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- Elounda
- Cayo Exclusive Resort and Spa
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Cayo Exclusive Resort and Spa
Greece, Europe
Elounda
Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa is located in north-eastern Crete, in the famous Elounda bay overlooking the islet of Spinalonga, a candidate for the UNESCO List of World Heritage Site. The concept behind the development of Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa is focused on the timeless values of Greek culture, Greek hospitality, and of the lasting Cretan tradition.
The architectural design of the outdoor and indoor areas of Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa aims to showcase the incredible beauty of the landscape from every angle. Modern comfort and luxury, coexist harmoniously in an environment that respects and enhances our cultural heritage.
Handpicked elements were used to achieve the seamless blend of our resort with the surrounding hills and the azure water of the Cretan archipelago. Taping on in-depth knowledge of the latest trends in luxury tourism, we focus on providing high-quality services whe
Facilities
- Beauty salon*
- Spa treatments*
- Massage*
- Steam bath*
- Sauna*
- Sun loungers
- Outdoor freshwater pool
- Poolside snack bar*
- Private beach area
- Dining area
- Please note some facilities may incur an additional fee
Due to the surrounding area and the number of steps around the hotel, it may not be suitable for those with mobility difficulties.
The Local Area
Tripadvisor Reviews
5.0 Excellent385 reviews
Excellent
87%
Very Good
7%
Average
4%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Wonderful week ...
We are just home after seven blissful nights at this wonderful hotel. We booked an executive suite and it was worth every penny, beautiful interiors and outside space to take your breath away, a private good sized pool, sunbeds, a outdoor dining set and sofa and - my favourite - the egg chair. Our room description did say minibar and I would have expected a fully stocked mini bar with a range of drinks and snacks but it's just an empty mini fridge. The welcome wine and fruit was much appreciated. The view over the sea and Spinalonga was just exceptional. This is hotel is beautifully designed, sitting perfectly in the hillside. I was glad we we on row two (room 211) good proximity to the bars and restaurants, although we did have a go in the funicular as it looked like fun! I would imagine when the hotel is at full capacity the wait could be an issue. Unfortunately we were delayed so did not check in until 1.00am but the staff were so warm and welcoming and nothing was too much trouble. Breakfast was a good variety, not sure about the laminated little menu but for five star I would expect an "allergen" area, whilst the food is all well labelled there was not any gluten free/dairy free products out or a separate toaster for coeliacs. We had room service one evening and it was really lovely and the service was wonderful too. There are some lovely places to eat in Plaka and we do like to do that, the proximity to the town is a nice stroll down the hill. Concierge were very helpful, we hired a boat from Plaka Watersports and they arranged for us to picked up by boat to their base. We didn't try the beach club - couldn't drag ourselves away from our pool, it looked quite cramped but well organised. Every member of staff was cheerful and friendly and provided excellent service, our room was kept immaculate. The hotel was very quiet though and chatting to some locals this seemed to be the case all over given the time of year. We had an amazing, relaxing week and we would definitely return. Thank you Cayo and team.
Review by DHM68 Hope Valley, United Kingdom
Lovely relaxing resort
We have just returned from 9 nights at the Cayo Exclusive Resort and Spa and had a lovely relaxing holiday. The hotel feels very airy and spacious from the moment you walk in, the decor is very serene and the views across to Spinalonga are stunning.
Rooms We booked an Executive Room with private pool which was exceptional and well worth it. The room was spacious and bright with lots of storage and well set out. The bathroom had a lovely seperate walk-in shower. Would have benefited from been slightly larger to accommodate a double vanity sink unit but the space was ample. The room had every amenity you would expect from a 5* hotel. But the best for us was the pool and outdoor terrace. We were allocated room 205, which is on the end on the block. the room had direct views across to Spinalonga. The pool was bigger than just a plunge pool and the terrace wrapped around the room with 2 sun loungers and a table and chairs. Part of the terrace got the sun all day which was a bonus but there was also plenty of shade when needed. The pool was quite cold even though the average temperate was 35 degrees but was lovely and refreshing in the heat. The room was spotless and housekeeping were faultless, with nightly turndown service. Towels were changed daily if not twice daily and pool towels changed every other day.
Food We had booked B&B which was perfect for us as we like to go out and about and eat in the local tavernas and restaurants. The breakfast was more than adequate with a generous hot and cold buffet, eggs made to order, freshly squeezed orange juice The only issue we found was the quality of the coffee. The first morning we ordered cappuccino however it was cold and I noticed it was from a commercial machine. We then ordered flat whites after that which were made with the barista coffee machine and much better. i would have expected that all coffees would have been made this way. We had lunch on one of the days during our stay at the Sage and Thyme pool bar, which was lovely. Portion sizes were huge, but the food was well cooked and the service was great. I can't comment on the other restaurants as we ate out every evening
Beach This was our biggest disappointment. Having read the description of the beach and how to get there I appreciated that the hotel was not on the beach but I don't think that the description is a true reflection of the distance. The funiculars in the hotel only take you to pool/reception level, you than have a 10 minute walk or a shuttle in the form of the hotel mini bus to the beach. Last year we stayed at the Royal Marmin Bay just further round the bay from the Cayo, the funiculars there took you down to the road and then across the road was the hotel's private beach On our first evening at the hotel we walked into Plaka and passed the beach that belongs to the Cayo hotel with beach bar, we were extremely disappointed with what we saw. The photos on the hotel website have been somewhat enhanced. The beach is extremely cramped with hardly any space between the sun loungers. It didn't appeal to us at all and we were even more grateful of our room with private pool
Pools The pool areas were very quiet during our stay, they were well maintained. I'm not sure if there would be an issue with sunbeds if the hotel was at capacity but it didn't appear so during our stay. Again as we had our own pool we didn't use the pools.
Overall The hotel is well maintained and has 5* amenities. It has a good range of facilities and a good choice of bars and restaurants but it was very quiet for the end of June/July. We usually stay in adult only hotels which are generally quiet but this seemed very quiet. there were very few children and I don't think the hotel is suitable for very young children. The service is exceptional, the staff are very friendly but just a little too quiet for us and we preferred to be closer to Elounda than Plaka. Although we had a few personal niggles, it's still worthy of a 5* review.
Review by jojo292018 Leeds, United Kingdom
The Cayo Exclusive Resort and Spa, Plaka, Crete. BEAUTIFUL!!
My wife and I stayed at the Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa on the Greek island of Crete, next to the city of Plaka, from June 5th through the 12th, 2026. We loved every minute of it! We had a room with a pool, which was great. It really was something we loved having during our stay. The accommodations were very nice! Our reservation was half-board. They do not offer all-inclusive. Breakfast and dinner were included. We ate dinner at the resort, but did eat at restaurants in Plaka, Elounda, and Agios Nikolaos for lunch. The food in those cities was always fresh and, I have to say, ALWAYS very good! Fresh seafood was incredible. Great vegetarian/vegan options were available at every restaurant we went to. I was really surprised at how good breakfast and dinner at the resort were. So much to choose from, and everything was of the best quality.
Whatever you do, stop by the spa at the resort for a massage! You have to meet Konstantina! She is the spa's manager and an amazing and fascinating person we were lucky enough to meet there, and hope to see again on our next trip back.
My wife and I had a massage given by Alma. Alma was, to be honest, one of the best, if not the best masseuse I have ever had. Truly professional. She asked if there were any specific areas of concern that she wanted me to tell her about. I told her the left side of my neck was an area that needed some attention. She concentrated on that area and absolutely gave me relief from soreness and stiffness that I had not felt in quite a while. The entire massage left me completely relaxed and feeling so much better than when I came in. Ask for Alma when you go to the spa, and you must go to the spa!
I highly recommend a boat trip to the island of Spinalonga. An incredible experience. The trip also included a trip to the secluded Kolokytha Beach for about 90 minutes of swimming and relaxation before you get back on board for lunch and a trip back to Elounda, where the trip originates. You can get off the boat at Elounda and take a rent-a-car or a taxi back to Cayo Resort, or stay on the boat for a trip to Agios Nikolaos, where you are free to explore that beautiful port city. You had to provide your own transportation back to the Cayo Resort from Agios Nikolaos, as that is where the boat trip officially ends.
Bottom line, I would highly recommend a stay at this beautiful and fairly new resort next to the town of Plaka on the island of Crete. Great service, great food, beautiful scenery in a truly beautiful place.
Fantastic Hotel
Stayed for a week and was an incredible experience. Had pre-booked a meal to be served in our suite and arranged flowers before the visit. Concierge service were very helpful. Presentation and preparation of the patio area was amazing by George and his service for the meal was excellent. The meal itself was off a very high standard. The couple of lunches we had were good and a wide variety and selection for breakfast. Meal at Kelari was a highlight of the week. Very relaxing and peaceful resort. Shuttle service to the beach was very useful. Service on the beach again was great. We had an executive room which was very spacious and well furnished. Never a problem getting a sunbed by the main pools if we wanted one. The whole resort is well designed and offers lots of privacy and seclusion. Rooms are not over looked. Architecture and landscaping is very thoughtful and fits in well to the natural environment. Look forward to returning.
Cayo is truly deserving of it’s exclusive name
From the moment we arrived we knew we had picked a great place for our holiday. We were welcomed with a strawberry lemonade and waited in the Emerald Bar for a few minutes while the staff completed the check in formalities. A member of the team then took us up to our room (via the funicular railway/lift!) pointing out key facilities on the way. The room was perfect, impeccably clean, nicely decorated with due aspect doors anto the balcony and private pool area. From this excellent start we had the perfect week. You can never tire of the views down to Plaka and Spinalonga. The private pool was perfect (and slightly warmer than I expected) and we never needed to use the hotel pools, although they did look wonderful. Breakfast at Ambrosia each morning was perfect with good choices and good quality on offer, served by friendly staff. We ate out in Plaka most of the time, although a small and quiet village it does have some excellent tavernas, particularly at the far and of the village from Cayo. The walk down to the village was a pleasant 10 minute stroll although a little more challenging walking back up due to the hill, especially on a full stomach. We did attend the Cretan evening buffet, eat lunch and Sage and Thyme on one occasion and use the Emerald Bar for a nightcap a couple of times. Food and drink was always good quality and served by friendly and efficient staff. Room cleaning was done well with the minimum of fuss and water was replenished daily. All the staff we encountered were smiling and engaging. Our one small disappointment was with the Cayo Beach club, although not fans of beaches in general the beach club did look a little cramped. We did eat lunch there one day but unfortunately neither the menu options, quality and service quite matched that up the hill and the main resort. It didn’t spoil our holiday though, we just opted not to use the beach club again. Our week flew by with many happy memories of a truly relaxing week at Cayo. We like to explore different places each time we holiday, but Cayo is definitely one of a small number which I would be more than happy to return to on the future.
Review by Ray C Hertfordshire
