Elounda Breeze Resort

This is a sizeable resort for divers travelling with family, a non-diving partner or simply a healthy appetite for choice once the regulator is packed away. Four pools, a private sandy beach, several restaurants and a proper programme of activities keep the place moving, while balconies facing the grounds or the sea give you somewhere to retreat when you have had enough of organised fun.

The hotel’s website is available in English, German, French, Dutch, Portuguese and Turkish, so you can get the practical information in the language that suits you. The overall mood is family-friendly and all-inclusive, with daytime and evening entertainment in summer, Greek-themed nights, live music and dancing. In other words, this is not a small hideaway where the loudest noise is a spoon in a coffee cup; it is a full resort with plenty going on.

You stay in Elounda, Greece, around 2 km from the village and on the seafront. The resort has its own private beach, about 200 m away on foot, with sand, sun loungers, parasols and showers. It sits beside a small bay where the water is generally calm, and water sports are available on the beach.

For a change of scene, Elounda Beach is about 1.2 miles away by location, while the road distance is roughly 1.7 miles. Ancient Olous is around 1.3 miles away by road, and Spinalonga Fortress is about 3.8 miles away. Agios Nikolaos is roughly 8 km from the resort, with its Archaeological Museum and Lake Voulismeni further around the same area. You have a coastal base, but not an isolated one.

The useful distinction here is not simply between standard and deluxe labels. You can choose between double, triple and family layouts, with sofa beds used alongside single beds; the family categories make more sense when you need separate sleeping arrangements rather than one bed doing all the work. The Standard Triple Room is the practical choice for a larger group, while the family rooms give you living space in a format designed for three guests. The Superior Family Room is the one to look at if having a private bathroom matters to you.

Every room is air-conditioned and has a balcony, with views across the grounds or towards the sea. That gives you somewhere to sit with a drink, check the next day’s weather and let the room recover from damp kit and sandy feet without turning the bedroom into a storage cupboard. A refrigerator and electric kettle are useful for keeping water cold and making an early cup of tea, while the seating area, sofa and desk give you a little more room than a bed and a suitcase.

Bathrooms are private and include a shower, towels and a hairdryer. Daily housekeeping, WiFi and a drying rack for clothing are also part of the practical set-up. Children of any age are welcome; cots can be requested for very young children, but extra beds are not available, so check the sleeping arrangement of your chosen room carefully before booking.

All-inclusive is the format, with a buffet breakfast from 07:30 and three restaurants covering the main meals. The Restaurant handles breakfast, lunch and dinner, with garden, pool and bay views. Taverna brings Greek cooking to the evening table, while Green & Grill also serves dinner and looks out towards the bay, garden, pool or inland side.

There are four bars, which is useful when the group splits into people who want a quiet drink and people who have already found the liveliest corner. The Lobby Bar, Thea’s Coffee Shop, Quiet Bar and Beach Bar all serve cocktails. A snack bar is also available, and special-diet menus cover vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices. The buffet is family-friendly too, including a children’s buffet, so you can eat promptly rather than negotiate dinner like a minor diplomatic summit.

The pool choice is unusually clear. The Activity Pool is there for movement, the Relax Pool for slowing down, and a further outdoor pool gives you another place to settle with a book. The Aqua Park adds water slides and a children’s pool with a baby slide. Pool and beach towels, loungers and parasols keep the logistics pleasantly simple.

For land-based energy, you have tennis and volleyball facilities, table tennis, billiards, a fitness room and a sauna. The spa offers massages, body and facial treatments, beauty services and spa packages, while yoga and several fitness sessions cover everything from strength and conditioning to aqua boards and swim fit. Some wellness services carry an additional charge, so the pool remains the uncomplicated option.

If you are travelling with children, the kids’ club is aimed at ages 3 to 12 and there is a separate children’s pool, an indoor play area and daytime activities. For adults who would rather leave the resort for a while, cultural excursions include Spinalonga Island and Agios Nikolaos. Summer evenings bring live entertainment, Greek-themed nights, music and dancing.

Heraklion International Airport is about 39 miles from the resort by road, with a journey of roughly 55 minutes by car. Sitia Public Airport is about 44 miles away by road, with a longer drive. A shuttle service is available, and car hire is available on site; private parking is free and does not require reservation.

Plan around a check-in window of 14:00 to 15:00 and a check-out window of 11:00 to 12:00. Early check-in and late check-out can be requested. The front desk operates around the clock, with luggage storage and concierge service available, which helps if your flight and your room do not line up neatly. Free WiFi covers the hotel, and an infirmary is on site.

The minimum age for check-in is 18. Children aged 13 and over are treated as adults for occupancy purposes, cots for children aged 0 to 2 can be requested, and extra beds are not available. Cash is not accepted, full prepayment is due on arrival, and pets are not allowed.