. If you are wondering which part of Crete to visit, choose JW. If you have kids walk to Marathi beach from JW. JW is a friendly environment to all. The rooms are new and not dated. The staff are experts and if not, you can tell being trained well. Domes of Elounda seem like the staff are tired and don’t care. The property is large and they are showing signs of laziness. I don’t know if the problem stems from the above or people who are hired to serve but it’s a definite issue. We will be back to visit JW Crete, but never here again. I understand if you want to be in a bigger resort with young kids and will accept poor service. You also will not get a cultural experience or peaceful bliss. Chania is 20 minute drive from JW Crete, but it feels way more authentic to Greece. I love the trips to Chania and the serenity of JW Crete.

I am a global traveler being fortunate to have stayed in many amazing resorts. This place is amazing! All the details are considered. If you’re debating on coming here, just come and enjoy you won’t regret it. Beach, food, pool, service, service, facilities all best-in-class!

Domes is a hotel that offers facilities and service at a very high level. Noticeably, they are able to do this while still catering well for families with children of all ages. Rooms are spacious and well looked after. Cart service on the hilly terrain is fast and effective and staff is without exception friendly and accommodating. Breakfast is well organised with a wide selection. Both Blend and Makris restaurant are good, the latter an exceptional culinary experience. Close enough to walk to Elounda for local shopping.

The childcare team (Led by Eleni (Connie)) we're fantastic. Our son really settled in over the week and he had a great time every morning.

From the moment we arrived, we felt so welcome and knew this was the perfect place for our summer family vacation. We enjoyed all our experiences at the hotel - from the meals (especially the dinners at CORE with its fantastic service staff and the entertainment team!) to the most amazing Kids Club (Elina and the team were the best kids club team we’ve ever met anywhere!) to the unique Spa treatment. Every situation was so professionally handled and we were extremely satisfied with our experience! Special thanks to Ms. Anastasia for her tireless efforts to make us enjoy our stay until the very last minute as well as Mr. Nikos. We will definitely look back fondly at our stay and will make plans to visit again in the future. Our kids are already asking to go again!

We (four adults) stayed in a 2-bed luxury villa with a pool, and the experience was near perfect. The accommodation, facilities, staff, and food were all truly 5-star. From the warm welcome at the gates to the stunning bay views and attentive service throughout, everything felt luxurious. Staff go out of their way to make your stay special. Despite it being a family resort, we found plenty of peaceful, adult-only spaces, including a quiet beach area and a separate kids’ pool (which you can easily avoid if you don’t have kids). It’s very well balanced for both families and adults. We stayed half board and especially loved the beach restaurant—fantastic food in a beautiful setting. Wine isn’t included and can be pricey, so perhaps a local house option for half-board guests would be a welcome touch. The Haute Living lounge (included with villas) was a great perk—free drinks and snacks all day. While kids are allowed in, an adults-only section might improve the experience. Top tip: Visit nearby Plaka for a traditional Cretan meal—Maria’s Taverna was a highlight. The hotel even gave us a lunch voucher in exchange for skipping one dinner, which was much appreciated. Highly recommended for couples, groups of friends, and younger families. A truly exceptional resort.