Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection

With stunning views across to the abandoned island of Spinalonga, Domes of Elounda sets a high benchmark on the Cretan hotel scene. Standout features include a blue-flag sandy beach, an open-air agora that blends pop-up shopping with street food and socialising, four stellar restaurants, and ample facilities for both adults and children.

Part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection of hotels, Domes of Elounda sits sprawled across a hillside on the north coast of Crete. It was built to mimic the colours and contours of Spinalonga opposite, the former leper colony made famous by Victoria Hislop in her novel, The Island. It makes for a fascinating excursion – arranged through concierge – and is clearly visible from most of the hotel’s private terraces.

The resort attracts a lot of young families, drawn no doubt by the safe sandy beach and well-run kids’ and teen clubs; even the spa offers treatments just for children. But there are also quiet zones where children aren’t allowed, including a pool that’s reserved for adults only.

Hand-carved wooden furniture tempers the otherwise cool, crisp interiors of the rooms and suites, where private jacuzzis and plunge pools come as standard. For families and larger groups there are villas and residences with well-equipped kitchens, and private patios overlooking the bay and generously sized pools.

With its award-winning seafood, Topos 1910 is perhaps the pick of the restaurants, though the Greek creative cuisine on offer at Frureo could easily give it a run for its money. Truly special, though, is CORE, an open-air, ancient-Greek-style agora, or market, that blends pop-up shopping with deli stalls and food trucks serving cooked-to-order delicacies that will make your mouth water.